I was genuinely lucky to get to this kayak fishing event due to various bits either side of the Saturday. The original plan was to leave home at about 3am (eeek!!) and travel down to the bay ready for the 7:30am sign in, this was not to be though as I had one of those Eurodisney (cant sleep I'm too excited) moments when I went to bed. So after an hour of tossing and turning I gave up, loaded the last of the bits in the car and set off.

Yeah - its exactly as my eyes saw it!!!


After a very quiet and leisurely drive down to Oxwich, I attempted to get some kip but as soon as I drifted off I was woken up by the sun rising over the bay - absolutely stunning.

So after that I pretty much gave up trying to get any rest after a grand total of 10 minutes all night. I filled the time until registering by wandering around the beach and headland and generally enjoying the post sunrise chaos of nature.

I registered for the competition and then fully intended to cook some breakfast but with everyone turning up I was soon chatting away and getting my tackle and kit ready for the day ahead.

I was ready for the off! The right hand side of the bay looked very bassy but it wasnt to be, no bass for the bbq ;-(, so I anchored up over a sandy spot about 25m from the rocks and put a couple of lines onto the bottom to see what was about.

The weather on the day wasn't ideal but it was workable. The strong offshore wind coming over the mouth of the bay meant that the bay was flat as it was in the shadow of the wind but this didnt stop the lumpy sea coming through every now and again. This produces several problems in trying to fish as the constant movement of the sea keeps moving the boat up and down not good when trying to keep an eye on the tip for bites.

This didnt stop me pulling up this Red Gurnard on one of the lines I had out.

Just as I was unhooking him my other line went off screaming out line, I hastily returned the gurnard and then started to reel in the other line, this was a fighter!! I was totally out of my depth with this one, and he was a biggy. I was suspecting a dogfish right up until the point that I saw the fish surface and it seemed a bit bigger than a dogfish but the limit of my knowledge had me wondering what it was. Because I had just caught the gurnard there was tackle all over my deck and there was no way I could land this beast onto the deck. I had to take the risky decision of holding the fish on my line in the water while I tried to clear the hooks and tackle off my deck. Heartflutteringly I keot an eye on the fish in the water and luckily managed to clear the junk away quickly.

Back to landing this beast, It was still giving a big fight and had managed to twist line around itself, but luckily then rolled the other way and untangled himself, after a battle I managed to get the fish onto the boat and go about the business of getting a photo so it can count in the competition, it went berserk!!! I was trying to hold it onto the deck and get a photo of it but I wasnt feeling up for it today, after several displays of the strength of the fish I got it photo'd and back in the water still not sure what it was.

Over the rest of the afternoon I moved a couple of times but the fishing died off and the tide went out.

After a fruitless afternoon I trolled a few lures around the rocks in the vain hope of finding another fish but alas no.

Back on the beach I registered my catches and was amazed and inspired to see that the winning number of species was 7 at that point. It took an age to disassemble the kayak and get changed as everyone wanted a look at my fish (Starry Smoothhound) on my camera.

It was soon time for the ceremony and I stood at the back knowing that I wasnt last or first and wouldnt be winning a prize, but I was shocked to find that I had!! Best example of a hound!! I was really made up as I thought I was going home empty handed.