Planned a session with Carl and Dan over the weekend. Was hoping Carl would plump for Sunday night as the forecast was better, however, last night it was and after a quick conflab on location, we decided with a frisky NW wind, the Breakwater would provide shelter.
We set off at 7pm for Holyhead, the last couple of sessions there had both produced thornies for me and Carl, but otherwise the trips had been pretty barren. We had noted previously that we seemed to get more action on the ebb and convinced each other that this bode well for the evening.
As we approached, we noticed there was a lack of lights along the Break but weren't prepared for what we found. There were a couple of groups of guys fishing the platform at the start of the Break, as we drove on it was clear why they were there. The waves were crashing over the top and flowing from the upper platform like waterfalls! We managed a couple hundred yards before turning back - it was like driving though an angry car wash!! And although visibility was poor in the deluge, we could see that it wasn't confined to the first section, it was the same as far up as you could see.
The guys on the platform said a number of cars had tried to carry on, they all came back soon after. They had stuck this spot for a couple of hours but, even with the shelter of their van, their gear was blowing all over and they were getting nothing but snags.
So, the backup plan was implemented, and we headed for Wylfa Head to fish the small cove with the old boathouse. The wind was ferocious over the top but, as anticipated we were protected when we dropped down onto the shingle beach.
It wasn't ideal, by the time we rigged up it was high tide, and as expected, fishing the ebb was a little slow.
I managed a decent whiting before Carl had his only 'fish?' of the night.
The next few hours were really quiet, both Carl and Dan were hitting the snags.
About 3 hours down Carl decided to go for broke, put a heavier rig on with half a bluey as bait, and moved to the left, fishing closer to the ruins of the boat slip and rocks.
Unfortunately for him the plan failed and my next cast into the swim he had just left (using the tail end of bluey he had cut from his bait!) produced this - my first ever conger!
To make matters worst, whilst Carl was holding this one up for the camera, his rod started bouncing, but as usual, by the time he got to it he'd been left with a mangled lump of chewed up bluey.
I convinced him to have another cast. Unfortunately the result this time was the same as the last, all the knocks coming while he was rolling a fag!!
The third cast went untouched, and with this, a little after 1am we packed away and headed back to the truck.
Incidentally, being a conger novice, anyone hazard a guess at the size, and also whether I should be calling it a strap! It certainly looked like it might have taken offence if I'd have called it anything other than 'Mr. Conger'........ or 'Sir'!!
All Luck - Bhuna
