Calm before the storm.

Looking at the weather forecast for the next week or so yesterday things were about to get pretty grim as far as float fishing for mullet was concerned with very strong winds due to arrive over the weekend. Annoyingly the conditions as I sat in the staff canteen looking at the forecasts were great but that's not much use when you are stuck in work. Very frustrating indeed but with similar conditions forecast today before the predicted increase in wind strength started tomorrow I managed to wangle a shift change so I could go fishing this morning and early afternoon. I text my mate Nick to let him know my plans and still keen to catch his first UK grey mullet he was up for joining me.

Gear loaded into the car along with a few loaves of bread I headed down the A1, picked up Nick and drove down to Torness Power Station. As with previous sessions the first couple of hours were quiet as we fished from the rocks into a small bay. It wasn't until the tide pushed us back onto the sea defence boulders and the tide rose a little further that we started getting some interest from some mullet. A few blennies did guzzle our bread though and we caught three each before a mullet finally gobbled a fluffy white bait and sunk a float. I was first to hook one and it took my bread flake shortly after it hit the water. A small mullet was carefully played out and netted for me by Nick.

Another thick lipped grey mullet added to this years haul.

My next two casts also saw my float pulled under by fish but I failed to land either of them. The first was about twice the size of the one I landed and was on for a while but the hook pulled as it made a short powerful run when it saw the net. The second was not hooked for very long at all, throwing the hook after a couple of thrashes. By now Nick was desperate to get in on the action and soon it was his turn for three takes in rapid succession. He did the opposite to me and lost the first two before landing the third.

Nick with his first UK mullet. It gave a good account of itself and Nick told me it was the most fun he's had playing a fish all year. Mullet are good sport I have to agree.

Thick lipped was an understatement.

We carried on fishing but after this brief but frantic spell of action it went quiet again for about an hour as the tide turned. I had to get back to Edinburgh to start work at 15:00 so at about 13:30 I started having a few "last casts". The very last one producing another small mullet that had my hopes up it might be a golden grey.

Mullet fight hard and dirty. This one was no exception and tried a couple of times to get into the gaps in the submerged boulders.

It was yet another thick lipped mullet. Nick and I had a laugh about how good it is when you catch something with your "last cast".

Oh well another nice session targeting mullet but none of the golden grey variety again and I'm starting to wonder if they are still in the area. The power station has undergone major maintenance work this year and as a result hasn't been pumping out as much hot water so perhaps they have moved away? Maybe I've just been unlucky not to have come into contact with them? Who knows? Anyway, my thoughts are starting to turn towards other targets now with conger eels and three bearded rocklings at the top of my list although I'll need the right conditions to target those as well so really I'm at the mercy of the weather to a point. Mullet are great fun though, when conditions allow I'll be back down to the power station outflow again for more fun and I dare say Nick will join me if he can.

Tight lines, Scott.