comp report

[rich]

Alan (AHOY) pressed ganged me (not that I needed much pressing) to crew on Marcel 2 for a trip out to the Rips on Sunday to see if all his efforts in rubbing down and anti fouling the hull had been worthwhile. It was and it was a day of firsts for me.

First time I had been that far off shore in anything smaller than a channel ferry, although I did'nt tell Alan at the time.

First time I had fished in that depth of water.

First time I had had to use more than a 6oz weight

The first time I had caught a cod. Not a comp winner I grant you but a cod all the same. Had it been any bigger I do'nt think my equipment or knots would have coped.

The day was a steep learning curve for both Alan and myself and this was reflected in the amount of lost, broken or tangled tackle we experienced.

 

Thanks Alan for a great day out.

 

Rich

[Gas]

Day started well as we followed Lady Christine out of Poole (I think at this point we should have followed them) as they headed towards old Harry.

First we spent over an hour after mackerel, only to bag 10 again, as mentioned all small.

We tried to bag a ray at Xray with no joy.

Then tried for Bass at the Needles no joy

Dropped back to the Ledge, Jackie picked up the biggest fish of the day 2lb 6oz Bream.

In total all fish returned 1 Gurnard 2 whiting 6 Wrasse 4 Pouting.

Abode 11 now flying her new flag P.B.S.B.A.C.

 

Craig Abode11

 

Edited July 14, 2008 by Gas

[BigMac]

Me and Rupe were bait gathering by 5.30 and our hard fished for 15 mackerel were being deploted by 6.30. We headed over to the island to catch the kast of the flood tide and in 3 hours caught 6 bass to about 5lb odd.

 

We headed east to the first of our marks for the day and set the anchor to fish down the back of the bank. It was snaggy and we lost a few sets of tackle but we soon had bites and a succession of small tope kept the interest keen. Rupe had the biggest at 22lb and when the bites slowed up we moved further south to a rocky bank that had served us well in the past on the ebb for a few decent bull huss.

 

A few small tope and 2 bass of 3 or 4lb had us looking for some sand and the chance of a blonde. Heading back west we arrived at the bank and though lessening our chances of a blonde a bit we anchored to fish down the back of the bank again to increase the odds of different species. The bites came quickly and a succession of small tope were brought to the side of the boat before Rupe announced the first ray of the day, a lovely small eyed of 9lb 8 oz.

 

I was in next with a small blonde of 8 or 9lb followed 20 minutes later by another of 15lb. We caught loads of bass and tope, nothing of any great size, but a great days fishing none the less

 

Al

[plaicemat]

Going back to my photos above, is this why bassing always seems to be better in the mornings than afternoons? They stuff themselves up in the morning and then take the rest of the day to digest their meal. They may, like mine, strike at something purely out of instict and because it is there but can't eat it. Or perhaps they put it in the larder for later.

 

Also, Gordon caught a mackerel that was so small, neither of us had seen one that size before. Blow me, about 5 minutes later, he caught another virtually the same. They were no more than 3" (76mm) long.

 

Terry.

[mike02380]

hi plaicemat, interesting pics. i once caught a bass on a charter which had taken my live mackeral and the guys next to me, both floats went within seconds of each other, both hooks well in the mouth.

[Paul D]

Terry,

 

We also caught some of those minature mackeral. Never seen them so small before, sprat sized mackeral.

 

[Mike Fox]

Sounds like these finger-sized mackerel are this year's stock, and the 6-8oz or so joey's we've been seeing are last year's!

 

Always thought the 6-8oz stock was the current year's, so that's quite a surprise.

 

We had two hits on trolled 1" mini-shads that shook the hook after tripping the paravane. Wonder if they were the micro-mackerel mentioned here?

 

Mike

 

 

[great white]

In Hindsight I think instead of moving back west we should have feathered more bait and had some drifts over those banks for the Bass on Sunday

 

Charlie

[Fugazi]

With a bass take at the side of the boat - maybe the hull noise is nothing to worry about!

 

Maybe not, but Paul Dore has now got me so paranoid about this that the inability to catch mackerel on Sunday seemed to support his theory. Around I noted the anchored boats seemed to be landing them, but all we managed to catch was the aurally impaired specimen in the shoal!

 

Thanks to Terry for the very helpful advise on float fishing for Bass which resulted in my first ever float caught one.

 

Gordon H

[Gnasher]

hasn't jimbob got a raider? i think he catches more bass in a session than most do in a season.

[daz]

corky has a raider and mike fox caught that 15 beauty on his raider and corky catches the bass as well not as big as mr foxes but he does catch them ,its just me that cant catch them im sure they can sense its my line and avoid like the plague

[Paul D]

Gordon,

 

What have I done !!

 

- Jimbob does indeed have a raider and manages to catch bass no problem. I think the solution is to get the float away from the boat - but there again my catch record is hardly prolific in the "stealth Orkney".

 

 

 

 

[britboard]

"Thats it then" All Raider owners are doomed to a fish-less life roaming the sea's in vain hope. i'm so glad i sold mine now.

 

Gordon, Don't believe the rumors, they are just winding you up! and do yourself a favour don't get drawn into it on here or if ever you decide to sell yours, you will have to suffer the barrage of stupid phone calls offering you bugger all as the buyer read somewhere that raiders scare fish as i did.

 

Lads who bought mine are as pleased as punch and say they are catching far more fish from it, than they did from the charters they used to fish from. I never had any problem catching fish from mine, so i don't know what you are doing differently to me, maybe try not handling the bait with your bare hands as i knew someone who was a perma-blank until he started wearing marigolds then he started catching fish (must be his hormones or something).

 

Simon L

[Rob]

 

 

Don't wear the marigolds just put em on the hook!

 

[AHoy]

Thanks to those that encouraged me to fish the comp, unfortunately I have to report that my competitive/angling skills haven't improved from last time - nothing caught worth reporting. But, thanks to crew member Rich being on form we had mackerel on the hook at the first drop (superb skippering also a factor of course ) and the first cod to be landed on Marsel 2.

 

I will follow the traditional fishing report and talk about the one(s) that got away, must have been e_e_enormous as my tackle got wrecked twice. If pushed, I may admit to not remaking a suspect knot on a swivel before the first break, and on the second failure the braid broke when I locked up the reel clutch (well I was nearly out of line) and ended up dumped on my arse in the cockpit

Score at half time: COD 2, AHoy 0.

 

Now, I had quite a few hook-ups with what felt like reasonable sized cod but managed to loose them all on the retrieve. I suspect too small a hook size was a factor, but my technique for hooking and landing cod must be lacking. The "winch 'em in" guys must get kamikazee fish or have significantly different gear. All advice welcome at the next club night I can get to.

 

Alan.

[toerag]

Ahoy - what rod and braid (make and BS) are you using?

[Jim]

I missed the whole of this ' cos ' I was in greece.

 

Great stories & pics. A nice treat while I wait for the Freezer Repair man.

Then off to my mum's for more digging.

 

 

Jim