He's alive!

'The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated!'

Not me, thankfully, but someone I hadn't seen for years. And let me tell you, it was great to catch up again. I've never been one for all that "universe" malarkey, but lately I've started to wonder. Maybe it's an age thing?

Today marked my first trip out after a year's hiatus, and I decided on a simple day session to blow away the cobwebs.

When I arrived, I spotted someone fishing exactly where I'd planned to set up. I stood there for a moment in disbelief. After driving along the coast, he was probably the only other angler out that day! Still, it probably didn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

After muttering a few words under my breath, I soon got set up with a slightly different rig, fishing close in with mackerel as bait. I've been thinking about this new arrangement for a while, borrowing an idea from carp fishing: a stiff-link, helicopter-style rig.

Here's the theory. We're always told bass rigs need a free-running link, with a freeline being even better. But when I get those hit-and-run bites that fail to hook up, I'm convinced the rig gets compromised and loses some of its hooking potential. The stiff rig, 40lb fluorocarbon in this case, should always fall back into an optimum position for a repeat attempt.

That's the theory, anyway. It hasn't been tested yet, but it looks right, and I think it'll improve hooking potential on any take, not just the second chance opportunities.

The session itself was thoroughly enjoyable, especially when I realised the other angler was someone I've mentioned in this blog before. He was the person who transformed my fishing years ago by showing me a mark and encouraging me when the results started to come.

Amazingly, he'd chosen the same venue, the same spot and the same tide for his first proper trip of the year.

Just after high tide, I found myself fishing alone and eagerly grabbed the sandwich I'd been saving. I was starving. Needing a quick break, I stepped away for a moment and, when I turned back, a crow had taken full advantage of my lapse in concentration and stolen my sandwich.

Despite chasing after it and waving with one hand with all the dignity I could muster, it flew off triumphantly with its prize.

I carried on grumbling like the old man I am before deciding hunger had won the day. I packed up and headed for home. A good trip, though, and it was wonderful to catch up with an old fishing friend.