Way out West (again)

[Duncan F (bathclaret)]

After nailing some great Lyme Bay Pollack a fortnight ago we decided to do it all over again. Good forecast, very similar tides and times to the ones we had then. Water temp within a degree too. OK game on.

 

Launched before 8:00 from West Bay, mist already clearing, and quickly down to be first boat on the wreck that was so good to us last time. Loaded up the same lures and got the drift line just right first time. Nothing. In fact for the next hour and a half backwards and forwards, plastics all colours of the rainbow, not a sniff. MMmm.

Our to wreck 2. My buddy's rod plunged and a perfect condition 10.5 pounder came over the side, quickly followed by another slightly smaller.

Note to self: Don't bring him again.

 

Me? Complete blank - nada - the pollack-meister from 2 weeks ago completely outfished and demoralised. As I tried harder and harder to be in the kill-zone more and more redgills/sidewinders and lead went on a one-way journey into the wreck.

 

2 more wrecks and a reef - just the same. Buddy nailing nice fish and me not. In fact, by 4:00 all I'd caught was one pigging flobber.

 

We decided to finish off with an hour at anchor on the whiting grounds, a bit of relaxation in the late afternoon sunshine. On with some baited feathers and after a couple of minutes up comes a mackerel. Time to choose - a nice lunch tomorrow or would fresh bait today be better than frozen?

 

I chose to speculate to accumulate. Good call. 5 minutes later a nice bite and some serious weight. No crash dive, so not a pollack. Just lots of scrap and my 8lb rod bent over. This was a good fish. After 10 minutes a 17lb cod surfaced and was expertly netted. OK maybe this buddy has some use.

 

My PB cod and suddenly a crap day turns into a good one. Re-load with more fresh mackerel and after a hoard of small whiting, 15 mins later some more proper weight. Not as big as the cod, but very healthy. Thankfully all went ok and over the side came another PB - this time a Whiting of 4lb 3oz. YES!!

 

 

Buddy now looking a lot less smug.

 

Overall an amazing turnaround, which just shows that no matter how badly things are panning out - keep going! The next specimen is just a tug away. Thanks Jon for a great day and for your expert netting skills

 

Duncan

 

[Rob]

 

Nice fishing and report!

 

Thanks for posting Duncan.

 

Rob

[Paul J]

Great report Duncan

 

PJ

[Paul D]

Great days fishibg and superb report.

[AQUAJAK]

Good call, not much down this end.......congrats on your PB's

 

Nick

[Stuie]

Great report and pics Duncan. Not a bad day's sport as well.

[niggle]

Good turn around at the end of the day............so why were u out so long

Great fish Duncan,well done

Nige

[Osprey]

Cracking day's fishing Duncan. Well done.

Martyn

[Jim]

Well done on the PB Duncan.

 

 

Jim

[great white]

Thanks Duncan

Excellent report and fishing from just outside of our patch.

 

Sometimes it is hard to keep going when you are emptying the tackle box and your mates smile keeps growing.

 

Very well done for using your skills to see the benifit and potential for a single fresh mackeral. Well rewarded by two PB's, two very nice fish

 

Charlie

 

 

[pirky]

Excellent fishing .... only takes one fish to make a great day....and you got two !!

 

Well done for keeping at it .... good call on using the maccy too !!

 

Dave

[makena]

Now I get it Duncan - I really am still just a minnow basher!

Great report

[Gas]

Cracking day's fishing Duncan

[mike02380]

nice fishing and report - we must go to the same barbers, you got the same haircut as me

[Maverick Martin]

Well done Duncan & Co....what a way to spend a February day

 

Martin

[jay kay]

Lovely Fish, well done!

 

Jon

[Martin.C]

Two pb's .... Thats a good days fishing