Mike Fox Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 (edited) Tried a number of marks. No 1: A small snaggy spot a few miles off Ballard Down we discovered a few weeks ago - drifting failed to produce at slack (except one small bream to Carol), and fish finder was quiet. Looked interesting though, and will set the anchor next time. No 2: A deep bank South of Anvil. Worried about anchoring in 100 foot plus, but gave it a punt. First drop, a bass of 3lb 12oz to me on half mackerel fillet, then George hauled in a cracking Red Gurnard of 1lb 8oz exactly. I so wanted it to beat Mark B's fish - but it was exactly the same weight, and steady on the digital scales. We had a few mackerel there, but as the tide increased, so did the lead. I eventually used 2lb to hold bottom, but it was seriously hard work, and a small 2lb pollack was almost undetected. After a little chat with Condor Vitesse who seemed keen on running us down (but missed) we decided to move on. No 3: A long drift in the still-strong tide off the cliffs near Anvil point, going over gullies and banks with mackerel fillet, liveys, whole squid etc. Got a couple of baits seriously chomped - but nothing took the hook. No 4: An interesting bank where we've had specimen thornback, as well as tope and conger. Had great hopes for this one, fishing the last of the ebb at anchor, then the first of the flood. Got three sets of gear in the anchor rope on turn of tide, and wasted a potentially great session. Again, serious snags for tackle and anchor, but our first blank at this mark. Overall - great weather, lovely to be fishing. No rays (our target species), and spookily, no doggies. George's mate James is coming tomorrow, so lets see if our luck changes then! Mike, Carol and George Edited August 27, 2007 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted August 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 (edited) George's gurnard... Pictures on the boat didn't come out, but as this will be baked with olive oil, white wine, butter and fresh herbs, it made it home, allowing a second chance. Shame the colours had faded. It was a lovely deep red - with no blue on fins etc, so sure it wasn't a small tub. Even sniffed it - and no hint of "wet dog" as someone on here suggested their tub gurnard smelled like! Mike Edited August 26, 2007 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britboard Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 "Frisky Fox, Frisky Fox, whilst i respect your right to anchor anywhere, but you should be aware that there will be fast boats coming through here" Heard the radio chatter thanks for the entertainment Mike I was out Mudeford way to start, Mackerel a plenty off the back of the island but only if you where close in, tried drifting a few livelies to no avail so settled into the east side of the ledge and spent the next few hours pulling Bream after Bream, must of had about 50 or so all to squid strip baits without ground baiting. Time for a change of scene so moved down to the southbourne rough nothing but piddly pout so didn't stop for long and soon moved off to the East. Now comes the good bit found an area which looked good and started to fish lots of good heavy bites start happening but for some reason i kept snapping of at the hook length, after a bit i get fed up with this and on closer inspection i think i'm getting bitten through and not my dodgy knot tying, so i added a light steel-on leader with a small hook which i picked up in florida last year and dropped it down with some Maccy as bait, Success, my first ever Trigger fish! this continued for the next couple of hours with 3 rods totalling 22 Triggers, put them all back bar one to try and eat, but what is the skin made of on those things, its unbelievably tough . I havn't been out fishing for a while now and to catch those fish made me smile. Simon L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted August 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 (edited) 50 bream and 22 triggers? No wonder I couldn't find the fish - you had them all Simon! What an excellent trip! The Condor was a right pain. I was around 4 miles off Anvil, and heard/felt the engines before I saw him. When he did come into view, it was clear he was going inshore of us at high speed - tall "rooster tail", and his starboard flank clearly visible - so I had only his wash to be concerned about. Then he changed course (think he realised he was going to make landfall in Swanage), and I could see that they were "bows on". A swift radio call to inform him I was at anchor, and to ask if they had seen me, then they turned again about half a mile away (half mile, 30 knots = 60 seconds until impact, I was thinking!!!)and told me he had seen me. We then saw his port flank as he then aimed for the Swash. I was on the point of starting the engine and dumping the anchor! They were fine at the time about it, then about 10 minutes later they came back on the radio, questioning my choice of anchorage. Don't they all know that yachts also go fishing???? Mike PS I was flying the anchor ball as well - but insisting on your rights doesn't help save your life in a potential collision situation, hence the radio call. Edited August 26, 2007 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 nice one lads. I may try for some triggers on tue when im out. Dat Dam Boat was home by 10.30am yesterday and they finished with 6 Ray. 5 Smalleyed and a spotted, backed up by mini bream and lots of maccy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 Mike, sorry we couldn't manage the RV for coffee - good avoiding action on your part We also went west from Poole and our day could be summed up as pleasant boating and rubbish fishing (results and skill level). From leaving Cobbs at 09:00 to returning at 18:00 we managed one macky and a few cuttlefish between us Plus a small scrape on Marsel's hull from the fuel barge due to some large wash while we were refuelling We spent the time trying for any likely species on the Whitehouse Grounds, off Dancing Ledge and also Durlston Bay but all seemed equally unproductive, that was despite trying all tide states and the vast selection of baits that Clive brought along. Very few other boats out as well which seemed strange - must have all gone way offshore. The incident with the Condor ferry is similar to one I experienced some weeks ago, see here: http://www.pbsbac.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=6133 Considering the wash I think the ferry passes way too close and there appears to be no attempt by them to indicate their avoiding action. No doubt they are running on auto-pilot and don't want to upset it or the passengers with "unnecessary" changes! Maybe we could approach the operarators and ask them to provide their route details for us to post on this site as a safety measure? AHoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted August 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 (edited) Hi Alan, Next time maybe? Good idea regarding ferry routes. Think they'll say somewhere between Portland and Hengistbury mind! Tried in the vicinity of Swanage again today (I should have learned). Mark 5: Anvil Point side of the Whitehouse Grounds off Swanage - one small bass of around a pound or so (returned with a flash of silver) to James, George's friend, one mackerel, and well over 2 knots of tide on the drift. Definitely not worth anchoring, following yesterday's experience. Mark 6: Off Ballard Down, where we have previously had a number of ray. Today it was like the M25 with motorboats and yachts everywhere, an uncomfortable chop and roll with rather stifling heat. One red mullet to me of exactly 1lb, only my second ever. Remembered how good they are to eat - having had one in Greece years ago! Filletted it later - such firm white fillets - no wonder the Romans used to prize them! Tide rattling through at 1.7 knots, making it tricky for a young chap who is used to 3 or 4 split shot. Mark 7: Drifting inshore in Swanage Bay closer in with less lead. Much less tide - but no fish. Got back into the marina, and a regular angler there had a couple of buckets full of cleaned mackerel. He had gone East just a couple of miles - not West. Ho hum. Would be grateful for a clue as to where the bigger fish are!!!! Any suggestions folks? Mike Edited August 26, 2007 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 lol that was you was it parked in the ferries way me and chriss was out and heard the radio conv slightly amused us especially when he said you have the right to anchor where u are BUT can u move and think where u anchor in future.............. got to love global domination and all who sail in her. how dare you stand in the way of profit makeing and my boat is bigger than yours egos and how dare you make them work for there money and switch of there auto pilot, dangerous i know but i salute you fellow boat man keep up the good work weve got just as much right to be there as them.............. as per usual they think they have a law unto themselfs and f!!!! the small man........... FISH ON!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djredrupp Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 All morals aside, remeber that they are WAY bigger than you, and have much less manouverability. also even if you can see them from miles away, they may not be able to see you (being an incy puny boat), so will only have a short time to move! also dont they have to follow set routes (par emergencies) that are all waypointed for insurance / safety purposes? i.e. uncharted rocks away from their path. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 althought they are bigger m8 that dosnt mean they are in the right??? dont they have radar and such???? im sure you would show up on there radar more than 100 yards close to you??? and by all acounts hes had to turn any way cos he was heading to swanage beach..... just cos hes bigger dont make him in the right?? in the school playground and such they are normally called a bully??? sounds more like the captains been caught in the duty free close to port and actually had to work for his wage rather than rely on im bigger than you and the auto pilot,admittedly you should give them there respect they deserve but thats a 2 way street in my eyes also he sounds if he was really close to the shore ,qustion mark on his course??? who knows/who cares just as long as no one injured but it would be good to know there EXACT route and what they classify as near to some 1 else before actually changeing course? i know nothing about ferrie procedures or such like as into who has right of way in a marked channel apart from passing on the right of the vehicle or is there even a rule as to where a boat is moored in deep water not in a marked channel what is the score??? does moored boat move or the running boat have right of way and force moored boat to move??cos hes bigger(like said incident here) so before i go spouting any more drivel can any 1 clear it up for me cos im a complete noob and know nothing and only guessing here like i said i dont know whos right or wrong but what i can summize so far is mike fox did nothing wrong and the good old ferry barged on through doing what he liked cos hes bigger???? i stand to be corrected by you knowledgible selfs FISH ON!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted August 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Well it did seem a little nicer on Monday - so 10.30 bridge it was. Trolled for mackerel on the way East (2 only) and tried our 8th Mark of the weekend - Southbourne Rough. Drifted a favourite chunk of rock, but just one small bream to me. Popped the hook down, and dropped back so that we fished the downtide edge. One doggy to me (first of the weekend), two small pout, a few more mackerel and that was it. Had a few more mackerel trolling back - but the catch rate this weekend is best described as dire. All getting a bit fed up of chasing small stuff. Mike, Carol and George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djredrupp Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 where abouts were you trolling through the maccy mike? on sunday going through poole patch, we were getting strings full of jumbos! however today there was apsolutely zilch! Today: out fishing on tank rock with a friend, fish very sparse, but good species, with maccy, ballan wrasse, black bream, ?lighter? bream, trigger fish, pout and pollack! also caught a 11lb conger in one of our lobster pots! i kinda realised it was a conger as it was a haouge chunky thing wriggling around in the net, and was dropped straight back to the drink! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Well Mike you did better than Dean and I We went over to the island in the hope of a bass or two. Got our mackerel in double quick time and then fished hard for the Bass with no luck at all. Decided to hunt out some wrecks 10 miles south of the needles. Found some large chunks of metal but all appeared devoid of life. Have confirmed them as possibles for conger trips in the near future though. Score on the board Dean 0 Me 0 Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Managed to get out all day Sunday - what a glorious day - but Fishing very slow on "Court Jester" - I went out to my Blonde mark again - but only managed one small Blonde of about 6lb and a couple of strap congers. - nothing bigger than 10lb. a couple of small bream and a large scad. Even mackerel were hard to find. came in at lunchtime to join everyone / anyone for the family day in Studland Bay - couldn't find anyone - so went back out to drift for plaice in / near the swash Just a bit too busy with boat traffic - caught a few small bream and a red mullet - then went back offshore - again nothing but small congers. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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