Dorset Spear Fishing 2010

[Gaz D]

Hi Guys,

I go out about twice a year with Chris Tett for turbot and bass at different times. Twice I have seen spearo's in from 4m RIBS on the Shambles , so would assume that one crew is way ahead of the game already!

Tribs

Really? That's interesting.

I've spoken to the two skippers mentioned by Sunfish and Speardaver. The first, Rod Thompson, was very friendly and helpful but reckoned that you would struggle to find less than 10m depth on the Shambles. He said that he had dived it with tanks, and knows of turbot taken by hand spear with tanks. He suggested that although the Shambles do come close to the surface in places, the problem is that the turbot sit slightly deeper, on the drop offs, down stream, collecting food as it is washes over the top of the shallow points (although, personally, I would have thought that they might need to then cross those shallow parts, during slack tides, in order to get in place again, on the other side, when the tide turns - unless they go around the edge? One of the snags we have got when speaking to fishermen about this is that they tend to talk in terms of when the fish are feeding, which isn't necessarily applicable to us).

He said that you are probably looking at depths beyond 16m for where the turbot are likely to be hanging out - and, as with all things, they are nowhere near as numerous as they used to be, so don't expect to find them all over the place). He was actually out fishing on The Shambles whilst I was speaking to to him, but tried to talk me into doing a boat dive off the Bill instead. He said about £400 to charter the boat for the day!

The second guy, Ian Taylor, wasn't as familiar with it as a spearing spot, but suggested that you could get depths as shallow as 8 meters. He warned me to be careful during slack water though, as many of the fishing boats use that opportunity to trawl for sand eels, and they wouldn't wait for you to get out of the way, but happily trawl over you. He then said that he also does this, and that he too wouldn't wait for you to get out of the way (which, considering that he dives and spear fishes himself, wound me up a bit - but I decided to bite my lip, and keep my thoughts to myself about that).

I was already aware that it was a bit late for the plaice bonanza that occurs over there, earlier in the year (they have gone a bit deeper now), but Ian said that we have just missed the best of the turbot too. He also said that he has never heard of a bloke called Spear Daver.

Not sure what to make of it all now. Think a bit more research is in order. Be very interested to hear how it goes if you ever get out there Podge.

Take Tony Iannu with you and give him your spear guns - he has dived beyond 35 meters in the past!

.

 

[SurfnSpear]

Some very experienced people are diving it or just off occasionally and even if you know absolutely what you are doing with plenty of top support then I still would think better of it, as even they have not so long ago had a capsize with all sorts of emergency attention
A few years back, I was out on the Shingles with a nutter (says me) in his 4m rib. I guess there are similarities. It was kind of desperation after the conditions at another mark on the IoW were no go. It was not slack but not full ebb either and there were freak 4ft ish waves completely surfable appearing randomly and breaking on some parts at most 3m deep. It was the fastest drift dive I have ever experienced and the sound is deafening. That said I saw some incredible bass and flatties but in that situation it's more a case of attempt as trying to turn a gun is an almost impossibility and everything is gone in a flash.
Would love a huge turbot though! :t:naughtyrofl

 

[Gaz D]

Some very experienced people are diving it or just off occasionally and even if you know absolutely what you are doing with plenty of top support then I still would think better of it, as even they have not so long ago had a capsize with all sorts of emergency attention
A few years back, I was out on the Shingles with a nutter (says me) in his 4m rib. I guess there are similarities. It was kind of desperation after the conditions at another mark on the IoW were no go. It was not slack but not full ebb either and there were freak 4ft ish waves completely surfable appearing randomly and breaking on some parts at most 3m deep. It was the fastest drift dive I have ever experienced and the sound is deafening. That said I saw some incredible bass and flatties but in that situation it's more a case of attempt as trying to turn a gun is an almost impossibility and everything is gone in a flash.
Would love a huge turbot though! :t:naughtyrofl

I've heard about that incident you mentioned.

It can be quite scary if it starts to go wrong. I've got some friends who got caught in the races off St Aldems Head. Their boats were swamped to the point of being fully submerged, and they were getting thrown about all over the place. One guy didn't have his bag tied down properly - it got washed up a week later on Bournemouth beach!

Although, if you've got the right boat, the races can be great fun too.

.

 

[Jonny250]

Gaz, dont forget that depths given on a chart are referenced to Chart Datum, which means that only on the lowest of low tides of the year will you see those depths; most of the time it will be CD + tide height.
We have some banks around here that i'm keen to try at some point, so keep us posted on how your idea pans out...

 

[Tunny]

Tunny and Kev,

I think Tonni Iannu and Cesar are heading to Newton's Cove tomorrow in search of a bit of shelter from the southerly that is forecast. You could always try the southern part of Portland harbour, that should remain sheltered, or even from Grove Point down to Balaclava Bay (long walk down, and even longer walk back up, with the danger of no viz if its blown out - check from the top of the hill first). Not sure how strong the wind is supposed to be - maybe you could even chance it at some of the deeper water spots along the Purbecks (it was beginning to cloud up yesterday, but wasn't horrendous - again, check from the cliffs before getting suited up).

That's me out of ideas.

.

Cheers Gaz,

Good info as always, went in on the new inner breakwaters at Portland, vis variable 2-4m nothing seen again unfortunately! Haven't even seen a silver fish in 4 dives now! Still it was a good work out.

Going in with the old man on Sunday hopefully have some more luck then.

Gaz, Cesar & Highlander any joy lads?

 

[Gaz D]

Gaz, dont forget that depths given on a chart are referenced to Chart Datum, which means that only on the lowest of low tides of the year will you see those depths; most of the time it will be CD + tide height.
We have some banks around here that i'm keen to try at some point, so keep us posted on how your idea pans out...

Yep, I'm familiar with all that mate, but sand bars and banks have a way of changing, so seeking local advice seems like a good way forward. I haven't got a chart in front of me at the moment, but I think I've seen depths for the Shambles given at less than 6 meters on some charts, and the depth I gave in my original post was taken from an old divers guide book.

.

 

[scottie3030]

i dived the shambles before didnt see alot! was to busy keeping a eye on the trawlers,charter and private fishing boats! it was fun flying along the bottom i think anchoring a boat out there would be pointless and very dangerous better to have a live boat one in one out! be safe!

 

[Highlander]

Cheers Gaz,


Going in with the old man on Sunday hopefully have some more luck then.

Gaz, Cesar & Highlander any joy lads?

Hi Tunny, I didn't get out on Thursday with Cesar or Tony, too many work commitments, so I don't really know.

 

[wolf_diver]

Got out first thing thursday morning and fished a few spots, lovely vis and great time playing.

 

[robdigital]

great bag of bass wolf

 

[foxfish]

Hey Wolf, how much did the biggest & smallest weigh?

 

[wolf_diver]

2 x 2lb, 2 x 4lb, 1 x 6lb mate. Not the best picture!

 

[foxfish]

Ok mate its just if you scale the fish from your gun at least three of them are under the legal 40cm - must just be the camera perspective.

 

[wolf_diver]

Gaz, ive just been reading your comments on the race. I used to work as a dive boat skipper in Portland for three years and i can tell you it can be a scarey place , I know plenty of guys who dive the race for Flaties. But its a rough old place to hang about in spearfishing, good eyes required to keep a watch for the freak waves which roll in from the mid channel and hit the shallow fast if you put the boat in the wrong area. Going to break out my charts and have a look for some quite spots and get back to you if you like?

Jay

 

[wolf_diver]

Well i have a measuring scale on my float for some 30 years which has grown in length with size limit changes and try to be a conscientious spearo, we do make mistakes sometimes. But not this time, all above board thanks.

Jay

 

[devondave]

Foxfish, I am afraid the limit here is 37cm, there was a move to raise it to 40cm but it was blocked by the commercials on the grounds that 37cm fish were needed for the restaurant trade.
Apparently they are an ideal size for an individual, as someone who can quite happily sit down and polish off a 3lb bass on my own, I think that's bollocks.
Here in Sussex we have a voluntary 45cm limit just for spearos, not anglers.
This would be my prefered limit for the whole country, again just my opinion.
Of course, as spearfishers we have a choice to set our own limits.
Vote with your trigger fingers, 45cm limit now, you know it makes sense.

Regards,
Dave.

 

[wolf_diver]

I use the BSA limit of 40cm just to be on the safe side, But 45cm would be fine too!!! Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Minimum UK size for wild caught bass is 36cm.

Dave.

 

[glowworm]

If that smallest bass weights 2lb and is legal limit then my 11lb bass i had should have been 18lb+

I'm sorry but that is disgusting shooting fish of that size wether the limit is 37cm or not.

I want to carry on shooting fish in 5-10-15 and 20 years time and taking out small fish that havn't had time to breed yet is just short sighted.

Where is the fisheries officer when you need them???????

We harp on about commercial boys all the time then post pictures like this.

I can't personally stop people catching small fish but the Admin Staff @ Deeperblue should be editing these pictures.

We have had this argument several times over the years on this forum about the same thing!!!!

SHOOT WANT YOU WANT AND AT WHAT SIZE YOU WANT JUST DON'T TELL THE REST OF US ABOUT IT :rcard:rcard:rcard:rcard:rcard

 

[wolf_diver]

Glowworm Get the fisheries officer, In fact dont bother because i know him and used to work with him too. The Legal limit is 36cm to 37cm and its over 40cm, I have havn't done anything wrong. Sometime you get slightly smaller fish what with poor vis or fast trigger finger. Dont like being called a bullshitter either.