The Unexpected Pollack

It would be the Revo 16's second time out but i wasn't the only one with a new kayak. The Viking Kayaks have arrived at Cornwall Canoes and Andrew is now paddling and fishing from the very nice Viking Profish Reload. We both now have our weapons of choice rigged and ready for the season. A small weather window showed itself so we launched early on Sunday morning to make the most of it....

The sea was calm and the sky was cloudy. We would be fishing over low tide but that didn't matter too much, we just wanted to be out on the water - any fish would be a bonus! We headed off in the hope of catching a few pollack over rough ground... The Profish Reload looked great on the water! 

Out at the fishing mark it didn't take long before Andrews rod was bent over with a fish taking his lure....

It was a small Pollack but at least they were there. I found one soon after - it looks to have had a bite taken out of it too, or perhaps it was net damage.... Either way it had healed over and the fish was in good health.

Very little was showing on the fish finders and it was all a bit quiet with very few bites. We sort of expected that though with April not often a great month for inshore Pollack. We headed off to explore the coastline and throw some lures towards the shore incase a hungry Bass fancied some plastic, but to no avail. The water was fairly calm, and we were approaching slack water so we thought bugger it and headed offshore! 

The tide off this stretch of coastline is mental. Even at low tide, the tide was swirling and causing overfalls around the reefs. At places we were drifting at 2 knots, yet move a matter of a kayaks length across a crease line and you would remain stationary! We really had to watch it and knew we didn't have long before the tide turned and we would have to get back into the shelter of the coastline to prevent getting caught out and taken further offshore. Luckily the Revo 16 was at home here, and so was the Viking Profish Reload. Both great paddling/pedalling hull designs that will cope with more challenging conditions, but still... we knew not to push our luck. We found a few good looking reefs and soon we were both into fish. Andrew had a better one around the 6-7lb mark...

And then my lure was nailed by a steam train! Rod hooped over, line peeling off the reel. I was only in 40ft of water so put the brakes on the fish and felt a big lump on the end thrashing its head trying to reach the rocks below. Some firm persuasion and i had it playing in mid-water. 

It took a good few minutes to get anywhere near the kayak and then i saw it as it took another dive, my 30-60gr lure rod bent to the reel handle.... Andrew caught that moment on camera... i think my face says it all!

It was thrashing around trying to shake the hook but i soon had It coming back to the kayak. It surfaced off the bow and i quickly had it in the footwell..... ​

It went 13lb 4oz and is a new PB for me.... well happy!! 

We continued to catch fish around the 3-6lb stamp - awesome fun on 30-60gr lure rods and 20lb braid! I also caught a colourful Cuckoo Wrasse...

The colours on the male Cuckoo's always astonish me. This one had particularly vibrant blue colours, but as always the camera just never does it justice. 

Soon enough the tide was turning and with it the wind started to pick up. We were a good few miles from the launch so started the journey back, stopping at a few reefs on the way to have a few more fish out. 

By the time we had reached the launch the wind had picked up considerably - we had cut it fine! If we were still offshore we would have had a gruelling journey back, with white caps already showing on the water we had come from a matter of 10 minutes before. The sea around West Cornwall isn't a place for the faint-hearted when the conditions are against you. Conditions can change within minutes and turn calm water into a choppy mess. It's proper kayaking ground and we love it! The new kayaks performed admirably and will certainly be given a good work out this coming year with plenty of big kayak fishing trips planned.... i can't wait! We had caught plenty of fish when we didn't expect too catch much, and i had a new PB... i'm not complaining ​​😀