Rob Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Guys, I am off to Dartmouth for a weeks holiday in June. I am also allowed to take the boat!!!! So, i am looking for some advice on marks, techniques and any other useful tips. I have been before a few years ago and managed mackerel and small pollock or was that pollack? I was thinking about catching launce and livebating for something bigger but have never fished for launce so any info would be great. I believe the Plaice may well be on teh shambles still so may look them up too. I will be at the meeting Thursday (hold the groans please!!), so if anyone has experience of fishing this area \ a similar rugged coast line I would be all ears!! Thanks in advanced. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Hi Rob I have fished the area a few times including the skerries A bit long winded for here, but basicaly the same as the shambles. worm baits [Lug tipped with squid] for plaice , launce/mac for turbot, edge of bank at anchor good for Blonde rays. just around the corner for bass. I will be at meeting if you want a chat. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diverdave Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Launching from the old upper ferry slip is free but you'll have to hit and run cos there's no parking (accessible at any state of tide) The best spots on the Skerries or Scary's will be marked by the boat park ! (the southerly end towards Start Point) Watch out for the standing water (overfalls) off Start Point on a spring ebb (can be avoided close inshore under the lighthouse but mind the big rocks !! Inshore in Start Bay the tidal flow is southerly towards the lighthouse even on the flood for 5hrs out of 6 due to eddy (who's eddy) There's an inshore reef at Torcross (southern end) for Bass. There's a series of reefs from the southern end of Beesands (white house, end of prom) to Hallsands which go out almost to the Scary's Inshore under the radio masts between Hallsands and Start Point more reefs Troll or plug for Bass inshore between Hallsands and Start Point Start Point and Lannacombe Bay and anywhere in between inshore for Bass I dived that area for 20 years ! Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diverdave Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Yeah I know , Too much info for a public forum !! Guess I'll have to join ? Anyone want to know about Xchurch ledge ? Alun ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Hi Rob, Agree with Dave's advice re Skerries etc. Inshore at Start Point in the race is good for bass on sandeel/lures. Don't forget you can turn left towards Brixham too. This length of coastline is very rocky with small inshore islands and submerged rocks - so watch your chart and sounder. Jumbo mackerel, pollack, bass and wrasse abound - good chance of a PB with several of these. Crab or half-mackerel fillets accordingly. Try almost any of the inshore reefs for the above, and deeper water and bigger tides off Berry Head for tope etc. Also - don't forget the Dart itself, for bass, flats, mullet, ray etc. Very deep water many miles inland. Used to live down there too, in Paignton, but fished Brixham to Dartmouth, and the Dart a fair bit. Inshore wrecks get hammered by day and half-day charters, and Brixham has a large fishing fleet still - so be aware lots of offshore marks can be fished heavily too. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Hi Rob Try this site if you have not seen it already http://www.fishingdartmouth.co.uk/navigation.htm Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootlegger Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Fished the skerries many times and caught 2lb dab and really large plaice. Use drift tactics, large baited spoon on long trace and the killer bait is hermit crab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted June 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 (edited) Well I have just returned from Dartmouth. What a fantastic location! After the initial problems - drivway not suitable for boat on trailer! I ended up keeping JoJo on a pontoon berth for the week, I could hardly sleep a wink due to worry!! I managed some trips just outside the mouth of the river to search for maccy and pollack but the state of the water mean't I couldn't go any further. But the water state was quite changeable and I did manage to get out. I ended up with only one day suitable to make the 5+ mile jouney to the Skerries in JoJo. So I headed out mid morning to find a flat sea and blue skies - amazing. I ran out to the bank in no time at WOT cira 28knots! Not sure if that was more fun than fishing!!!! Anyhow - when I arrived I thought i would break out the new binoculars (first ever fathers day present I have received!! (Auto\fixed focus - very good, no idea how that works but they are great!)) I spotted 3 boats making regular drifts a mile to 2 further down the bank. So I headed over to join them. close to the marks there were huge floating rafts of weed, surrounded by millions of fry and a few jellyfish. I soon had a good few maccy and some launce from under these rafts. Long story cut short - great weather and location - not flatties to report and I saw only one small plaice landed. Still, better to be out their doing it than thinking about what could be. I headed in about 14:30 and popped over to investigate some wreck numbers I had found, only could locate one wreck our of 3 looked for so I tried a shad over the top on a couple of drifts. Nothing, so headed to some interesting features, rock mounds coming up 20m from the seabed in 60m of water - anyhow I managed a pollack of 4lb and a few days later one of 6lb so I was pleased with that. I had read Adams post re. the bass in Alderney earlier in the week and yesterday stopped in a cove in the mouth of the Dart and I flicked a dead launce over the side during a lunch and a coffee, the line tightned and started to move off - I will never know what that was but it was there for 20 seconds and gave a good tug - the trace parted just above the hook so who knows!!! But hey - next time I'm there it will be bigger!!!! The place is great and getting to it is fairly easy - With sand bank and rocky outcrops and deep water close in, with shelter available in most winds, Dartmouth has good potential for a club trail away \ camp away! I will be back and get a flattie from the Skerries one day! (note, if usinf mackrell feather dont just add launce feathers to the end of that rig, at one point I landed 7 maccy on trace with 8 feather!!! It was a little much unhooking that lot single handed in a reasonable swell!!) Rob Edited June 19, 2009 by rob francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Nice report Rob Glad you managed to work around the weather and get some fish on your line. New areas are always difficult but fun. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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