Briefest Of Weather Windows

[Mike Fox]

Took Frisky out with George for a planned whiting session, using the new all-braid gear, but found the alleged NW4-5 a shade brisker (and colder) than first expected.

 

Dropped down through Poole Harbour after the 9.30 bridge lift to find the passenger boats to Brownsea had stopped, and the newly returned chain ferry was still being attached to it's chains!

 

We took advantage of the calm lee of Brownsea Island, and dropped rag into around 40' of water. I hit a reasonable fish first drop, that refused to give up on the way up, and made repeated dives. George thought wrasse, and I wondered about pollack, but as it was approaching the surface it dived beneath the hull, and it must have gone between the hull and P-bracket supporting the prop shaft! No amount of bullying or coersion would force it out, and whenever I gave slack, I could feel the fish pulling away strongly! Whatever to do? Waiting failed, twanging the line did nothing, and hoping for the fish to swim out by itself seemed pointless. After much pulling and tugging, I got the ledger weight out of the water, took hold of the leader, and tried to pull by hand - all to no avail. Eventually, I decided to start the engine, and the fish bolted - taking line yet again! I got it back to the boat, and again the ledger weight came just clear of the water, but no further. I desperation I put the engine into gear - and rapidly pulled my rod tip over as the line tightened round the prop! Putting it into reverse gave slack - but even these terror tactics didn't get the fish out! Eventually the line got into the teeth of the rope cutters, and the trace parted - the fish never actually seen,

 

Less than 10 minutes later we were starting the drift yet again, when we noticed something bobbing on the surface. George netted a fine 3.25lb bass, utterly dazed and exhausted with gills barely moving. No trace in it to prove it was mine, and we popped it into a bucket of seawater to see what it would do. Not a flap or kick - and it expired within minutes. Only one other boat was nearby, and they denied catching any bass.

 

To cut a long story, took said bass home, and checked it over carefully, and lo and behold - a fresh hook mark in the roof of the mouth suggesting it was a recent release of some kind. A brief autopsy shown nothing amiss (and showed that crab baits should pay dividends!), and illness was therefore unlikely to be the cause.

 

So, whose fish?

 

The rest of the trip was much less eventful, with 3 poor cod (tried one as live bait with no luck), 2 ballan wrasse to about a pound, and a magnificent long spined sea-scorpion of ohhh, maybe 2oz. George took a couple of pictures of my capture for the record, and if I can ever work out how to download them from my mobile, I'll provide evidence! In the best interests of sporting fish conservation, I returned the beautifully marked sea scorpion safely, and another club record remains unclaimed.

 

Outside the harbour seemed cold, choppy, and bleak, and after a couple of drops into the "pit" just outside of the chain ferry, we gave that up as a bad job and returned back inside.

 

No whiting caught or seen. One nearby boat later had a small plaice, and a few herring, but frankly, it was good to get out!

 

Mike and George

[Paul J]

Nice one Mike,

 

That stale-mate that occurs when youre wrapped around an object is so frustrating, it happened to me 4 times last year and only got two out.

About time we had a catch report

 

Cheers

 

Paul J

 

 

[alun j.]

Not much to report from a trip up the Solent to W.Lepe, where we were part of a group of about 8 boats near the buoy.

 

Big tide pushing through requiring up to 2 lbs lead on the bottom and a fair bit of anchor dragging [ it seems to be a stony bottom]

 

Dogfish from the off , fighting like cod in the tide ....... but little else until HW slack, when Adam has a fish on that he's convinced is a cod [ esp. as we'd just seen Fugazi boat one !! Well done Gordon, makes up for last week !!] Bumping and pumping to the net, avoiding tangles with other lines........ then the disappopintment of seeing a ray; nevertheless..... a nice little spotted about 3lb.8.

 

After another hour of dogged action.........a change to use some of my hard dug snakes....... looking for flounders in shallower water.

 

Lots of action here....... from a seemingly healthy stock of school bass. All fighting fit and returned to , hopefully, move down to that bass mark in a few years time..... but no flounder.

 

Thanks for the company Adam; sorry about lack of onboard catering, I thought we'd have been a bit busier on the fishy action. Never mind, nice weather and great day out! Hope to do it all again tomorrow!

 

Alun.