Hoop

Craft knife and off you go!

They look like proper fuckers to fillet! 

Had a really good feeling about this one. Arrived at the quayside with 10 minutes to spare, and we were off on High Flyer 2 just after 7.30am
We headed to our first mark and mack were a bit scarce, tho we were getting plenty of sand eels. We moved on closer to the tope grounds and did some drifting again for bait. More success this time with mack a bit more prolific along with some very big ones. Once we had enough, we headed out to a wreck for a few drifts to see who was home, a couple of whiting and a pouting was about it. With tide now about to start running, we headed to the tope grounds...

First chuck, and my reel was screaming within 5 minutes. This was a big fish, and was struggling to stop it, for the 1st time, my 15-20lb rod was outclassed!! This fish just ran and ran to the point I started seeing backing appear under the braid!! Eventually got it under control and to the back of the boat. The fish had rolled a few times and was getting well wrapped around the mouth. While sorting this the braid got caught on its teeth and away it went. 50-60lb of teeth and attitude went on its way.
Took a break to let the muscles recover, and just as I was baiting up, the next tope hit. A 40lb fish finally boated. Shortly after that, I was in again, this time a 45-50lb fish boated. This is how the day progressed, with 10 tope landed and about 3 dropped runs between us, with me getting 2 and a dropped run. No deep hooked fish and all returned fighting fit.
What a day!! They started getting a bit shy towards the end, but still kept coming, even to uptide tactics. Now looking at 20-30lb rods.......

We were fishing the banks Steve!

No Pete, not this time. This trip we cannot blame on him. 

Lunch 

After a marathon 3 hours+ on the phone yesterday I decided to get an hour trying for mackerel or herring. Managed to get a tiny pollock and a just undersized codling with the rods. I had seen lots guillemots pushing what I thought was sandeel against the pier wall and rocks but on leaving found this 😳 

As we need bait for the winter and I like whitebait some came home with me. 

yummy!

I jumped on the PBSBAC charter trip from Poole quay yesterday, mistress Linda was the vessel. We had a great day out on the water with great company. Unfortunately the fishing didn't set the day alight, but by the whispers on the vhf, we had the best day out of the charters that were out. The boat ended with 20 Mack, a small eyed ray, couple of dogs, a strap conger and a tope. 
I caught Mack, LSD and the tope. 
 

 

 

 

I use a Vanford for my shore lure fishing for bass, very light and great line lay but the line roller bearing rusted up within a month. Shimano claims they are treated with a hydrophobic coating.....I swapped the bearing for a ceramic, which is noisier but works full time. If you are on a trip away pack a few spare line roller bearings (and screw for them as they are very light and made of cheese, the head came off first time I unscrewed it!).

would use shimano over penn every day of the week when it comes to reels. Penn do seem to be making some nice boat rods at reasonable money currently
 

If you want I could make you up a couple of traces as I have crimps and 220lb mono and if you get on with it you can buy your own and make them up yourself?
Contact me on the messenger system if you want. 

I crimp mono, rigs don’t last long but you only need a short piece, for wire crimp or haywire twist…. 49 strand doesn’t kink too much

Heard ramblings of shore Tope,  this was enough to get the cogs in motion a plan was hatch to conduct this weekends installment of care in the community, at Selsey! Crap tides etc all, meant everything aligned nicely for the venue...
Rush to pack and get the car loaded after a family gathering, couldn't locate wire leader.. balls. Not to worry I thought, what's the chances!?? Beefed up the hook lengths to 60lb, 6/0s with pennel.. that'll do..
Nothing on the first cast with Bluey, over to squid.. hit! Nice hound, low double.. double small squid, subtle bite and slack liner.. in again, cracking fight peeling a decent amount of heavy set drag. possibly would've been a pb, conservative estimate of 15lb but probably bigger. Just want to get her back in quickly. Picture attached. 
Next cast, a single squid.. rod slams over, drag screams out, turned the fish picked up a little slack the fish turns again and after a few heavy pulls it happens. Called bitten off and that exactly what it was. Lost a Tope.
New hook length tied, again 6/0s.. squid and soon after another hound in, another low double.. last cast as my new puppy that was out for his first fishy outing was starting to pine for his bed, this point my buddy Nick has reeled in and started packing up having blanked.. we're on the top of the tide, my rod starts to pull down and it just keeps going.. clearly another Tope yet this one immediately felt bigger, hoped I'd managed to lip hook it but not to be though I had it on longer than the first. With a heavy drag set, this this went off like a train and was rapid, heavy and very quick. Eased more drag on and eventually it went ping but this fish was relentless,  this didn't pause it just kept going. Gutted, never hooked into anything like that before.
Tomorrow is another day, with some tweaks I might get back on that beach tomorrow for another go. 
Distance seemed to be key, I was fishing further out than others on the beach and while they all seemed to be blanking, I was virtually fish after fish. Proper little session.

Defo not a beast. He weighs 16kg, but will run forever. And yes, they hunted in packs. 

This is Pippa the Skipper…. She runs the boat really 🤣🤣🤣
Some lovely hounds there 🙂 
Od advise 6in of wire if you’re after tope. 60lb won’t last long at all… or go for 200lb mono if you want to avoid wire 

At it again.. wasting time, waiting for the tide to make.
Only nutter on the beach thus far, similar conditions to yesterday but with a little rain. Cozy pup has found a spot 

As predicted, tis was pants! Finished with just the one hound. Will watch for the right conditions to get back over for another go.
A not so little Lab. Mum and Dad are Silver labs that looked like Weimaraners, colours in the litter ranged from light like Archie here, to one silver and a few brown. He's the sweetest pooch, 14 weeks.. walking to heel, off lead even at the beach. Though this was his second outing.

Lovely little reels, great sport for the smaller bits. I've noticed that Penn have taken over in tackleshops here, understand they are bulletproof but the line lay and weight doesn't come close to shimano.. wonder if its a supply / distribution issue!?

🤣, ahh yes, the Common Pompey skate, rarely found under 100kg. Indigenous to portsmouth water. Right gob on'em too. When landed they make the strangest grunt that when recorded, slowed & cleaned through digital means, the result can be most closely linked to the word 'cunt'.. 😳 

At it again.. wasting time, waiting for the tide to make.
Only nutter on the beach thus far, similar conditions to yesterday but with a little rain. Cozy pup has found a spot 

Heard ramblings of shore Tope,  this was enough to get the cogs in motion a plan was hatch to conduct this weekends installment of care in the community, at Selsey! Crap tides etc all, meant everything aligned nicely for the venue...
Rush to pack and get the car loaded after a family gathering, couldn't locate wire leader.. balls. Not to worry I thought, what's the chances!?? Beefed up the hook lengths to 60lb, 6/0s with pennel.. that'll do..
Nothing on the first cast with Bluey, over to squid.. hit! Nice hound, low double.. double small squid, subtle bite and slack liner.. in again, cracking fight peeling a decent amount of heavy set drag. possibly would've been a pb, conservative estimate of 15lb but probably bigger. Just want to get her back in quickly. Picture attached. 
Next cast, a single squid.. rod slams over, drag screams out, turned the fish picked up a little slack the fish turns again and after a few heavy pulls it happens. Called bitten off and that exactly what it was. Lost a Tope.
New hook length tied, again 6/0s.. squid and soon after another hound in, another low double.. last cast as my new puppy that was out for his first fishy outing was starting to pine for his bed, this point my buddy Nick has reeled in and started packing up having blanked.. we're on the top of the tide, my rod starts to pull down and it just keeps going.. clearly another Tope yet this one immediately felt bigger, hoped I'd managed to lip hook it but not to be though I had it on longer than the first. With a heavy drag set, this this went off like a train and was rapid, heavy and very quick. Eased more drag on and eventually it went ping but this fish was relentless,  this didn't pause it just kept going. Gutted, never hooked into anything like that before.
Tomorrow is another day, with some tweaks I might get back on that beach tomorrow for another go. 
Distance seemed to be key, I was fishing further out than others on the beach and while they all seemed to be blanking, I was virtually fish after fish. Proper little session.

No mate, you're confused, that's your area!! 🤣

Yes he loved it. It was tricky as he got older however. Lifting a 35kg dog on and off the boat was not as easy as one might think. 
We have a new dog, he's called cooper and he's a rescue from Bosnia. He's about 2.5, and loves being on the boat, but hates water deeper than his elbows. 
 

Picked up a little shimano vanford to add to the upcoming trip away to the north of the country. Loaded with 300m pe1.2 grappler braid this will be my light lure tuna, trevally, queenfish and barramundi reel. I will have four on my boat so needed some extra gear ahead of the trip. I will also use this for land based light lure and plastics with the bone voyage travel rod.
This is a comparison to basically the same older versions which will be taken on the trip also. I will of course be taking heavier gear for bigger fish but it’s the light line gear I find the most fun.
 


 

First recce on the tuna today…. Safe to say we succeeded 🙂 
520-540lb tuna safely measured, tagged and released….
Had another on until the spreader bar gave way, looks like a dodgy crimp…. Wasn’t impressed to be honest so debating where to get a new one from….
Did an hour on bait as well but only a 100lb blue shark…
Nice to get the welsh Tuna season started. It’s usually later than down south but if the weather holds we could be in for a good season