Speciman

Fished a 9 hour session on Wednesday with Zzippy launching at 7am, 1 hour before high water. Zzippy had feathers and picked up some mackeral near Durley Rocks on the way out. We drifted and paddled out to a mark about 1.5 miles from the shore (according to GPS). Didn't make it as far out as Outer Poole Patch (I don't think) but we did find and fish an area of rough ground out there. Plenty of bites but mainly from small bream which were stripping our baits in no time at all. Used worm and fish baits. Headed back closer to the shore for the afternoon fishing near rough ground between Alum and Durley Chine about 1/2 mile or so out from the shore. Had more bream and some wrasse - best was a ballan @ 2.75lb.

Weight capacity of yak is 325lb. I'm also installing a trolling motor to increase my range and help paddling if wind gets up. Myself (12stone), motor(14lbs), 2 x 20amp AGM batts and a couple of gallons in the tankwell make it up to about 230lb without tackle. Thats not bad at all. Will be out tomorrow with Zzippy fishing Durley and hopefully Outer Poole Patch (without gadgets). Here are some yak bait tank links if anyones interested. Using Bilge Pumps Using Aerator Pump

Great Post Adam. I'm fitting a live bait tank to the tankwell of my kayak. My tank will obviously be a lot smaller (about 2 gallons!) but with a continuous flow will support a small number of critters. My Rule 360 aerator pump arrived this morning.. the motor is probably the same as the bilge pump but I'll be bringing up water through a scupper hole instead of bilge pump over the side. On a kayak I have to try to avoid drag if I can. You got a great price on the bilge pump I think - my aerator pump cost nearly

Hi Everyone Fished and explored the lower part of Poole Harbour yesterday morning launching from the end of a narrow footpath at Sandbanks. Low tide was about 6:30am and I paddled up to my bait spot to get some worms before heading off towards Jerrys Point and then onto Goathorn peninsular. My target species were flatties however lots of school bass took my baits. I was fishing in the nursery area so everything went back and I wasn't specifically targetting the bass (no live sandeel!). Fished South Deep for a while, no joy then headed to a channel not too far from the Royal Yacht club and had a few bass to spinner (dexter wedge) outside the nursery area (all went back). Had a nice flattie bite on my penultimate cast but didn't connect. Called it a day about 12:30pm. I would love to catch a plaice from the kayak this year - are they coming out from the harbour or swash channel? Hope to be out at Durley rock or outer Poole Patch later in the week.

Thanks Jack and Charlie. Next time, if we launch from Kimmeridge we could end up surfing back in Am I right in thinking that an ebbing tide would take us west in the direction of St Albans Head if launching from Swanage?

Hi Everyone. Nice to read the reports from this weekends fun. Looks like there were some great trips out. Here is Zzippy and my contribution. If anyones interested we posted some pics to go with the report Short story: Zzippy and I caught mackeral and wrasse in Swanage and Durlston Bay. Long story read on: Zzippy and I planned to fish the tope grounds between St Albans and Durlston Head west of Swanage yesterday. Zzippy arrived early (7-8am) to try for mackeral in Swanage Bay and produced a few before I got down there at 10:30am. The plan had been to paddle out at slack water (high tide & 12:40pm for Swanage bay) and take the ebbing tide round past Durlston Head and fish somewhere in between there and St Albans. We'd heard the tide pulls strong in this area so we would have been looking to fish close inshore between these headlands. When we headed out of Swanage bay and headed west the tide was against us but not too strong at that point. There was confusion with the state of the tide, it may have still been coming in as an hour or so later it was predicted high tide for Swanage but Zzippy had seen it going out before we set off. With a double high tide a characteristic of nearby Poole Harbour and Bournemouth beaches(east) and a double low tide a characteristic of Kimmeridge area(west) it made it hard to judge just what was going on! When we paddled through Durlston Bay around the corner from Swanage, the tide picked up near Durlston Head and we anchored up near Tilly Whim caves as we were tiring. I guess anchoring in deep water near a headland is not advisable at the best of times & isn't there! The tide was too strong, we were in deep water (more pull against the anchor cord) and we were both close to reaching for our dive knifes and cutting the cord. Fortunately the plastic cable ties broke free on their own by the force of the tide and our anchors could be pulled back up with ease. We then took this fast tide back to Durlston Bay and fished this area for a good few hours. When we decided to head back into Swanage Bay the tidal conditions had changed somewhat around Peveril Point (an underwater rocky outcrop just to the west of swanage which we needed to cross to get back into Swanage Bay). With water rushing out of the bay over these rocks, surf and whirlpool were forming. Zzippy and I paddled straight into this not knowing how strong the currents were against us at the time. We reached a point where the kayaks were static - with us paddling hard and the current trying to take us back into the surf and whirlspools we had just paddled through and avoided. We had no choice but to turn back and to go with the current and face the torrents. The kayaks handled this surprisingly well, we got through it and beached up at Durlston Bay for a 'breather'. Afterwards we stayed close inshore and lifted our kayaks over some rocks to get back into the harbour. Fished Swanage bay a few more hours with little success. Zzippy had the most fish today with some good mackeral and wrasse. Myself, I caught one mackeral! So no tope fishing as such although we did have a big bait rod out just in case. A great day out with lots of fun and adventure. If I can suss those tides out I want to try for those tope grounds again. Plenty of sea kayakers pass through this area - its very scenic with good wildlife. When heading over to the Purbecks we may launch from Kimmeridge Bay next time and try to find a tope mark on the western side of St Albans Head.

Apparently someone signed for my deep cycle batteries the other day on my behalf! I'm sorting it out with the delivery company and some replacements should be sent out this week. Lulworth Banks here we come

And hundreds of questions fired at us before we launch and when we come back in!

Hi Zzippy Fancy seeing you here. Welcome mate Heres hoping we get some great pics on Mondays outing. Simon

Larger fish can tow a kayak with ease if you aren't anchored. If I catch a stingray it won't be coming on board for a picture! However if I'm fishing the shallows and close to the shore I could one bring in there. Good luck for Sunday. I hope to get back there soon but it will be after Mondays tope fishing trip west of Swanage.

Hi Rich Thanks for the advice. I took some pics yesterday & posted a few up at Kayak Fishing - Sowley. I think I beached near the houses you mention as I wanted to stretch the old legs. If the stingray come close inshore here I guess I'll have to go back and fish it on a night high tide? I've heard of Gypsy Lane and am fairly sure I've been down there when driving around aimlessly oneday looking for Park Shore! I'll check my map. It would be great if you brought a kayak back with you - Sit On Top style kayaks are more stable and better suited for fishing than Sit Insides. Needless to say make sure you have the proper safety equipment if you go this route Anglers Afloat - Safety Info The kayak is working out well for me and Zzippy. Had tope up to about 30lb from Wales the other week. Excellent sport from such a small boat. Tywyn Tope Trip We hope to find an inshore Purbeck Tope mark now - I've yet to christen my shark tagging kit

Thanks Charlie thats just the kind of info we're looking for. Its a bit of paddle round from Swanage and its really no fun paddling against a strong wind, current or both!

Getting off topic but I was wondering how Portland/Weymouth harbour was affected by strong south westerly winds?

Hi Rich Being new to kayak fishing I have not had chance to explore many marks at all. Portlemouth sounds inviting. Jack, I think it could be at this location Portlemouth Cheers Simon

Good Morning Jack Later this year I will be camping at Wear Farm caravan park/campsite right on the banks of the River Teign Estuary, South Devon. Have never stayed there before. Should be a few of us with kayaks and boats down there this summer. Will be going late July. http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=2779 this link has reviews on the site with contact details. Simon

Hello Jae. Welcome.

Thanks everyone. I hope you don't mind a guy fishing from a length of plastic posting here.

Another kayak fishing report. Fished Durley Rock area with friend today early morning till early afternoon. Used ragworm as bait. Between us we caught 2 black bream (1 1/2lb, 1 3/4lb), school bass, ballan wrasse up to 2lb,(nice fight on light spinning rod), tiny corkwing wrasse, a 95% specimen cuckoo wrasse at 1lb 3oz (lovely colours!), some spider crabs (smoothhound coming in soon?) & mackeral.

Thanks Duncan that helps a lot, I'll give em a go. Are circle hooks more suited when fishing for one type of fish than another?

Have never used them myself although have heard they are good for bass in the surf. Which types of bait are more suited to circle hook use? Are there times when the baits must be cut/prepared differently compared to long shank hooks?

Good good

Hi Sam Haven't checked the tide but I thinking of launching from Keyhaven and drifting inshore near the Pennington Marsh area.

A day to remember I bet! Well done. Out of interest was it 'catch and release' ?

Nice pic. Calm sea. Land in sight. If the tides right could be feasible from the kayak. Would have to try and steer the tope inland to take me home

Launched kayaks with friend from Durley Chine early Monday morning. Light north easterly at first. We headed out a half mile or so. Caught bream, mackeral and gurnard. Saw charter and pleasure fishing boats over Poole Patch on the horizon so paddled up and fished by them for a bit producing wrasse & pout to our species list along with a few more mackeral picked up on the paddle there and back. Had lunch on the beach at 1pm. The wind then turned south westerly and a swell appeared. We became tired and started to feel a bit sea sick with the swell so came back in after a few more hours. Was a good day. Looking forward to getting back out there.