tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18822527250538846362024-02-20T06:43:18.144+00:00Trevor Cozens Species HunterThe challenge - To catch one hundred species of fish from British waters in three years.Trevor Cozenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03955307586591709912noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-7332306262303393692012-11-22T19:14:00.001+00:002012-11-22T20:20:30.127+00:00Species Hunter on the Telly!Now, this really is the last post on this blog.<br />
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Since the article in the Angling Times both the national and local media have taken an unhealthy interest in the story.<br />
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Articles have appeared in the Daily Mail <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=5&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQqQIoADAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-2226808%2FAngler-spends-years-travelling-60-000-miles-Britain-quest-catch-100-different-species-fish.html%3Fito%3Dfeeds-newsxml&ei=x2yuUMzYA6rK0QWypoCgCA&usg=AFQjCNGwLHUBgVnZlQbJ0elr3l6AjPl14A">Angler spends two years travelling 60000 miles around Britain in ...</a>, Daily Express <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CD0QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.express.co.uk%2Fposts%2Fview%2F355754%2FThe-hot-rod-who-has-hooked-100-kinds-of-fish-in-3-years&ei=TXmuUMLjPIa10QWalIHACQ&usg=AFQjCNEXTrQn3FdAY35-FZh_l1nn7tyX6Q">The hot rod who has hooked 100 kinds of fish in 3 years | UK News ...</a> and even the Sun (and I kept my clothes on, and no I didn't get to appear on Page 3 with a dolly bird)!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXLFfp8BLSw/UK6HVFt9GLI/AAAAAAAAAw4/Ika94AtY01w/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXLFfp8BLSw/UK6HVFt9GLI/AAAAAAAAAw4/Ika94AtY01w/s400/IMG_0181.JPG" width="216" /></a> Last night I even appeared on TV on the Anglia ITV regional news.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by one of Anglia TV's journalist Stuart Leithes, who using the electoral roll found out where I lived and posted a note through the letterbox.<br />
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Stuart wanted to do the interview on the bank so last Friday morning we finally filmed an interview on the River Welland near Stamford.<br />
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I arrived an hour before I was due to meet Stuart so that I could check out a couple of suitable swims for filming. As I stood on the bridge and looked downstream a kingfisher cut a sapphire blue streak through the air as it flew downstream, if only we could capture this on film. The river was that perfect bottle green colour and the day nice and overcast.<br />
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After the customary introductions Stuart and I wandered upstream to a small eddy below a weir to film me fishing. Unbelievably I landed a small chub of around two pounds from almost under the camermans' feet. This chub was not destined for stardom and hit the cutting room floor.<br />
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Stuart wanted to film me wandering down the bank so I awaited his signal from the bridge downstream before wandering down to our second swim. I had to not look at the camera whilst watching for the signal to stop.. tricky that one. I hedged my bets and baited up with a lobworm hoping to catch a decent perch for the camera. Stuart did some arty filming through the hawthorns opposite to where I was sat before walking back round over the bridge.. After an inconclusive twitch, no doubt a small perch, the interview began.<br />
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We chatting on camera for five to ten minutes before I saw out the corner of my eye my yellow bobbin moving, an instant strike saw a good chub on. Unfortunately the fish fell off which doesn't often happen with chub. As you might expect me losing a fish is in the final piece.<br />
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Stuart filmed his introductory piece which took five takes - no wonder the interviewer always looks so professional! I only got one take which is my excuse!<br />
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After an hour and a half Stuart left to do some more arty filming to act as a backgound to some photo's he wanted to use in the final piece. Within five minutes of Stuart leaving I had a near 2lb perch and the kingfisher returned and fished for minnows just behind where the introductory piece was filmed.<br />
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I had to leave early but the rest of the day produced another three chub including a couple of fours to 4lb 8oz. Remarkably I dropped another chub! The fishing was secondary to the experience of being filmed.<br />
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Thanks Stuart for a fun hour and producing an entertaining film.<br />
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Here is the finished piece:<br />
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<a href="http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2012-11-21/anglers-challenge/">http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2012-11-21/anglers-challenge/</a><br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-74063964657313229722012-10-30T20:41:00.004+00:002012-10-30T20:45:59.429+00:00The Last Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With my species challenge successfully completed I have decided that this will be my last post on this blog.<br />
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The Angling Times were kind enough to run a feature in last weeks edition which along with the blog will remain as a record of the last three years.<br />
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I would like to take this opportunity to thank the skippers, fishery owners, tackle dealers and fellow anglers who have helped me to achieve my challenge target. In particular I would single out Gethyn Owen (My Way), Colin Penney (Flamer IV) and Chippy Chapman (Bite Adventures).<br />
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After three years I am keen to get back into the pursuit of specimen fish across all disciplines. I might even find time for a few species hunting trips as it would be nice to be the first angler to reach 110 species from British Waters.<br />
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Hopefully this blog has inspired you to get out there and seek your own angling adventures. I sincerely believe that someone out there could catch 100 species in British Waters in a single year - are you up for it?<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-91870564592886113132012-09-19T09:50:00.000+01:002012-09-23T15:08:46.103+01:00Bob the Builder catches a Record Blue Shark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I was on board 'Bite Adventures' skippered by Chippy Chapman out of Penzance in search of sharks. An average day sees 6-8 blues landed with the boat record at 186lb. As we sailed the ten miles out to sea, little did we know what the day held in store!<br />
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As Chippy prepared the rubby-dubby mix the rest of us set about the task of catching fresh mackerel for bait, and to supplement the rubby-dubby later in the day.<br />
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Three sacks of rubby-dubby were hung overboard, so that with each roll of the boat, some of the smelly concoction would be washed out of the bags downtide setting up a scent trail.<br />
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The anglers on board drew lots to decide who would take the first, second, third shark etc. This is common practice when using hire gear. Four shark outfits were set up and before long a line of floats were awaiting the sharks. The nearest rod was set shallow with the depth increasing the further out the rod was fished. Bob the Builder, Bob Pollard of the Looe Sea Anglers Club, set up his own rod and a fifth float joined the lineup.<br />
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"Shark!" exclaimed Chippy. A group of excited anglers watched as a large blue and a smaller fish worked their way up the trail before disappearing into the depths. Seconds later the reel screamed on the closest rod and the first shark of the day was on. The shark sounded for the bottom, however the hook pulled out after only a few seconds. From the way it dived for the bottom Chippy suspected that we had just lost a Porbeagle.<br />
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Within seconds another reel was screaming and Chippy passed the rod to me. The fight was soon over as the shark was only around 40lb and had wrapped itself up the wire trace.<br />
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Several of us set up light freelining or float tackle to fish for the specimen garfish that also work their way up the rubby dubby trail. It was great fun with multiple hookups and specimen garfish providing aerial battles on the light tackle. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the largest, a 3lb fish to Shane. My largest weighed in at 2lb 2oz and there were other fish landed in the two pound class.<br />
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After the initial excitement, all had gone quiet on the shark front. Chippy suggested to Bob that he might like to try a bigger bait near the bottom. We were drifting in around 250 feet of water.<br />
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Bob baited up with a big mackerel flapper and using 8oz of lead to keep the bait down set his float 220 feet deep. Bob's float sailed out past the furthest float and the wait recommenced. After a short wait Bob's reel clicked couple of times and the rod tip pulled over out of sync with the movement of the boat.<br />
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"Bob, you have got a shark", someone shouted, and with that Bob tightened.<br />
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It was obvious that this was a big fish as the shark took a fair bit of line off Bob's fairly tight drag. Chippy asked Bob whether he needed to start the engine ready to follow the shark. Bob said not yet. The rest of us reeled in the other lines to avoid the big shark fouling them.<br />
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During the fight Bob on a couple of occasions cavalierly twanged the taut braid like a guitar; he confessed later that he just needed to rest his arms. Unlike mono which has a certain amount of stretch, on braid everything is felt by the angler.<br />
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After half an hour or so the shark surfaced, with the wire trace wrapped around its body. Chippy grabbed the tail and started to unravel the wire, as one more turn would have resulted in the braid rubbing against the shark resulting in a lost fish. It took three people to drag the shark on board through the open gate at the stern of the boat.<br />
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The fish was nicely hooked in the scissors, and was quickly unhooked before having its vital measurements taken. The tape measure recorded the length as 98 inches and the girth as 45 inches. Although not exceptionally long, this fish was exceptionally deep in the body. Chippy suspected this might be Bite's first 200lb blue shark and the charts confirmed a weight of 248lb.<br />
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Bob and Chippy were both insistent that the shark be returned, which meant that they could not claim the official British Record. The shark seemed rather dazed and swam around the boat giving us all one last view before swimming off into the depths.<br />
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Another small shark of around 40lb completed the day's sport.<br />
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Those of us on board were privileged to witness this extraordinary fish. It couldn't have happened to a better bloke, all credit to Bob for returning the fish.<br />
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As we sailed back into Penzance it all seemed a little surreal, Bob the Builder had just landed a British Record Blue Shark!<br />
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For the record the tackle Bob used was:<br />
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Rod: Penn Torque 30lb Class<br />
Reel: Penn Torque 200<br />
Braid: 65lb Whiplash<br />
Trace and Strop (Rubbing Leader): 480lb Wire<br />
Float: Drink Bottle<br />
Lead: 8oz<br />
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Here are a couple more shots of the monster.<br />
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</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-66575282488582050322012-09-16T09:47:00.000+01:002012-09-23T09:52:48.079+01:00The Giant of St Michaels Mount<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K3ri6jYxu_o/UF7CIdnfgNI/AAAAAAAAAus/FCvxKS6OFgU/s1600/IMG_0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K3ri6jYxu_o/UF7CIdnfgNI/AAAAAAAAAus/FCvxKS6OFgU/s400/IMG_0145.JPG" width="400" /></a>St Michael's Mount is an island that is only accessible from the mainland at Marazion via a causeway, for a couple of hours either side of low tide.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Legend says that the mount was originally built by a giant named Cormoran. This giant lived on the Mount, and he used to wade ashore and steal cows and sheep from the villagers to feed his gargantuan appetite. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hTqjJH7PQzM/UF7COHpjP-I/AAAAAAAAAu0/TtUZJv8bRWY/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hTqjJH7PQzM/UF7COHpjP-I/AAAAAAAAAu0/TtUZJv8bRWY/s400/IMG_0153.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">One night, a local boy called Jack rowed out to the island and dug a deep pit while the giant was asleep. As the sun rose, Jack blew a horn to wake the angry giant who staggered down from the summit and blinded by the sunlight fell into the pit and died. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br />
Today St Michael's Mount is run by the National Trust and attracts a myriad of visitors. If you are down here on holiday it is well worth a visit.<br />
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However I was here in search of the giants that still inhabit the Mount, or rather the rockpools that are exposed at low tide. Rather than employing the traditional rockpooling outfit of a net and bucket, I was armed with rod and line. </span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lZWYcNS5Ya4/UF7CTOg-zSI/AAAAAAAAAu8/lAPAI-I8W8s/s1600/IMG_0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lZWYcNS5Ya4/UF7CTOg-zSI/AAAAAAAAAu8/lAPAI-I8W8s/s400/IMG_0142.JPG" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Rather self consciously I wandered off to the left of the causeway towards the furthest rockpools. Luckily the tourists continued crossing the causeway and ignored the idiot who was perched on the rocks like a giant garden gnome fishing a tiny garden pond.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">The giant's live in the crevices and gaps between and under the larger rocks within the rockpools. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">As I lowered my ragworm section next to a likely boulder, a</span> giant came out from under the rock as quick as a flash, inhaled the worm and returned to its lair. <br />
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The giant of St Michael's Mount was finally revealed as a giant goby<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-17917460734858272742012-08-17T20:36:00.000+01:002012-08-28T20:51:17.123+01:00The Trophy Room<div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 10pt; margin-right: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Although I am not a match angler I </span>have entered or been entered into a range of competitions. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9n_K1gUbSAc/UDzsApAWBxI/AAAAAAAAAuE/k1pbpkpC5a8/s1600/120817+Winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9n_K1gUbSAc/UDzsApAWBxI/AAAAAAAAAuE/k1pbpkpC5a8/s400/120817+Winner.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As a youngster I used to send in details of my specimen coarse fish captures to gain Kingfisher Guild Certificates from the Angling Times. An Angling Times Top Ten badge was proudly worn for a while, this was the mark of a true specimen hunter at the end of the seventies.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My allegiance then changed to the Anglers Mail, and at one stage I used to send in photos for publication. In those days the Anglers Mail paid £25 for each photo it used. Believe it or not, a 5lb 9oz Welland Chub back in 1989 won me a reel as the fish of the week. How things have changed, even a six pound chub barely gets a mention nowadays! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Various badges from Trout Fisherman and Sea Angler Magazines have arrived in the post and like the Angling Times Top Ten Badge have briefly adorned fishing clothing. I don't recall ever entering a trout, it being good publicity for day ticket fisheries.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQLb7eg_k6o/UD0fyqBex6I/AAAAAAAAAuY/hEztF9-e9BI/s1600/IMG_0976_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQLb7eg_k6o/UD0fyqBex6I/AAAAAAAAAuY/hEztF9-e9BI/s320/IMG_0976_2.JPG" width="88" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My match career is limited, I have entered one trout fishing match. I travelled all the way to Bure Valley Fishery in Norfolk to find that the only way I could fish that day, was to enter a competition. I fluked a four pound rainbow first cast and walked off with a trout rod for the biggest fish of the day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Despite this glittering array of awards I had never won a trophy until a couple of years ago when I was the weakest link in a two day RNLI competition aboard Colin Penney's Flamer III. Today I finally got another trophy to accompany it after accidentially winning a Portland and Surrounding Waters competition aboard Flamer IV.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> I have entered several matches aboard Flamer, simply because this has given me access to species rich areas that would not normally be visited during a charter trip. During Colin's matches I have landed several new species including the rare Red Band Fish and the Baillions Wrasse. Whilst I admire match anglers, I have no real desire to compete and continue to concentrate on trying to catch new species. I felt that I had a chance of Trigger Fish, Dragonets and Butterfly Blennies and fished accordingly. Unfortunately I failed miserably and yet again, the angler next to me caught the only Butterfly Blenny of the day. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was truly astonished when Colin announced that I had not only landed the most species but was also the points winner by some way. I don't really understand why, as I am sure that Steve Clements the runner up caught far more fish than me. However I would have happily swapped the kudos for Steve's Butterfly Blenny and the weakest link spot!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Where is my trophy room, the downstairs loo of course!</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-53775440901124583592012-08-14T21:16:00.000+01:002012-08-28T20:37:26.353+01:00Small Eyed Ray!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The muddy waters of the Bristol Channel are famed, both for their strong tides and the quality of fishing. August is a good time to fish for the small eyed rays so I booked a couple of days with Kevin Axtell on Seren y Mor out of Swansea Marina. As well as the rays there was also a chance of a trigger fish showing on the inshore wrecks and rough ground to the west of the port.<br />
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I arrived in Swansea the evening before the trip and spent a little time familiarising myself with the location, finding the tackle shop and Kevin's pickup point ready for the morning. Rogers tackle in Pilot House Wharf opens early enabling anglers to purchase bait prior to boarding your charter boat.<br />
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I phoned Kevin after 7pm to check whether the trip was on and although the forecast wasn't great we would be able to get out. Unfortunately Thursdays planned trip was cancelled as stormy weather was forecast to arrive wednesday evening.<br />
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After collecting some bait from Rogers Tackle I joined a mixed party of individuals on Seren y Mor. Kevin explained that we would be heading east due to the weather conditions and would be unable to get out to the offshore banks. Kevin's crew for the day was his father David.<br />
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Swansea Marina is joined to the sea via a lock and we joined a small flotilla of boats in the lock eagerly anticipating a day at sea.<br />
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We headed east out of Swansea down into the Bristol Channel. The shoreline became more industrial as we passed Port Talbot. Our first mark was on broken ground and we could expect smoothounds, eels, huss and the ever present lesser spotted dogfish that abound in welsh waters. Off Holyhead they are called Welsh Tiger Shark and here they are called Swansea Salmon!<br />
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As the muddy waters of the Bristol Channel are shallow I set up an uptider and lobbed my bait away from the boat, to get out of the scare zone.<br />
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Fish baits produced a string of LSDs with the odd small bullhuss. As smoothounds were being landed to crab, I baited up with crab and had three in three casts. The biggest hound just into double figures fell to Ray. It appears that the smoothound fishing is prolific with the larger hounds, fish to fourteen pounds being caught in May and June.<br />
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Our second mark offered a chance of a small eyed ray so I set out my stall with a large sandeel tipped with a strip of squid. It was tempting to go for the hounds as other anglers landed fish to just into double figures whilst my beautifully presented sandeels attracted a string of LSDs.<br />
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Ray joked that he had small eyes and therefore was a "small eyed Ray".<br />
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As the wind was not as bad as expected we pushed offshore to a sandbank for our third and final mark of the day. Kevin advised that this was a prolific ray mark. We timed our arrival to coincide with the tide reaching it's peak, which is when the rays feed best on a Neap tide. On Spring tides the first and last hours of the tide provide the optimum conditions on this mark.<br />
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We anchored on the slope and fished down the bank, within minutes I had a series of slow taps as a ray maneuvered its body over the bait. I had expected the rod to pull over but the taps continued. I wound down and my first small eyed ray of around three pounds was boated. The next five casts produced a further five small eyed rays to nine pounds. I was surprised how well these fish fight compared to other rays that I have caught.<br />
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Thanks to Kevin and David for a super days sport out of Swansea. I will be back for a crack after a trigger fish.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-83107003116288208202012-06-27T21:19:00.000+01:002012-07-01T22:28:47.104+01:00Brill!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The weatherman forecast a break in the weather, a phone call to Chippy confirmed that Wednesday's planned charter trip aboard Bite Adventure out of Penzance was on. However the wind was due to pick up again and unfortunately with 20mph winds forecast Thursdays planned shark trip was not going to happen.<br />
<br />I was joined on this trip by three members of the Looe Sea Angling Club and a couple of sea angling novices. As the tides were not favourable for drifting the sandbanks the plan was to anchor a reef in search of a couches bream and perhaps do some drifting later in the day when if wind and tide permitted.<br />
<br />The sail along the coastline towards Lands End took us past some of the South-West's most picturesque coastal scenery, not that you would have known as the sky was overcast and sea mist filled the skies threatening rain. Within sight of Lands End Chippy cut the engine and we started to feather up mackerel for bait.<br />
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I fished mini sabikkis just in case any pilchards were swimming with the mackerel. As usual I used a shiny pirk as my weight as I am convinced that the flash attracts baitfish. Within minutes the crew had feathered up enough mackerel for bait, a shoal was located near the surface. It was noticeable that these were small joeys, a sign of commercial overfishing perhaps!<br />
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Chippy anchored the boat so that our baits would be fishing down the edge of the reef in 160 foot of water. If truth be told the fishing was slow, but gradually the species tally grew with pouting, pollack, haddock, dogfish, cod, red, grey and tub gurnards. Bob, one of the Looe members lost a decent fish that bit through his hooklength. Chippy and I then landed fish that had fresh wounds, my male cuckoo wrasse had a deep gash in one of its flanks. We speculated whether a tope or even a blue shark might be responsible. One of the anglers put down a mackerel flapper searching for an answer to the mystery, however the resulting conger was a "red herring"!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rp2tJbs3q84/T-4NuKwSX0I/AAAAAAAAAsk/4jc6KMnkxFI/s1600/IMG_1122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rp2tJbs3q84/T-4NuKwSX0I/AAAAAAAAAsk/4jc6KMnkxFI/s400/IMG_1122.JPG" width="300" /></a>After lunch we moved off the reef, as the tide was strengthening and started to drift the sand banks. This is interesting fishing, a thin strip of mackerel on a running ledger is dragged along the bottom as the boat drifts. The reel is kept in free spool with a thumb on the spool ready to feed line when a fish takes to enable it to take the bait properly. As the boat drifts the angler can feel every undulation on the sand bank and bites can be difficult to detect but usually consist of a sharp rattle on the rodtip.<br />
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I missed my first bite and Bob landed a megrim, a rare flatfish marketed as Cornish Sole by Waitrose. A frustrating few drifts followed where I only managed a grey gurnard, whilst Bob managed a couple more megrim and an angler on the other side of the boat also managed a brace of megrim. A brill to one of the holidaying anglers added insult to injury. <br />
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Was today just one of those days?<br />
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Next drift the tip rattled and I let off some line before winding into a fish. Chippy stood by with the net as a flatty came into view. Was it a turbot? When Chippy said it was a brill my legs went to jelly. "Please stay on", I thought and it seemed an age before the fish slid over the net. After 30 months I had finally achieved my goal of 100 species from British waters.<br />
<br />But there was more to come. Next drift I landed a megrim, the sixth to the crew and another new species for me. I was now brimming with confidence and half expected a greater weaver, a common catch off Porthcurno but it was not to be. With the fog closing in, Chippy called it a day and we set sail for Penzance.<br />
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Thanks Chippy for a brill day about Bite Adventure!<br />
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My trip to Cornwall coincided with the arrival of yet another depression. The type that brings strong winds and heavy rain. The resultant cancelled boat trips could have brought on a diffferent type of depression.<br />
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My options were limited from the shore I could potentially target gilthead bream and three bearded rockling. However the rockling normally show during the winter so I decided to concentrate on trying for a bream.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-omAVzqlcHHM/T-4PTvLE72I/AAAAAAAAAs0/ovCRWdtGmmw/s1600/IMG_1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-omAVzqlcHHM/T-4PTvLE72I/AAAAAAAAAs0/ovCRWdtGmmw/s400/IMG_1117.JPG" width="400" /></a>Gilthead bream are a warm water species and at the right time can be found in numbers on the Fal and Helford rivers. As the tide floods, the bream run up the estuaries up to the top of the creeks where they feed on worm beds and peeler crabs.<br />
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Access to the Fal and Helford rivers from the shore is limited and this is one venue that is better approached with a small boat or kayak. I was aware of one definite mark towards the top of one of these rivers and decided to concentrate my efforts there.<br />
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I fished a number of tides, however with the heavy rain colouring the water and bringing in an influx of fresh water I was not confident. Unsurprisingly my paltry catch for all this effort was a single flounder. So far I have had four sessions after a gilthead bream without success. <br />
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A night session on Penzance Pier after a three bearded rockling was another glorious failure, resulting in pollack and yet more shore rockling.<br />
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One day, I will return to Cornwall and bag both these species!<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-2002609512035669462012-05-24T11:27:00.000+01:002012-05-27T11:30:55.082+01:00It's the wrong Rockling Gromitt!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Three Bearded Rockling are not normally targeted by sea anglers so there is little information available on how to catch this member of the cod family. They are normally found on rocky marks which for an angler terrified of heights causes a few issues. I had been advised of a number of potential marks but only one, Holyhead Breakwater did not involve a horrendous scramble down a steep rock face to reach it.<br />
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As Three Bearded Rockling are normally caught after dark I decided to fish three short after dark sessions to try to catch one.<br />
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My visit to Anglesey had coincided with the first heat-wave of the summer and I witnessed some fabulous sunsets.<br />
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The outside of the breakwater is very rocky and I was told to expect to lose loads of gear. I was advised that the ground was snaggy up to sixty or seventy yards out so I fished relatively close in amongst the rocks.<br />
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Knowing that three bearded rockling were normally caught by accident whilst fishing for conger I decided to fish with decent sized mackerel strips.<br />
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The first session I fished thirty to fifty yards out and had pollack, dogfish and a couple of shore rockling.<br />
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Taking advice from Geth the next couple of sessions I fished closer in and caught rockling after rockling with several double shots. However despite catching between twenty and twenty-five rockling I had failed to catch the target three bearded rockling.<br />
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Catching species 100 is proving harder than I expected and it will be June before I can next target a "new" species.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-24172298455073413682012-05-23T17:43:00.000+01:002012-08-20T17:38:16.146+01:00What are you gonna do when the hounds are calling?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Smoothhound are perhaps the most sporting fish found in our seas. Although I have now caught a number of hounds I have not caught a double.<br />
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The waters off Anglesey see a run of smoothhound each year during late May and June. These are not small fish with doubles being average and fish to twenty pound plus a distinct possibility.<br />
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I had four days booked on board Gethyn Owen's My Way. Geth advised that the hounds hadn't yet arrived in numbers and sport was a bit patchy. Despite this, one twenty pounder had already been boated. My trip coincided with a spell of settled weather, a mini heatwave in fact.<br />
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The plan was simple, do some scratching until the tide was right and then move onto the hounds. This meant that everyone caught a few dogfish, dabs, codling, whiting etc before settling down to the waiting game.<br />
<br />
Most of the lads rigged up with uptiders, not having a light uptider I set up a carp rod. In retrospect I think it was a little soft and could have done with some more backbone. I struggled to bring a small balled up hound against a strong tide! Four foot of 50lb line with a 4/0 hook baited was baited with a peeler crab. Interestingly Geth favours not peeling the crab and passing the hook through the abdomen before tying on the crab with some bait elastic. This minimises the number of dogfish (these welsh waters are paved with LSDs).<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fh1eVNcpg2M/T8IGLJArh9I/AAAAAAAAAsQ/j-3PDvYLPIM/s1600/My+Way+2012-96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fh1eVNcpg2M/T8IGLJArh9I/AAAAAAAAAsQ/j-3PDvYLPIM/s400/My+Way+2012-96.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Day 1 was a little choppy and hard going, I blanked on the hounds. Day 2 I landed a couple including a new personal best at 12lb 8oz. These fish really do go and my light rod hooped right over as a hound decided to scream off on another run. Day three I added a couple of small ones and on the last day I kicked off with another double before losing a good hound when the leader knot parted. I was gutted as this was a good fish lost through bad angling. I will spend some time testing out different mono to braid knots when I get home to minimise the chances of this happening again.<br />
<br />
Geth's usual collection of dodgy music and bad jokes kept the crews entertained whilst we waited for the hounds to oblige.<br />
<br />
Over the four days the crew averaged 5-8 hounds per day with the best weighing 18lb plus. I was happy with 5 although I was perhaps a little unlucky with the size as the average was probably around 13lb.<br />
<br />
Geth put on the Prodigy who sang "what are you gonna do when the hounds are calling". I just said "lose them".<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-11357336524064118632012-04-24T20:40:00.000+01:002012-04-30T21:50:50.278+01:00What is happening to freshwater fishing?What is happening to freshwater fishing?<br />
<br />
1. Small stillwater trout fishing has brought trout fishing to the masses, however stocking larger and larger trout has devalued the capture of a big wild trout. Even reservoirs are not immune to the stocking of brood fish! Much as I enjoy catching doubles on these fisheries it always feels somewhat artificial.<br />
<br />
2. Fishing for those silver tourists, the salmon and sea trout isn't what it was. Even if your wallet can stand the cost, catch returns from most of our rivers are pitiful. How lucky were those anglers who fished before the 1970's when the decline kicked in.<br />
<br />
3. What is it about carp Commercial stillwaters are in many cases so seriously overstocked that visiting match anglers have to catch a hundred pounds of pasty carp during a five hour match to stand a chance of the prize money. Visiting pleasure anglers are guaranteed a bite every few minutes. The RSPCA and environment agency stand by and do nothing about this animal cruelty. Overstocking to that extent is cruelty, period!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zrwWX3FrFew/T576jgpCfUI/AAAAAAAAArg/nOLLfzY0zvk/s1600/IMG_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zrwWX3FrFew/T576jgpCfUI/AAAAAAAAArg/nOLLfzY0zvk/s320/IMG_1092.JPG" width="320" /></a>4. Where are the young anglers ? Those few youngsters that can be tempted away from their screens are obsessed by carp fishing. Youngsters get all the gear, flock to the nearest carp fishery and camp out until they either get bored of carp fishing or catch a big carp or two and give up fishing because camping out for days behind multiple rods is frankly a bit boring and not real angling.<br />
<br />
5. When I was younger a twenty pound carp was a real achievement, nowadays there are waters where every fish landed will be a twenty. Carp fishing has gone the way of stillwater trouting which has devalued the sport.<br />
<br />
6. Many of our rivers have suffered serious declines. My local welland for example is a shadow of it's former self. Thirty years ago I could walk a mile of river and spot fifty or more chub,and shoals of small fish were everywhere. Now if I walk that same mile of river I am lucky to see any chub and small fish just aren't present. Cormorants clear a stretch of river as soon as the fish reach six inches or so. Otters which have been reintroduced without any consideration of the entire ecosystem pick off the few remaining specimen sized fish to eke out a living. That river of the seventies would have happily supported otters!<br />
<br />
Rant over.<br />
<br />
PS. Went fishing for the first time in a month and caught a stack of silver bream up to 1lb 7oz. The highlight of my day was seeing "ratty", it must be a decade since I last saw a water vole.<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-44241803718279101662012-03-01T18:56:00.001+00:002012-03-03T18:58:16.076+00:00Relics from the Ice Age<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYz2Chz5Tu0/T1JKoS0ZOtI/AAAAAAAAAqI/9Nv34Olse1M/s1600/IMG_1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYz2Chz5Tu0/T1JKoS0ZOtI/AAAAAAAAAqI/9Nv34Olse1M/s1600/IMG_1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYz2Chz5Tu0/T1JKoS0ZOtI/AAAAAAAAAqI/9Nv34Olse1M/s400/IMG_1063.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>In Falkus and Buller's Freshwater Fishing there is a chapter about the Whitefishes. These game fish are an ancient relic of our glacial past and are probably surviving remnants of migratory stocks which became land-locked during the last ice age.<br />
<br />
There are two species, the common whitefish (represented by the powan, gwyniad and skelly) and the vendace. Each species is found in only a handful of glacial lakes in Snowdonia, Lake District and Scotland. The powan is the most common of these and is found in Loch Lomond, Loch Eck and Loch Carron.<br />
<br />
Very few whitefish have been caught on rod and line, mainly because few anglers have ever tried to catch one. In Freshwater Fishing, Dick Walker speculates how he would set out to catch a powan from Loch Lomond and suggests that they should be regarded as a kind of stillwater grayling. Dick suggested either flyfishing during the summer or fishing worm or maggot during the winter.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G0rXWmzOhjw/T1JKzsLviXI/AAAAAAAAAqg/XiJOVSsucYQ/s1600/IMG_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G0rXWmzOhjw/T1JKzsLviXI/AAAAAAAAAqg/XiJOVSsucYQ/s400/IMG_1070.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Fred Buller once held the British record with a powan of 11.25 oz caught from Balmaha Pier whilst catching roach to use as bait for Lomond's legendary pike.<br />
<br />
Powan spawn on gravel shallows at the mouth of the Endrick River and at this time of year, if you are lucky like Buller one may happen along whilst roach fishing from Balmaha Pier.<br />
<br />
The introduction of the ruffe to Loch Lomond has impacted badly on the Powan as they feed on the powan's eggs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vLwVtQGIjYw/T1JKsZqFKBI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/s7TSRL8kRoo/s1600/IMG_1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vLwVtQGIjYw/T1JKsZqFKBI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/s7TSRL8kRoo/s400/IMG_1066.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I am ashamed to say that it was pike anglers (through discarded livebaits) who introduced the ruffe and other non indigenous species including bream and carp to the loch.<br />
<br />
If you have ever wondered how to keep maggots in perfect condition on an extended trip I can reveal a foolproof method. After purchasing your maggots from the tackle shop:<br />
<br />
1. Place them in a bucket in your bait fridge and let them chill off for a couple of hours.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2eWmqlkl4bw/T1JK2NPwdLI/AAAAAAAAAqo/c6cPRZ5O8PA/s1600/IMG_1071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2eWmqlkl4bw/T1JK2NPwdLI/AAAAAAAAAqo/c6cPRZ5O8PA/s400/IMG_1071.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2. Tip the maggots into a polybag, suck out all the air from the bag and tie off.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">3. Put an ice block or two in the base of a decent cool box, add a thick layer of newpaper, then place your polybag(s) in maggots in, add another thick layer of newspaper before finishing off with more iceblocks.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When you open the bags the maggots look dead, don't panic as after a couple of hours they will be as lively as the day you bought them from the tackleshop.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9xTsczLAeg/T1JK4O4sG_I/AAAAAAAAAqw/Lkvqd9erhUc/s1600/IMG_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9xTsczLAeg/T1JK4O4sG_I/AAAAAAAAAqw/Lkvqd9erhUc/s400/IMG_1075.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span id="goog_458922944"></span>My first sight of Lomond did not disappoint, this is a stunning location. My plan was to fish a maggot feeder for roach hoping that a powan might happen along.<br />
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Balmaha Pier is a popular location and to avoid the crowds on the Saturday and Sunday I fished to the right of the Pier. I set up a light quivertip rod and started off with a helicopter rig with a short hooklength. Initially I struggled to find my rhythm but by lengthening the hooklength I started catching a few roach, perch and ruffe. Indeed I caught more ruffe in four days on Lomond than in the last 30 years of angling!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RYvrSydFfH4/T1JKkSienII/AAAAAAAAAqA/xS-ciKxBTtE/s1600/IMG_1060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RYvrSydFfH4/T1JKkSienII/AAAAAAAAAqA/xS-ciKxBTtE/s400/IMG_1060.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>On the Sunday one of the anglers on the pier caught a powan of around a pound. It was clear that the bulk of the roach, (and powan?) were about twenty or thirty yards to my left.<br />
<br />
I made an early start on Monday to secure the swim. I need not have worried as I had the place to myself.<br />
I started catching roach from the off, pristine little fish in the four to eight ounce bracket with the odd larger fish to a pound. During the course of the day I was lucky enough to bag three powan with the largest at 1lb 2oz.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnhbQ6805Po/T1JLBqC5sgI/AAAAAAAAArI/mJoshLFbwHY/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnhbQ6805Po/T1JLBqC5sgI/AAAAAAAAArI/mJoshLFbwHY/s400/IMG_1084.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I returned on the last day of my holiday and managed a further five powan to 1lb 3oz.<br />
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It is weird but in the photo's they look more like herring, but in the flesh they look like grayling without that sail like dorsal. Being a game fish they put up a reasonable fight for their size. Powan must not be kept in nets as they are fragile fish.<br />
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I had enjoyed my week with this relic from the Ice age and finally achieved a long held angling ambition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-31117697812444959922012-02-28T18:59:00.054+00:002012-03-03T19:21:47.800+00:00It's a long way to Lochaline!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vwIdj8WR25Q/T1JqlxjkuTI/AAAAAAAAArY/UohLPUhoif8/s1600/IMG_1079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vwIdj8WR25Q/T1JqlxjkuTI/AAAAAAAAArY/UohLPUhoif8/s400/IMG_1079.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>It didn't look that far on the map, honest!<br />
<br />
My cunning plan was to enjoy a trip through the magnificant scottish scenery culmulating in a few hours after a butterfish or yarrells blenny for the species hunt,<br />
<br />
After a trip to Oban to purchase bait I travelled north through magnificent Scottish countryside. The journey took me up to Fort William around the perimeter of various sea lochs. Fort William is remote.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uM_Zpv7HLXk/T1JqjbuWY_I/AAAAAAAAArQ/a41Geh9ZKMg/s1600/IMG_1078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uM_Zpv7HLXk/T1JqjbuWY_I/AAAAAAAAArQ/a41Geh9ZKMg/s400/IMG_1078.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Lochaline is a really remote, it was about sixty miles from Fort William, of which thirty miles of the road is single track. What a journey, I stopped to admire red deer, buzzards and my first golden eagle which posed for me on a fence post.<br />
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The water off the Pier at Lochaline is deep, it took a minute and a half for four ounces of lead to hit bottom. The fishing was dire and all I caught was a solitary leopard spotted goby. I am sure if I had been able to source some ragworm things might have been different.<br />
<br />
<br />
After my days fishing I got back in the car and realised that I had a one hundred and fifty mile drive ahead of me! I started to sing, it's a long way to Lochaline.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-60184879233571198742012-02-12T20:27:00.000+00:002012-02-13T20:36:55.525+00:00The Thames Smelt a bit Fishy!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S8M3es7eYbU/TzlupARZ3oI/AAAAAAAAAp4/S_pNv64rJBo/s1600/IMG_1055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S8M3es7eYbU/TzlupARZ3oI/AAAAAAAAAp4/S_pNv64rJBo/s400/IMG_1055.JPG" width="400" /></a>A number of reports in scientific journals suggested that smelt gather in numbers in the tidal Thames at this time of year before migrating up river to spawn in freshwater.<br />
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The smelt is better known as that pike bait that smells of cucumber. Despite having used them on a number of occasions, I have only ever caught one pike on a smelt, albeit my personal best at twenty-four pounds.<br />
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Although we were still in the grip of cold weather I decided on an attempt on a Thames smelt as:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RzbCAwdwNSk/TzlunZ545FI/AAAAAAAAApw/XDc2Acg0W0M/s1600/IMG_1054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RzbCAwdwNSk/TzlunZ545FI/AAAAAAAAApw/XDc2Acg0W0M/s400/IMG_1054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>1. There was a spring tide with high tide at 4.11pm<br />
2. There had been a report of a smelt caught at Erith Pier a couple of weeks earlier<br />
3. I could not get back here for at least 3 weeks by which time my opportunity would be over.<br />
<br />
To cut a long story short I failed to catch a smelt. Actually, no one on the pier caught a fish of any description! In fact no one fishing on the pier seemed to have heard of smelt being caught from the Thames.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Those scientific journals were begining to smell even fishier than a smelt!<br />
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</u></span></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-4545269600372225052012-02-04T13:23:00.002+00:002012-02-04T13:32:37.559+00:00Ice hole fishing for Trout!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IP-ah_1BGPw/TyxBpZ0JbyI/AAAAAAAAApY/tEAMfDGaJc4/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IP-ah_1BGPw/TyxBpZ0JbyI/AAAAAAAAApY/tEAMfDGaJc4/s400/IMG_1035.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>When the water temperature drops below 40 degrees most coarse fish stop feeding. Rather than struggle away on the rivers I like to dust down the fly rod and have a relaxing days fishing for rainbow trout.<br />
<br />
I like the fact that you can visit a new stillwater trout fishery with every expectation of catching a few fish on your maiden visit. My stillwater trouting falls into two camps, either fishing big fish waters that offer a chance of a double figure trout, or catch and release waters where I can enjoy a days fishing without having to stop once the agreed bag limit is reached.<br />
<br />
I decided to visit Withern Mill in Lincolnshire, a five lake complex which has the added bonus of half of mile of river holding grayling. I purchased a two fish ticket which enabled me to catch and release once my limit had been reached.<br />
<br />
I arrived to find a hard frost and a dusting of snow. Three of the five lakes were frozen solid and there was a small clear patch on the other two lakes around the inlet pipes. On lake two the ice hole was about twenty yards by ten and perhaps half that on lake five.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVUWsZKYqgc/TyxByt3Hs4I/AAAAAAAAApg/UOEiL3s7SGg/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVUWsZKYqgc/TyxByt3Hs4I/AAAAAAAAApg/UOEiL3s7SGg/s400/IMG_1038.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The morning was spent trying to catch a grayling on an upstream nymph. Every few casts I had to clear the ice from the rings of my little brook rod. Every time the line stopped I struck, three sticks, loads of weed and a foul hooked stickleback resulted!<br />
<br />
After a warming cuppa in the "refreshments shed" I set up my heavier outfit with an intermediate line, tying a white nomad on the end of a twelve foot leader. First cast into lake two, the line tightened and I was into a fish of around two pounds. A couple of casts later I was into a second fish, which came off!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUeAQx_3EwU/TyxB171DNNI/AAAAAAAAApo/d8xBU3ebGmY/s1600/IMG_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUeAQx_3EwU/TyxB171DNNI/AAAAAAAAApo/d8xBU3ebGmY/s400/IMG_1052.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>After another warming break in the "refreshments shed" I returned and again first cast everything went solid, I lifted into a powerful fish that went screaming off to my left under the ice. Eventually I managed to net the rainbow which went exactly 7lb on the fishery scales.<br />
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Over the next couple of hours I had some more fish in the two pound class before the pull of the river became to strong. I spent the last hour trying in vain for a grayling. The water did have a tinge of colour and maybe that was the reason for my lack of success.<br />
<br />
I heard a high pitched peep which was swiftly followed by that sapphire blue flash as a kingfisher flew upstream past me, what a nice ending to the day. With the temperature falling fast I decided to set off for home so that I would be back on the A16 before it was dark. I suspect the ice will claim the rest of the lakes surface overnight and the fish will be left in peace for the next few days.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-61033372803276992422012-02-02T15:29:00.000+00:002012-02-02T15:29:46.921+00:00Plan BI was supposed to be boat fishing out of Poole today, unfortunately my planned trip after blonde rays and spurdogs coincided with the belated start of winter. Freezing temperatures and a force 5 easterly wind mid channel meant that both days were cancelled.<br />
<br />
After last year's plethora of cancelled boat trips it was a disappointing start to this year's boat fishing calendar. Shore fishing at this time of year is at a low ebb so it was no surprise when I failed to catch anything from Swanage Pier (my very poor Plan B).<br />
<br />
If you regularly read this blog you may have noticed that I have had several wasted trips to the coast over the last couple of years. In future I am going to pack an emergency outfit into the car which will enable me to either fly fish or pursue estuary mullet. All the kit I need should fit into the pockets of a waistcoat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-899678289370946332012-01-21T18:19:00.001+00:002012-01-21T18:21:34.999+00:00River Piking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AoQ8IO5rwFM/TxruKTSkHFI/AAAAAAAAApI/uk85zVIhYM8/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AoQ8IO5rwFM/TxruKTSkHFI/AAAAAAAAApI/uk85zVIhYM8/s400/IMG_1035.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I have been an angler now for over thirty years, and in all that time I have never attempted to catch river pike. I decided to put that right and spend a day on a day ticket stretch of my local River Nene.<br />
<br />
My plan was simple, to fish a single rod and spend twenty minutes in each likely looking swim. Hugh Tempest Sheringham wrote "A float is pleasing in appearance, and even more pleasing in it's disappearance". Like Sheringham I like to use a float wherever possible, so I fished my deadbait well over depth with the sliding float lying flat on the surface.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-neyZkH6mjVU/TxruOzGEJUI/AAAAAAAAApQ/cD8rD_GHrFM/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-neyZkH6mjVU/TxruOzGEJUI/AAAAAAAAApQ/cD8rD_GHrFM/s400/IMG_1037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>During the course of the morning, the appearance of my float was indeed most pleasing and three times I became even more pleased as it slid downstream submerging as it went. None of the pike were leviathans, the largest being perhaps eight pounds.<br />
<br />
Like many rivers nowadays I had the stretch to myself and the wildlife. This part of Northamptonshire is a stronghold of the Red Kite. I watched one of these magnificent birds soaring up and down the valley in the strong winds. It wasn't hunting but seemed to be just out enjoying the windy conditions.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately my day was cut short mid afternoon when my landing net broke, the metal thread connecting it to the landing net pole had sheared. As the banks were not suited to chinning a fish out I called it a day.<br />
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Although I have spent many days in the past piking on stillwaters, and been lucky enough to catch a sprinkling of twenties, frankly I find it all a bit boring! For me, winter fishing is all about rivers and after 30 years I think I have finally found a way to enjoy catching pike. Next winter I will target a twenty pound pike from the Nene.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-90006385940731589422012-01-01T20:02:00.154+00:002012-01-04T21:07:09.066+00:00X marks the Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nter-IikJD0/TwSwsBovqEI/AAAAAAAAAow/aREyt4AHBME/s1600/IMG_1017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nter-IikJD0/TwSwsBovqEI/AAAAAAAAAow/aREyt4AHBME/s400/IMG_1017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>For the river angler January to mid March sees the best of the fishing with most species in prime condition. Chub are my favourite target, but I have also had some of my largest roach, dace, perch, grayling and barbel in these last couple of months of the river season.<br />
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I am never in a rush to get on the riverbank at this time of year, and it was late morning before I arrived on the banks of the Upper Welland. Although overcast and unseasonably mild I suspected the clear low water would provide difficult fishing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_bTZyGzRpBo/TwSwvqHKxqI/AAAAAAAAAo4/F1jlsbdqYKc/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_bTZyGzRpBo/TwSwvqHKxqI/AAAAAAAAAo4/F1jlsbdqYKc/s400/IMG_1023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I scaled down my hooklength to 4lb fluorocarbon as the river was so clear, and only needed a single swanshot to hold station when fishing to the far back. As there are a few decent Perch on this stretch, I decided to bait up with lobworms and reserve the cheesepaste for after dark.<br />
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As expected I fished the first four swims without a bite, although I nearly hooked a fully grown labrador. The dogs idiot owner threw it's ball into the river just off my rod tip, which was naturally retrieved. Thankfully the labrador somehow avoided tangling itself up in my line.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkTS2blhgEM/TwSw1EqNMKI/AAAAAAAAApA/bcsWZo3K9qM/s1600/IMG_1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkTS2blhgEM/TwSw1EqNMKI/AAAAAAAAApA/bcsWZo3K9qM/s400/IMG_1025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The next swim down was a deep hole where one has to poke the rod through a gap in the trees. Here was a deep eddy which Mr Crabtree would have marked with an X for perch. I missed the first bite, the bobbin rose slowly to the rod, bream thought I. Two minutes later another slow and deliberate bite resulted in my largest small river bream to date at 7lb 1oz.<br />
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This was followed by an altogether different bite, the bobbin rising in a jerky manner. Perch thought I , and a nicely conditioned perch of 1lb 7oz was netted. The next perch fell off which as I expected killed the swim.<br />
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My next swim was a massive flood raft, Mr Crabtree would have marked this with an X for chub. As expected a chub resulted and a good one too at 4lb 14oz. It had the length of a five but was hollow. Revisiting three of the swims I fished earlier through dusk and into the darkling resulted in three further chub to 4lb 8oz.<br />
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What a lovely day on a delightful little river, I somehow think that Mr Crabtree would have approved.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-61692837252650874572011-12-02T18:58:00.002+00:002011-12-02T19:01:14.293+00:00Review of 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hs_yxNBDug/TpsLuovU8AI/AAAAAAAAAn4/uhEAsgFPPmg/s1600/IMG_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hs_yxNBDug/TpsLuovU8AI/AAAAAAAAAn4/uhEAsgFPPmg/s400/IMG_1007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I can't believe that another year is nearly over. In the run up to Christmas I like to take a break from fishing and spend time with the family. <br />
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I suppose I miss the "closed seasons" that used to be a part of the coarse and game angling year. I think that this field sport our ours is all the poorer for it. An enforced break is the ideal time to reflect on the years fishing, sort out the tackle and make plans for the year ahead. Newbies will never know the excitement that came with those first casts of a new season.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Pj6ZinwP6w/TSoVKkQv1uI/AAAAAAAAAfE/Wg5lxRQKHjA/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Pj6ZinwP6w/TSoVKkQv1uI/AAAAAAAAAfE/Wg5lxRQKHjA/s400/IMG_0721.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">During 2011 I fished on 47 days, most but not all of which are written up in this blog. Six days were spent game fishing with seven days coarse fishing. 2011 was totally dominated by the call of the sea. I failed to catch a fish on only three occasions. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Although I had intended to do some midweek coarse specimen hunting during 2011, I had not realised just how much time is needed in planning trips and preparing one's equipment when almost every trip is targeting a different species.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx9xs0taxNc/Tl0qs4fxZPI/AAAAAAAAAlg/Tl1sfRHuq-s/s1600/trevorplaiceaug11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx9xs0taxNc/Tl0qs4fxZPI/AAAAAAAAAlg/Tl1sfRHuq-s/s400/trevorplaiceaug11.jpg" width="282" /></a> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I fished in 16 counties during the year (Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Argyl, Wrexham, Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd and Anglesey). </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">At the start of this year my target was to reach 90 species during 2011, so I am pleased to end the year on 98. The weather frustrated my plans with at least half of all the charter boat trips I booked, being cancelled due to strong winds. I suspect that if the weather had been kinder on my October holiday that I may well have reached the 100 a year early.<br />
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If the windy weather was the low point, some of the fishy highlights are pictured on this page. I must take the opportunity to thank the charter skippers, fishery owners and tackle dealers that have helped put me on fish. One of the nice things about fishing is the "brotherhood of the angle" and I have met loads of great lads (and lasses) who have added greatly to the enjoyment of my fishing trips.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lrElLpTz4b4/TtPrFnCEtjI/AAAAAAAAAoc/gNhbMldwsxw/s1600/IMG_0958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lrElLpTz4b4/TtPrFnCEtjI/AAAAAAAAAoc/gNhbMldwsxw/s400/IMG_0958.JPG" width="287" /></a><br />
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I was so focussed on the 100 that I surprised myself when I counted up my species count for the year. I managed 73 species of which 54 were saltwater species. I was not aiming for a high species count, merely looking to add new species. It has made me think about just how many species it might be possible to catch in 12 months. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Only two species of fish that I had previously caught in British waters have eluded me so far in this challenge, the blue shark and stone loach.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In addition to the species I caught, I witnessed and missed out on a further six species: brill, common dragonet , butterfly blenny, greater weever, red mullet and trigger fish.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The largest fish I caught during 2011 was a "back breaking" common skate of 202lb, the smallest a two inch motherless minnow.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TNgRGGNuzOg/ThitcPxKJwI/AAAAAAAAAjk/I-IbJrC_Iiw/s1600/IMG_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TNgRGGNuzOg/ThitcPxKJwI/AAAAAAAAAjk/I-IbJrC_Iiw/s400/IMG_0925.JPG" width="362" /></a><br />
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I have drawn up a list of over twenty species that I hope to target during 2012 which will take me to the West coast of Scotland, Wales and the Southern coast of England. I suspect that I may make several trips down to explore the species rich waters off the beautiful and rugged cornish coastline. Hopefully in 2012 I will get out a couple of times on average each week, life really is too short to let work get in the way of your fishing.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">My hitlist for 2012 comprises of porbeagle shark, blue shark, black mouthed dogfish, small eyed ray, stingray, three bearded rockling, tadpole fish, brill, megrim, streaked gurnard, greater weever, butter fish, viparious blenny, pilchard, canary goby, butterfly blenny, yarrells blenny, smelt, shad, red mullet, trigger fish, powan, gilthead bream, red bream and stone loach.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I like to set targets each year and have set myself two for 2012. Firstly I hope to reach my challenge total of 100 species from British waters in three years during the first half of the year, and add a few more as the year progresses. Secondly to make life interesting I am also going to see whether I can beat my 2011 total of 73 species. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I have thoroughly enjoyed my fishing during 2011, have you? Join me in 2012 to see whether I finally reach my target of catching 100 species of fish from British waters, and find out just how many species is it possible to catch in just 12 months?</div><div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-26941134064342271782011-11-02T22:48:00.004+00:002011-12-02T19:08:33.622+00:00100 Species of fish from British Waters - The Rules!A number of people have asked me what the rules are behind this challenge! I am sure some of my non fishing friends see it as an organised event rather than as a personal challenge. I thought it might be fun to put down my thoughts and and come up with a draft set of rules for anyone embarking on this mad challenge.<br />
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<b>Use of a Net?</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-itBXKtPBLCM/TAth2xvGvfI/AAAAAAAAAVo/D9c_QM6QFhM/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-itBXKtPBLCM/TAth2xvGvfI/AAAAAAAAAVo/D9c_QM6QFhM/s400/IMG_0483.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>In Discovery Channel's Rod Race Matt Hayes and Mick Brown included Stone Loach and Bullheads in their species count caught with their trusty friend, the child's fishing net. The logic behind this was that these mini species were almost impossible to catch on Rod and Line.<br />
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In my view if a fish isn't caught on rod and line by fair angling it doesn't count. I suspect most anglers would be in agreement on this one?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i1Z4s7eEh8s/S8Dr8qa7fVI/AAAAAAAAARE/vDH0crRjtAE/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i1Z4s7eEh8s/S8Dr8qa7fVI/AAAAAAAAARE/vDH0crRjtAE/s400/IMG_0412.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<b>Variants</b><br />
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Matt Hayes and Mick Brown also counted common, mirror, koi and ghost carp as distinct species. In reality these have all been selectively bred from the original fully scaled wild carp. Biologically they are all King Carp. Likewise Golden Tench, Golden Rudd, Golden and Blue Orfe have been selectively bred for the ornamental market.<br />
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Some trout fisheries offer the opportunity to catch Blue and Golden Trout, which are colour variants of the Rainbow Trout.<br />
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It is true that some of these variants behave differently from their wild coloured parents. Golden Trout, for example, are very wary, this might be because they are more vulnerable to predators being brightly coloured, or it could be that being visible more anglers target them? I have enjoyed targeting and catching most of these variants over the last couple of years but do they count? In my view to count Tench and Golden Tench as two species would be wrong, however I would feel comfortable as counting a Golden Tench as a Tench if I hadn't caught one. I suspect that a majority but not all anglers would agree with me. Despite in my view these not counting I still intend to target an Ide and Golden (Rainbow) Trout to complete my "variants" collection.<br />
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<b>Hybrids</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jP-KQtpr7K0/TasxigcvZbI/AAAAAAAAAhc/4VYhi89OdBI/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jP-KQtpr7K0/TasxigcvZbI/AAAAAAAAAhc/4VYhi89OdBI/s400/IMG_0819.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Hybrids are produced where two species interbreed, this usually occurs in freshwater where both parent species share the same spawning grounds.<br />
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I enjoyed a whole summer fishing for massive Roach/Rudd hybrids on Hollowell reservoir in Northamptonshire, catching fish to 4lb. They are a beautiful quarry, fighting harder than either of their parents, likewise the few large Roach/Bream Hybrids I have caught have also fought harder than their parents.<br />
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Trout and Char species can also be deliberately crossed to produce Tiger (Brown x Brook Char) and Cheetah Trout (Rainbow x Brook Char). The Tiger Trout is rarely stocked these days and the Cheetah has passed into the history books. The appallingly named F1 is a selectively bred cross between the King and Crucian Carp.<br />
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I know that Dave Park did not count hybrids towards his tally of 100 species. I vaguely recall Mike Thrussell (and I apologise to him if my memory falls me) stating that he includes hybrids within his species tally. Who is right? I have sided with Dave Park and chosen to exclude hybrids. Incidentally Mike Thrussell had caught 103 species at the last count (so by either measure, Mike has exceeded 100 species). I suspect anglers would be divided on this one and that it is a personal choice as to include or exclude hybrids.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EGHf4DEcI2U/TX5WCAxKZOI/AAAAAAAAAgU/WR6IyacllN4/s1600/IMG_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EGHf4DEcI2U/TX5WCAxKZOI/AAAAAAAAAgU/WR6IyacllN4/s400/IMG_0749.JPG" width="400" /></a><b>British Rod Caught Record List</b><br />
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The vast majority of fish species that can be caught in British Waters appear on the listings produced by the British Records (Rod Caught) Fish Committee. Ireland have their own record listings.<br />
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However some fish list are thought to now be extinct in Britain, for example Walleye and Burbot. Some species are still to be caught, most years a new saltwater species is added to the list, certainly if I caught a new species from British waters I would count it!<br />
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Some species are protected and the lists have been closed, for example Powan. To discourage illegal imports distorting the record lists, records for some coarse species have also been closed, for example grass carp and wels catfish.<br />
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Likewise new records for alien species established in British Waters will not be accepted. These would include the Motherless Minnow (or sunbleak) and the Topmouthed Gudgeon.<br />
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<b>British Waters</b><br />
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</b><br />
Wikipedia states "Great Britain refers to England, Scotland and Wales in combination, and therefore also includes a number of outlying islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides, and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland. It does not include the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands which are not part of the United Kingdom, instead being self-governing dependent territories of that state with their own legislative and taxation systems."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1J5yeB_tX3c/TCZqxyW7A_I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/Cy1Dwl1q46Q/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1J5yeB_tX3c/TCZqxyW7A_I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/Cy1Dwl1q46Q/s400/IMG_0530.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Although I have not fished in Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands I would have no qualms in counting any species landed in these waters despite these not being politically part of Great Britain or indeed the United Kingdom. Mike Thrussell counts species landed in Irish waters and if it is good enough for him it is good enough for me.<br />
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Although it is true that when wrecking from many of the South Coast ports that you could be fishing closer to France than England, as long as I sail from and return to a British port the same day I am happy to include any species resulting from the trip.<br />
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So here are a set of proposed rules for would be species hunters:<br />
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Rule 1 - Fish must be caught on Rod and Line by fair angling.<br />
Rule 2 - Selectively bred colour and scale variants do not count as separate species.<br />
Rule 3 - Hybrids do not count (not sure about this one)<br />
Rule 4 - The species should appear on the BRFC listings. However established alien species in freshwater or "new to Britain" saltwater species can be counted.<br />
Rule 5 - British Waters include English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish inland waters and surrounding seas<br />
Rule 6 - Saltwater boat fishing trips should leave and return to a British Port on the same day<br />
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Unfortunately family and work commitments combined with strong winds at the weekends mean that I appear to be stuck on 98 species until next year when I hope to finally reach my target of 100 species from British Waters in three years. However with the 98 species I have caught during the first two years of this challenge and another two species I had caught earlier in my fishing career (Blue Shark and Stone Loach) I have caught a total of 100 species from British Waters. To date only Dave Park and Mike Thrussell have stated that they have caught 100 species from British (and Irish) waters, so that makes me the third to declare that they have achieved this (although I am sure others have achieved this and chosen to remain anonymous).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-2213922067997268092011-10-12T07:31:00.122+01:002011-10-16T18:45:34.998+01:00A Bite Adventure!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zEGAIywwod0/TpsLgzqv1iI/AAAAAAAAAmg/XIwZABf6s14/s1600/IMG_1000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zEGAIywwod0/TpsLgzqv1iI/AAAAAAAAAmg/XIwZABf6s14/s400/IMG_1000.JPG" width="400" /></a>The sea around Penzance is a species hunters paradise with a number of species that are rare in other parts of Britain. After a couple of days where we couldn't get out due to strong winds, on the Wednesday I finally boarded Bite Adventure skippered by Chippy for a species day. Chippy was confident he could add several species to my challenge total.<br />
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We sailed close to the Cornish coastline towards Lands End, where we would be drifting a range of marks. However the swell out at sea meant that some reef marks would not be fishable today.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1_Gg8wTNWyk/TpsLkrlVkFI/AAAAAAAAAmo/P52azVnsLuc/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1_Gg8wTNWyk/TpsLkrlVkFI/AAAAAAAAAmo/P52azVnsLuc/s400/IMG_1002.JPG" width="400" /></a>The rig was a three foot flowing trace of twenty pound fluorocarbon to a size 2/0 hook baited with a long thin strip of mackerel.<br />
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We needed 10oz of lead on the first mark so I started with the 12lb outfit. Chippy advised that we were likely to catch haddock and and sure enough within a couple of minutes the rodtip announced the arrival of my first haddock. Another small haddock soon followed along with a cod. Despite being on virtually every fish and chip shop menu, haddock are an unusual catch in British waters.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AMokxTPVYiU/TpsLrHNXwDI/AAAAAAAAAm4/MUB2_pwDqcc/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AMokxTPVYiU/TpsLrHNXwDI/AAAAAAAAAm4/MUB2_pwDqcc/s400/IMG_1004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We moved to the sand banks off Porthcurno to drift for turbot, brill and a vast range of other species. I dropped down to a 6lb outfit as only 6oz of lead was required to hold bottom. I finally managed to catch my first tub gurnard, a very pale fish compared to those I had seen off Weymouth.<br />
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A couple of greater weaver fish (a Porthcurno speciality) were caught by other anglers. I managed to add a small turbot and some mackerel, although I did miss a couple of rattly bites, possible weavers?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hs_yxNBDug/TpsLuovU8AI/AAAAAAAAAnA/j3UcnqwfWHo/s1600/IMG_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hs_yxNBDug/TpsLuovU8AI/AAAAAAAAAnA/j3UcnqwfWHo/s400/IMG_1007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>A short session was spent at anchor, legering sandeel in the hope of a small eyed ray. The rays were not playing, however I managed another tub gurnard and some more mackerel.<br />
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Our final mark was further offshore over a reef. I joked to Chippy that he had brought us out to a top pouting mark as that was all we could catch. The next drift I hooked into something that tested the light outfit was to its limit, as a hard fighting fish repeatedly made long runs for the bottom. Chippy suspected a pollack, but the bite was definately breamy.<br />
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The culprit turned out to be a couches bream weighing 4lb 12oz, the lad next to me landed a slightly larger couches at 5lb 1oz. This warm water visitor to the British Isles is more at home in the Mediterranean and is at the northern most extent of its range. Apart from the Channel Isles this is the only place where you have a chance of seeing this beautiful fish.<br />
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Thanks Chippy for getting me that bit closer to the 100, I will definately be back for another bite adventure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-83514412982174385512011-10-10T18:45:00.067+01:002011-10-16T20:25:58.893+01:00The Buggeration Factor!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2EtFIzJNxkg/TpsY0YIvd0I/AAAAAAAAAnI/POjVxwtuCHU/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2EtFIzJNxkg/TpsY0YIvd0I/AAAAAAAAAnI/POjVxwtuCHU/s400/IMG_1008.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Fishing is not like Golf! Despite rain, snow, wind, heatwaves or fog you can still hit the little white ball into the hole a few hundred yards away. The hole doesn't decide to move and rarely is a golf course closed to golfers!<br />
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Fish do move in response to the weather and may decide not to feed. In the case of the silver tourists the salmon and sea trout the river may be literally devoid of your target fish. The hole is no longer there!<br />
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Indeed the following fishy saying has a lot of truth to it.<br />
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<i>"If the wind is from the north, do not sally forth,</i><br />
<i>If the wind is from the east the fish bite least,</i><br />
<i>If the wind is from the west the fish bite best,</i><br />
<i>If the wind is from the south it blows the bait into the fishes mouth"</i><br />
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One thing I have discovered about sea fishing is that strong winds are to be avoided unless you are a shore bass or cod fanatic. Shore fishing suffers as fish move offshore as the shoreline colours up.<br />
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Boat fishing is even more affected. This year upwards of 50 percent of my planned boat trips have been "blown off" and cancelled, with a number of other trips being limited to inshore waters.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mHQFSkUO73s/TpsY29KWC4I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/4GGKkTkPYnc/s1600/IMG_1009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mHQFSkUO73s/TpsY29KWC4I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/4GGKkTkPYnc/s400/IMG_1009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>During this latest holiday I only managed to get out on three occasions with two Penzance trips and a sharking trip out of Milford Haven cancelled.<br />
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I did get in some shore fishing hoping for a gilthead bream and a three bearded rockling but despite my best endeavours and help from Chippy and Richard at Camborne's County Angler I failed to catch either species. I had to settle for some ballan wrasse, pollack, shore rockling and a strap conger. Thanks guys, I am sure that your advice will result in the target species responding when I return next year.<br />
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The weather had one last surprise for me, with dense fog making it difficult to find my way off this rock mark in the dark. I spent a worrisome ten minutes trying to locate the route from the rocks up to the cliff path above. Golfers normally make their way safely to the nineteenth hole in broad daylight!<br />
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The wrong sort of weather has always been used by fishermen as an excuse for not catching. In this species challenge it has become my buggeration factor!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-77687543790646471612011-10-09T17:55:00.065+01:002011-10-19T18:59:16.411+01:00RNLI Two Day Species Competition<u>Day 1</u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5qUVkyBJLr4/TpsGLikWX7I/AAAAAAAAAmA/DypE1nGNZ_w/s1600/IMG_0988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5qUVkyBJLr4/TpsGLikWX7I/AAAAAAAAAmA/DypE1nGNZ_w/s400/IMG_0988.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> I had expected to be blown off, so it was a pleasant surprise when Colin confirmed that we would be fishing, albeit with an early start as the winds were expected to build during the day. We drew for our place on the boat and had the rules explained to us before Flamer 4 sailed out to sea in the early morning light.<br />
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We started by drifting the back of the bank and experienced some superb black bream fishing with over forty between us in little over an hour. I struggled at times to get my baits down to the bottom past the mackerel.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVbXxPFuHVw/TpsGNwsmxLI/AAAAAAAAAmI/WlzH5mw0zGc/s1600/IMG_0991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVbXxPFuHVw/TpsGNwsmxLI/AAAAAAAAAmI/WlzH5mw0zGc/s400/IMG_0991.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Colin decided that we would have a few drifts across the shambles before moving inshore. The competition fanatics tried for sandeels whilst I baited with a long thin mackerel strip hoping for a brill. On each drift my rod top rattled flatty style, however the hoped for brill turned into two dogfish, mackerel and a tope (worth loads of points apparently........face, points, bothered). Dodgy Dave managed a plaice and a turbot and was pronounced a real angler by Colin.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A session drifting followed, with wrasse of all colours and sizes being boated. My male cuckoo was the prettiest, with Stephan catching the two largest ballans, both four pound plus. Rather than anchor the mud as originally planned Colin took us to a nearby reef, where bullhuss, conger and ling obliged.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A Chinese meal rounded off a very enjoyable day, however I suspect the other diners were pleased to see the rowdy party of anglers leave.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u>Day 2</u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HKKnGm89ObA/TpsGPzZsEjI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/yLXzwYn0an0/s1600/IMG_0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HKKnGm89ObA/TpsGPzZsEjI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/yLXzwYn0an0/s400/IMG_0993.JPG" width="280" /></a>Strong winds meant that we were restricted to Portland Harbour and the surrounding area. We started by drifting for wrasse under the cliffs before anchoring up on the muddy bit. Once again I suffered the ignominy of seeing other anglers land the dragonet and butterfly blenny I was targeting. My tiny pieces of rag worm only attracted small smooth hounds and a solitary goby.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We then anchored on the red band spot, by bouncing sabikkis around I managed to tempt three along with a raft of assorted gobies including at least black, and sand gobies.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A drifting session on the Portland entrance saw pout galore and loads of wrasse before a blast on the ships horn signalled the end of proceedings.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Richard Ferre was the winner, with Andy Collings the runner up. Other awards were given for most species, best fish and weakest link. Yours truly finished mid table.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Again to many species were caught to list on the labels as blogger has a 200 character limit for labels!</div><br />
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</u>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-47453950421886438162011-09-24T17:59:00.090+01:002011-09-26T20:57:30.407+01:00Dracula isn't the only creature with teeth in Whitby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-myVW_WukRx8/ToCvqxecrGI/AAAAAAAAAl0/3CKD_J80SKY/s1600/DSCF1554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-myVW_WukRx8/ToCvqxecrGI/AAAAAAAAAl0/3CKD_J80SKY/s400/DSCF1554.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Whitby is famous for its associations with Dracula, Bram Stoker wrote the novel whilst staying in the town. Many of the locations used in the book can be found in Whitby such as the churchyard where Mina first encountered Dracula in lupine form.<br />
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As well as the locations some of the events are based on real life. In the book, Dracula arrived in Whitby when the Demeter ran aground. Just prior to Bram Stoker arriving in Whiby the Russian vessel Demetrius had ran aground with only one survivor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QNppbfC1My4/ToCvuXq50nI/AAAAAAAAAl4/s2RtONVJ1IY/s1600/IMG_0982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QNppbfC1My4/ToCvuXq50nI/AAAAAAAAAl4/s2RtONVJ1IY/s400/IMG_0982.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>Twice a year, in April and October, the town is invaded by Goths, and one bed and breakfast even supplies garlic to hang on your bed posts!<br />
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Dracula might be fictitious but vampires are not the only things with teeth to be found in Whitby. Whitby is one of the main charter ports in the north of England and famous for its wreck and rough ground fishing where cod, pollack and ling can be targeted with the occasional haddock, halibut and even porbeagle shark being landed.<br />
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I had booked a days' wreck fishing on Shy Torque skippered by Rich Ward to target ling. On the way out we stopped at Bell Buoy for mackerel and again they were few and far between, luckily I had brought a few frozen mackerel and garfish with me as an emergency bait supply.<br />
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The sea around Whitby is littered with wrecks, most of them dating from World War 2. As the weather was good Rich steamed out to an offshore wreck 18 miles from shore.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mEErJ8u_axc/ToCvwz9MjSI/AAAAAAAAAl8/DhUPJI1TNGU/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mEErJ8u_axc/ToCvwz9MjSI/AAAAAAAAAl8/DhUPJI1TNGU/s400/IMG_0984.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I rigged up with a 30lb class rod as I would be working a baited pirk. To minimise snagging I replaced the pirks' treble hook with a single 6/0 adorned with a luminous green muppet. A whole fillet of mackerel provided the bait. Ling are predators with teeth and need to be targeted with big baits.<br />
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The technique is to jig the pirk up and down with short movements of the rod. As you drift across the wreck occasionally line needs to be let off to ensure the pirk continues working just above the wreck.<br />
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On the first drift I landed a small ling, and although a few fish were landed in subsequent drifts, Rich soon moved to hopefully more prolific wrecks inshore. Despite a number of moves it was a slow day, but with four ling and a cod to my rod I was well pleased with the result. I can confirm that ling make superb eating, firm and meaty, like cod but better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882252725053884636.post-20705928469152599422011-09-02T22:41:00.147+01:002011-10-16T20:29:18.198+01:00Portland Species Competition!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2IrdGxepVQ/TmKeeJ3uPdI/AAAAAAAAAlk/-B3Y9b-YFmY/s1600/IMG_0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2IrdGxepVQ/TmKeeJ3uPdI/AAAAAAAAAlk/-B3Y9b-YFmY/s400/IMG_0976.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Today, I was a guest angler amongst the regular Friday Species League crew aboard Colin Penney's Flamer 4. Although I not personally into match fishing of any kind, you can learn a lot from match anglers. The fishing today would be restricted to the areas in and around Portland Harbour, a species hunters paradise.<br />
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After a short sail we arrived at Colin's secret muddy mark where the rare red band live. These unusual fish live with their heads sticking out of the mud grabbing shrimps and the like. A set of mini sabikkis were baited with tiny strips of squid ready for the first of several short drifts. By the time we moved we had acounted for more than twenty red band fish between us. They are truly stunning looking fish being a pinky orange colour with electric pinky purple edging the fins. If Barbie was a fish she would be a red band fish. I also managed a goby or two including a Jeffreys Goby (it has an elongated 2nd ray on its first dorsal). Unfortunately I managed to drop it back in before getting the photo.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ex-ZsWhgg74/TmKefhCzPeI/AAAAAAAAAlo/iTp2Ffsu8zo/s1600/IMG_0978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ex-ZsWhgg74/TmKefhCzPeI/AAAAAAAAAlo/iTp2Ffsu8zo/s400/IMG_0978.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We spent some time drifting a range of marks including the harbour entrances. The rocky areas were wrasse city and a wide variety of species were caught including ballan, cuckoo, goldsinney and the rare ballions wrasse. Tompot blennies, gobies, mackerel, scad and pollack also showed.<br />
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Gurnards manly tubs showed, I only managed to catch reds........again! Several anglers caught dragonets which again evaded my hooks. Andy Selby from Weymouth Angling even managed a couple of red mullet, the first Andy had ever caught. Two trigger fish were also landed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iIfJqSO1zwI/TmKekXClI1I/AAAAAAAAAls/HunZeB4oYAo/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iIfJqSO1zwI/TmKekXClI1I/AAAAAAAAAls/HunZeB4oYAo/s400/IMG_0979.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>In retrospect I should have fished short flowing rigs to keep all three baits on the bottom, rather than a paternoster rig. I am back for a two day competition in October which will allow me to test out my hypothesis. Most of the anglers on board had homemade bait containers divided into sections and hung on the boats rails, which immediately means less time is spent baiting up and more time spent with a bait in the water.<br />
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The planned drifts over the wreck of the Hood had to be abandoned due to the presence of divers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhTksNr1G1w/TmKenFIHH3I/AAAAAAAAAlw/orEKk_7ECLY/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FhTksNr1G1w/TmKenFIHH3I/AAAAAAAAAlw/orEKk_7ECLY/s400/IMG_0981.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Our final mark was at anchor over a muddy patch where I targeted butterfly blennies and dragonets on tiny hooks baited with slivers of ragworm. I became a smoothound pup magnet landing four of them along with some dogfish.<br />
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Richard, the angler next to me landed the only butterfly blenny of the day. Again I suffered the indignity of seeing others landing dragonets and tub gurnards.<br />
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What an enjoyable day in good company. I added three species to my challenge total and missed out on five others (butterfly blenny, dragonet, red mullet, trigger fish and tub gurnard). In excess of tweny species were landed by the crew and I ended the day with 14 species, in fact too many to record as labels on this blog item (blogger has a limit of 200 characters)!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com