Cornwall 2008.

[badlander]

I've seen similar behaviour between bass and wrasse once before,i actually thought i was just looking at wrasse until i realised two of them were bass (it was gloomy!).They seemed to be really hassling the crap out of them.Luckily i fired off a 'warning' shot and the wrasse were left in peace.Either that or i fluffed the shot royaly and scared them away.....Yeah,it was the latter.
Hoping to go sailing Saturday and with careful planning,bring my kit along and try and get in the water for a go while we anchor at a 'lovely little spot' i know.
Failing that at least we can go and gorge on oysters at the festival.Hoorah.

 

[Old Man Dave]

I've observed a lot of fish behaviour when on scuba, diving the gravel banks that are created in the lee of big reefs by strong tides. While hunting brill and turbot close to the reefs I have seen huge shoals of intermingalled predators and prey. The prey were usually sandeels, sometimes clouding the water in twinkling shoals. The predators were pollack and bass with assorted ballen and cuckoo wrasse.

The predators would swim though schoals of prey sometimes with no effect at all. Occasionally a fish will accelerate and slash right and left which resulted in pieces of severed sandeels sinking slowly down out of the schoal with other pieces hanging from the predator fishes jaws.

A memorable moment was when I rounded a reef about 10 foot up from the gravel seabed. A bass and a single large sandeel were circling each other right in front of me. Like 2 fighter planes they were each trying to gain the advantage. After several circuits the sandeel broke and dived for the seabed. The bass crash dived after it. The sandeel made it inches in front of the bass and hit the gravel, creating a small explosive effect as it broke through the surface. The bass pulled out of its dive, just, scraping its pectoral fins as it leveled off.

To complete the picture as I looked up in the clear water I could see 20+foot away two silver clouds, dense balls, six foot in diameter. of tinkeling flashes. They were coralled sandeels with the unmistakable silouettes of several pollack circling menacingly just around and slightly below the eels waiting for the right moment to strike.

I was 85foot down but it was a crystal vis day and the gravel was glowing with a golden hue and there were even sunbeams penatrating right down to the bottom. Amazing sight.

Dave

 

[Lazuli]

Failing that at least we can go and gorge on oysters at the festival.Hoorah.

Snap. I'm going to the oysterfest with my GF if the sea does'nt look inviting. Maybe see you there.
Laz

 

[foxfish]

Well I thought it was a good post Dave!
I have seen cormorants (shaggs actually) hunting underwater, one flew or dived or swam? over my shoulder once, I was hunting the weed & it missed me by inches :blackeye

 

[badlander]

Dave's story is one of those things that always makes me feel amazed that more of my friends who will gladly get wet for some waves simply won't and don't get excited by the thought of diving in those same waters.Although saying that,after being virtually driven from the waves by ever increasing numbers i'm pretty glad there's always solitude to be found elsewhere.
Lazuli,conditions look pretty good although the tides are pretty severe.Got to get in there somewhere though.

 

[redvanrob]

Nice story Dave, always great to see things that are so memorable they stay with you.
Got in this afternoon on the south coast - not great viz (3m max) but still saw plenty of bass and ended up with 2 - but missed a couple of crackers that would have been my 'bestever'. Did the Oyster festival yesterday with GF, worth every penny for the local oysters.
Off to Hossegor area at the end of next week - anyone ever been spearing in that neck of woods? Wondering if it's worth packing the spear or just the boards?

 

[Lazuli]

In today near Falmouth. Some ok looking Bass around. Going to see what its like tomorrow AM in same area (and let the wishbone do the talking!).
Laz out.

 

[badlander]

I reckon you'll just be needing your boards for Hossegor.Although,if it does go flat there are some interesting spots south of there around the Saint Jean de Luz area.Saw plenty of big fish in the river when crossing the bridge in Hossegor but as for spearing them........wouldn't like to comment! Hope you get some good waves.
Thinking of trying the Lizard area tomorrow as sailing's off and the conditions look just about perfect if the swell doesn't get in there.

 

[gutshot]

Check with spearflap. he knows whats what with spearing in france. I know you need a permit or the police will take away your gear! I will be chatting to him tonight so i will get him to post you.

No spearing for me lately but loads of surfing. Hoping for a quick spear tomorrow on the south coast. I will let you know how i get on.

 

[napper]

Is everyone off to the South Coast tomorrow....... ? I'll be there in the afternoon if anyone wants to meet ? I'm not sure if I'll go to a known spot or somewhere new, if someone wants wants to show me theirs..............

 

[redvanrob]

Thanks gutshot, Spearflap mailed me last night with some useful info. Off to south coast in a couple of hours so prob see some of you there.

 

[badlander]

Dived at Kennack.Vis was initially poor as the tide raced out and the wind was more to the SW.Saw very little on the left hand point so moved across and down the other way.Vis opened up to about 3-4m and the wind died completely.Saw a few bass but no takers.Took 4 nice mullet and was just pleased that what was looking to be a wasted trip turned out well.Saw a couple of other divers heading down that way but wasn't sure if they were spearing or just looking.

 

[Lazuli]

Saw a couple of other divers heading down that way but wasn't sure if they were spearing or just looking.

That was me and the GF badlander. We were going to do Falmouth area but the coastal webcams convinced us that the Cadgwith/Kennack Sands/Coverack stretch looked good. Like you we went left to check out the reef life but were caught in some funny wind tide combo that made the vis awful. Headed right and thats when we clocked you. Well done on the Mullet score mate! Had the gun with me but did not see anything worth taking.

 

[spearflap]

dived down that area today with gutshot ,ok viz got 2 nice bass not to many to be seen saw some big ass pollack but let them be also saw one of the biggest rass ive ever seen just huge, good enjoyable dive...

 

[gutshot]

Spearflap and me were down that way on the Lizard too. Viz was a little better up to 5m at times although the stream made viz bad at times. Quite a few bass about. Missed 1 which was 6lb+ due to my line getting tangled! Schoolboy error!:head Got 1 other which was nice and then toyed with the idea of taking some others which were legal but not by much. Left them go and was happy with the one i took home. Spearflap got 2.

Looks like the surfing is back on the agenda from tomorrow!!

 

[gutshot]

saw some big ass pollack

Hmmm, i may need to watch out for spearflap. When someone starts to look at a pollocks bum you know he hasn't been getting any for a while. Whats next!!roflroflrofl

 

[spearflap]

maybe your ass, that was looking rather plump :inlove

 

[gutshot]

Pervert! That was just a fart in my suit!

 

[Old Man Dave]

Anyone help me out here http://forums.deeperblue.com/wetsuits/80555-question-about-lined-suits.html . Looking for UK people with experience of Elios/Diveskin.

Dave

 

[Lazuli]

Went hunting off Swanpool beach today in search of late season biggies I spotted lurking there a few days ago (Grey, Gold/Grey Mullet & Bass). Pretty much a wasted trip as the vis was dire and not a fish to be seen. Still, currents were benign and made do with the exercise! LazZ