Cornwall 2008.

[diver9]

Just got back from a couple of hours spearing - really choppy but still doable - viz still surprisingly good even with the chop. Got a nce bass and a nice mullet - looks like fish pie tomorrow!

Saw a large bass swimming around but he was just out of range by the time I was ready to fire. Had a great dive and really enjoyed it - hope the wind direction switches.

Good Luck and stay safe

 

[scottwilson]

Hi diver9 good job on the fish mate. Im planning a trip around looe tomorrow if theres any viz, any advice mate.

 

[Kernowsniper]

Hey all.. thanks for the comments on the fish.. still so stoked on that hunt! rofl

Went in at Portmellon today and saw a few big mullet and 2 ok-ish bass but didn't manage to get any shots off. Found that the vis was worse today than yesterday.. but still very do-able.

Came accross a John Dory on the way back in but he was only small so I just swam with him for a while.. I hear they're good to eat.. but have no idea of legal size??

To finish up I found a mask and snorkel in the kelp.. got me wondering wher the diver had gone?!?!

Gonna get back in 2moro.. hopefully the wind and sun should be more favourable

Stay safe.. J

 

[gutshot]

Not sure if you are laughing at someone elses loss or didn't read the thread before but the mask is something to do with Mrcoombe. Check back to the page before this one. Just ignore me if my beer has clouded my jugement tonight. God bless the Stella.

Diver9, Pav is spot on with what he said. Never pull a fish to you. If the flopper on your gun does not open the spear will pull thru. On a gutshot if the fish hits the kelp and hides you will tear it off if he is tangled in the kelp. Do use a line to a float though else you will lose your gun. I use a reel if i am diving from my kayak or a float if shore diving but i can't remember the last time i lost a fish. The mullet the other night was a bad shot which hit it thru the guts. I would have lost him had i pulled!

The wind forcast is a little too strong for anything too far out on the kayak but spearflap wants me to hold his hand while we fish for mackeral. I WILL NOT come back in with out a good catch of fish. I guess this may be the last time i post. It has been fun.!!

 

[diver9]

Thanks all for the advice on letting the gun go - I did this today and no probs even with a large mullet.

Scott - I would try around the island although when I used to fsh there I would prefer to go to Talland which should be a little in the lee on the west side.

If you do go around the island beware about the seals although unfortunately Nelson died 3 or 4 years ago - we used to feed him mackarel from the boat and in th eend he was so blind we had to bang the side of the boat with the fish so that he could get a feed.....I found him dead at hannafore a few weeks after I had last fed him....he did have a good innings though.

Good luck and stay safe

 

[Kernowsniper]

Not sure if you are laughing at someone elses loss or didn't read the thread before but the mask is something to do with Mrcoombe. Check back to the page before this one.

Just read back.. I must have missed that bit.. Definately not laughing at your loss MrCoombe.. I got the mask and snorkel here if ya still want it.. or is it finders keepers?

Incidentally was it a couple of you guys on a boat yesterday who came up and say hello in Portmellon yesterday?

Anyways.. Looks like a week of sunny weather ahead.. good stuff!

 

[REddie]

Had a great day out at vault beach yesterday with Mrs and dog, although the fishing was very frustrating......

Vis was great (about 6-8m) and I fished (I use this term loosely) the ebbing tidedown to LT. Throughout a 3 hr swim I came across several bass in the shallows in that typical 'don't bother me I'm sunbathing' trance-like state but I could not hit a sodding one of them - from a distance of about 3 feet!!!. So after scattering some great 3-4lb fish to the four corners, and not to be deterred, I headed off into some deeper water in the hope of finding some bass on the move; hopefully so they could come and find me if things went OK. Well, the bass were once again very obliging and in they came to within a distance of 2-3m and ...... yes you've guessed it, I missed one after another. I even got out of the water to check my spear wasn't bent.
Still as I said it was a great day diving and the vis was terrific.

The fact that I couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo was bugging me all the way home- so much so that I set my alarm for early o'clock this morning to even the score. On arrival the vis had dropped to about 3-5m, which, to be honest, i prefer. All I had to do now was find the bass which were probably still laughing at me - not a one to be seen anywhere. Only after an hour and a half did a pair of shootable bass cruise out of the green, and thank Neptune, I hit one - and as luck would have it the one I was aiming for. What a relief! It just goes to show that being relaxed is everything. After breaking my duck a decent pollack also ended up in my fridge for fish gujons - kids love 'em.

I suppose that's why it's still called spearfishing and not just spearing. I'm off to book an appointment with my optician on Monday!

The vis was getting worse the whole time I was in as the swell was building after last night's SSW winds, but it should stay fishable in the usual spots. I'm off to the pub now at Port Gaverne. If the vis has cleared on the North I'll let you know.

Eddie

 

[gutshot]

Had a couple of dives today with spearflap. First one was offshore which was very similar to the other day. Loads of swell and wind and the viz was about 4m. Loads of bass about and came out with 2. One about 2 1/2 - 3 lb and one upto 4lb. Came in as the current was getting up and the conditions were bad and very uncomfortable!

After a pasty took the kayaks out again for what we could have really done as a shore dive but fancied a paddle too. Just after getting into the water a boat looked like it was heading right at me, at the same time i looked down to see a bass swimming around me. Well he did for a short time till he ended up on my spear. Later for a lobster taking a relaxed walk between 2 sections of reef. He never did make it to his destination.

Very nice evening tonight. Just watched Pacific Abyss while troffing down freshly cook lobster, washed down by a stella.

 

[Kernowsniper]

Nice one for eventually bagging a bass today REddie

I too went to Vault and this afternoon the swell had picked up enough to make vis a lot poorer than the lst few days.. but still very do-able.. so I hit the south end of the beach and went as far as I could towards the headland.. to my surprise saw not much at all.. not a single bass but had fun exploring new territory anyways. Vis got worse the further I went which was annoying.. so I turned round.

On the way back did some hunting in the kelpy caves and found a lobster that was a good enough size to take so had him and thought on that note I'd go home.. then just as I got to the shore I saw another good size plaice/flounder (I am really not sure?!) and he to went in the pot for the BBQ dinner. Yum!

Anyways.. Heres a quick edit (my 1st!) I made of todays antics! (been using a GoPro Hero cam attacthed to the gun.. seems to work pretty well!) Stay safe all.

 

[diver9]

Sniper - nice vid - I used to dive vault when I was still an emit and my family live in Gorran Haven so it is somewhere I know is a great dive although it is a pain to take the kids and all the kit to ( 2, 4 and 8 year old) so we have not done it recently.

As far as the flounder/plaice are concerned - the plaice lateral line is straight (or reasonably) whereas the flounder has a distinct kink just behind the head. I know they seem to produce hybrids as I have had flounder with orange spots only smaller than I would expect on a plaice - usually at Talland.

Nice one - stay safe

 

[Kernowsniper]

As far as the flounder/plaice are concerned - the plaice lateral line is straight (or reasonably) whereas the flounder has a distinct kink just behind the head.

Thanks for that Diver9.. its always good to kow what you're eating

 

[Doc]

I am considering approaching my local pools (Liskeard / Looe / Saltash region) as to wether they would allow a small group to have a lane or 2 to train with fins and masks. I reckon it would be more fun and likely to get the nod if there was a small group interested. Anyone up for it?:hmm

why not try octopush in plymouth at central park tuesday nights 9-10pm. Basically underwater hockey with fins , very anaerobic stuff.
I've not been there for a bit as my shoulder is knackered from a charity rugby match. 1st in 15 years with a plate in my neck. i should know better really!!

 

[Padaxes]

Got in today on the South Coast, the visibility was variable... How do you guys measure visibility ? How far you can see of how far you can see clearly ? It was strange today I could see about 3-4m but it was not clear...

Anyway got a nice 4lb mullet and unfortunatley lost my first Bass to tearing. I followed the advice on the forum and dropped my gun and it made a dash for open water, I managed to grab it but got stabbed like bastard by its spikes loostened my grip enough for it to get loose and it ripped right off the teather. Gave chase but it was long gone. Really pissed off Would have been alright if the spear hadnt gone right through it, but still wasnt a good shot

 

[scottwilson]

Padaxe 9 out of 10 times I grab the fish by its head and slip my hands up into its gills,once you got the fish like that there is very little chance of him wriggling out of your grip. with mullet I remove the red gills as soon as possbile as they can be a nightmare to control.

 

[diver9]

Padaxes, do you where gloves??? I use beaver gloves with a suede palm and they are perfect reef gloves ideal for handling most sharp critters! I have had the same problem before and it is just a case of persevering I am afraid.

My first bass this year was strange, I shot it at distance with my omer 75 pneumatic and hit it in the side at which point it went bananas and flew all over the place before diving into the weed. I managed to get it and despatched it then realised the spear had not even penetrated but had hit it smack on the lateral line which must have overloaded its brain sending it into spasms!

Good luck all, I am hoping to get in today before meeting up with REddie on Sunday....Stay Safe

 

[Padaxes]

Yeah I grabbed it hoping to get it by the gills but messed it up, I do wear gloves diver9 but I need new ones Mine got worn out by my pole spear so arnt much cop, I see fancy looking kevlar ones online are they any good ?

 

[googlyfloogly]

why not try octopush in plymouth at central park tuesday nights 9-10pm. Basically underwater hockey with fins , very anaerobic stuff.
I've not been there for a bit as my shoulder is knackered from a charity rugby match. 1st in 15 years with a plate in my neck. i should know better really!!

Thanks. Sounds so comletely crazy that I will have to give it a go, at least the once.

 

[diver9]

Personally I have not tried the kevlar ones but today my new ones arrived today from 2dive4. They cost me just over £20 including postage and they are brilliant although I have the extra large as they seem quite small fitting glove.

Take a look at the website and PM me if you cannot find them online.

On an aside, I have just got out of the water and although it was an absolute millpond the viz was stangely bad! The top surface about 1-3 feet deep was cloudy and hazy and then there was also what appeared to be more bloom over the kelp. The result of this was that you had to dive down to see anything which was a little awkward at time. In over an hours dive I saw wrasse and small pollack but no mullet or Bass whcih is strange!

Anyway due out again SUnday so hopefully this odd viz will improve.

Stay Safe

 

[badlander]

Had a dive this morning over at maenporth.Got in the water at about 6:30 and it was pretty gloomy out there and the vis was 4m ish.Not a great deal going on....a small bass in the first area so i finned it down the way a bit and had little joy down there either.The fish were grouped together with heaps of wrasse and pollock and a couple bass thrown in.Worked pretty hard but eventually gave up.Not a total loss though as i found a mini kayak fishing rod in the kelp,can't have been in long as it's in perfect nick.Would have prefered a nice bass though!Might give sunday a go down lizard way.

 

[MrCoombe]

Went in around fal on thursday but was terrible, vis bad red weed everywhere (what is this?) barely saw anything apart from skitish little pollack and wrasse, the water had an odd murk to it to, a bit creepy.

Popped in today with some mates, kinda crashed a family do, and took the spear in, becasue i was with lots of people anytime a half decent sized pollack would appear i'd hear someone fining towards me and everything would skatter. not too bothered was nice to be out with friends, one of them even picked up a good sized crab. They headed in and i decided to do a couple more drops, 2nd one straight in the middle of a load of pollack, as i was waiting for them to come in and trying to find the biggest 2 bass came out of nowhere, came right at me and turned, speared right through the lateral line, not the best as fish went ape***** realised i hadnt put gloves on at this point so drew himi in and wedged him under my armpit and dispatched. I've had trouble getting bass to come close enough, this is only my 2nd ever and a little over 2 pounds, stoked, and relieved as i was getting out of the sea to and audience.