Dorset Spear Fishing 2012

[Dan_r]

Hi all,

I spent the day at Worbarrow Bay yesterday with my girlfriend, best mate and his fiance. Managed a dip for a few hours before the crowds got there. Didnt bag anything but i did miss a monster mullet that suprised me in the string weed in about 5ft of water! I was cursing all day. Visability was fairly good, gin clear in the shallower areas but got a bit milky the further out i went. Seriously out of practice though and spend most of my time on the surface! Thinking of heading out wednesday evening but not sure where to go? Still a bit cautious of trying new spots on my own

 

[Slicky]

Warbarrow is definitely on my list of places to visit as I’ve never been there spearing. I had a few hours in the water off Bats head yesterday on an ebbing tide after managing to talk my wife into paddling with me from Ringstead on a sit on top. Got a Bassling and saw a number of others but nothing to note though the vis was great.

I went in off the East side of Portland today to try a new spot. I didn't see as much as I had hoped but the vis wasn't bad and the terrain has great potential. I did manage a 3lb Pollack in about 10m which I was really pleased with as I've never seen one big enough to eat in the past. I returned to a more familiar site on my way back into Weymouth and bagged a mullet just short or 5lb in shallow water, a fine fish but I just can't seem to get over that 5lb+ mark.

That’s one hell of a Bass Lee, well done mate. It's been a nice week so far though the weather looks to be turning by the weekend and the wind creeping back up.

 

[speerolee]

Was not planning a dive, but my newbie mate Andy was gagging to get out and wanted a night dive buddy so of we went........

Straight of we swam over to a nice little reef with plenty of bass on it. Andy had the first fish and his very first bass at 3lb so not had, I followed suit and got myself 6 of them for the rest of the week to feed the family, no big bass tonight.

Andy found himself a nice 2lb tub gurnard and a fair sized flounder. Then I nailed a couple of good sized sole,

Oh,,,,I got a giant mullet too, just to keep my namesake.
View attachment 34361
View attachment 34362

Nice one on the mullet slick.
Foxfish- yes the ferret is a young new addition to our backyard farm!

 

[misterlizard]

Took my Mum and my uncle out on my little boat yesterday evening. Drifted over a reef and caught lots and lots of lovely mackerel. Then motored back in and found that the mackerel were shoaling right along the beach, so got the fly rod out and had some fun! :t

Then drove to another of my favourite spots and got in to find viz of 2-5m. Spent the whole dive completely surrounded by smallfry and mackerel and shad. Shot a few mackerel to give to the tourists who were trying to catch them in nets. After a little while of swimming through vast swarms of mackerel and literally swatting them away from my face, the shoal parted to reveal a lovely big bass which proceeded to swim right underneath me. I tried to track the gun down and behind, but missed the shot.

Spent a bit more time watching the mackerel, and then again the shoal parted and a good size bass swam through. This time I was ready and got a good shot. Quickly killed it and put it on the stringer, going in through the mouth and out the gills as usual. 2 minutes later I swam back to my float to admire my fish to find... no fish :waterwork Aaargh! Thankfully, it had only just fallen off and was lying on the bottom very close by. So I strung it through the eyes this time.

A great evening, with some good results. 35 mackerel to swap for a meal or two at my local pub, and a nice 5lb 2oz bass for me and the family. Lovely.

 

[misterlizard]

got the fly rod out and had some fun! :t

By the way, if anybody heads down to Eype today, please keep an eye out for my fly rod (10ft, black, black reel with brown sinking line) in the car park on the right near the entrance on the grass. I left it there last night

 

[speerolee]

Well done Tome, rep given mate.

 

[robdigital]

Had a nice couple of dives over he weekend - visibility was fantastic, though only small Bass seen no takers

 

[Dan_r]

Thinking of heading out to Man o War Bay tonight....or may head back down to worbarrow (although the gates shut at dusk, whenever the hell dusk is!) ...decisions decisions.

 

[denian]

Well done with that report and catches tom what are smokein them makies on then and what wood are you useing?.

 

[Camanche killer]

Hey guys,

Nice spearing, some good catches coming from the Dorset boys.

Got some bit and pieces that are either collecting dust or need changing:


30m Rob Allen float line, L 3mm gloves, M 5mm gloves, Lanara Ogress 85 gun

Size 3/M cressi wetsuit worn about 10 times need size 4

Beauchat Carbon marlin elite year old

PM me if you are interested in further details or want to make me an offer/trade for any of the above.

Keep up the good work and dive safe all.

Regards Kev

 

[misterlizard]

Well done with that report and catches tom what are smokein them makies on then and what wood are you useing?.

Ok, not exactly spearfishing Dorset but...

Fillet the mackerel and salt them liberally. Leave 30 minutes, then rinse off all the salt. Cover in brown sugar, maple syrup, and lots of cracked black pepper.

I then hot-smoked them for 15 minutes over hazel wood-shavings (which I shaved off some seasoned prunings from our hazel trees with a plane). Absolutely beautiful! :t

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

[podge]

Hey guys,

Nice spearing, some good catches coming from the Dorset boys.

Got some bit and pieces that are either collecting dust or need changing:


View attachment 3436930m Rob Allen float line, L 3mm gloves, M 5mm gloves, Lanara Ogress 85 gun

View attachment 34370 Size 3/M cressi wetsuit worn about 10 times need size 4

View attachment 34371 Beauchat Carbon marlin elite year old

PM me if you are interested in further details or want to make me an offer/trade for any of the above.

Keep up the good work and dive safe all.

Regards Kev

Hello Kev, you been a bit quite this year, or like me just not had the time?:head
Hope all is well and it’s about time we saw a new spearo video from you mate.

 

[Camanche killer]

Hello Kev, you been a bit quite this year, or like me just not had the time?:head
Hope all is well and it’s about time we saw a new spearo video from you mate.

Paul,

Bin around a bit and had a few nice bass, bream, pollock, mullet, flattys' Lobster and Brown Crab. Never enough diving but I have got some nice footage of a few dives just no time to edit and post, winter project when the work slows up a bit .

Some of you may have seen these pics but for those of you who haven't here are a few catches from this year.



Boat dive bassin

Gilty pleasure

Fat and flat

Deep dark and black + PB :t

Dive safe all

 

[Dan_r]

My best mate ended up buying himself all the kit after he come out with me at the weekend and wanted to try somewhere this evening. Problem being it was getting a bit late so we decided to give it a go under bournemouth pier. I had to park in the multi story by the BIC, got suited up behind my car and meet him by the pier. The beach was PACKED still and looked a digrace....rubbish literally as far as the eye could see.

Viz wasnt to great so we ended up hanign around the legs. There were a lot of mullet around...small ones and fairly decent ones. I shot my first as i watched it come through the gloom, about 2.5lbs according to my small scales in my bag. Missed such an easy ones which wasnt phased and casually swam right past me...need to invent a double barreled gun! Then out of the gloom cam another fish, bigger this time which i hit and as i was pulling him in he come off my spear and swam off at 100MPH. Gutted! It was easily the biggest one i would have had to date! My mate didnt have any luck but did see some mullet on his side of the pier.

Worth an dawn raid i think but not when the tide is coming in as the viz seriously decreased to around 1m. Sorry no photos, gutted and chucked it straight in the freezer!

 

[Highlander]

My best mate ended up buying himself all the kit after he come out with me at the weekend and wanted to try somewhere this evening. Problem being it was getting a bit late so we decided to give it a go under bournemouth pier. I had to park in the multi story by the BIC, got suited up behind my car and meet him by the pier. The beach was PACKED still and looked a digrace....rubbish literally as far as the eye could see.

Viz wasnt to great so we ended up hanign around the legs. There were a lot of mullet around...small ones and fairly decent ones. I shot my first as i watched it come through the gloom, about 2.5lbs according to my small scales in my bag. Missed such an easy ones which wasnt phased and casually swam right past me...need to invent a double barreled gun! Then out of the gloom cam another fish, bigger this time which i hit and as i was pulling him in he come off my spear and swam off at 100MPH. Gutted! It was easily the biggest one i would have had to date! My mate didnt have any luck but did see some mullet on his side of the pier.

Worth an dawn raid i think but not when the tide is coming in as the viz seriously decreased to around 1m. Sorry no photos, gutted and chucked it straight in the freezer!

Mullets are buggers like that, I never pull them in, that is one way for them to struggle & try to break free. I always swim down to them or along to them drop the gun(is attached to my float) & grab them through the gills.

 

[Slicky]

Being on my hols at the moment I managed a visit to Ringstead yesterday and tried a spot nearly half way between Kimmeridge and Chapmans pool today. Just a small 2.5lb Bass taken yesterday but not even one silver seen today though a few monster Wrasse. The vis was epic a bit further off shore on both days.

I had intended to do Warbarrow after Dan mentioned it today, but I failed to check if the road was open. Of course It wasn’t due to firing so I thought I may as well take a walk from K-bay as I was close by.

Also i don’t know much about it but Camp Bestival is on now/ next weekend so If you are heading to Warbarrow/Kimmeridge over the next few days it may be worth avoiding that route or looking into it. It won’t affect the normal route to Lulworth cove/Durdle door if approaching from Weymouth from what I could see as it is based around the Lulworth castle.

 

[Dan_r]

I think il do that next time Highlander! This time i put the stringer through the eyes aswell, leasson learnt from loosing a golden grey last year!

Slicky, Ive seen the monster wrasse around the area between Clavells tower at kimmeridge and chapmans pool. Bloody huge! Ive always found the viz around that area a bit hit and miss. I intend to get down to broadbench at the weekend to creep around in the stringweed.

 

[scallywag]

I think il do that next time Highlander! This time i put the stringer through the eyes aswell, leasson learnt from loosing a golden grey last year!

Another technique I use is to use your stringer to dispatch and string straight down through the head.

Just another option.

 

[Scoobaru]

Went for a late afternoon dip with will (rowlzy) and Ben (raven21) on the east side of Portland. Vis started out pretty good at around 6m but then decreased to about 3/4m but very milky. I saw loads of mullet around all mostly around the 3lb mark. I crept up upon a bit of a donkey mullet, around 4/5lb and shot, but it managed to rip off, it then stayed there teasing me of course by the time I called will over and had reloaded myself it shot off. Gutted but on with the dive. Eventually I manage to see a mullet before it saw me so picked my moment and shot it just as it turned sideways. A bit further down I see another mullet that turns away from me do again I shoot and manage to stone it going right along the back bone from tail to head. I then saw a mullet swimming sideways in front of me, it is speedin up so I swing the gun around and shoot. The fish darts off and settles in the weed. When I head towards it I see will aiming his gun at my fish contemplating putting another hole in it. I think he only just realised it was attached to my spear.

So we continue. And then I look between two rocks under a weed overhang and see a huge head staring at me, I drop down to get under the weed and the fish goes. Just as I think about resurfacing it returns for another look, unfortunately I couldn't get the gun under the weed quick enough, so the fish swims around another rock. I resurface and creep behind this rock and see the mullet just out of shooting range playing in some seaweed. I can feel my flatline getting tighter as I struggle to get around the rock. So I thought I would go back the other side of the rock and get a shot in. It was not meant to be. Once around the other side of the rock the fish had disappeared. Which was very frustrating as it was a huge mullet around the 6lb mark. Oh well maybe another day.

In the end I came back with three decent sized mullet all between 3-4lb. So a good dive overall

 

[Scoobaru]

Sorry no pics. It was getting late by the time I had washed all my gear, so i sorted the fish out and cooked them up. Lovely