-
Welcome to the DeeperBlue.com Forums, the largest online community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. To gain full access to the DeeperBlue.com Forums you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
- Join over 44,280+ fellow diving enthusiasts from around the world on this forum
- Participate in and browse from over 516,210+ posts.
- Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
- Post your own photos or view from 7,441+ user submitted images.
- All this and much more...
You can gain access to all this absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
Dorset Spearfishing 2006
- Thread starterglowworm
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Do these Plaice take residence all around the UK coast?? or is it a south coast thing? may get the opportunity to get in the water on the south coast around Penzance / but otherwise its North coast of Cornwall / Devon.
It may be enough to tempt me into the water. I think from reading the other posts on the forum if they are there its a case of searching sandy gullies? thanks.
It may be enough to tempt me into the water. I think from reading the other posts on the forum if they are there its a case of searching sandy gullies? thanks.
Glow
No problem at all to be honest. Keep your SMB on a short tow and stay alert.
Pav
Plaice are found in all southern UK waters. I could tell you where to find flatys and what tide etc but dont you think that its better for you to learn and find out yourself? All the crap dives where you found nothing and had to swim hard against a current for an hour cos you did not read the tides before hand makes you into a confident experenced person who has respect for what they are doing and gives you a much better understanding of what this sea thing is doing. Slowly over time you just find the fish you want. Compare that to some numpty who as read lots of words on forums and then heads for the horizon on his little kayak never to be seen again..
As the add says " Just do it "
No problem at all to be honest. Keep your SMB on a short tow and stay alert.
Pav
Plaice are found in all southern UK waters. I could tell you where to find flatys and what tide etc but dont you think that its better for you to learn and find out yourself? All the crap dives where you found nothing and had to swim hard against a current for an hour cos you did not read the tides before hand makes you into a confident experenced person who has respect for what they are doing and gives you a much better understanding of what this sea thing is doing. Slowly over time you just find the fish you want. Compare that to some numpty who as read lots of words on forums and then heads for the horizon on his little kayak never to be seen again..
As the add says " Just do it "
Last edited:
Nice plaice Almost. Well done. 
Good to see someone getting stuck in.
Pav plaice are found all around the UK right up to Scotland. However apart from a few immature (under 1.25lb) fish they move offshore in winter. This is their breeding cycle. They start to develop row in september-ish and hang around fattening up 'til about Nov/Dec and then head out into deeper water to do their thing.
Come Easter time they return. Usually it's the big ones first. Sometimes they are a bit "spent" and thin but they soon fatten up. Locally our fish are only inshore for a few weeks then disappear for a while before returning in strength in July. Best months for plaice are August/Sept.
Your local conditions may vary but this is the basic UK pattern.
Plaice are found over all types of ground but seldon over solid rock. Generally they like a mixed bottom of weed and sand on the edge of tide runs. However they are a wide ranging opportunistic fish and I've caught them from 18 inches of water in quiet sandy bays to 100 foot of water on offshore gravel banks in roaring tide.
They can be very hard to spot, especially when buried. The first thousand are the hardest. .
Personally small plaice are my favourite eating fish, so it's worth the effort.
Dave
Good to see someone getting stuck in. Pav plaice are found all around the UK right up to Scotland. However apart from a few immature (under 1.25lb) fish they move offshore in winter. This is their breeding cycle. They start to develop row in september-ish and hang around fattening up 'til about Nov/Dec and then head out into deeper water to do their thing.
Come Easter time they return. Usually it's the big ones first. Sometimes they are a bit "spent" and thin but they soon fatten up. Locally our fish are only inshore for a few weeks then disappear for a while before returning in strength in July. Best months for plaice are August/Sept.
Your local conditions may vary but this is the basic UK pattern.
Plaice are found over all types of ground but seldon over solid rock. Generally they like a mixed bottom of weed and sand on the edge of tide runs. However they are a wide ranging opportunistic fish and I've caught them from 18 inches of water in quiet sandy bays to 100 foot of water on offshore gravel banks in roaring tide.
They can be very hard to spot, especially when buried. The first thousand are the hardest.
. Personally small plaice are my favourite eating fish, so it's worth the effort.
Dave
Last edited:
Pav said:
Hi Pav, it is good to ask
Where I live we hunt for Plaice in open sandy bays on the low tide. Spring tides are the best ones, the lower the better. It would appear you can catch them in harbours, in witch case the tide may not be so important? The type of bottom can make a difference. when Plaice are resting they will bury them selves in the sand, very often all you can see is a pair of eyes! It takes experience to spot buried fish but once you have spotted a few its not that difficult. Feeding fish are very easy to spot & you can find them in a more varied bottom IE gravel, weed or on the edge of the tide.
Nothing beats experience why dont you visit Guernsey for a crash course?
To be honest Plaice are not at their best this time of year, they tend to be out of condition & thin for their size. Summer & autumn fish are the best eating. Try to think like your quarry, find out what they eat in your area, for instance Plaice love to eat worms, find out where the local worm beds are, or maybe its mussels in your area?
Any how mate good luck, if you are very lucky Old Man Dave might give some advice, he is the real expert!
Almostafish said:
Cracking Plaice Almostafish, good to see some fish coming in, also (in my opinion) very good advice! Not sure Xactly who you're talking about but i suspect i've got a fair idea... Much better to be in the water learning your hunting grounds and observing fish behaviour than worrying about waiting for 6 seconds before the second high water after the full moon to even venture into the water because this is when your FishMaster2000 said there'd be most fish jumping onto your spear!
I could be wrong, but thats my 2 cents.
Before people start having a go, I'm certainly not saying that asking for help and advice is wrong, its all part of the learning experience, which brings me onto my next point...
I'm after a second suit to eventually replace my Cressi Competition and quite like to look of the Omer Mimetecs, does anyone have any experience of them?
I'm after a second suit to eventually replace my Cressi Competition and quite like to look of the Omer Mimetecs, does anyone have any experience of them?
Just to butt in .. Pav : part of the reason that a low tide is picked is that the pattern for diving for them is brutal ! Alot of short dives . Dropping down looking around and then getting your breath back before dropping down again and searching... A very dynamic fishing technique and you have to have stamina - both physical and mental - to systematically search the bottom....
I am rubbish at this as I get bored too quickly if I don't catch a fish in the first five minutes I find it takes alot of mental stamina to keep going but it is definitely worth it...
When you find a fish dont shoot it ... you will have time to find the head ... push the spear in behind the eyes and then slide a hand underneath and bring the whole lot to the surface. THe barb might not open in the sand underneath... Stories of visitors shooting plaice with the barb never opening ... repeatedly until the plaice called it quits and gave up (but it looked like a pincushion). This is the way Dave taught me....
I am rubbish at this as I get bored too quickly if I don't catch a fish in the first five minutes
I find it takes alot of mental stamina to keep going but it is definitely worth it...When you find a fish dont shoot it ... you will have time to find the head ... push the spear in behind the eyes and then slide a hand underneath and bring the whole lot to the surface. THe barb might not open in the sand underneath... Stories of visitors shooting plaice with the barb never opening ... repeatedly until the plaice called it quits and gave up (but it looked like a pincushion). This is the way Dave taught me....
I was privileged to attend the grand launch of “Bass Burglar”
I will leave it to “FeartheSpear” and “WillPower” to divulge her vital statistics!
I will leave it to “FeartheSpear” and “WillPower” to divulge her vital statistics!
almost - the thought just occurred to me - I must have swam right over that piggin fish as I was ahead of you! DOH! Well done though mate! When you’re away next weekend me and flyflicker will be checking the fish are still there so don't worry!
Thanks for the flatie advice. I'm like you Portinfer! , I've scouted around for flaties when there havn't been any Bass in the bay and got bored very quickly. If you reckon they are to be found on the north cornish / devon coast I'll spend a little longer searching. I'll look for worm casts on the lowtide and pick my spot.
1 shot said:
I do, but don't you think it would be better to try and find out for yourself, struggle to put it on in a small changing room etc ?? It'd be far better to build that kind of experience on your own so you'd be confident the next time you needed to go.
Pav, great question and most would be more than pleased to respond positively as Dave, portfiner and foxfish have done.
Check the sandy gullies 1 hr before low tide on ebb, usually quite shallow and can even be taken form surface. Chasse L'indian works for me, very quiet with snorkel out on decent. Good luck.
Hilarious Robbo, thanks very much.
I originally was trying to highlight the point made by Almostafish that some people think they can find out everything they need to know about spearfishing just by reading forums and passing on things people have recommended to them without trying them first, and thereby think they have mastered something in which some people spend a lifetime gathering skills. I was not in anyway saying Pav was wrong for asking advice on flatties but agree that his best and most rewarding course of action would be to spend time in the water seeing what is best for his area/type of fishing.
Everyone has to ask for help and advice at sometime (hence my question) but there are certain people (NOT PAV) who constantly question every aspect of equipment/tides/techniques without attempting to gain any experience in the water first.
I originally was trying to highlight the point made by Almostafish that some people think they can find out everything they need to know about spearfishing just by reading forums and passing on things people have recommended to them without trying them first, and thereby think they have mastered something in which some people spend a lifetime gathering skills. I was not in anyway saying Pav was wrong for asking advice on flatties but agree that his best and most rewarding course of action would be to spend time in the water seeing what is best for his area/type of fishing.
Everyone has to ask for help and advice at sometime (hence my question) but there are certain people (NOT PAV) who constantly question every aspect of equipment/tides/techniques without attempting to gain any experience in the water first.
Does it really matter that in your opinion some people think, as you put it,
--------------
Quote:
''they can find out everything they need to know about spearfishing just by reading forums and passing on things people have recommended to them without trying them first, and thereby think they have mastered something in which some people spend a lifetime gathering skills''.
---------------
Why not simply ignore those that you consider not worthy offering your advice to, rather than patronizing them in such a condescending manner.
I enjoy passing on my experiences/advice to anyone who asks, it's part of the enjoyment of the sport.
'Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do'.
David Brent
--------------
Quote:
''they can find out everything they need to know about spearfishing just by reading forums and passing on things people have recommended to them without trying them first, and thereby think they have mastered something in which some people spend a lifetime gathering skills''.
---------------
Why not simply ignore those that you consider not worthy offering your advice to, rather than patronizing them in such a condescending manner.
I enjoy passing on my experiences/advice to anyone who asks, it's part of the enjoyment of the sport.
'Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do'.
David Brent
Hey, lets move on!! The advice was appreciated and I'm over it. I spend pleanty of time in the water. Have been a surfer for 24+ yrs and know the sea well. (well the surface anyway!). Started spearing after getting bored 3 summers ago when the surf had been flat for sooooo long! These are 2 sports that work well together. You are more confident when surfing knowing your breath hold is good and you know the reef structure too. A lot of the reefs I surf I also spear over during the summer.
I have searched for flat fish each year, when the Bass are not in the bay.. but have never seen 1! I guesse I was looking for confirmation that they are there as I get pretty bored of looking at sand very quickly and I move back onto the reefs. Sure I've got a lot to learn but already in my mid 30s I'll never have the knowledge of people like OLD MAN DAVE, so a bit of advice along the way is appreciated. Clicking stones. flashers, ground bait, I've tried them all and hey if you ask I'll tell you everything I have found out. This year I've got a jelly ready to attatch to my speargun. If I can find some silver sticky backed plastic I'm planning on cutting out a shoal of sand eels to stick to my bouy / my yak and my wetsuit! .. but for now i have to "read" and "question" because of the swells that dominate this side of the coast... but as a surfer I won't complain!
I have searched for flat fish each year, when the Bass are not in the bay.. but have never seen 1! I guesse I was looking for confirmation that they are there as I get pretty bored of looking at sand very quickly and I move back onto the reefs. Sure I've got a lot to learn but already in my mid 30s I'll never have the knowledge of people like OLD MAN DAVE, so a bit of advice along the way is appreciated. Clicking stones. flashers, ground bait, I've tried them all and hey if you ask I'll tell you everything I have found out. This year I've got a jelly ready to attatch to my speargun. If I can find some silver sticky backed plastic I'm planning on cutting out a shoal of sand eels to stick to my bouy / my yak and my wetsuit! .. but for now i have to "read" and "question" because of the swells that dominate this side of the coast... but as a surfer I won't complain!