Author: Neville Merritt (Page 41 of 44)

I went out with Richard on his boat from Southsea Marina Sunday 2nd October.  Even though it was a big tide, we decided to go east in search of Plaice. Great weather, although a bit sloppy at first, but conditions were OK from around 10.00am.  Our first mark produced just Ballan wrasse, so we moved on to our regular plaice mark and first drift I landed a Brill, which was weighed back at the marina on the Southsea Marina Angling Clubs scales at 2lb 15oz. The fish was taken on Rag and Squid.  The next couple of drifts produced plaice to a couple of pounds, but it went quite quiet once the tide turned.  Tried the first mark again on the way back without success. Picture of me with the Brill checking the weight on the boat’s scales prior to weighing in on the SMAC scales. Keith.

After all the shore-side gossip I was hoping for an inshore cod this morning but it wasn’t to be. After trying for a bite-less hour over some broken ground I moved to a useful-looking hole near Dean Elbow. Two hours and two whiting later I decided to move again, and about half a mile away I spied some frenetic bird activity. They were working a bank which I hadn’t taken much notice of previously, but it was certainly holding fish today. I drifted down onto them with the tide and used a small shad on a light spinning rod, catching bass one or two per drift. They were not large, up to about 2lb max and none were keepers, but it was good sport and made up for the boredom of bottom fishing for nothing.

Back in the marina, I found many in the Solent had similar experiences but those that ventured further out did OK, the Overfalls being particularly productive today. I also heard anglers were seen taking more than one bass. You won’t be popular with other anglers or the Feds if you are one of them.

Not a catch report exactly, more like spreading marina gossip. Chap I met today has been catching cod to 12lb off Gilkicker and within a mile or two of the shore which makes me wonder if they come inshore first and then sort of back-fill into the deeper marks later on. They certainly seem to catch them off the beach before we catch them further offshore.  Another conversation earlier was about Culver Spit. Apparently cod turn up there to feed on squat lobster and move closer to the shore along the spit as the season progresses. Having said that I have yet to catch a cod on Culver Spit but that says more about my fishing than where the cod are. I don’t have any photos of cod to post but I do have a photo of Gilkicker.

On Sunday we went round to St Catherin’s to take advantage of the weather and small tides.  We anchored in a hole to try for Bass.   Ray caught one of about 7lb (pictured above) and I had one of 5lb.   I also caught this Bull Huss.

Lovely weather and a great day !

We didn’t have a booking today despite it being perfect conditions and a perfect tide, so myself and Caroline went out alone. We arrived at our chosen mark and delayed fishing for 20 minutes whilst we watched the dolphins we had stumbled upon. As soon as we started fishing we were hitting cod. Because of the slow drift speed we were managing 3 cod per single drift each.

Catch, unhook, release, back down and repeat. We only keep the gut hooked fish and return the rest. We had a few Pollock mixed in but primarily it was cod after cod. Interestingly they were all sub 20lb. Whereas we normally get some larger ones, these were all sub 15lb fish. Could it be the larger ones are heading inshore to spawn??

Caroline was yet again the one to catch the out of the ordinary species and landed a lovely condition 7.5lb John Dory. We did our best to return it, but it wouldn’t go back. It wont go to waste, we will find a recipe somewhere which will hopefully do it justice. (look on the White Fish recipe pages, any recipe calling for fillets would be great.)

OK, this is not the Solent but I thought you might like to see this. We have just spent 10 days in Cuba and I deliberately didn’t go fishing, this was family time. However, I couldn’t resist sticking my nose in….On the 30 minute ferry ride from one of the islands I noticed a bunch of the crew trolling off the back of the ferry with some large and very battered Rapala-type lures. They were hand-lining with what looked like 400lb mono, trolling the lures about 50 metres behind the ferry. Half-way across there was great excitement as they landed this very nasty looking barracuda.

We popped out today not knowing what we were going to do. With the scarcity of mackerel we even took some frozen fillets with us should we need them. Once we got past Bembridge the swell was rolling and the weather grey and dank. But with forecast set to improve we pushed on with an eye on the sea state.

We got to our mark and it happened from first drop…

Cod… then Pollock, then Cod and so on and so on.

We have no need for Cod or Pollock, so we attempted to return all we could, however the swim bladders blow so easily on Pollock, 8 ended up given themselves up to the coolbox, and the cod we so greedy 12 ended up gut hooked. None of them went to waste as all went to feed friends.

Out with Richard and Peter on Richard’s boat yesterday.  Went to Outer Nab Rock area to fish one of our summer marks.  A bit slow, with rays and dogs.  However, Peter landed a tagged Spotted Ray.  Not the usual tag I’ve seen on Bass, but a Labeled Nylon Cable Tie inside a blue plastic tube attached to the rear of the disc close to the tail. Written on one side of the label was “328” and on the other side what looks like “CIACH”.  See photos attached.

Have you seen or heard of such tags being used? The fish was released with the tag still attached.

Woke up early and left the marina about half six. We went straight to an east Nab mark and on my first drop I had a strap conger which came off right next to the boat, just means we didn’t have to unhook it. The bites were almost constant and we missed or lost a few fish. I had a small thornback then as the tide slackened dad had a hound at about 7lb which gave a great fight running uptide, followed by another one similar size. As there was no wind the boat became completely slack on the anchor line but just before we decided to get the anchor in and move to a mark for the flood i had a nice 10lb undulate ray on a mackerel head. As the tide spun at slack we moved to a patch of mixed ground south of the nab.

First drop down gave a small thornback followed by some dogs. As the tide ran hard there was a long quite patch of no action. As it started to slow down i had a few pout and then something much bigger on my other rod. After quite a fight in the tide my dad netted my 13lb undulate (pictured), this was also on a mackerel head with some guts. After a few whiting, pout and dogs my dad had some scad on baited feathers intended for bream as we were trying for ten species in the day. I felt a small bite so reeled up a few turns and felt a big hit, i struck into it and after a few dives brought a bass to the surface. I was pretty happy with this. As the tide really slackened off my dad had a small spotted ray which brought us to ten species – conger, dogfish, thornback, undulate, smuts, pout, whiting, scad, bass and spotted ray. As the tide was slack i got the anchor in and we drove home over a lovely flat calm sea. Hopefully, some nice weather matches with some bigger tides to get some more bass.

An early start was well worth it……

As we have not been able to get to the western Needles for some time and the weather conditions where perfect we headed out.

What a day: Alan and I got into some serious fishing, between us we had 14 Blond Rays (7lb to 15lb) Pollock – Plaice – Makeral – Tope  – Turbot and of course Dog Fish.

At on stage all 4 rods where going with Tope and Rays it was like a “Pack Attack” great sport.

Lets hope the weather continues to be kind to us and allow us more days when we can get out.