What a week ?very different first trip was monday but we've already covered that one next was Wednesday 11th Ten rod hires {help!!!!} No in all honesty small tides?rod hires I was dreading it but turned out great They were baggage handlers from Ryan air Three boat loads funny but all of mine spoke Slovakian,Czechoslovakian and English.Dont know if if was a set up by batty or Rawlelly but It went down great not only did I learn a few choice words but we caught fish and some clonkers,biggest skate 16lbs Graham Kitckener of Braintree,Then one of 15lbs by the only woman on board,Slovakian born Irena Jencova now of Stratford and another of 13lbs by Richard wecrzyn of Bishop Storford.In all we had 18 skate and in fairness to the party they only kept two males[mind you I told them they were poisonous]The weather, fishing and party were great here's hoping they all enjoyed it I think so

Thursday Seven anglers including one voucher,David Bullock and one teenager.What let us down was the weather we went back to the same place,as you would. but the weather was terrible ,small tides and a very uncomfortable easterly breeze force 4/5 I felt really sorry for the teenager Richard he started throwing up when we got there but good luck to him he stuck with it and got his rewards,skate! We stayed as long as we could for 5 skate including one of 15lbs for American Rick Santos I was a bit at loss as to what to do, no tide swinging about ,no more fish and at least another one and a half hours to go till low tide. Looking at Richard I knew I had to try something and I took a gamble as much for calm waters as fish 5.5miles north east well we hadn't been there long and the rods started to nod. David Phillips caught another 4skate and three were good doubles up to 13lbs we topped up with 15 skate and various whiting /dogfish What was good was Richard caught a couple of skate for his endeavors.

Saturday we went back to Thursdays mark what a bag of s---- it was terrible no matter where we went in that area it seemed dead ,eventually we crossed the Gunfleet into the Wallet and Patrick or hatrick proved the best of the day.For our trouble we ended up with 7 skate but it was hard.also one angler collected a coverted reward in the form of a parking ticket donated by one of our council stick and run enforcers.[crime he didnt park quite between the lines]

Sunday again eight anglers but it took a long while ,with boats moving about we knew it was going to be hard. After two moves our patience eventually paid off with a total of 9 skate and for the not so fussy our first eel courtesy of Eric. Mixed in with this were a few whiting & dog fish.

unusual catches this week in the trawlers ?one small trawler caught a cod his scales only went up to 35lbs and it was well over that,two other trawlers have also reported really big oversize cod in their trawls while fishing locally.Strange we dont hook them although there was one of 32lbs caught a couple of years ago in the Wallet I think they are mainly feeding on smaller fish and our baits are maybe to small to be of interest.I wouldn't think you would really want to eat these monsters as they are normally full of worm but from an area/anglers point of view what a catch and report these would have made? One thing worth mentioning to potential customers is the amount of new people coming into the trade. While competition is healthy one thing to remember there's no substitute for experience IT CAN'T BE BOUGHT!!! so when or if you are thinking of booking check out history ,qualifications,full or part time?and ask to see their portfolio if its like ours then I'm in trouble cheers Dave Weaving