Saltwater fly fishing for imaginary codling – 21 Feb 2004 

It wasn’t my idea, this February conclave of saltwater flyfishers. I think the blame for that must go to Jamie and RichardJ, but I must admit, I did nothing to dissuade them. The venue was the Warren at Folkestone, a place fast gaining a reputation for non-existent fishstocks.  

The forecast was not nice, north-easterly gales and freezing temperatures and for once it proved correct.  

The idea was to have a get together, put faces to names and see if we could tempt a codling, bass or  even a whiting.  

Eventually eight of us turned up, evidence that insanity is on the increase.

RichardB showed slightly more sense by sticking to baitfishing. His excuse was that he  needed to escape from a house full of kids, which sounds reasonable to me. 

RichardJ and I moved close to the Nags Head and fished the beach for a while. It wasn’t long before the rising tide brought some rising waves and after a couple nearly knocked me flat, I climbed up a concrete buttress and fished from there. 

The wind was getting vicious and bitterly cold and we were catching nothing. As the tide rose, we climbed to the top of the concrete apron and covered quite a bit of water, but with no success. A couple of cormorants fished about 30 yards offshore, a hopeful sign, but we didn’t see them catch either.  

As the wind strengthened, a freak wave crashed over us and I could feel water going down my neck. We moved back towards the main apron which was slightly sheltered and I fished towards the beach. RichardB had taken two weever fish on lugworm, much to his chagrin. They are spiky looking creatures and have poisonous spines. 

RichardJ and Jamie Me getting cold  Gonzo

Gonzo's weathervane hat.

I did get a couple of plucks close to the surface here, but nothing hooked. A third time this happened and again nothing, but this time my fly was missing. Very puzzling. 

Gonzo and his friend Greg joined us and after  trying to compare flies which kept flying off in the wind, we tried a variety of tactics, including intermediate lines and fast sinkers with worm flies, Juletraet (Danish for Christmas tree)  clousers,  poppers and luminous jobbies. Gonzo had a few plucks, but like me, nothing connected.   

It was getting very difficult to tie on flies as our fingers were glowing like red-hot pokers from the cold. No one had caught anything and around lunchtime some of the guys had had enough. I was frozen through and had to go for some lunch or I would seize up. 

RichardB stopped an hour later and I went back after  refueling myself and fished another hour with Gonzo and Greg. Conditions were actually getting worse. I saw a wave crash into Gonzo and slide him back up the apron several feet.

Casting was becoming very difficult as the back cast was being blown back. We did manage to get the lines out, but it was just not possible to stay warm any longer. I forgot to bring thermals, but thought I had enough layers to keep me warm, however this wind was too much. We had a yarn and recovered with hot drinks in the van before making our way back home. 

Did we learn anything? I think so. Firstly, with the right tools, I reckon we can fly fish in almost any wind. Secondly, the possible futility of fishing for codling in February. November to January would have been better, but a sane man might observe that it is futile to fish for a species as scarce as cod at any time of the year.

Thirdly, UK saltwater flyfishers are a bunch of incurable optimists.

Fourthly, something did have a go at the flies, but was not getting hooked up. Maybe we should have tried some much smaller flies.

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