spear fishing in pembrokeshire

[chris25]

Well I got out yesterday for the first time at Fresh Water East. Fished two hours either side of low water the vis at its best was about 4m. Saw loads of mini Pollack Wrasse up to about 1.5lb and three bass that were little to quick for me. I came across some giant spider crab but left them alone as I didn’t have a net bag bigger enough for them!

Had a nice lobster which made the trip worth while , didn’t take any fish though couldn’t get the safety off quick enough for the bass

Going to have to get some more weight I was like a cork with 6kg using all my energy just hanging on to kelp to stay down.

May try again later in the week.

 

[Lazuli]

couldn’t get the safety off quick enough for the bass

Dont bother with the safety catch if you are hunting. The only safety is slack bands. If hunting, have the gun ready to fire. If not, disengage the bands.

 

[budleigh spearo]

i agree dont use the safety.one day you will have a big bass in rage go to fire and have your safety on how gutting would that be

 

[pembroke]

Hi
I'm going out for the first time tomorrow can anyone recommend any good sites for newbie's (South Pembrokeshire or Gower).I was thinking along the lines of Freshwater East or Stackpole.

Is there anything I should be aware of at these locations? Will I see much?

Had a search on the forum but cant find in info on what is the preferred method of connecting the buoy line to the diver.

Thanks Chris

hi chris, i have been to freshwatereast quite a few times, be careful of the tide at the point ( right hand side ) it gets very strong, if the bass/mullet are there they can be a nice size. dont have your safty on as the slightest movement and the fish will be gone. with your buoy i got some floating rope from kelpies in pembroke dock about 10 meters long with a caribinner at each end, clip one end to the middle of your belt

 

[chris25]

hi chris, i have been to freshwatereast quite a few times, be careful of the tide at the point ( right hand side ) it gets very strong, if the bass/mullet are there they can be a nice size. dont have your safty on as the slightest movement and the fish will be gone. with your buoy i got some floating rope from kelpies in pembroke dock about 10 meters long with a caribinner at each end, clip one end to the middle of your belt

Thanks Pembroke , does the tide rip right to left as you look out to sea on the incoming tide?

Ive had a look at the charts but you beat local knowledge

What time of year can I expect the bass to disappear down there?

Thanks Chris

 

[pembroke]

i'm not sure which direction, but i have tried to swim inwards towards the beach on an incoming tide and got no where. bass may be about up until november but you can:t be sure they will be

 

[chris25]

Got out again today fished for the second time, Vis wasn't up to much about 2m must be due to yesterdays wind and rain.

Saw loads of mini pollack again , some of them were pecking at the spear tip :t. Also saw some nice wrasse but no bass or bigger pollack.

Upped my weight belt to 8kg not going to rush to add anymore weight at the moment need to work on my duck diving.

Had a good look on the sandy patch's today for flats but couldn't see any either I haven't got my eye in yet or there weren't any there .

Might try again Friday

 

[DafyddRees]

Lo guys, I have been slightly inactive for the last month due to starting my hospital placement but managed to get out both Saturday and Sunday in Pembrokeshire. As is with everywhere at the moment, the conditions were absolutely perfect but I felt it has come too late as I only saw 3 bass in 10 hours water time which was mightly unrewarding. On the saturday I fished the opposite side to one of my favourite spots but only saw herds of mullet and a very large wrasse which ended up in a freestyled fish soup later that evening. I cant say I am convinced that wrasse is a tasty fish though, but can definately see why some people do like the flavour.

On the Sunday I fished a place with my brother which we know as Bass City. What was once Bass City has now turned into a derelict shanty town with only brief glimpses of its former beauty. I only saw 3 schoolies in a mammoth 7 hour water time. We saw a few mullet and fish of the dog variety. It amused me to see all the small but very confident baby pollock swimming high in the water. This place has about a 70 metre stretch of ground which holds lots of lobster but we were quite concerned before we got in over the rumours that a local lobster boat had been dropping its pots over the beds for the last month or so...As we got to the area we could see a pink bouy right ontop of where the lobby ground starts and as we commenced our first few dives, the boat turned up and preced to start picking up its hall of pots (We had to swim away as he came within 10 metres, he had already seen us but a second confrontation with a boat this summer was not that fun lol). It was grim to see there were no lobster in his pots... Even so, we carried on diving and things were far better than our expectations as the canny lobster seemed to have moved a few metres deeper and away from the line of pots...I counted 8 in this one place and my brother I guess the same. 1 lobster each for tea was enough for us as we went home fishless. Hopefully will be getting in a few more times before even the mullet dissappear boo hoo!

Nice to meet you aswell Pembroke!

 

[chris25]

Tried a new spot on the weekend and had a little luck searched and searched the gullies for bass but could find any swam out into the bay and was surrounded by a huge shoal of small bass with one or two up to about the 3lb mark just couldn't hit the bigger ones managed two shots then they were off.

Didn't go home empty handed though

 

[chris25]

Tried another new spot today, didn't see many fish on the swim out but as the bottom turned from sand to rock a few small pollack and wrasse started to appear. It was like this for most of the day until I found a small piece of wreckage , around this was big shoal of mullet but I couldn't see any bass anywhere .I would of put money on them being there ,looked like a classic bass spot.

Still didn't go home empty handed and had a first today trigger fish, the thing didn't want to die :martial

 

[pembroke]

Lo guys, I have been slightly inactive for the last month due to starting my hospital placement but managed to get out both Saturday and Sunday in Pembrokeshire. As is with everywhere at the moment, the conditions were absolutely perfect but I felt it has come too late as I only saw 3 bass in 10 hours water time which was mightly unrewarding. On the saturday I fished the opposite side to one of my favourite spots but only saw herds of mullet and a very large wrasse which ended up in a freestyled fish soup later that evening. I cant say I am convinced that wrasse is a tasty fish though, but can definately see why some people do like the flavour.

On the Sunday I fished a place with my brother which we know as Bass City. What was once Bass City has now turned into a derelict shanty town with only brief glimpses of its former beauty. I only saw 3 schoolies in a mammoth 7 hour water time. We saw a few mullet and fish of the dog variety. It amused me to see all the small but very confident baby pollock swimming high in the water. This place has about a 70 metre stretch of ground which holds lots of lobster but we were quite concerned before we got in over the rumours that a local lobster boat had been dropping its pots over the beds for the last month or so...As we got to the area we could see a pink bouy right ontop of where the lobby ground starts and as we commenced our first few dives, the boat turned up and preced to start picking up its hall of pots (We had to swim away as he came within 10 metres, he had already seen us but a second confrontation with a boat this summer was not that fun lol). It was grim to see there were no lobster in his pots... Even so, we carried on diving and things were far better than our expectations as the canny lobster seemed to have moved a few metres deeper and away from the line of pots...I counted 8 in this one place and my brother I guess the same. 1 lobster each for tea was enough for us as we went home fishless. Hopefully will be getting in a few more times before even the mullet dissappear boo hoo!

Nice to meet you aswell Pembroke!

cheers chris nice to meet legends lol, look after my anchor, pick it up next time we meet, where do you two hail from

 

[winky]

cheers chris nice to meet legends lol, look after my anchor, pick it up next time we meet, where do you two hail from

Like my bro said - good to meet you! The anchor is safely tucked away in my car awaiting our next meet! I'm currently living in Taunton and my brother is in Cardiff so not the best places to be based for spearing - at least we've two places mid point to stay between wales and the south coast so it works quite well really.

 

[DafyddRees]

Hmm... I sense somebody may have caught a FoM today...

 

[Broseidon]

A trigger fish!?!? Do we even get those in Wales!??!

 

[sunfish]

A trigger fish!?!? Do we even get those in Wales!??!

Now you do.

 

[Broseidon]

Now you do.

Must be some of that thar global warmings :waterwork

 

[ben]

Actually triggers have been in Welsh waters for a long time! dont believe for one moment that they are turning up because the water is warming.

Lobster potters around the Pembs coast have always caught them in their pots... in fact the old lobster potters will tell you that they actually catch fewer these days than they used to........ maybe an indcation that waters are cooling..... who knows?

 

[tecdave]

Dived a few times last weekend. Got a few nice late season fish including triggers, 4lb Bass and a few mullet, also got some good pollack on Sunday. First off was a 5lb 8oz fish from 10m then at the end of the day I got this monster!! I was lying in the kelp at about 7m when after 40seconds this brute just rose out of the kelp and started to swim off. I sent the steel through him and he just rolled over without even a twitch!! I hit the surface and realised it was a good fish. Back at home it went 11lb 4oz and is a new pb beating my 10lb 15oz one of last year.
Made a great end to a really good season.

Dave

 

[sunfish]

Well done Tecdave!!! Pollack rule mate. (Bet your heart was in your mouth when he rose out of the kelps!).

 

[DafyddRees]

I definately predicted there was going to be a fish of the month...hah. Cracking fish mate, made all the sweeter because of steves dry spell! Speak soon