TomBettle Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 I am finally getting out after so many cancellations, work and all sorts getting in the way. Tomorrow will be my first crack at the Cod this year. The question is where should we go? Way East to the pointy sharp thing Halfwayish East Or a little South and East of Mr Pirate? Answers on a post card please. Failing that, here would be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 (edited) I have only fished the 'pointy thing' area this year Tom, not without success and have only one observation really. IMHO, having listened to various radio conversations during fishing sessions, the area in question is quite mark specific, even some charters not having great success. Some provide regular and consistent results whilst others, not nearly so reliable. As most people are using similar baits and rigs, I think this is a reasonable observation. What I'm saying is, make sure you are over a productive mark and if you are not, don't sit it out, move. I hope I am not venturing into Grandma and egg sucking territory. Terry. Edited December 10, 2010 by plaicemat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Very slow today with no cod bites and only 2 whiting. There seems to be a lull in the action over the last week or so and it's back to working hard for them again. I hope you all prove me wrong this weekend, but i'd keep your expectations low PJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niggle Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Tom "missed the boat". Hope you prove me wrong with a bumper catch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherman1055 Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 I would not invest too much fuel in the trip straight out is probably as good as any where - to the slates maybe a 25 pounder came out some where to the west of the bay last weekend good luck Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggcol Posted December 10, 2010 Report Share Posted December 10, 2010 Baiter, save even more fuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirky Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Moving slightly West....a wise "old" salt told me !! Hope you have a great day Tom. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niggle Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Well,how did it go then Tom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassncodformeplease Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 PERHAPS HE'S STILL OUT THERE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niggle Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 No way is he still out there.....he would of come in when the sun stopped shining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassncodformeplease Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 Come on Tom too embarrassed coz you cort nowt or being secretive coz you cort loads???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I called him up ............ and he was very secretive !! I told him we had two cod.......... but no response !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady jane Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 my first trip out for six weeks or so, no cod or dogfish but some nice whiting really good to get back on the water again. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niggle Posted December 11, 2010 Report Share Posted December 11, 2010 I called him up ............ and he was very secretive !! I told him we had two cod.......... but no response !!! Perhaps it's going to be a magazine article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 I called him up ............ and he was very secretive !! I told him we had two cod.......... but no response !!! Perhaps it's going to be a magazine article Sorry for the lack of response. No Internet connection at home means that firstly I didn't see a single response and secondly I have only just had the chance to reply. Thanks to all those that did make the effort. At the boat for 6.30 where Chris and Malcolm were both waiting. My hunch was off to the Spoil Grounds just off Old Harry, Chris wanted to give the Needles area(ish) a go and so with not much of a plan we headed to a mark in the general direction of the Needles, just East of the Dolphin Sands. As we backed the engine off there were fish showing a little way off the bottom in sporadic patches so things looke promising. Down went the anchor and out went a big Ilex Cod bait and a smaller Whiting bait each. An hour went by and two cups of coffee later the only thing we were getting was irritated by the red weed that seemed intent on finding every knot and swivel on your rigs. By this point the boats were starting to pile up South of the Needles so we decided to join them, albeit a little West of the main bunch. Within moments of repositioning we had a couple of good sized Channels in the boat, but the Cod baits were motionless bar a couple of extremely greedy dogfish who refused to let go despite not even being hooked. With the VHF crackling away with various club boats chatting over the other side of the bay we decided to head back and join them. Half an hour later and re reanchored. Again, not right in the throng, but in a spot to the north of the main crowd (I counted 27 boats fishing the general area) that we had success on last year. Within moments the Whiting moved onto our baits again and our final tally of good keepers was 37 between three of us. Sounds like loads, but that's only 12 and a fillet each which my family will definitely enjoy over three or four meals in the coming Christmas break. Once again the Cod rods remained still save for the odd bump as the boat swung in the small tide. Still that is until Chris exclaimed with excitement that his Ilex baited rod had sprung to life. Sure enough there was definitely some interest as it nodded and then twitched and generally bounced around. He lifted into the fish... Nothing. Blast, he'd missed his chance of a Cod. Then it was back and as his rod twitched, so did mine and then Malcolms. With these big baits we all gave the Cod plenty of time but none of us made contact and on reeling in all three of us had hunky chunky seemingly untouched squid mantels on the hooks, but with heads that had had the tenticles completely chewed away... Whiting! Bleeding pesky Whiting were the culprits and were making the rods bounce as they tore away at the tenticles! From now on all "Cod bites" were ignored. The idea was that we would wait for the rod to literally heel over. At that, Chris' rod buckled and clearly a much larger fish headed off with his Ilex bait. Nod Nod Nod, nothing. He'd dropped it. Apart from offering to stand by for Charlie a pretty uneventful trip. The trim tabs packed up, but with the calm weather we didn't need them anyway as the boat is very stable. At about half three we bouyed up the anchor and turned for the short run to the swash. Tied up in the marina and went to wash the boat down to no avail as the hoses were frozen up despite the milder weather... Whiting for tea tonight alas no Cod. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djredrupp Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Still good to be out though Tom! and at least you got something for the table, even if it wasnt the cod you hoped for! Hopefully we will have better luck tomorrow! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted December 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Still good to be out though Tom! and at least you got something for the table, even if it wasnt the cod you hoped for! Hopefully we will have better luck tomorrow! Dan Little dicky bird tells me to head to deeper water Dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Thanks agian Tom for the offer of assistance still not sure what the problem is although at lunchtime I removed a lot of oil from the bilge, I will charge the remote camera overnight and have another look tomorrow. Glad you got a few fish in the end, the Marks spotted on teh sounder could well be sprats which could explain why Cod are now so hard to get. all the boats we were in contact with were having a quiet day Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggcol Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Shame no cod Tom but at least you had a few whiting. I bet it was good to be out though eh? Boblin is getting her lift out tomorrow might see you sometime through the day. Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 I don't know about sprats Charlie........ the two cod I had on Sat were both stuffed with fish and a few crabs\prawns. Most of the fish were small wrasse, pout, whiting and gobies \ blennies\ bullhead from the stony ground......we're talking over a dozen fish in each of a 11 and 15lb. cod. Interestingly, the roe in the cod was only half formed, so they could be about a good bit longer. Further to the great squid debate......... I've caught all mine this year on good old 'normal' calamari. I think my catches have compared similarly to other boats. My rigs are 5/0 Sakuma fine wire hooks tied as a fixed Pennel on 40 lb mono. I haven't dropped any cod on the way up! [apart from the one that T-barred itself on the net when I was solo] I did find a surprising experience last Sat......... I had a decent whiting on, that got off. When re-baiting, I found the hook had broken !! I checked the other ..... and very little force snapped it !! ........ similarly on the other rod. .......These were traces I'd used a couple of times and put away at end of day. Either corrosion or the effects of being yanked out of dogfish many times with pliers had seriously weaked the steel. Thanks to the whiting that showed the problem....... hooks changed and cod successfully landed shortly afterwards. Alun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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