Spearing north wales

[Doc]

Hi
Just back from a weekend at Abersoch with my son who was racing dinghies. Jumped in and was amazed at the viz and being mobbed by Hoodlum Bass with a few mullett
Ended up with 8 bass and a mullett all nice size.
The Beach Patrol guy was really nice and I gave him one for Supper. The rest "paid " for my accommodation in a friends rented cottage. Big spider crab just to top off the BBQ>
There is a disused surface water outfall pipe they seemed to patrol along . I even got two lined up on the same shot!!
Park at the Harbour and swim round from the little beach Rather than use the main beach to avoid the loonies on jet skis

Broke my wishbone though. Is a heavy mono good enough or do I need another jointed one
No pics sorry

[Spaniard]

Originally Posted by Doc

Hi
Just back from a weekend at Abersoch with my son who was racing dinghies. Jumped in and was amazed at the viz and being mobbed by Hoodlum Bass with a few mullett
Ended up with 8 bass and a mullett all nice size.
The Beach Patrol guy was really nice and I gave him one for Supper. The rest "paid " for my accommodation in a friends rented cottage. Big spider crab just to top off the BBQ>
There is a disused surface water outfall pipe they seemed to patrol along . I even got two lined up on the same shot!!
Park at the Harbour and swim round from the little beach Rather than use the main beach to avoid the loonies on jet skis

Broke my wishbone though. Is a heavy mono good enough or do I need another jointed one
No pics sorry

Use dyneema if you wish but mono won't last very long........

[eckaflx]

Hi Doc,
Thanks so much for your account! I've been freediving around the St Tudwals islands just off Abersoch for several years now, and bought a speargun last summer. I've not had much luck yet, but dismissed the area you mentioned because I assumed there would be too much boat traffic. I'm heading down there next weekend, so I will check it out.
Thanks again for the valuable info!! Much appreciated!!

[Doc]

Thanks. What sort of diameter 2mm or heavier??
I only used the mono as thats the spear line so I bit off a bit and used a stopper knot on the screw on bit as a jury rig. The original was a jointed wishbone which looked fairly bombproof but obviously not.
Hes off to weymouth next weekend so a trip to portland oceaneering needed maybe.

[Doc]

oops 2 replies in a row
Youll need to head into town and bear left to the car park by the small pier guarding the harbour. Get there early before the grockles arrive!!not many spaces
Hit the beach and follow the rocks seaward till you get to the point and the pipe heads out to a marker offshore. Not deep max depth probably only 20 feet. just sink and hold onto the pipe or mountings
Seemed best on last quarter of the rising tide. They wre coming in like Burburry Boys in a gang!whoosh
Try to stay away from the sailing club jetty as they have loads of boat traffic and its private. Have a look in the broken pipe ends too lovley prawns.
Steve

[eckaflx]

Smashing! I know precisely where you mean.
Thanks again, Steve.

[Pastor]

You got lucky with the weather Doc, it turned pretty nasty up here on Sunday
Glad you liked the North Wales experience delinquent Bass abound here Shools of them are very common, usually being either very young fish or more commonly fish in the 2lb - 5lb range, I supose like everywhere else the bigger ones are more lonesome creatures. Ive being doing something similar to blue water hunting (or should that be gray/green?) in the current. I dive to about 7m and drifting along, had some cracking fish this last couple of weeks. My mate got 2 with one shot last week on a wreck

[Spaniard]

Originally Posted by Doc

Thanks. What sort of diameter 2mm or heavier??
I only used the mono as thats the spear line so I bit off a bit and used a stopper knot on the screw on bit as a jury rig. The original was a jointed wishbone which looked fairly bombproof but obviously not.
Hes off to weymouth next weekend so a trip to portland oceaneering needed maybe.

2 mm Dyneema is fine; keep using the jointed wishbones if you like them - they will eventually break however articulated they are, but last much longer than standard wishbones. Dyneema is so much cheaper and once you learn how to use in conjunction with bulk rubber it is much more economical. Try searching threads because plenty of guys have posted pictures of how to tie the right knots and how to attach to rubbers etc. etc.

[tecdave]

Hey pastor,

What areas do you usually spear?? most of our hunting is done on the north coast of the lleyn or Angelsey.
Have you had any good fish this year yet?? I havent got in this year yet as only just got back into the country, cant wait for Monday!!

[Doc]

Hi pastor.
Yes the weather has turned wet but the kids were still racing and I was warmer in the water than the other parents huddling on the beach. Got 3 bass and a mullett that day.The sailing club even gave me a bit of ice to keep them on for the trip home to Gus.
Spaniard thank for the tip. I managed to get the broken wire out of the threaded cups so just a stopper knot and screwed it all together. Did it in the water and fairly easy so it may be my back up for the future

[Pastor]

Hi Dave
I'm over at Rhosneigr, Anglesey, never actually been to the Lleyn. We do a lot of boat diving as well as shore, been a bit slow this year so far, I think it was a bit slow warming up. I wacked a 11lber last week by pure chance in shallow water on a shore dive, otherwise 3 - 5lbs average.
Whats on Monday?

[tecdave]

Pastor,

Am off to the lleyn on monday with John Moorcroft, should be good if this wind dies down!!
Have Had a few 8lbs Bass a few years ago but have been in New zealand (again!!) for the last 19 months, no bass but loads of wicked spearing!!

Have had a few bass from the trearddur area and am geting a kayak in the next few weeks so will try a few of the reefs further offshore.

Have a look at this old article by john, a realy good day!
http://www.deeperblue.net/article.php/566/46

Would be cool to catch up with you if your up for it?

Dave

[Pastor]

Originally Posted by tecdave

have been in New zealand (again!!) for the last 19 months, no bass but loads of wicked spearing!!

I can see that from your avatar

Have had a few bass from the trearddur area and am geting a kayak in the next few weeks so will try a few of the reefs further offshore.

Have a look at this old article by john, a realy good day!
http://www.deeperblue.net/article.php/566/46

Would be cool to catch up with you if your up for it?

There are some good reefs offshore from Trearddur bay, Maen Piscar springs to mind, about 3 miles out but the top dries out on low springs and Garreg Goch a mile out from Rhosneigr (always wet) a cracking drift dive ideal with a kayak

Yeah I remember reading that when it was first published, sounded like a good day out.

If you want to hook up then yeah, great. There are 4 regular spearo's in the village so if we can get us all free

[eckaflx]

Just back from my summer hols on the Llyn....and speared my first ever bass!
I know its no 10lb monster, but it was the perfect BBQ size and I got a couple of good meals out of it.
My second trip yealded a similar size fish, but I didn't have a camera for that one.
My third trip was pretty sucessful also. I managed to bag the two grey mullet in the picture below.

After a couple of years of trying, they are the first fish I have caught with a speargun....

.....I was over the moon!!

1st Ever Bass.jpg Spearfished Mullet.jpg

[tecdave]

Nice fish perfect size that. Am off to west wales today for a few days and then down the lleyn, may have to give Abersoch a go Was there many Bass about?? would like to try the other end of the beach as well (lifeboat slip) they get some good fish rod caught there.

Have been out a few times in the last week but only 2 small bass to show for it. John got a nice one around 4lb from a spot pastor showed me!! cheers mate!

Pastor, will be around Bangor for monday tuesday if you fancy a dive?? will call you when am up on Sunday freediving in the quarry.