The angling club year probably gets underway in late November of the previous year as we start to discuss the following years fixtures. This is to a large extent my job and to be honest its becoming increasingly difficult to fathom out what members want from the club.

This isn’t a criticism of members it’s just a reflection of changing times. Let’s face it I’ve been a club member since 1974 along with Nick our club secretary who probably joined the year before making him the clubs longest serving member of the committee.

            As an angling club we are not alone in having an aging dynamic and I wish we had a younger generation eager to take the helm and bring the club up to date. Society has changed dramatically in recent times with social media, life style, cost of living and Covid all having impacts on the way we live.

            The club has an increasingly small membership that ebbs and flows with the years with low points and high points as we occasionally get an influx of members. Many join keen to get involved but for whatever reason don’t join in. I get that; I join many clubs with great intentions and then lack the time to get to the water’s edge. And I’m supposedly retired with plenty of time on my hands.

            Those dates in the clubs fixture list linger for ages before suddenly appearing in the rear view mirror as another year flashes past. Our first two boat trips fully subscribed only to be cancelled due to poor weather: grrr!

            A social fish in May seemed a good idea back in December with plenty of smoothound in the estuary over recent seasons. Greysand’s seemed a good idea on a Sunday morning just a few hours fishing the flood tide. A bit of action and a chance for members to have a natter and swap notes. No competitive element just a relaxed catch up at the water’s edge.

            And so it came to be; there I was waiting in the Greysands Car Park at Northam Burrows, running a little late at 9:05am. Where is Nick I thought? He is normally prompt. Ping goes the phone; “where are you? I’m in the car park?”. I message back; “ I’m here in the car park but I suspect it’s a different car park!”.  “I’m near the Outdoor Centre. “ Reply’s Nick.

“Ah, See the Golf Course, well the Greysands car park is tuther side!”. I’ll send you what three words”. Lesson learnt explain where the meet up point is clearly using latest navigational technology.

            Well it’s just the two of us assuming no one else turned up and failed to take on the social aspect. And so we trudged off to the fishing mark just a few hundred yards away. The hotspot was undoubtedly the point where numerous anglers were already fishing.

            We set up half way along judging that being a neap tide we could negotiate the steep drop off without too much issue. Whilst preparation is the key to success I have to admit that my prep was rushed as ever and I had chucked the gear into my bag a week before as I had been fishing in deepest Wales over the previous days. A rushed trip to Sainsburys secured a bag of Finest Raw King Prawns complete with shells.

            The sun was beating down, the water was crystal clear, I wasn’t sure if these would be good conditions for the hounds but it was pleasant enough. A couple of salmon leapt from the water giving hope for sport in the river when that summer spate arrives. I shared my prawns with Nick who hadn’t given too much thought to the smoothounds preferred menu.

            After an hour my rod tip nodded vigorously and battle commenced. Hell! these hounds really do pull especially on a light bass rod and braided main line. I really should do this more often I thought. Over the next hour or so four more smoothound to 10lb 3oz were landed and several more lost as the hook hold gave, honing of bait presentation required I think.

The fishing was at times hectic with a hound on each rod at one point!

            Frustratingly Nick who was fishing twenty yards to my left couldn’t get a bite despite using the bait I had supplied him. Perplexing this fishing game. Rigs, location’ luck?

            So a social fish it was not. But it was an enjoyable morning with a good friend, maybe next year, maybe not….

            We have our annual Putsborough Open on Saturday, June 13^th. This event has become increasingly popular and is typically a highlight in the clubs calendar. Once again we have to thank Sakuma for their generous sponsorship and Putsborough Sands for allowing us access to the venue. We have the tides right, lets hope for good weather.

See you there I hope….