Easter Monday

[TomBettle]

Quest II ventured out with several plans this morning, but number 1 was to see if the met office was right about the 4 to 5 occ6 Westerly.

 

Nudging passed the Bill and the flood race all seemed well and 25ish miles out (due South and just in club waters) it was really rather pleasant with a light Westerly 3 pushing a few lollopy waves passed us as we set up for the first drift over our chosen wreck.

Three or four drifts later and just one small Pollock of about 7lb we decided to head South East with the flood to the next mark, another wreck in about 210 feet of water.

 

First drift and running at 3 knots, 3 of the 4 crew all hit into good fish the best nudged 14lb and the smallest was around 10lb.

"Great" we thought, we've made it big on this one.

 

Then nothing.

 

After several fruitless drifts we moved on further East to another, then another wreck, picking up the odd fish here and the odd fish there. The chatter on the VHF and a quick conversation with Mr Caines suggested we were doing nothing wrong, it was just one of those days.

 

Interestingly the biggest Pollock were taking large fish baits aimed at Ling and dropped hard on the bottom, tight behind the metalwork, with the Stormies worked on flying collars taking just a couple of double figure fish.

 

As the tide slackened, the wind picked up to what had been forecast and the white horses began to show with more frequency so we veered North West and picked our way back via a couple more wrecks towards Weymouth. Tried a couple of wrecks with no names that were marked on the plotter and again the same story, "the odd Pollock here and there" and as we approached the Shambles we set up with anticipation over "Adam's Wreck".

Not a suasage, or even a fish! Despite plenty of fish showing all around the wreck on the sounder we just could not get a hit so we settled for one long drift along the Shambles to use up our Ling baits. A tangle between myself and one of the others marked the end of the drift and at the end of the "knitting" was the smallest Turbot I have seen in ages. Probably no more than a pound the size of a small dinner plate and picture perfect.

 

Tally for the day:

 

About 12 Pollock, smallest about 5lb, largest about 14lb

1 very small Turbot

0000 Ling

 

Tom

[Adam F]

Well done in getting out Tom.

 

The last wreck can be a little fickle (like the others I guess) their always seems to be fish their but the tide needs to be spot on to get takes - all out fish came to either storm sandeels or live launce BTW.

 

Adam

[BigMac]

Tom,

sounds like a better day than most of us. I personally didn't have a bite over the whole weekend drifting Barton and Highcliffe.......... so much for that great theory

 

How did your newly fitted tabs perform?

 

Allan

[TomBettle]

Hi Allan

 

It was just frustrating to go so far for a tough day between 4 of us. The only consilation was I think all the boats were scratching a little. Don't get me wrong, we were catching, just not as many or as big as normal with the biggest frustration being the sounder was marking stacks of fish all around the wrecks.

 

Tabs were great. They took a little getting used to, but make for a much more comfortable ride when all the weight is at the back.

They don't enhance speed or economy greatly (marginally better), but do make life more comfy and short arses can now see where they are going when onboard.

 

Tom