Dorset Spearfishing 2007

[SurfnSpear]

I would imagine similar to the Shingles bank. I jumped in one day on the way back after we had not had much luck finding decent vis over at the Needles.
Quite an experience. freaky waves, noisy with all the stones shifting, fast drift, very quick moving fish, but the vis was not very good so I did not see the full picture and came away with no fish. Was down to about 3m in places.

[Old Man Dave]

I have dived many similar banks in the Channel Islands when I used to commercially spear flatfish using scuba. There would be rare occasions when you could freedive these banks. However, as the banks are formed by fierce tides piling up gravel then you are going to get strong flows creating high speed runs and low vis. The shallowest parts of the banks will be the worst. Even on scuba most of the main banks are an "experience" to put it mildly. Most of the spearing success for turbot and brill come from the small window of opportunity created by working small banks at slack tide in depths of 70 to 100 foot. Weather and tide size are critical as is the need for a lot of experience. Sometimes the rewards were great but mostly in years gone by. Nowadays heavy fishing pressure by mono longliners, trawlers and recently anglers, especially charter boats has left little for the divers. Currently there are no commercial divers working flatfish and almost no part timers. I sold my commercial license 2 years ago and although I still tank dive a few "secret corners", it's for the table.

Dave

[SurfnSpear]

nice insight OMD...

[fearthespear]

Willi and I went out for a dive on saturday, steamed out to our spot to find a lovely murk, reducing viz to 'can't see the end of the gun'! So we steamed back in, swapped the guns for rods and headed back out. We managed to catch bream, mackerel and gurnard in about 3 hrs fishing...great fun! Unfortunately it cost us our anchor (sorry John) which we couldn't budge...Ah well, best look at ebay...

[podge]

Well Jim and myself came down on Sunday, got in at a couple of different spots and-
Results in two word
MAY WATER

See you all in a few weeks

[the_milkman]

I blame Flyflicker for posting the pic of that monster bass and getting us all excited prematurely!! (ooer!)

Had a looksee at Portland in the Cheyne Weares area over the weekend and opted for rock climbing instead...saw plenty of white flashes in the water underneath me (mullet presumably) but it still looked a bit milky to me...

btw any other Dorset spearos into sport climbing on the board?? I have a plan and it involves abseiling with spearguns strapped to your back - the ultimate in pretending to be action man (and kebabing yourself unintentionally...)

[keithernest]

tried to get in today,sea dead flat,no one on beach cos i always feel a bit of a plum in my wetsuit on my own,soaped up new to me second hand suit pulled trousers up and ripped big hole in rubber so i went home had abeer in the garden with a bottle of glue!Hello all this is my first post.Am diving the national at bognor saturday.Ime the bloke with the patched up hole in the leg!

[scottie3030]

[quote=keithernest;642831] no one on beach cos i always feel a bit of a plum in my wetsuit on my own

yeah i always get fun looks walking down the beach kitted up, its even worst when you got to walk up the beach empty handed

[foxfish]

Welcome to the forum Kieth, good luck in the comp.

[tonyiannu]

Welcome to Keith and good luck for the competition,I wish to stay there but saturdays for waiters its hard to be off.

[Andy Davies]

This is an email I received from Phil Coates SWSFC@aol.com concerning potential byelaws (see Byelaw 43 for spearfishing)for the future in South Wales:


Dear Mr Davies
No consultation yet pending.
We are yet to fully discuss in Committee in order to even frame any proposed text.
Below I append what Committee are likely to consider !!

Be aware that in a forthcoming "mini" review of our byelaws Committee are keen to consult on a district wide ban on spearfishing of all types.
It comes about as a consequence of the existing byl preventing foul hooking being proposed for extension to flounder spiking. Members thought all such spiking should be prohibited.
I have taken informal soundings of BSAC (who are in support) & Welsh Assoc (no resp yet).
Who else might I contact - organisation wise?

Regards

Phil Coates

Future Quarterly Item – Partial Review of Byelaws

Recommendation

That Members’ views be provided on the draft byelaws below and to note that some informal consultation has commenced with some Associations etc. The matter to then be referred to the 28th September 2007 Quarterly meeting to decide whether to make any byelaws for formal advertisement.

NB The below is a stop gap and whole- scale change of the byelaws might be appropriate when new SFCs take shape with a new remit under new (Marine Bill) powers over a new (All Wales) area.

(a) Possible changes to existing byelaws

Revocation of Byelaw 45 - Scallops – since SI 1717 2005 is more fulsome. Keeping this byelaw might be argued as confusing matters and duplication.

Byelaw 8 – Minimum Landing Size (MLS) for bass – to increase to 40 cm for rod / hook caught fish (i.e. 37.5 cm remains for all net caught fish)

Without this tweak and assuming a Welsh bass SI (MLS of 37.5cm) comes into force, then this byelaw could also be revoked.

Byelaw 34 - Set and drift nets

An easement possibly relax 200m length of set net (possibly also drift net) to 400m possibly only 1000m offshore of the Astronomic low water mark as shown on the latest Admiralty chart.

Possibility of changes to Byl 30 to allow conditional fixed net fishing at Tusker rock (Porthcawl) and Cardiff bay

(NB Need to prior consult Environment Agency, by reference to the provisions of the Salmon Act 1986).

Byelaw 41 – Boat fishing returns

Bass bag limit of 5 fish per person. As requested of SFCs by the Minister.

Clarify that the 5 pots and 100m net is a per boat limit (not per person).

Byelaw 43 – foul hooking

To extend foul hooking to cover also cover any form of “spiking & spearing” at low tide and spear fishing whether using aqualung or not.

(NB: Pre consultation with Diving associations is in hand)

[the_milkman]

Got in at Chesil Cove over the weekend. The viz was not great with lots of suspended algae or plankton or something, in spite of it looking nice and clear from the beach!

Didn't have long in, but missed one lightning quick bass. They are out there!

There were HEAPS of pollack, but didn't shoot any as I'm not a huge fan of the fish.

Went climbing at Blacknor later in the day and the visibility there looked amazing - is it often clearer there than Chesil Cove? Anyone speared down there?

[stuckinsurrey]

Had a marathon attempt at spearing something at the weekend, got in at Durdle Door, Portland Harbour and Osmington. Probably spent 6 hrs in the water but only saw 1 mullet! Nightmare! Visibility was ok, bit milky at Durdle Door but 5-6 m at Osmington.

Jim

[kkdavids]

had a dive over the weekend, plankton in thick and seems to be everywhere

[Stevie T]

Hi guys, just wondered if any of you had any experience of spearfishing around Bowleaze Cove or the Reef that runs along to the Oasis Cafe. Its only about 10 mins walk from my house and I still hav'nt tried it. Was hoping to give it a go as soon as this weather settles down and the may bloom subsides.

Cheers

Steve