Cornwall 2007!

[James T]

I also have been getting ear infections, i just have to stop diving when i get one but they normally go away after 3 days.

Its the opposite at my spots down torquay bass but no mullet!.

Matt - I don't normally get ear infections in the Uk - but I get one almost witout fail when in warmer waters. The guys I know that spearfish regularly in the med often do two things: pour olive oil in their ears to help soften any crusty wax and make sure there is a good barrier against bugs(honest) and then second when you get out you can pour a watered down solution of white wine vinegar to clean out any muck that has got in (this is alot cheaper and almost identical to some spray on stuff called ear calm that I started using until my doctor told me about the white wine vinegar.)

Finally there are these vented ear plugs called proplugs which are designed for use in diving/surfing etc. Now I know you are not meant to put things in your ears when you dive - but these vented ones are designed for diving - they simply stop the sea water from washing away your protective waxes - which is when the bugs living in the ear or introduced by the sea, attack the outer ear canal. The other good thing about the plugs is that some people get a vertigo like symptom and pain when really cold water hits the ear drum - the plugs stop that too. Might not be for everyone but I use them in warm water - when I remember...

 

[Pav]

anymore info on vented proplugs?

My ears are critical! They don't warrent drilling, but the doctor has said take all precuations! I am worringly getting ear infections more frequently. They are being treated by antibiotic drops or tablets depending on how bad they are....

not nice, and just a bit worrying as I surf, spearfish and canoe, and can't every imagine a lifestyle where I am not having cold water rammed down my ear canals!... but then this is possible the outcome of 20+yrs of abuse , so my little one will be educated in the use of ear putty, at least when surfing.

 

[dave]

Doc's Proplugs: The Doctor's Choice for Ear Protection
I have used them in the past. For surfing they are much better than ear putty, as they dont give you that "blocked up heavy cold" feeling that putty does.
I dived south coast on Saturday, took the boat out to an offshore reef I've not done before, 30ft viz, and got 2 nice pollack (5lb) and 2 bass (3lb and 4.5lb). Lots and lots of schoolies up to about 2lb around. The bass are certainly early this year
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

 

[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)

 

[Jez]

We're all suffering 'blooming' water up here in Devon.

Is the viz ok down Cornwall at the moment? At least, around Plymouth Sound?

Ta

 

[Huw]

Seems fair around here still jez about 20ft... but thats Fowey, so no idea about Plymouth.

 

[Mr. X]

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:
...
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)

Sh*t. I find that rather disheartening. Might be worth posting that on the new Gower thread. Seems particularly lame given they aren't even implementing Berty Bradshaws 40cm bass limit on the English for net caught bass.

[More fishing business for Sussex, Hants, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall & the Channel Islands?]

 

[Trelawney]

We're all suffering 'blooming' water up here in Devon.

Is the viz ok down Cornwall at the moment? At least, around Plymouth Sound?

Ta

Its pretty clear at the moment, well, up until today when the wind blew a bit of a swell up. Had no problems at Downderry last Friday. 7-8m viz.

 

[badlander]

Not a lot of spearing done lately...just got my new board so the surfs been getting a going over.Really want to get in today somewhere but looks like conditions have other ideas.Anyone else been/going today?

 

[Doc]

In yesterday at bovisand ledges. murky close in but up to 5-6m in the deeper water till the tide turned . pea soup thereafter!!
bass NADA!

 

[Spiderman]

My family have summoned me to spend a few days with them in Wadebridge at the end of May. If I should get an hour or two free for some spearing where is the best place to head for?

 

[Huw]

Well... you have quite a few options, but if you graba map, you can easily get here to Fowey in about 20-30mins, and there are loads of small coves and inlets that provide great entry and exit points. Basically look at the fowey estuary on google earth or google maps, and it'll be easy enough to pick out a few places.

There are loads of other places too, but i knwo this area very well, so i can point you in the right direction once you have loked into it briefly. Others on here will probably be able to give you alot better info, but my time is very restricted at the moment... EXAMS over the next few months

All the best,
Huw

 

[Lou]

The Bass have finally got to Fowey!

Strange day out - decided to run the boat out of fowey and viz was crap around Par, reason was a plankton plume with two Basking Sharks! Chuffed to have seen them but no point hunting. Then crossed the bay to the Lantic bay area and got 6m viz, could see the bottom from the boat. Saw 5 Bass, shot one. 3lb. Cracking day out though tomorrow it looks like the weather is really gonna close in. And I seriously need a proper suit - surf suit is just holding off the hypothermia!!

 

[SurfnSpear]

Newquay Report. First dive in a while for me. Well, I dived last night off the pentire headland with not much going on except 2 edible crabs that are now in the fridge. Saw an incredible amount of spider crabs and quite a few very chunky wrasse. This morning dived the low tide at Little Fistral and had 3m vis. The mullet were there immediately off the beach some shy single bass further away. I had 1 mullet while my buddy Rowan got 4 about 2-3lb. I have decided to make a Boullabaise and it's been a long winters wait so I also took a 5lb wrasse. Then just as I headed back to the beach the first sea bass arrived and I managed one about 3lb which was great start back.
Some friends also went out line fishing off the huers hut and had a huge haul of mackerel, some pollack and a bass. Reports from the rods on the rocks are positive with good early catches being made.
Must go, need to go get some mackeral now..

 

[spearheads]

Low viz and basking sharks, this sounds stupid but could one swallow you if it didn't spot you in the low viz!!. Well i know it wouldn't swallow you but could you possibly go in its mouth.rofl

 

[badlander]

Well done guys...nice to hear theres been some action going on.
Went down to Kennack today and had a sniff about on the dropping tide,didn't see a great deal though....one mullet which i didn't take and a bass that was way too small.Viz was okay at about 3-5 meters.
I was a bit miffed about blanking so i nipped over and checked Trevellas as it came up and it looked okay vis wise so i gave it a crack....saw some huge wrasse and then the mullet showed up and nabbed one.....then i noticed a few bass in with the mullet but they never really got to shooting size sadly....anyway,got 3 mullet in the end.Vis was surprisingly good also at 5m.

 

[Huw]

Nice to hear everyone is getting into fish! Petey H and I got in on Friday around 4ish. Saw little for the first hour or so, but as the tide started to really get flowing in, we started to see the bass. Pete took the first one with a shot that really stretched the ranged of his 90cm gabbiano... the flopper just about passed through the fish!!


As pete was stringing his catch, i carried on hunting, and noticed a very nice fish below me in a gully, so i lined up the gun, and was sure of a kill, but some how pulled the trigger and watched the fish dissapear off into the gloom .

Confused and a little baffled, I began to load up, but as I was doing so, the tide started to pull me out a little way from the rocks we were fishing, I wasn't too bothered as the current wasn't particularly strong, but suddenly a large silver flash caught my eye! I looked up from loading my gun, and was confronted by a large shoal (15 - perhaps 20) of BIG BIG bass - definatley the largest I have seen. I know it is probably easy to exaggerate in situations such as this, but these were really magnificent fish, i reckon that some of them could have been touching double figures ( they were FAR bigger than my esclapez fins). I snapped back into acton... frantically trying to reload, all the time glancing up to see a wall of fish circling me, but when the click of the wishbone into the spear was complete, i looked up to see nothing at all .


I remeber thinking at the time about all of the techniques i had read on here and in books, about how to draw the fish in... should i make throat noises... dive down, hit some rocks, throw some sand????

In the end, i swam to some rocks not too far away, and clung to the weed and ran my thumb down the rubbers to make a noise, as i had seen to be so effective in many spearing clips online... no avail!

A short while later, with the whole thing running through my head, i spotted two fair sized bass, and at last i struck into one... just above the gill plate... no big struggle... practically stoned... at least i didnt go home empty handed

Good dive, but the algae was starting to kick up, and now (sunday) the same spot looks extremely cloudy... plus there seems to be quitre a swell coming in.

It may have (unfortunately) been my last dive for a while now, so i shall just have to be reading all of your reports with envy (and dreaming of the shoal that got away)!

Huw.

 

[Mr. X]

Great post Huw.

...I looked up from loading my gun, and was confronted by a large shoal (15 - perhaps 20) of BIG BIG bass - definitley the largest I have seen. I know it is probably easy to exaggerate in situations such as this, but these were really magnificent fish, i reckon that some of them could have been touching double figures ( they were FAR bigger than my esclapez fins). I snapped back into acton... frantically trying to reload, all the time glancing up to see a wall of fish circling me, but when the click of the wishbone into the spear was complete, I looked up to see nothing at all .

Happens to me all the time ... then I wake up!

I'd be interested to hear anybody has had success using noises to attract bass. On blank (usually murky) days I have tried a few things (click, bubbles, scratching, twanging the spear string,....), in desperation really, but to no avail -- I suspect it is more likely to frighten them away. I think Spaghetti posted some tips last year on sound tricks they use in the Med.

It might be worth just looking around, in cover, nearby. Last year I saw a group of 3 large bass return to near the area where I came face to face with them a few minutes earlier. I saw them in a shallow gulley between surface boulders - very close (still can't believe I didn't hit the middle one). I turned around, saw a different bass in an open, shallow area to my side. Before leaving the rocky area, I just waited against a large surface boulder (for cover) where I had entered, looking out into the open deeper water -- in a short time (20-30 seconds maybe) the 3 large bass swam by. They obviously hadn't gone far away ... perhaps they were trying to check me out from a different angle (and safer distance)? [Already had a bass on the stringer, the look/smell of which might have attracted their curiosity].

Good luck with the exams Huw. With the murk here, you won't be hearing much from me...decided not to bother this long weekend (murk, wind, rain & circumstances combined to thwart all plans, even for rod fishing!).

 

[dave]

Noises do sometimes work to attract bass, but they are not a magic solution. Everthing else has to be right first. It is a bit like camo suits, squid muppets etc. Of course there also have to be bass around to hear the noise.
Like everything else in spearfishing it all comes down to time in the water
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

 

[spaghetti]

Great post Huw.Happens to me all the time ... then I wake up!

I'd be interested to hear anybody has had success using noises to attract bass. On blank (usually murky) days I have tried a few things (click, bubbles, scratching, twanging the spear string,....), in desperation really, but to no avail -- I suspect it is more likely to frighten them away. I think Spaghetti posted some tips last year on sound tricks they use in the Med.

All Dave said! And moreover:
There's no scientific evidence that acoustic signals actually do attract fish, but sometimes they do, and after all they make some logical sense.
For example, for Breams, Sargo and Gilthead we use teeth grinding to make a "rat-tat-tat" sound, or slap your tongue for a "clop-clop" sound, which are quite similar to the sound made by the same fish when they break shells and sea urchins to eat. So if you "rat-tat-tat" your teeth, the breams may be led to think that it's worth to come and see if there's something to chew for them.
The traditional attractive sounds for Bass don't have such a simple and logical explanation, but they're widely used here in the Med so there must be a reason why. Here they go:
Firslty, when hunting bass you have to follow the general rule to have the current from your back whenever possible, so that the current will bring the attractive sounds farther towards the fish (predators like bass hunt against current, so they will go to the source of the sound swimming against current). At the same time you have to be very stealthy: if too much noise and splashing, the ongoing current will play against you.
However, bass are said to be attracted if, when you start your dive, you give a gentle slap with your hand to the surface of water. (I guess it must himitate the sound of an escaping prey).
When you hunt bass with the aspetto technique (you hide motionless on the bottom), the bass seem to be attracted if you release a few bubbles of air from your mouth (not from the snorkel): bass are naturally courious and sometimes will come closer to investigate. Less used used, but still used, are other sounds such as the "clop-clop" with your tongue and a deep "Goo-goo" from your throat. No certainty the fish will come closer, but for sure they will think you must be some funny bugger