Cornwall Spearfishing 2006

[rab]

Thought I’d start a Cornwall spearfishing thread.

I have been out for about 5 dives so far this season on the Southwest coast, have seen plenty of small Pollock and quite a few Dogfish.
The vis has generally been very good with over 10 m vis last Friday when I spotted my first bass of the season.
Had been checking out a new spot of broken reefs with sand patches looking for flatties. When I spotted a blueish head poking up from the kelp, thought at first it may have been a conger so moved behind it and quietly dived.
The kelp was at about 4m depth and as I carefully separated the kelp fronds I discovered a nice 4 lb Bass. Shot her through the shoulder with a Trident spear from my mares mini-mini sten!

Great fish very tasty and bigger than the gun I shot it with!

 

[Spaniard]

Excellent! Where in Cornwall do you spear? I know Looe and Polperro quite well

 

[rab]

Further west than that. I spear mostly around Mount's bay and the Lizard with occasional trip out on the north coast when it's calm enough.

 

[Jez]

Glad to hear you're starting a Cornland thread. I'll be interseted to hear what it's like as I've fancied exploting a bit down that way myself but didn't know where to start.

 

[Spaniard]

Back in the day, '70's I think, The News Of The World sponsored a British National Spearfishing competition out of Looe. More recently there have been British National competitions staged at Talland bay between Looe and Polperro. I believe that Looe Island is a voluntary conservation area now but not sure whether that means you can spear there or not. There used to be a bunch of lads based in the area, Downderry, who fished the area regulalry and had good catches of bass in the summer months.

 

[SurfnSpear]

Cool, now I have somewhere to post any fish I catch at the in-laws in Newquay.

 

[dave]

Back in the day, '70's I think, The News Of The World sponsored a British National Spearfishing competition out of Looe.

Even longer ago than that, 1958 I think. The News of the World trophy is still in use for the British National Championships, with every champion since thens name engraved on it (including mine!)
The area around Looe is Voluntary Marine Conservation Area, but no one told the commercial fishermen that! It doesn't have any legal standing
Been in a couple of times this year, but nothing to report except lobsters! Been out of the water with snot issues for the past week
Hopefully this year I'll get something bigger than this!

cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk

 

[Spaniard]

Nice bass. Is it from Looe island/Polperro?

 

[dave]

maybe............ (i could tell you where but then I'd have to kill you )
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk

 

[Spaniard]

Don't tell 'em nuffink rofl rofl rofl

 

[fatboyjim]

alright guys
not much happening right now in the far west of Cornwall, I think its because the water still seems cold for this time of year.
Last week off Porthleven there was a pod of dolphins with a basking shark being followed fairly closely by an orca. Last year about this time there was basking sharks in a group with a single large whale - not an orca that time i think it might have been a minke?. Weird or what?!

 

[Soul Deep]

Further west than that. I spear mostly around Mount's bay and the Lizard with occasional trip out on the north coast when it's calm enough.

I'm going to be diving around south coast (with a few others) and staying in mounts bay first week of August. I have speared south side of St Micheals mount many years ago and just off the south west of the Island over a wreck (big 'ol bass).

Last time I dived the Lizard was a looong time ago. I used to go from Mullion Cove on the west side or Kennack Sands from the East (wind and weather dependant). Kennack was flatty heaven Do you ever get there? Is it still full of flaties?

Anyway I'm on for meeting up if you can make that week and don't mind showing me around...

 

[Soul Deep]

alright guys
not much happening right now in the far west of Cornwall, I think its because the water still seems cold for this time of year.
Last week off Porthleven there was a pod of dolphins with a basking shark being followed fairly closely by an orca. Last year about this time there was basking sharks in a group with a single large whale - not an orca that time i think it might have been a minke?. Weird or what?!

Orca!?!?!? Off UK coast... For real? Wow... I thought UK waters were to warm for Killer Whales! It must have been lost...

Do you have a link to the news of this?

 

[fearthespear]

I have speared Sennen, Porthcurno, Prussia Cove and many of the small bays in between (one illegally which was pointed out to us after we got out of the water!):rcard A real shame as some of the ground we covered was spectacular...I think it was called Porthgwarra? (spelling could be dodgy!).

Anyway we have had varying success with the odd bass coming our way. I must also say that the vis was superb - almost blue water style! We only visit for two weeks each year for the annual hols. We will be down in Sennen again towards the back end of July if anybody wants to hook up for a sesh or two...

 

[aquanaut]

Damn - Reading the title I thought you were talking about Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, but I guess not.

 

[Soul Deep]

I have speared Sennen, Porthcurno, Prussia Cove and many of the small bays in between (one illegally which was pointed out to us after we got out of the water!):rcard A real shame as some of the ground we covered was spectacular...I think it was called Porthgwarra? (spelling could be dodgy!).

Anyway we have had varying success with the odd bass coming our way. I must also say that the vis was superb - almost blue water style! We only visit for two weeks each year for the annual hols. We will be down in Sennen again towards the back end of July if anybody wants to hook up for a sesh or two...

I'm there last weekend of July first week of August so I am always grateful to dive with experince when it comes to new areas... PM nearer the time...

 

[rab]

Back in again today, surf has been up for the past few days so no diving but what a difference week makes. The water feels a lot warmer (stayed in for over 2 hours with out getting cold) but the vis has dropped off a bit as the stringy algae has appeared so down to 8 to 10m.
The spider crabs have arrived loads of them about. Found this in the kelp near where I got the bass last week.
The Big news is that the bass have arrived big time saw several shoals of about 30 schoolies with bigger fish to about 7 lb mixed in. The bad news is that we missed them all!!!! :duh

 

[Soul Deep]

Back in again today, surf has been up for the past few days so no diving but what a difference week makes. The water feels a lot warmer (stayed in for over 2 hours with out getting cold) but the vis has dropped off a bit as the stringy algae has appeared so down to 8 to 10m.
The spider crabs have arrived loads of them about. Found this in the kelp near where I got the bass last week.
The Big news is that the bass have arrived big time saw several shoals of about 30 schoolies with bigger fish to about 7 lb mixed in. The bad news is that we missed them all!!!! :duh

A good size spider crab you have there Could you recommend a recipe sir plus any preperation tips you have? They seem to be everywhere along the south coast at the moment (and this is just the start, wait for July!)

 

[rab]

Personally I think they are too much like hard work so have given it to my Buddy who is planning to boil it. Only picked it up as it was a bit of a monster.

 

[foxfish]

Could you recommend a recipe sir plus any preperation tips you have?

Spider crab is a favourite with Channel Islanders. Generally the meat is eaten cold after boiling the crab for 20 Min's. All you need is a few friends or family members to sit around the table, a hammer, crab picker, bread, butter, (Guernsey is best but I guess Cornish will do) & some vinegar. Vinegar is a good accompaniment because it cuts the richness of the sweet meat. Most of the meat is in the legs so the male crabs are best but you can pick the leg sockets as well. In my household eating spiders is a social affair & ideally done outside in the sun with a bottle of whine.
Bon appetite.