Milnrow Sea anglers first trip of the year

[mstangler]

Milnrow Sea Anglers, Mersey trip Jensen January 2013.

6 members of Milnrow Sea Anglers, PW JA GD AQ MB & MC, made our first trip of the year to the Mersey to fish with Tony Parry aboard Jensen.
We locked out of the Marina at around 6:00 and sailed down to the five clock face area. We had plenty of space as most charter boats had stayed up river away from the last remnants of an overnight fog but we soon anchored after the Stena Ferry had cleared us, the small boats that had hampered us on our December trip had not yet sailed in the fog and dark.
We anchored and soon had our big Lug and squid baits pinned to the bottom with our uptiding rigs
Whiting were taking the bait and soon started to be landed but it was the Codling we were after, Mark Benger on the back of the boat was to show us how to do it and landed a nice codling of

around 4 pounds to start our competition for the biggest fish of the first trip of the year.
Mark had another 2 Codling aboard before I could catch up with a small Codling of around 2 pounds as the rest of the crew could only manage Whiting and an occasional dab. Even our skipper Tony was struggling to catch a Codling.

I managed another Codling of around 3 pounds and Mark pulled in another around the 4 pond mark that made it 4 to Mark and 2 to me. The rest of the lads were getting a little frustrated as an odd fish was lost soon after the bites were seen on our uptiders.
Tony put the Curry on for dinner and we enjoyed the Chicken Curry that Tony’s wife Julie had made for us, many thanks Julie it was a cracker.
The weather was fantastic with no wind and a bright sun shone it felt like spring and the coats had to come off, as soon as the eating had finished we made a move over the slack water period to the bank off Albert Dock to fish the start of the flood we were on a 9 hour trip and had about 2 and a half hours left, more Whiting and dabs showed themselves as the tide was very slow and the small bites registered ripping the baits to shreds.
Jim was the first into a better fish and another Codling of around 3 pounds made it to the net.

As the tide picked up I had a good bite and reeled into a better fish which Tony netted for me at the back of the boat. It was a personal best for me in the Mersey and sent the scales to 8 pounds 10 oz

as weighed by Tony, that was the lead for me and Mark fished on with renewed figure to try and retake the lead.
Next cast out and another good bite for me , I couldn’t believe it and it felt better than my last fish but as Tony went to the back of the boat with the net it was off, Shame but the rest of the lads were fishing with even more anticipation.
Mark managed another Codling of around 4 pounds but this was to be the last of the day with only Whiting taking the bait for the rest of the trip.

We locked back in for around 3:45 pm and back home for just after 5 pm.
I think everyone had had a good day even though not everyone had managed a Codling
Thanks Tony and see you back at Rhyl in May.

[Rushy]

Excellent report, it looks like you had a good day with quite a few good fish coming to the boat to keep the interest up

Great pics too

[Pugsie]

Brilliant mate gunner try get to the Mersey.

[sharpey]

Great read and excellent result..?? Well done guys.