Dorset Spear Fishing 2012

[rowlzy295]

Got in just after dark last night at a new spot with matt and nobby. vis was a good 4m+ at times. We headed out to the edge of the reef where it met with sand, and almost instantly we started seeing fish, I took a few shots and some bass and missed, which got me thinking that this was not going to be my night. this quickly changed when I spotted a nice sole of 1.32kg / 2lb 14oz's lying on a sand patch within the reef. As I shone my torch over to investigate it quickly buried itself completely under the sand, but l knew exactly where it was and it was soon on the stringer. We headed further following the reef boundary when I saw a nice bass coming out of a small see weed patch on the sand. As I dived down to size it up and get a better angle on it another bigger bass emerged from the cover and I was soon changing my aim to the biggest before getting a good headshot on the fish. Once shot the fish lay on the bottom as if I had stoned it, but once I swam down and grabbed it it went wild. After I had it under control I shouted over to Nobby that I had a big one to which he held up the other bass that I had seen first. The bass turned out to be much bigger than i first thought weighing in at 3.02kg / 6lb 10oz's . Chuffed with this as it was now looking like a new PB, we continued on a bit further before starting the long swim back. On the way back I bagged another smaller bass, and also a lobster (although the lobster got a good pinch on my arm before I could get it into the catch bag, very painful!!).

All in all another good dive and another spot to remember for future, Matt and Nobby both had good catches as well!

Heres a photo of the bass from last night, apologies for the weird expression, i was dazed by the camera flash...

 

[rowlzy295]

Heres some daylight photos of the fish from last nights dive

 

[Mr. X]

Friendly reminder: There has been a complaint about some of the smaller fish pictured above. While the fish look legal to me -- this forum has a policy of discouraging the taking bass under 42cm, and we don't want smaller fish pictured either.

Please understand that this is in the spirit of conservation and for maintaining positive PR for the most selective and sustainable form of fishing known to man - spear fishing.

 

[Scoobaru]

That is fair enough. I totally agree with the minimum sizes stated, usually I try to use the minimum sizes used by the LIC (Bass is 45cm) as a guideline. I'm sorry if my pictures are causing people to complain, but all fish were sizeable, and the gun in the picture was a 90cm just to give a better scale

 

[Mr. X]

Yes, I must apologize, I just measured the image and the smallest fish appears to be over 42cm (the legal limit in most of the UK is still only 36cm - 37.5cm in Cornwall). Once you include the tail fin - these are still small bass though. We'll likely need to raise forum guidelines to 44/45cm.

A friendly reminder also that forum members have previously complained about "big bags", that is to say catches of large numbers of fish/crab/shellfish. Again this is a conservation and PR issue. Please use discretion when taking fish and when posting images.

 

[speerolee]

Went out with Tye last night, was a fantastic dive with great results.

 

[speerolee]

6lb mullet
View attachment 34442

And I beat tyes sole!! Lol
View attachment 34443

 

[speerolee]

And some red mullet

View attachment 34444

And a lobster

View attachment 34445

 

[misterlizard]

And I beat tyes sole!! Lol

Aaah, brotherly love.

Nice red mullet by the way (haven't said that since the 80s).

 

[winky]

Well I've not posted on the forums for a while due to not actually been any where near water for ages but got a free pass out from the wife last night so tossed a coin between watching the Olympics and going for a dive. ''Tails never fails'' and so I duly packed my gear and set off for the beach.

This is where I start to get grumpy - 10mins away from my chosen beach, practicing my breath-ups while waiting at a junction....not advised as I wasn't paying attention and thought the car in front moved off, whollop - drove in to the back of him...whoopsies!! Fortunately no real damage done, a quick swap of details and I'm off again.

Get to the beach, quickly kit up and get in to be faced by grrrr only 1m vis. Decided to swim on 20 mins later find some brilliant vis of up to 5m. 1st couple of dives see nothing, then a nice plump 2lb bass came in and was quickly on my stringer for the next days tea. I then spent the next 2 hrs seeing diddly squat and started to get a bit bored and cold and so with the light fading I decided to head in to the shallows to find some flatties. On the way I saw an interesting bit of reef so decided to swim down and have a look. Immediately I was surrounded by decent bass - none stupid enough to present themselves as an easy target so headed for the surface. Dropped down again to come face-to-face with a lovely 5lb bass but somehow failed to hit it despite it practically kissing the end of my spear. Headed for the surface cussing my self and decided to give it one last go so calmed my self and dropped in again....nothing until about 1min into the dive and I see a HUGE head appear on the other side of the rock I was using as cover. I couldn't tell just how big this beast was and it was too close to swing my gun round on to it. Not knowing what to do next at risk of spooking this fish and quickly running out of air I made the decision to gently push away and head for the surface and hope for the best. Fortunately this fish was either to dumb or arrogant but he didn't move off so as I was still rising I calmed my self and slowly increased the pressure on the trigger and then sent my steel straight through its target. I quickly pounced on it and too my surprise it was even bigger than I though - bigger than anything I have seen in the water before. I wrapped my arms around it and rode it like a cowboy to the surface while giggling like a girl to my self. I quickly dispatched it and forgot all about the flatties and headed home a quickly as I could.

It smashed my PB bass by over 5lb weighing in at 10lb 2oz!!!!!!!!

Interestingly now having shot a fish of this size I don't reckon I will again - such a beautiful and magnificent beast!

 

[misterlizard]

Wow! Brilliant report and fish Nick! Very chuffed for you

:friday:friday:friday:friday:friday:friday

 

[winky]

Cheers Tom, still giggling to my self now! Fish of a lifetime for me!!! I knew that spot would hold some big fish just never seen any over the 3-4lb mark...until last night!!!!

 

[bobdonny]

Not a terribly long fish but what a fatty!!!
Well done

 

[winky]

Not a terribly long fish but what a fatty!!!
Well done

You're right, When I grabbed him I was amazed at the girth of the bugger, proper belly on it!!

 

[foxfish]

Fish of a life time for many!
What are you going to do with it, I mean, cut it in to cutlets or fillets, fry it, grill it, feed your family?
Huge fish.

 

[winky]

Fish of a life time for many!
What are you going to do with it, I mean, cut it in to cutlets or fillets, fry it, grill it, feed your family?
Huge fish.

Big decisions indeed!! I decided to fillet it as the wife's parents' are staying with us next weekend and so will probably do one fillet then and save the other fillet for the following weekend when we have friends staying. Still can't believe how big the fillets that came off are - 1 will feed 4 easily!

Any idea/recipes greatly received.....

 

[DafyddRees]

Not a terribly long fish but what a fatty!!!
Well done

I think that quote is a perfect description of the Winky himself!

Grats brother, not jealous.

 

[spearo nobby]

great catch winky! rep given. shame can only giv it once as that deserves 2 lots for sure !! rep added agian wen i share the love mate.

 

[spearo nobby]

hi guys my computer is finaly fixed:friday. so bit on the late side but as matt and will said went out for a dive in a new spot all of us done pretty well will had best catch of the night with his bass and sole well done for that mate. i ended up taking 4 bass , x2 4lb bass a 3and a half lb bass and a 3 lb bass, happy with that.



got in yesterday morn for a cheeky quick solo dive in my fav spot also mr porbi's spot. ha ha u know the spot matt and willrofl.
water was a bit choppy but a good 6-8m viz. i went straight out over the reef and done a few practice dives to streach the lungs then found my fav gully breathed up and dived down and hid in gully , making a couple of throught noises a few smaller 2lb bass started to investigate i held bottom to see if any bigger fish would come and check me out then from the distance i see a bigger shape then gettin closerit then stuck on the back of the smaller bass so i take aim with my double banded RA 90 then BOOM!!!!! 6lb bass on stringer. i then pressed on to deeper water once i was there i breath up take a dive to find a big stack of rocks winner!! i check out a hole to find a nice size bass in the hole knowing i wouldnt b able to make the shot with my 90 i stealthly put my gun down next to the holeto mafk the hole then re surface. i grab my home made 55 gun from my float breath up again and follow my float line down stealthly take another peak in the hole , happy days mr bass is still chillin at home take aim then BOOM!!!! wakey wakey mr bass! 5lb bass is on stringer. dive was only an hour and a half so happy with results. 6lb bass was taken in 6m of water and 5lb bass was taken out a hole at 15m deep. happy with that as not done to many day or deep dives lately.

here is my catch
first 2 pics r my catch from dive with will and matt the other with me in my stipey top is my 6 and 5lb bass

 

[Slicky]

Some fantastic bass being taken well done lads.

I managed to get in last night with a mate for a couple of hours just after low water, it resulted in a Sole each and I also got a red mullet. I’m looking forward to hearing what his weighs in at as it was about an inch thick.

We were disappointed to have not seen any silvers but both those fish are a first for me so I’m looking forward to trying them.