3rd MCCH Charity Fishing Competition

Summer this year have been a hit and miss occasion. There was no doubt that bass fishing have been a bit more difficult this year. As summer turn to autumn, the hunt for bass become more difficult for a novice like me. My mind starts turning to the next great event of the year and that for me is the MCCH fundraising fishing competition.
This year a new committee was assembled comprising the usual members of Komplot! Manchester anglers (Along, Ajak and Latib) and the new committee of Malaysian Community of Cheetham Hill (MCCH). This year who decided to find a new venue away from Flyde coast. After much scrutiny and in respect of new interest from anglers from the Merseyside area we chose Harrison Drive in Wirral to be the venue of the 3rd MCCH Fundraising Competition.

Harrison Drive is an easy high water fishing venue in Wirral. It is accessible via M57 from Chester or via the Kingsway Tunnel from Liverpool. It boast a spacious and long promenade along the the King’s Parade Road. At the end of the road, lies Perch Rock fort another good low water fishing venue. It has the convenience of a large Morrison’s Supermarket nearby which helps when looking for last minute bait and food grab before fishing. I would say this is akin to fishing the Gynn Wall in Blackpool both in term of leisure fishing and target fish. It is a general all rounder fishing mark suitable for beginners and suitable for disable persons.

Our chosen charity this year is Sekolah Komuniti Malaysia Manchester (Manchester Malaysian Community School). This school was formed in 1992 by the Malaysian community living in Manchester and surrounding area. Currently, it is located on rental classrooms at Abraham Moss High School in Cheetham Hill, North Manchester. Among the Subjects taught in the school are Malay Language in line with British iGCSE exams and Islamic studies suitable to the British way of life to 5 -15 years old. Following lack of funding last year, no school trip was organised hence this year hopefully we could collect enough to fund a small trip for the school children locally.

Almost to the date, this year our fishing competition was held on the 10th Ocotber 2015. Its was a mild night with temperature of 10 degrees celcius and a very light northerly wind of 7-8 mph. The sea was flat interspaced by the wave bow of the Isle of man and Dublin ferries travelling across the bay.We arrived early where there are still enough sunlight to set up the registration booth and have a little briefing between the committee members. Early arrival of participants included the undergraduates from Manchester University who have rented a van to drive all the way from Manchester. Outstanding effort guys. By sunset, we switched on the gasoline lamp as more and more participants arrive to register for the competition. We had anglers from Liverpool to as far as Lancaster participating in this year event and hats off for those who came in this cold October night.

Komplot! Manchester preparing paperwork for registration.

First participants registering

Along distributing the homemade 1up 1down rigs for participants

Get in line Malaysian style

Whilst waiting there is time to sort out the rental rods

Whilst Latib admiring Along’s Ian Gold Supermatch Tripod

Harris keenly observing quietly

Plenty of time before high water to enjoy the scenery

At 8:00 pm, the whistle was blown to mark the beginning of the 3rd MCCH Fundraising Fishing Competition. A total of 32 participants casted out their bait out to win the main prize of £100 Cash and £250 Edaran Express Vouchers, donated by our main sponsor Edaran Express. This year we were glad to receive sponsorship from Edaran Express & Magnetic Aura together with our regular reliable sponsors Ning Restaurant Manchester ( Chef Norman Musa) and Mira D Services. Several individual have also contributed from the likes of Alister and Along from Northwest Donkers, Anonymous member of Wirral Sea Fishing and Malcolm from ABC Tackle Beaumaris. Please click on logo and link for learn more about our sponsors.

Magnetic Aura

Mira D Services

Get Ready!

Set…( with shivers!)

Go! Go! Go!

…….oppssss not texting girlfriends but fishing please…

We did not have to wait long before the first cry of joy from the first person who caught fish. A little whiting made it to the score card for Latib using the ‘bling’ rig. From then on, there were endless stream of fishes made it for measurement accompanied by burst of laughter and happiness from the anglers and their children.

Luqman with his first ever fish in England

Latib with his plaice

Along measuring fish caught

Measuring whiting

The younger generation also made it into the score card. Harris, Amirul and Daniel lead the way of the teenager contingent to steal the top prize from their dad and uncles.

Harris loving it!

And the food laaa

As the frost threatening to set in, we called it a day by 1 am. We set up all the prizes to the delight of participants who are more than ready to hit the sack.

The boys

First prize winner – Latib with 94 points

The ceremony photos

Our Lancaster rep Azman receiving his prize

My boy and me

3rd MCCH participants and family

This year, we are glad to receive support from many corners of United Kingdom and Malaysia. We collected a donation total of £847.50 from sponsors and participants for SKMM. InsyaAllah (by will of Allah), we hope to have another event full of laughter, food and catch a few fish yet again. On behalf of the 3rd MCCH Charity Fishing Competition, I would like to say our thanks to all the participants and sponsors of this great event.

Tightlines

Mo

Fishing Wales: Stay a bit longer

The first day of autumn and I thought about the bass leaving the shores of the British Isles. I , as a non native to this land starts to wonder about stories of bass staying till winter and i am no doubt that i have seen reports of bass being caught after summer. I was keen to know the fact whether this held through.

A few days off after a long weekend working is a perfect timing for such a research. There could only one bias in my study, location. Best be bias towards the one mark in Wales that should produce in the right tide and the right tide. Certainly, it has to be night time where the fish is at its most numerous.

So, after lying down the main objectives, a round trip to Wales is usually intersped by secondary objectives. After about 1.5 hours drive along the A55 , stop over at a huge beach to collect some lug. Tides were small enough for me to collect some yellow tails and occasional black lug. The pumping was easy and managed enough for the session and a few for the freezer. I for one still couldn’t determine which cast have the small size lug and which one have the opposite. Nevertheless, the term PDR ( Pump Dig Release lug) was coined. I hope the small one grow bigger and healthier in the future.

By dusk, I was in my car enjoying a bag of crisp and a bar of Cadbury to boost the energy up for the fishing across the Snowdonia mountains. When you are alone in middle of nowhere even eating become a welcome treat and felt like company. ( Reminder to oneself: Need to butter wife up more to get fishing on weekends with the 9 to 5 friends). Oh well, you just have to make the best of what you got.

I reached the intended mark with hardly any time to spare for high water fishing. The water have nearly reached the gravel and covered all the sea bed features. Novice mistake for a novice like like me. Relying on past experience of the mark i headed off about 100 yards to where i parked my car and set up. The wind was blowing directly on my face and there was a good surf on. Wonderful, at least the conditions were right for the mark and there were nobody else that could be spooking the bass from the water with their a million lumen head torch. So, what choices do I have? A beachcaster with 5oz lead or the typical bass rod light gear 3oz lead. The amount of sea weed on the beach  strewn over the high tide line made me chose the obvious, heavy gear.

First cast, started after another delay trying to position my tripod and the ‘Shaky’ box on the boulders. Not easy when the rocks are moving about so much you felt that you are going to slide into the deep sea every time you go for a rest on the box. Anyhow, back to the first cast. I casted about 50-80 yards out with the Daiwa 7ht with an eerie sand filled sound. That screech is heart dampening which means another service is needed, Doh! Waited for the bites but I could only sea the gentle curve of the rod getting worse by the second. 2 minutes later, i was reeling in a bucket full of stringy weed and spent another 5 minutes untangling them from the line and rig . Only The One can save me now from a whole night spoilt fishing session.

The second cast faired a bit better with the line holding bottom perfectly and I felt a bit happier. Allahamdulillah was the only way I could expressed myself as I was ready for a session infested by weed. 5 minutes into the cast, the thump thump thump of the rod made my heart jump and I’m sure I was half flying towards the rod to give that strike that hooks the fish. It kites to left and right and eventually the fish was landed. A nice 44cm bass , fat and certainly angry at being taken out from the blue yonder ( in this case, in pitch black). It was raining at this point and the taught of destroying the mobile phone due to water was out of the question and hence no pics of the bass on scene. Sorry guys and gals.

The third and 4th cast faired the same with a curious thump and release, slackliners was name of the game. One after the other was reeled in. One that herald the arrival of winter to the British Isles, Mr. Cod. Beauty personified in true wintery colours in shades of cream and brown.

The first of ‘winter’ codling (juvenile cod)

I missed a few more bites through high water and then the weed was just unbearable after. Stuck till about 2 hours after high and packed up after there were hardly any water left in front of me. The weed though stayed till the end. I, by this point was more than content. I have achieved what I have set out to prove that Bass still exists after August and I hope there is time for the Komplot! Manchester members to catch one before the snow fall on this beautiful Island.
Tightlines
Mo

Steamed bass with Ginger and Salad onion

Fishing Wales: The only one there!

There are many who works shifts and absolutely hate it and some who treasure it. I certainly love it. It allows me to fish on the better weather unhampered by worries that my cast will hit the beachcomber who was looking for treasure or the little kids who were busy building their sandcastle on the beach. I had such a day on Monday gone.

The trip to my favourite popular mark coincides with the ending of some school holiday, so the drive was peaceful without any serious interuptions( Alhamdulillah). When I arrive on the mark, it was miles upon miles of clean sand and only a few happy holidaymakers around. Parked at my usual spot happy in the thought in big tides i shoukd be getting some extra lug to freeze for winter fishing.

My type of beach….so quiet , Nice!

The breeze was mild but a northwesterly is a welcome addition to this beach. First on the agenda was bait pumping. There were lots of cast, mostly blow lug so i have to resign to chilling out for next hour waiting for some decent  yellowtails and occasional black lug to cast. Once they started casting, my gym session begins. Got enough for a few session and rested for 15 minutes before I setted up for the evening fishing.

60 lugs for the freezer

Travel light for low water fishing

At the turn of the tide, a single flapper 3/0 hook baited with fresh lug casted out into the gully in front of me. After 15 minutes, the thumps on my rod indicated a fish trying to take my rod away. This was swiftly followed by a gentle strike to set the hook and the battle to bring it in ensue. It kites to the left, swan to the right and ran towards me. My already sore arms from pumping felt like a 10 ton weight. Only by the arrival of the silver bar near the lip of the sea lighten the load and a million smiles were shared between me and the thousands of cast on the beach. A good fish fat from a brilliant warm summer feast!

 Chunky Silver bass at 42cm ( please excuse the blood on the fish guys)

By the second hour of the flood the bites have gone and by rig was all twisted and slimy on return. I think the silver eel have taken the bait on several occasion. Despite only a single fish , my bait freezer eventually have something in them for the winter. A good days fishing with target species achieved. Alhamdulillah.

Tightlines

Mo

Fishing Wales: PB Bass

Had a fishing session at the very beginning of Ramadhan. The month was full of joy and i was pleased with how things are going on the fasting front. Alhamdulillah.

Decided to go nearby for the fear if dropping off to sleep whilst driving. I can’t say I have 100% energy for the session. Took my bait pump with me to get some fresh lugworm at the mark.
On arrival, the sea was just rolling nicely. Tell tale sign of exposing sand bank betrays the beginning of the ebb. The sun was blazing and I only have my cap to shade. Thirst were setting in already before I start fishing. The challenge of fishing and fasting are starting to hit me hard.
About 2 hours to low water, the sand were plenty around me and lugworm started to cast signalling the sart if the back breaking bait collecting effort. Managed about 20 blow lug and skellies. Good enough for today I thought.
The sun by this time was hanging low, soothing the thirst. The hunger though was only for one, the bass that roam the gullies not so far away.

One rod, one reel and one rig. The battle was for a bass that will make my day. The tide ebbs, but still only crabs taking the liking to the lug. Could this be the story of the day? The hunger, the thirst and the sun sets. Time to have my ifthar and break my fast. A couple of dates and left over cold take-away from night before, yums. A glug of mineral water and the hunt for the bass continues.
The tide turns not so long after, raising my hopes but the wind says another, flattening the sea and the crabs had a feast. Cast after cast, crab after crab. Only a big slack liner soon shot me from my slumber. Reel in a touch and a firm strike. The generous thuds on the rod, the mighty fish shakes it’s head. It ran and glides, the reeling and the lifting, what a trill you get even with a beachcasting rod. Soon the I could see the slow waggling tail of the monster breaking the surface of the still water near the lip of the beach. I knew then this is no schoolie , this is a bass. Only if I got someone to come with me that day, would see my memoirs at this mark complete.

Measuring at 66cm and 6lbs 7 oz on the B.A.S.S. Official Ruler.

A quick phone call to the missus expressing my joy, soon followed by the worry of greed for more. Sense prevail and I made the joyous march home to Manchester.

A personal best Bass on the month of Ramadhan. Perfect!

Fishing Wales: Bass at Pensarn Abegele

The night before the ‘Roll on the Macky trip’ , Along and me made an early start to the session to fish Pensarn Abegele. I have fished here before but have never caught. Thanks to Kev from Wirral Sea Fishing ( wirralseafishing.co.uk) who done a great ‘How to fish’ article on the website which have provided us with a renewed vigour to fish Abegele.

We chose Friday night at low water to fish Abegele. Arriving just in time to set up at dusk , the sea was rolling nicely with a bit of a surf. We used standard beachcaster with 4-5 oz leads which thankfully held bottom.  First cast with frozen lug whilst we tried to pump some blow lug from the beach.

First cast, resulted in a fair size Whiting, which brought a half hearted joy from me. The main quarry still seems to eludes me. Nevertheless, its fishing and i am joyed with a non blank day.

We  continued to fish to near slack water when a nice thump in the darkness lands me my first schoolie, my first in Abegele. Taken on fresh blow lug.

 

Starts with a little Smirk….so not to upset my luck..

It was a wonderful feeling when reeling in that schoolie. Seeing it at the edge of the water with its glistening eyes and the silver back brought joy to any bass anglers. The night felt young from then onwards.

We continue to fish and pump. Managed enough lug for a session for both of us so that there will be plenty left for fish to find their source of food.

Along was up next with a fish. A slimy number 8 called an eel took a liking to his fresh lug. Despite all the knots managed to untangle them to let this protected species to swim into the darkness of the Welsh sea.

Just after low water , the bites started to become more steady and a wee more fierce. We misses several bites, thankfully we connected to a few.

 

Little smile..

 

Biggest of the lot 46cm

 

Smiles..

 

Jubilant!!!

In total , 4 bass, 3 whiting and 1 eel.

Along doesnt want his photo taken without a bass on his hand. I’m sure it will be soon. Keep at it mate, your time will come before you know it.

Loving the fishing lark.

Fishing Wales: Bass and another!

‘There are still bass around’ said one of the Donker. ‘Keep at it Mo’ said another. There are not many years since i manage to get a session like the one that i had. Long periods of ‘kumpau’ or blanking sessions seems irrelevant to the sessions where the fish was just biting hard and. You wanted to take a break but only to be stopped by the ravenous bites of the bass and thus missing the strike, no more breaks it seems.

My journey to Wales started on a late evening this week. Wind have been strong outside my house but forecast are all to be southerly winds at 14-17 mph. These are not the best conditions but recent reports have been encouraging. I did pondered, i did made that necessary phone call to the locals there. Should i or shouldn’t I. Eventually, only the reasuring advice from my wife that make me go despite the wind, despite the rain and despite only having frozen black lug for bait. Wife’s words certainly the most precious. Its great to have someone with you who could be the fly on the wall and able to read your heart.

I arrived in North Wales with ample time to see the sea coming in past the gullies. There was no time to waste and i tackled up with basic tackle. Greys Bass rod and an Exage 4000, braid with a variety of rigs, just to be sure. Started off on the beach and soon was feeling the strain of holding so ended up on the gravel and stones. Casted out early to the edge of the surf , hoping that as the tide comes in, it would soon be enough time to set up another rod. Merilly, i set up another rod and reel ready to have a relaxing session. Then came the crack! the tripod was falling over, with the strain of the line, i jumped and managed to grab hold of the tripod and rod. All it was left now is for me to reel in what on the end of the line. The classical head nod and the run of the fish horizontal along the gulley, was unmistakenablely……BASS.

The happy hums of Malay rock bands soon feels in the dark night whislt i was unhooking the fish. Good schoolie bass at 42cm. Lovely colours and all bass. Brilliant and Alhamdulillah. Pics taken and back to fishing. 2 rods this time and yes as the tide floods, the bass keep biting which resulted on many missed bites. You just havent got time to fish bass with 2 rods. Managed to land a few more mostly around 38- 39cm but some are very small indeed which majority return to grow bigger to be one of those double figure bass on the Menai straits. managed also catch dogfish and after high water there were runs of whitings. A wonderful run of good catches in last 2 sessions and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The next morning, met up with a mate took me around Anglesey and shoed me some nice marks for fishing. Even though we blank but time spent with Mark is fantastic with lots of learning and lots of catching up on things.

Cymyran Beach

Holyhead Breakwater

Hope to have another of this session in the future, so tightlines everyone. PS. Thanks Mr Wrasseman for the mackerels.