Is the National Boat Champ loosing his touch!!

[Adam F]

With the weather looking so good this week, and the tides not being too big and Gordon wanting to break his conger duck, Dawn Raider and Blue Warrior opted for an ealy start this morning. Launching at 6.30am, the plan was to steam to a wreck out to the west and anchor for eels.

 

A oily sea meant a lovely 20 knot cruise and in under an hour we were there. At first the tide was banging through, so we rigged up some Stormies on 12' tails and had a few drifts over the steel. The target was pollock, and I felt quietly confident as the sounder showed alot of fish over the wreck. Having never tried this type of fishing from BW I was keen to catch and prove I could do it.

 

After a couple of drifts we began to get a few hits - but no hook ups. I then was in, but it spat the hook half way up. Gordon was the star of the morning though, as he hooked into a crash diving beauty, not massive about 3/4lb, but we were chuffed to have proved the method.

 

By now the tide had dropped to 1.8 knots, so in with the anchor and down with the cuttle. Sport wasnt as hectic as last time, but after 1/2 hour, it was the man Gordon again, hooking into his virgin eel!!! It gave a really hard scrap to begin with and the grin across his face told it all! Not a beast, but around 25lb, fairly respectible. We then noticed the Lulworth Range Boat approaching only to be told that we had picked the only day of the year when they use the long range gunners and we had to move - gutted. Just as we were told this, both of my rods hooped over and another brace of eels came aboard. The action looked to be hotting up - and we had to move. We were escorted East into the clear zone. We spent an hour or so find a few wrecks, then anchored on the Spoils, but nothing here, so at 1.30pm we came on in.

 

You may have noticed that I havent listed the catches on DR....well that was because their wasnt any!!...Paul D and James just sat and watched all morning. James had the usual excuses, but as they say the proof is in the pudding. I hope this isnt marking the start to James' year!!

[Maverick Martin]

Nice report Adam

 

Wish I was out there with you all

 

Martin

[Paul D]

Well, I might have caught one of those Pollack had I remembered to take the hook protector off my Stormy

 

I am sure we would have got into some eels had we not been moved off. I told James he should have told the Range Boat "DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO ..... ".

 

 

[Gnasher]

Oh Paul, at least your honest, I wouldnt of admitted to that. Well done Gordon on your 1st Eel, I hope to get mine in the summer, especially after watching Paul D bring his one up when we were out, only an average size one that time but boy dont they scrap.

[Manic Moore]

 

 

 

First of all thanks lads for taking me out because I know that James was keen to do the Shambles.

 

They both put up a great scrap and I will definately go back for more.

 

Thanks again

 

 

Gordon

 

(not congerless any more!)

 

[JIMBOB]

Well what can I say, It wasnt our day,

I was gutted that the range boat kicked us off, all that way for a few minutes fishing It was just comeing on to the slack and just as the eels started to feed and It was lines up .

On the bright side what we lost on fuel we saved on bait, paul and I used 1 cuttle on the wreck and 1 mackrel and 4 squid on the banks!!!

Shambles for the next trip I think.

[Paul J]

Well done Gordon

 

You can relax now you've done it

 

Paul J

[Manic Moore]

 

 

Well I've got a taste for them now

 

 

40lb congerless Moore !!!

 

 

[Sam]

nice one gordon sounds like a good fight with a respectible fish

 

hope to be out there in the summer going to beet my pb of 46lb 8oz

 

tight lines

 

sam

[great white]

Very unlucky guys

 

I have not heard of a boat chased from the wreck by the safety boat before, but will check the range is out of action before going there in the future. especially as GW takes so long to get there.

 

Did you find any of the other smaller wrecks this side of the range, or did you not want to miss the tide while you searched?

 

Nice to hear that someone is out looking, if you have anything for the book send me a form/report or phone me.

 

Charlie

 

It sure beats coughing and spluttering through a day at work.

[Paul D]

Found one of the smaller wrecks but by then the tide was flowing too fast to fish it, so opted to go for a ray mark.

 

Still, I was much impressed with the speed of James's boat and the way Blue Warrior was cuttng through the water.

 

Next time - Shambles it is.