alun j. Posted November 14, 2004 Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 Lovely sunny day but a keen northerly put quite a chop on the water, even fairly close in.......but thankfully no swells to contend with. Spring tides meant it was a morning only session, so was at anchor near the ledge by 8, hoping for some good whiting or bass....... but no....... still dogfish every drop, until something bigger said not dogfish...... but nothing familiar..... a dogged pull but no action..... until it got to the surface!.... ol' big spots!!...... and more like an anaconda when on the deck... a writhing bull huss about 8 lbs. [ read somewhere. poss. Rick Stein, they aren't such good eating.... so put it back as only lightly hooked] [ haven't they got bigger shark - like teeth than the doggies!] Seemed big but how does 8lbs. rate in the bull huss league?? A change of scene as the tide eased, so scooted across to X-ray area..... scene of whiting bash two weeks previous ...... and yes...... loads more doggies..BUT.. interspersed with whiting [ managed 7 in the 1 to 2 lbs. range in the hour and a half there] and a blonde about 8lbs.+ So plenty of fresh fish for tea this week! Alun. PS. skate / ray certainly improves on being kept a few days in the fridge [ and is good after freezing {unlike bass}]. Don't waste time and effort trying to skin the wings ; drop them into boiling water for a minute or two and the skin slips off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted November 14, 2004 Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 8lb is just a baby for a Bull Huss. Nice to catch, though. Around 22lb for the British Record, I think. BF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted November 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 Thanks Bob, a 20 lbs.+ huss must be an ugly brute of a fish ...... and quite good at sanding down your deck paint whilst being unhooked !! Whilst awaiting reports of any good catches on this gorgeous day....... don't think it was as good as was hoped for........ my neighbour's just come back from fishing in that group of boats west of the Needles / off the end of the Ledge ...... only a few whiting and no cod. Hope others did better...... and coped with the big tide. Alun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted November 14, 2004 Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 We fished off the end of the group of boats ( boat furthest to the east ). Had more whiting than the other group from what I heard + a bass and tope ( small ). Not too bad at all, shame the cod didn't show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted November 14, 2004 Report Share Posted November 14, 2004 Also waiting to hear how Mark B and Paul J got on yesterday. Has anyone heard anything? It was the first trip in Loyal Royal after the long layup for her repairs. Last I heard they had fished Dolphin Bank and only had LSD, so they were moving to the Spoil Grounds. BF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Alun, I've had Huss from the shore to 16 1/2lb, but thats from marks down the west country, when i fished in the Plymouth shore league. As a child, we were brought up on fish and game, anything Dad could get his hands on really, and Huss was, and is one of his and my faves, being sweeter than doggies. Abhored, today I know, with the conservation aspect of Sea fishing, especially in this club, I have eaten spurdog, huss, doggies, tope...all of which I thouroughly enjoy, my favorite fish being skate...I know...heathen, but tastes are personal, as are conservation choices. In my case, not every skate is taken for the table, and as far as Tope are concerned, I havent eaten one since I was a small child. Its funny, as we generally catch far more tope skate bass etc than cod, and we knock the old cod on the head without a thought, where...generally the other species are returned. I know the feeling I had on returning my near 13lb bass to see her swim away, but any fish I do take are always eaten. So long as waste isnt the order of the day, fish for the table is ok in my book.. Tight lines...............Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I have never eaten huss until last week, I went into a chippy and order huss and chip. Didn't like it much, it was ok I suppose but I don't think I'll ordering it again in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Rich, Thanks for your comments / observations. I 'm also a fan of skate [aka ray of one sort or another], esp. in a browned butter sauce ...... but still someway short in the gastronomic stakes behind sole, john dory, turbot, triggers, bass and several others .......... but boy what choice.......making meat very boring!! Perhaps I'll give the bull huss a try sometime....... but not when expecting a box of whiting !! Quality of fish is also very important. You notice as soon as you run a filleting knife through, how firm / flabby / thick the sides are ........ particularly on flatties. Must go and finish those whiting and ray from the weekend; the bin men come tomorrow. I must give them another big Xmas box again this year as they cart away an awful lot of smelly stuff in my bins [ esp. in summer months]!! Alun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I don't know if your a gardener or not but fish guts etc make the most fantastic compost. If you like runner beans dig a trench now with the soil to one side in a line. dump your fish guts in the bottom and fill that bit back in. Keep going till you've done enough length for your line of runners. Mark it off so you dont forget where it is over the winter. Next year plant it up and you will have the finest runner beans you have ever seen. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 ...don't be surprised if you see cats digging and poohing in the same trench, though!! BF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Got out Sunday for a brief session in the morning..... Scrapped the ice of the screens eventually and headed off into the sun across Poole Harbour - great conditions. As we headed out conditions found us reducing speed from 33knts - 25 - 20 - 15 for the last bit - what happened to the light winds? Wasn't bad but wasn't flat! Fished the area Charlie called the banks and found - dogs, dogs whiting and dogs with a smoothie thrown in for fun Tide just didn't seem as fierce as we had expected with 24oz holding pretty thick braid fine (50lb XDS). Cod didn't seem to be the catch of the day for many. Did a quick survey of the immediate area to understand better where exactly to fish it. Once I have uploaded the file to the PC from the memory card (kids have lost the card reader..... ) if any members want the file and the software to view it please let me know - you can get the exact position (DGPS data), bottom depth and feature depth of any features you wish simply by putting the mouse over the sonar image - I have of course deleted all the fish to protect the innocent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Word of warning .......RATS Be very careful what you put in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Agree with the rats comment. We have got some HUGE ones which visit our garden ( I actually caught one in the bird feeder, eating the bird fat - I thought it was a squirrel or cat at first ! ). Even so the whiting remnants are on the compost at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Big rat huh? Maybe the catfish will have it ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 To rats.............. add foxes, badgers, mink........and other nocturnal animals. I have buried some remains of filleting sessions [ esp. after a tuesday fish and it's a week before the binmen return]..... last time I moved compost heap on top and all seems decomposingly well so far.... BUT....... I produce so much [ if I get out most weeks] ..... I could be getting other visitors if I buried it all !! Alun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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