Cute vintage shops, delicious delis and cosy cafes lure a novice angler to try shore fishing in the Kent seaside town of Deal
"You won't blank," smiles Steve Allmark at the bait shop on Deal pier. It's a bold statement from one of the UK's top anglers to a novice fisherman. Granted I have my friend Mark Rae with me, and to say he is keen on the sport is like suggesting Elvis quite liked deep-fried pizza. "Well, he told me how good he is, so you'll definitely catch something." While Steve gives us the skinny on the best spots to cast off from, I examine the pungent lugworms squirming around in a tray he's just taken from the fridge. Slimy characters a little thicker than a Cadbury's chocolate Finger, but considerably less palatable.
My day job is editing the Mr & Mrs Smith books, so forgive me for my penchant for stylish stays. Mark's work, meanwhile, is making music (he is half of dance act Rae & Christian). So it's not often either of us has rocked up to a boutique-hotel-style digs with four rods, a huge tackle box, puffy flotation suits and carrier bags � gogo with other angling gubbins.
Shuffling through the thick, shag-pile carpet of Hector's Apartments, we take in our chic penthouse kitchen and dining space. "We'd better catch something good to make into fish and chips," I suggest to Mark, who's schlepped all his gear here from up north. "Otherwise it's a waste of a TV-cookery-show-worthy kitchen."
Planning starts with a local ale at the King's Head. Mark asks the bar girl where the good fishing is around here. Without missing a beat, she says her dad caught some dabs the day before. We get chatting to the head chef, Luke Smith, who is sneaking a smoke in the garden.
"Oh, you'll catch something," he sighs. "Time disappears when you're fishing." Clearly grilling everyone you meet about where to set up is the main trick to the trade.
Mark's homework has revealed the high tide will be at noon ? which means the two hours before and after will be when the fish are most bitey. I am just relieved it is such a civilised hour. My plan: get up, grab breakfast at the Black Douglas Coffee House, head to the bait shop, get to our prime spot for 10am. Cast a few lines, leave the boys to it, then hit Deal for a poke around its cute shops, delis and cafes and be home in time to cook up our catch. (In my mind's eye, after a dabble at fishing, the two of our quintet lacking Y chromosomes will slope off for a snoop around this Kentish coastal town's vintage shops. I confess I've also sketched out this article's denouement, which sees us ending up at Middle Street Fish Bar. But don't tell Mark.)
Worms purchased, eggs Benedict, Monmouth Coffee lattes and big pots of tea guzzled, we walk along the seafront to a vast, deserted pebbly beach just west in Walmer. Slapped about by driving winds and drizzle as we spear stinking wriggling annelids, I am momentarily questioning why I've proposed that our weekend with friends at a hip seaside holiday let needs to involve this. Especially when we have a host of come-hither coffee houses and antiques shops at our disposal.
The sky is grey and the sea even more so, but as we set up and I don my toasty wind-cheating flotation suit, there's actually a butterfliesy feeling of excitement in my stomach I haven't felt since hoping to catch Father Christmas in our sitting room. Wow. It's already actually very fun. Within minutes, I'm pretty sure the end of my rod is arching a little. Mark gives the order for me to reel it in.
It's a fish! It's an actual fish. Poor little fellow with big bulging eyes and gulping mouth. But five minutes in and we've already got a whiting! It's too small, mind (it's illegal to keep fish under a certain size), so we chuck the little blighter back. Settling on the beach with a bagful of goodies from the Bake House on Deal's High Street, we relax to the sound of the sea ebbing and the waves crashing. Watching the ends of the rods bow slightly in tune with the tide is proving mesmeric. Never have I managed to meditate ? but this is how it must feel. Utterly calm yet exhilarating; I'm thinking of nothing, while feeling totally gripped.
I could stay here all afternoon, but a round of tea beckons. Trotting up the path to Walmer's Sea Cafe in my lurid yellow and blue flotation suit ? not my usual garb for a weekend away on the coast ? I get my biggest thrill. Two big, burly chaps unpacking rods from their van shout down, "Have you caught anything?" in a tone that suggests I am one of them. My instinct is to jump up and down squealing, "Yes! We caught some fishies ? wahoo!" But as deadpan as I can muster, I shrug and tell him we've caught some small whiting. I omit the fact I've also snagged an old crisp bag and a sports sock. They nod their approval. If I could jump up and kick to the side I would, but frankly just shuffling one foot in front of another in this flotation suit is challenge enough.
At the end of our high-tide innings, we head home with 10 plump fish in the tackle box strapped to Mark's back. And we still have time to take a nose around all the cute shops ? shabby-chic homewares picked up for me, charity-shop vinyl for Mark ? before heading home to supper.
And no, we don't duck into the chippy. We whip up our very own beer-batter fish goujons (a top tip from our bait man, Steve), with some oven chips from M&S and creamy homemade mushy peas (frozen peas blended with double cream). And frankly, self-catering doesn't get more satisfying than that.
? Hector's Apartments, Deal Castle Road (01304 361409). A three-night weekend in a one-bed garden flat (sleeps two to four) costs from �250, and a week's stay is from �350; in the two-bedroom maisonette (sleeps six to eight), a three-night weekend is from �500 and a week's stay from �570
Deal's best shops and restaurants
Bait shop Steve Allmark's cabin is packed to the gills with the full gamut of tackle, rods and fresh and frozen bait. He's also super-helpful and armed with all the advice you need.
Channel Angling, Deal Pier, Beach Street (01304 373104)
Coffee shop Perfect elevenses pitstop thanks to coffee and homemade Italian pastries.
Miretti, 125 High Street (01304 369165)
Cafe Delicious breakfast, lunch and tea, and inspired homemade cakes and tarts. The unmannered mishmash of crockery and furniture without a whiff of Cath Kidston cutesiness makes this one of the country's biggest-personality cosy cafes.
The Black Douglas Coffee House, 83 Beach Street (01304 365486, blackdouglas.co.uk)
Vintage fashion A cornucopia of decades-old accessories and retro homewares.
Vintage By The Sea, 70?72 High Street (07791 242371, see page on Facebook)
Fish and chip shop An old-fashioned chippy for your deep-fried favourites.
Middle Street Fish Bar, 78 Middle St (01304 364738)
Restaurant Modern British eatery on the seafront with adventurous starters such as goat's cheese souffl�, a gourmet take on fish and chips, and decent steaks.
81 Beach Street (01304 368136, 81beachstreet.co.uk)
Pub A friendly, old-fashioned seafront pub perfect for a pint with the locals.
The King's Head, 9 Beach Street (01304 368194, kingsheaddeal.co.uk)
Bakery A new purveyor of freshly baked pizzas, pasties and pastries.
The Bake House, 120 High Street (01304 380276)
Sweet shop Choose from 300 jars of children's-book-perfect sweeties, just a stroll from the seafront.
The Sugar Boy, 10 Broad Street (01304 363626, sugarboy.co.uk)
Delicatessen Husband-and-wife-run deli (called No Name ?) selling zingy condiments, fine French cheeses, a rainbow of hams, olives and pickles.
No Name ? , 110 High Street (01304 375100)
Antiques Bargain tat and quality investments from this trove minutes from Deal Castle.
Inside Out, 3a Victoria Road (07734 053501)
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/mar/19/fishing-shopping-deal-kent-uk
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