April 2022 Fishing Update
Monday 4 Apr, 2022
Surf Casting
We recall the day at Nape Nape Surf Casting Competition how two of our young lads hatched a plan to win this competition. They turned up with a drum that you could smell several kilometres away, full of blood from a certain freezing works. The Lion’s Cheviot had been holding this successful annual event for several years and they had a tractor go down the beach and put stakes in the shingle all numbered and as you paid your entry you were allocated a number, a very fair way to separate the fishermen so they had the least tangles whilst fishing.
Our two lads got there early and secured the rocky end of the beach. With the horn sounding the start of competition, our two lads rolled this drum down to the waterline taking the bung out letting this blood wash into the surf. With very strong line large hooks and big bait they set about catching Conger Eels known to frequent this area. One of our lads did not have to wait long, hooking up the biggest Conger Eel you had ever seen. Now the fight was on to try to land this monster up the beach and back down the beach. Nearly an hour went by as the Eel tired and came into the waves so we could all see how big this monster was. Shouts from our lad to his fellow fishermen to bring the bloody gaff. Into the surf went our lad to gaff this monster, however once gaffed it was so powerful it broke the gaff but was still well hooked so he grabbed the line and got dragged into the waves.
Several fishermen rushed to his aid and also got dragged into the surf. Eventually after a heart stopping 10 minutes, this monster was landed – winning the competition. We all breathed a sigh of relief that we got the fish, but more so that nobody drowned.