Cornwall 2007!

[Pav]

Napper, beware of Crabs, I wouldn't be as bold as I would with a lobster!
I take great precautions removing crabs from under ledges. They can push hard against the top / bottom of a crack and cannot be moved. I would not like to get my hand stuck between the crab and rock! , imagine it could become serious very quickly.

I have great fun hunting lobster. My only fear was sticking my head into a congers home which eventually happened last year. Conger was as shocked as I was (I like to think). I was amused by the boldness of my buddy on the surface until I had him infront of the hole and ready to dive. rofl

I've only once seen a lobster on the ocean floor. They are usually hiding. , and a lot of time can be wasted trying to coax them out as the tide gets deeper. They don't tend to move however. I once gave up and went back the following day having marked the entrance of a hole with rocks to retrieve the stubborn lobster.

 

[James T]

Napper, beware of Crabs, I wouldn't be as bold as I would with a lobster!
I take great precautions removing crabs from under ledges. They can push hard against the top / bottom of a crack and cannot be moved. I would not like to get my hand stuck between the crab and rock! , imagine it could become serious very quickly.

I have great fun hunting lobster. My only fear was sticking my head into a congers home which eventually happened last year. Conger was as shocked as I was (I like to think). I was amused by the boldness of my buddy on the surface until I had him infront of the hole and ready to dive. rofl

I've only once seen a lobster on the ocean floor. They are usually hiding. , and a lot of time can be wasted trying to coax them out as the tide gets deeper. They don't tend to move however. I once gave up and went back the following day having marked the entrance of a hole with rocks to retrieve the stubborn lobster.

Seems obvious when I read what you say about marking a spot with rocks so you can come back when snappy has relaxed again Pav - but I hadn't thought about that before - nice one.

 

[tribs]

Hi all

Anywhere worth alook near Bude this weekend? having a romantic break away + spearo time. Suggestions?

Tribs

Out

 

[foxfish]

Yep but not sure if I could get away with them on an open forum - maybe take your wet suit off before you get in bed!!!

 

[Pastor]

Yep but not sure if I could get away with them on an open forum - maybe take your wet suit off before you get in bed!!!

roflroflrofl

 

[MrCoombe]

I hear on the grapevine there's supposed to be a small swell coming into the northcoast this weekend, only couple foot though and fairly big tides. Not sure how sheltered it is up there though bit of a trek for me

 

[Pav]

Swell due tonight! Have swapped the speargun for my board before leaving for work ;>)

It has been onshore for a few days so churned up, although the winds as of yesterday were swinging to NE so possible it may be clear enough depending on the swell size.

I'd put your stuff in. You get good views around Bude from the cliffs so its pretty easy to gauge the viz.

 

[Pav]

I trust you know this one Tribs;

Bude Surf Report, Surf Forecast and Surf Webcams

 

[dave]

Got in for a quick south coast boat dive last night. Water was very green, 6-10' visibility. First spot was very quiet, so I moved on to a wreck. Very fishy, lots of small bass, and some decent pollack. I took 3, biggest was 9.7lb
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

 

[sunfish]

Nice pollack again Dave. Do you check their stomachs when you gut them? I'm curious as I always do myself and "big bellied" fish like these often contain whole mackeral.
I'm a bit obsessive and weigh fish on a Berkely digital, then enter weight and stomach contents in a diary when I get home. There seems to be a sort of pattern with pollack here. In spring before sandeel time they are often stuffed with pipefish and prawns.Occasionaly a crab or two. Once sandeels are there in numbers they eat those and other small fish, then at some point in summer the fish over 4-5lbs sometimes feed on whole mackeral, often quite big ones. By the way, have you posted a picture of your 12.76 pollack anywhere? If you have, it's a fish I'd love to see.

 

[dave]

very dodgy photo of the pollack!
I used to check stomach contents all the time, but these days I normally just fillet fish without gutting them.
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

 

[foxfish]

Nice fish Dave, I am with you on the no gut boneless fillet method.

 

[sunfish]

Cracking fish Dave, thanks for that. Put it on Medfish if you haven't already. It's also eligable for a world record on the IUSA site. I'd like to see this claimed. Pollack is one of the few records we've any chance of taking in the UK or Ireland. Bluefin tuna is another but thats another story altogether.

 

[foxfish]

I think Dave has a bigger one up in the hall of fame?

 

[gutshot]

very dodgy photo of the pollack!
I used to check stomach contents all the time, but these days I normally just fillet fish without gutting them.
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

Just a quick question. Did that even fit into your cool box??? Nice fish.

Now for another question. I have seen a few post mentioning not gutting if you are only going to take the fillet. What is the benift? I always scale and gut the fish inwater and then fillet back home. I guess it could just be my way of filleting but dont you end up catching the guts with the knife while filleting? Surely this could get a little messy depending on the contents of the gut?

Thanks

 

[dave]

Just a quick question. Did that even fit into your cool box???

I didn't buy a 100litre eski for nothing.................

If I am out on the boat, I have ice to put the fish on straight away, so gutting is not so time critical. I often fillet everything while still out on the water, so as to avoid having to dispose of bags of stinky fish bits (and avoid being told off for covering the kitchen in blood and scales)
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

 

[SurfnSpear]

Dave, you get the blood going for a Pollack hunt with those beauties. I enjoyed diving a wreck off Plymouth with John Penrith a little while back where there were some massive ones just swirling and I wished I could take a few. Problem was that we were camping and did not have much ice for the trip and decided to keep the space for the other fish. In hindsight maybe just taking the big fillets off might have worked though.
cheers

 

[foxfish]

Now for another question. I have seen a few post mentioning not gutting if you are only going to take the fillet. What is the benift? I always scale and gut the fish inwater and then fillet back home. I guess it could just be my way of filleting but dont you end up catching the guts with the knife while filleting? Surely this could get a little messy depending on the contents of the gut?

Thanks

I dont count a fillet as something containing bones & as I fillet over the ribcage the gut remains in place. Filleting fish is one of those things better demonstrated than told.
Fishmongers normally cut through the ribcage & sell the flesh complete with bones for obvious reasons - £££s
Mackerel & other small round fish are slightly different in that you remove the whole side & then cut out the ribcage but there is still no reason to gut.
If you want to cook the fish whole (because you cant fillet?) then remove the gut ASP. Flatfish require & deserve a bit more attention.
Interestingly many older cook books suggest hanging fish for a day or two with the gut intact but times change as do fashions.

 

[sunfish]

Daves fish on Medfish is listed as 10lbs, not 10k. The one on this thread is 12.76lbs.

 

[gutshot]

I dont count a fillet as something containing bones & as I fillet over the ribcage the gut remains in place. Filleting fish is one of those things better demonstrated than told.
Fishmongers normally cut through the ribcage & sell the flesh complete with bones for obvious reasons - £££s
Mackerel & other small round fish are slightly different in that you remove the whole side & then cut out the ribcage but there is still no reason to gut.
If you want to cook the fish whole (because you cant fillet?) then remove the gut ASP. Flatfish require & deserve a bit more attention.
Interestingly many older cook books suggest hanging fish for a day or two with the gut intact but times change as do fashions.

Filleting is not a problem but everyone has their own preferred way. I go in from the top and follow the spine right across the top. Then, (and this is why i asked about gutting) just back from the ribcage i push the knife in just over the spine and thru so it comes out the stomach and follow the spine back to the tail. Then, pealing the fillet back, i come back towards the head locating the ribs and slice them out. By the time i finish i usually pick out about 2 or 3 pin bones and leave very little meat on the remains.

Ok this may sound awkward to some but it is the easiest way i have found. I think i take slightly longer to fillet fish that other who i have talked to but i know that by the time i have finished i never have to worry about finding bones in a meal which is sometime i feel strongly about as 2 of my 3 children sometimes eat the bass with us. Also as mentioned virtually all meat is removed so there is no waste (i dont use the remains for fish stock)

Cheers