7^th July – Pendine beach

Barrelreef, Teggy and Blackcat decided to try Pendine beach in the hope of some flounder and bass. We got to the beach around 8.30pm with high water around 12.30am. With it being our 1^st time fishing at Pendine we weren’t sure of any hotspots so set up directly in front of the carpark.

1^st cast Blackcat had a bite and proceeded to wind in a nice little flatty to ragworm. His 1^st flounder of the year

Blackcat then had a good positive take on a sandeel at long range which turned out to be a doggie.

It went a little quiet but then Barrelreef also landed a flounder on a ragworm bait, also a 1st flounder of the year for Barrel

Next cast barrelreef had a good slackline bite and wound done into a decent fish but unfortunately it dropped the crab bait.

Around high water blackcat managed a little schoolie bass that had taken a crab nearly as big as itself.

Best moment of the night came just after high when Blackcat hooked into something decent on a crab bait and all we could see were white flashes in the surf 30 yards out.

With barrel the only one with waders on he waded out to grab the fish, which we thought was a decent bass only for it to be a big dogfish rolling about in the surf.

Not bad for our 1^st session there

Blackcat - 2 dogfish, 1 flounder, 1 schoolie bass

Barrelreef  - 1 flounder

Teggy - Blanked

18^th July - Porthcawl pier

With Wilba spending the night in South wales ready for a boat trip early the next morning. A short trip to Porthcawl pier was arranged. With high water around 10.45pm

The plan was to fish from around 6 til 10.

We got to the pier and couldn’t get near the end or on the top ledge so we set up on the top ledge facing into the harbour. Bites were slow on the main rods, so Wilba set up a float and had a little bit of fun landing 3 gobie type fish in quick succession.

Around 7.30pm a few lads moved off the end and we managed to squeeze in there. Barrelreef using a spinning rod dropped a running ledger and small hook down the side of the pier, baited with mackerel. As soon as it had touched bottom something hit it and Barrel reeled in a nice little Pollack around a pound.

As darkness fell the dogfish started to bite and we had bites most casts but struggled to hook all the bites. Although most of us managed to catch it was very quiet for the pier.

We did see a few rays landed on the top ledge in front of the lighthouse, 2 good ones…..7lb 4oz and 7lb 15oz,  and also spoke to a pier regular who said the week before some very good bass had been taken off the pier!

A nice and easy quick session on the pier with a few doggies, gobies and a pollack.

Wilba – 1 Dogfish, 3 gobie things (2 the same and 1 another species but we’re not sure which)

Barrelreef – 4 dogfish, 1 pollack

Valleyboyo – 3 dogfish

Blackcat  - Blanked

22^nd  July – Porthkerry beach

Barrelreef fished alone as the other boys couldn’t make it, so decided on a mark that he’d never fished but had always wanted to try….Porthkerry!

Fishing a few hours either side low water it was very quiet. More of the action was above with the planes flying over head…Cardiff airport seems busy on a Sunday evening!!

So about 2 hours into the flood, Barrel decided to put a big bait out, so whipped 2 of the biggest squid he had on a 6/0 hook and chucked it out around 60 yards.

Minutes later the rod gave a few little taps, to which Barrel jumped up and grabbed the rod in readiness and as he did the tip lurched down and he struck. After a spirited little scrap a very angry 4lb strap conger lay on the pebbles.

Good at least it wasn’t a blank and after a quick snap the eel went back.

Barrel fished on for another hour (would have stayed longer but forgot the headlamp lamp and it was getting dark) but had no more bites.

Not the best of sessions but nice to have a conger… a species Barrel hasn’t caught off the shore for a few years. Also good to try a new venue and not blank

Barrelreef – 1 strap conger