In the last few years we have repeatedly been having a good spell of weather in the month of September. This weather has in the past been characterised by northerly and easterly fronts and prolonged spells of high pressure and sunshine. We've had a repeat performance in the last 3 weeks and I've been fortunate enough to have some time off work to enjoy some fishing and the fine weather - Hooray!
As a consequence of the largely northerly winds, the waters along the coast have been flatened off and calm for a prolonged period. This has the effect of allowing all the sediment in the water to drop and become beautifully clear - perfect conditions for saltwater flyfishing.
- A deserted Brighton Beach (just how I like it!)
With the breeze coming over your shoulder and the fish fully turned on to hunting by sight the conditions could not be any better really. The clear, settled seas are favored by the mackerel and it is in these conditions that they can be found herding fry into corners and pushing them up onto the shingle in a feeding frenzy. It's an amazing spectacle to watch and is comparable to mass slaughter on behalf of the mackerel.
Mackerel are great sport on a light flyfishing outfit and very tasty on the barbecue too making them them a good target species. If they grew to 10lbs in weight I think I'd fish for little else, pound for pound the mackerel gives a really good account of itself and is a fine sporting fish.
With the extended spell of favourable weather I have been down to Brighton Beach on numerous occasions at dawn and dusk whipping them out on the fly, joined by my equally fish obsessed friend Dave. The sessions at dawn were far better than those at dusk, it was always possible to catch a few as the sun went down but at dawn it was like fish soup down there at times.Hundreds of fish all topping and chasing fry as the light starts creeping in to a new day is enough to get any fisherman drooling in anticipation.
It was'nt just mackerel that were happy to oblige as our catches were peppered with hard fighting School Bass, Scad (Horse Mackerel) and even a solitary Flatfish (Flounder) that took a liking to my fly. The Scad are similar to mackerel just less colourful, with larger eyes and nocturnal. There was often a crossover period as the light either came or went when it was possible to catch mackerel and scad side by side. The bass seemed happy to hit the fly no matter weather it was light or dark.
- The Scad / Horse Mackerel
On a couple of occasions I arrived an hour or so before the first signs of light appeared in the east and both times was confronted with fish leaping and splashing around. These were the scad - in their element feeding in the dark. They were coming in one a chuck until the light got too bright when they disappeared and were replaced by the mackerel and bass. These in turn would hang around until the first rays of direct sun hit the water and then it was game over. Almost like flicking a switch.
- Bass on the fly
I do so love to cast a fly and have been in fishing heaven just recently. I guess it makes up for all the wind and rain during the early summer that put the brakes on the usual summer fishing techniques. Better late than never, anyhow that's that itch thoroughly scratched for a while!!
Tight lines amigos!
