Malc

after Storm Nelson on Thursday/Friday there was a very slight break in the weather forecast for Saturday which had us up at the crack of sparrows - for a 6.45am meet at the boat. 
I had the inlaws staying for Easter and my Birthday so Phil joined me and Tim on Tim's boat. 
we tried for mackerel first but failed miserably - so soon headed out to the 'Hot spot' as i'm now calling it - 5miles off, 80ft water, mixed ground - throws up all sorts. 
We fished small baits for bream and were not disappointed - 28 to the boat before we lost count - big ones, small ones, must be feeding up for spawning as they were fat with roe.

we also had pout, whiting, and scad in the mix. 
as the tide slackened off we went with big baits for the scavengers - Phil had his 1st ever Bull huss - Tim had some too - going to 12Lb - also found one pregnant mum - so put her back swiftly. 


Tim also had a Smoothie, and i had congers and thorny instead of a huss.


we of course had dogs - but not too many to spoil the day. 
there was a lot of left over swell making it rather lumpy and making me queasy for most of the day - as the afternoon got on the wind veered to the SE to ruin it for everyone - so we were back in the marina before 4pm. pub for 5pm.
Not sure when we will get out next!
 
 
 
 

Slow but we managed a few more fish to the species comp, my mate had a doggie and a codling and I managed a small haddock. Beautiful day out and we were watching dolphin getting frisky with each other on the way back. Another 4 weeks and fishing should liven up but good to see fresh spring run codling and decent whiting come aboard. 


Little doggie for lovers of the K9s

Slow but we managed a few more fish to the species comp, my mate had a doggie and a codling and I managed a small haddock. Beautiful day out and we were watching dolphin getting frisky with each other on the way back. Another 4 weeks and fishing should liven up but good to see fresh spring run codling and decent whiting come aboard. 


Little doggie for lovers of the K9s

Hellova grim yesterday 

Truthfully it's a bit drizzly ATM but we have coddies 🎣

Up north isn't grim really. I work in Sheffield every Monday - love the place. Top beers too. 

Tyneside, not big, bout 1 1/2lb 
None for me but my pal had another that was very sizeable, but was quickly returned as we he already caught one and ticked the box, apologies for not capturing its loveliness 

Slow but we managed a few more fish to the species comp, my mate had a doggie and a codling and I managed a small haddock. Beautiful day out and we were watching dolphin getting frisky with each other on the way back. Another 4 weeks and fishing should liven up but good to see fresh spring run codling and decent whiting come aboard. 


Little doggie for lovers of the K9s

Slow but we managed a few more fish to the species comp, my mate had a doggie and a codling and I managed a small haddock. Beautiful day out and we were watching dolphin getting frisky with each other on the way back. Another 4 weeks and fishing should liven up but good to see fresh spring run codling and decent whiting come aboard. 


Little doggie for lovers of the K9s

Slow but we managed a few more fish to the species comp, my mate had a doggie and a codling and I managed a small haddock. Beautiful day out and we were watching dolphin getting frisky with each other on the way back. Another 4 weeks and fishing should liven up but good to see fresh spring run codling and decent whiting come aboard. 


Little doggie for lovers of the K9s

Get my own boat on the water and get in to some tope

Catch a shark on my own boat. 

Already have a dog on the score board, along with whiting. 
We have a species competition hence some of my questions recently. So it's Cod goggles off and see what is there that people don't try for. 

I was working in a bar and a woman asked me for a double entendre, so I gave her one!

Is that a double entendre?

Our club record plaice 6lb 11oz was caught on the shambles using a half side of mackerel on a 5/0 hook with no bling.  We were fishing for the illusive turbot which we had but they were smaller than the plaice lol

Yep…. Were a few down there like that…. Then again I think same in most marinas 

Spreader bar with short 12" hooklengths or a single running ledger which i vary the length until i get bites. Ragworm, half a prawn cut lengthways tipped with a thin sliver of squid. This has worked for me on  the skerries, shambles and out of portsmouth. Green and black beads with 1 or 2 small spinner blades .

Prawn is my go to bait as it tends to find the bigger fish.
The worm vs fish bait is a choice between an endless string of weevers, dragonets, and tiny gurnards, or hooking the occasional doggy, and believe me, the latter is a better option.

We catch a lot of Plaice, but of course, that is what the Skerries are famous for, however, we also catch them closer to home at less than a mile from the slip.
I guess point one is that I rarely use worm for plaice (worm attracts too many small fish of other species), my goto baits are cocktails of mack strip tipped with squid, or frozen king prawn (Morrisons), tipped with squid.
Although you can catch them at anchor, on the drift is by far the most productive, the drift speed ideally should be 1 - 2 knts
Rig wise, I dont use spreaders, the rig is a simple running ledger on a zip slider with a hook length of about 12" to 18". Not too much bling, maybe 6 - 10 beads, sometimes green / Black, sometimes Red/Yellow, just depends on what I lay my hands on first !
The hook length is 20lb fluoro, and the hook is usually a 1/0 Sakuma 550 or 560. I loop connect the hook length to the link swivel, as deep hooked fish can often be unhooked by passing the hook out through the gills.
Although the MLS is 27cm, we rarely keep anything under 35cm.
 
 
 
 
 

Frustrated by bream!
I wish, nice report 

@GPSguru can help for plaice but be aware that bling will vary in different parts of the country.  Whether that's due to the preferences of the fish or the angler is open to debate.

I was just about to add also, that the one plaice I did catch was on a naked hook length. No bling. But it was moving, on a drift. 
I don't think bling really matters, worm quality and hook positioning and size is more critical. 

Cheers, most of the ones here are from a pier and at distance so little bling but they can run to 3-4 lbs. 
Which would be nice!

Around here it's a spoon, and black/green beads. Use a clock weight to stir up the seabed. Small hooks with a large ragworm, some tip with prawn or squid. 
I've never caught a decent one, biggest about 1/2lb

Fell between toilet and bulkhead?