365 days of fishing

Choices, choices. It is truly wonderful to be spoilt for choice as tho where i want to go fishing. Which part of the beautiful peninsula do i want to stand at and hope with rod and line.

Wind was a bit extreme today, so i decided that the beach was out, casting would be problematic and i would head off to St James, haven't fished there since summer, and the water would be just right for Galjoen. I have some redbait, nice and smelly, can still catch wiffs from my hands as i type this three hours later. Of course i have some pilchard and some white mussel kindly donated by the regular at Kalk bay.

I also have Thomas's exhortation as ai left school that today would be the day which i catch a fish. Spoiler Alert.............Sorry Thomas , your speaking to the fish didn't work i'm afraid.

Almost changed my mind about St James as i was driving home, decided to go via Old boys drive, check out the conditions you know. I work in Noordhoek so i have two options to drive home to LakeSide, either Oukaapseweg, or Boyes Drive, Oukaapse has its own beauty, but for a sea drive, Boyes it must be. Anyways driving home looking more often at the sea than at the road. Must apologise to anyone behind me. I drive a white quite rusty Golf, the fish mobile, with black roof racks, if you see it please hoot and don't expect it go very fast. Also expect it to drive erratically if near some water. Driving home looking out over Strandfontein i see this smear of rich brown in the otherwise foamy water. That spells Kob if you know how to read water. But the wind, the wind and my tardiness, persuaded me to stick to my original plan of going to St JAmes

Get home and LeeAnne (sp) is ther potting it up with Willy, as usual. Always good to see her as she is one amazing woman. Shared some of the pottage, a fine white wine and some red, for the cold as Lee-anne explained ( maybe if i spell Leeann's name differently each time i will get it right sooner rather than later.). After my glass and a half, defrosted some redbait and started my hands smelling, set off to find the fish.

Parked at the northen stop of the stop and go, where they have been fixing main road for about 45 years now, or thats what it feels like. Why don't they just employ loads of people who need work and just get the Job done already. it is interfering with my fishing! Go through the Graceland subway, slick with water for a change, nomally slick with urine or it smell like it is. Walk past the arches my normal St JAmes spot. aplace where i have caught stumpnose and a grey shark. I hear they catch Elf there as well as Kob but not me, not yet.

Walk further almost to St JAmes Pool, now i can't fish there because it is a marine reserve, from the pool to Kalk Bay harbour. So got to be fish right, right next to a reserve ? Well not today. Set up with red bait and gave gooi into what was a foam filled swirling Galjoen Trap, or it looke like it. Must definately go and look at the spot at low tide to see just where i was casting. Two casts two sinkers lost in half an hour with no bites.

Where i started looking towards Kalk Bay, tidal pool in front of wendy houses.

Great spot though and the wind has died down a tad so i'm feeling rather snug what with my three jersies , jacket and internal pullover of redwine. Spot a seal and a cormorant doing what i am doing, so there has got to be fish there. I mean those guys have to catch fish 365 days in a row otherwise they just cease to be. Me i still have chicken. Couple of brave souls walking their dogs or jogging or walking their dogs whilst jogging. One lady dressed in green snail walking up and down gave a half smile, one with pain. Disturbing. No-one stopped to chat though, how different to the easteren cape where meeting someone almost always involves a good chinwag. Love a good chinwag.

After losing the two sinkers with narry a bite despite the good looking water and the fine smelly red bait i decide to walk back to the arches, at least ther i have a chance of bringing a sinker back.

Does this not scream GALJOEN!!!!!!???

Looking towards the arches, from St James, Baily's Cottage in the distance on the Right, below the train tracks.

Two casts at the arches with red bait and pilchard, but nothing, bait returns looking like it did when i cast it in, just cleaner. Sun down, time to call it, need something finny to lift the despondancy. There is always tomorrow. Where will it be?