[Keith White]

Weather is pants here right now. Evening tides dropping out to low and pretty much everywhere open to the wind. It is, NASTY.

However:

4 of us went walkabout last night and we climbed and scuttled all around 1 area of our North coast. I had, 1 bite. I think Mark had a touch too but, in our greater wisdom, we headed out to Bouley Bay over the low.

We saw a couple of bait guys there, just 1 doggie and a couple of rockling in a few hours on 4 rods between them I think.

I stepped down with 1 foot to go meet Chris Steel on the lower rock.


After an age of 'air time'....

CRASH !

Urm...I'm still alive. That's a start I guess.

Nothing broken...

Not body wise anyway.

Not bones but it still hurt. The aftermath.., or part of it anyway.

Then, found this..

Thinking a quick polish and a re profiling would solve things, I found this. My reel joins both rods and the recently fallen 'Jaco'.

Chris, realising my gear was all bust up offered me his Cormoran ULF. I wasn't going down without a fight. This followed short after. Feeling was reduced due to the line thickness compared to my usual PE0.8 but, the combo played the fish superbly well.

A 1/8oz head and 3" red and black sluggo. Both from AGM managed to get me a few bites in the very short time we fished. No more than 30 minutes in fact. I was hurting all down my left side.

Both fish were quite heavy. I'd say 1 3/4lb ish. Thanks to Chris for the loan of his gear.

Chris had the only other fish of the session. Again, everything was taken 'on the drop'. I cannot emphasise just how important it is to learn the feel of the jig when fishing this way.

Mark and Kev sadly had no fish this time but being completely honest, we didn't exactly settle to fish at all. I was just determined to get something good out of the session. Thankfully, 2 nice fish brought me some recompense and I was well chuffed.

Replaced the reel today (Thanks Mick) and have already sorted repairs and replacements for the other bust up stuff.

I'm glad that I'd left my Injection and VS in the car and recently I've been carrying Liams HRF Infeet too (I love that rod).
The point is, I could have not reported this and pushed it under the carpet.

Lessons:

Don't ever think you are immune from a fall.
Personal well being is far more important than any gear.
Always tell the dealer the 'truth' as to how gear gets bust. Believe me, they are FAR MORE receptive to the truth than ...."It just broke, honest".
We need to carry protective rod bags, that is now CLEAR. Lets get searching for bags that offer protection for rigged rods.
My Cormoran reel getting broke affected more than when I bust 2 shimano's last season in falls. A case of, you don't realise until it's gone, how much you really love em. Same as the rods...

Both rods are great..
The bushwacker 7ft and the Cormoran ULX. Gutted that they are now, out of the game. They'll be back and normally I wouldn't be so bothered about a broke rod as I have loads to use. Too many in fact. But, so far, the ULX has offered a 'feel' for bites that the other rods I have just don't match. ULF comes next and Mark's Shimano Salty Shot is awesome. For HRF, Liams Infeet is way more sensitive than Tenryu's Injection. Seriously, that is the case. the Injection is smoother in power and more feel playing fish and in fact, is very sensitive itself but, truthfully, at the lower weight range, the Daiwa Infeet 7ft HRF is brilliant.
Kevin has one coming and I think now I've realised that Liam H isn't letting his go, I'll just buy one or try to find something better. I reckon that might be tough for the money. Strange though it may seem to say, the little Bushwacker is very good too. Not Infeet quality or even close to the Injection but, for the money, works very well indeed and I'm so taken in for the money, I'm getting 2 more so I have a spare that someone coming along can use.

So, until next time...

 

[Andy Marquis]

Great report and i'm sorry for your loss. It will happen to us all at some point, just hopefully not when i'm half way down to Les Tielles...

The Infeet is a cracking rod. I love mine. You know you want to.........

 

[Mike Kennard]

Thankfully you are ok, the gear can be replaced and lucky it wasn't your expensive stuff either. Interesting how highly you rate your new stuff and Liam's rod. Was it insured?
I dread to think how much grief you would have given the staff had you been admitted to hospital with anything broken and so much LRF/HRF fishing still to do.

 

[Tim Griffin]

Keith, I applaud your attitude to what would amount to a total disaster for most of us - and carrying to catch fish on borrowed gear! Glad you're back in the game. I would still be sulking...

 

[Simon L]

Good entertaining report :clap:. Gutting to break nice gear - but it's something we all have to be prepared for. Well done on going on to catch anyway :clap:


:stupid:

 

[Bagpuss]

Unlucky. Rods & reels can be replaced but we can't. So with this in mind, were you using a wading staff?? And are you covered on your house insurance for such breakages??

 

[Keith White]

And are you covered on your house insurance for such breakages??

yea but, for the cost (Mick was great and got on the phone straight away to help sort replacements) it's not worth the extra premium next year.

A red rod might have caused me to think differently.

Thanks for the replies guys and you can be sure, I'm certainly....

Still in the game. And what a game it is.

Lovin it.

 

[Dave Irving]

Keith,
Sorry to hear about the rods/reel. I know how much it sucks-totally agree about telling your dealer the truth.
Hope it is just a bit of bruising, and not anything more serious.
Just back for a quick session on the local reef-very windy, rough, lots of spray. No bass, but still great to be out in it.

 

[Gary A]

Sorry to hear about your slip Keith, I did think you were slightly more subdued than normal in the shop lol.As you say, lucky it wasn't the really expensive stuff.

I did the same myself last year with my Quantum, one slip and everything seemed fine, brushed myself down, found anther place to cast and 3 casts later the top foot of my rod joins my patchinko flying into the distance.

 

[Mark Sleep]

Keith, I thought I read there that you had bought TWO of the 7ft Bushwhackers...

Was certainly an interesting evening, particularly those Ferret things trying to get a lift...

 

[kevin white]

keith, just add it to the list of drowned phones and camera's over the years plus everything else we're so use to losing/breaking

kev

 

[Darren Edwards]

ya not related to spitty are ye keith,jokes aside mate it could of been worse.glad your ok fella.

 

[The Squid]

Unlucky. Rods & reels can be replaced but we can't. So with this in mind, were you using a wading staff?? And are you covered on your house insurance for such breakages??

I don't even bother with house insurance as I have had some bad experiances, although it scares the hell out of me when I think of the replacement value of the fiushing gear in my shed.

 

[The Squid]

keith, just add it to the list of drowned phones and camera's over the years plus everything else we're so use to losing/breaking

kev

Lucky you are his brother, I was quite subdued when he told me that the strap holding his camera broke -- losing said camera in the drink and then leaning over to see them sink the mobile went the same way.

 

[The Squid]

Keith, I thought I read there that you had bought TWO of the 7ft Bushwhackers...

Was certainly an interesting evening, particularly those Ferret things trying to get a lift...

Yep, I thought the Ferrets were interesting too. I think it was two boys jousting up for the mating season.

 

[The Squid]

Where Keith fell is bloody aweful I had a bad fall there 4 years ago splittig my eyebrow open, although it could have been worse as my glasses took most of the brunt. Keith was waring felt soled wading boots last night and I was wearing studded felt soled wading boots and I nearly went for a burton. it really is a aweful place to get down.

 

[Mick Ward]

I too went for a burton many years ago on that white stuff, its a nightmare, I took flight gracefully and came down hard on my bream gear, its a terrible spot. Glad you are ok mate and the gear will be sorted.