Dorset Spearfishing 2007

[Mr. X]

Tried a new location yesterday, Lulworth-Swanage area. Not a great dive but a pleasant day none the less. The tide was a little weird yesterday & I probably entered the water 2 or 3 hours too early. The water was calm and relatively clear but the combination of shallowness & lack of weed was not good. Saw only small & medium wrasse. Near one of the few decent weed covered rocks I saw a decent size lobster in a pot. Checked out nearby shelves & ledges but saw only 2 black crabs, 3" or 4" across. The weather was gorgeous -- like a warm Summer day but the water was noticeably colder this week. Broke another Dyneema wishbone half way out, which discouraged me from exploring as far as a usually would have done. Thought about fixing it but decided to swim on & do a spot of rod fishing later instead. However my angling companions had already packed up. One was tired & unusually keen to leave (turns out they are ill and running a temperature). Balance has been restored.

 

[BenFord]

hey tony did you ever try that recipe for bass dude???

 

[deep thinker]

Broke another Dyneema wishbone half way out, which discouraged me from exploring as far as a usually would have done.

Would that be the dyneema itself that broke or did it come out of your rubbers on the gun? Didnt you replace your spear recently? If it was the rope that started tearing and you have a new spear try rounding the edges of the notches on the spear with a file, these are too sharp for dyneema wishbones on spears made for the screw cap metal wishbones and they cut through after a while. I just recently replaced my first dyneema after about 2 years of use...

 

[podge]

Now i know why that guy on the boat who caught my float line on his rudder looked so scared.

He probabley thought i was going to eat him

I was wondering why you were coughing up hairballs back at the car. roflroflrofl

 

[Cisco_Kid]

Had a nice swim after work today, off Portland(cheyne). Vis was good in the shallows, but thick soup 20m out, as there was a little bit of a swell.
I was literally in for 10 seconds, when a huge shoal of mullet passed my way. At least 40 of the little buggers. Never seen anything like it. I let them pass though as they were a bit to small.
My patience payed off in the end. Bagged me 2 nice sized mullet. Could of been 3, but 1 escaped.

All in all, it was a success. Spent most of the time brushing up on my techniques.

1 more thing..Anyone else get an eerie feeling when they see a garfish swim past..?

 

[Mr. X]

Dyneema wishbone

Would that be the dyneema itself that broke or did it come out of your rubbers on the gun? Didnt you replace your spear recently? If it was the rope that started tearing and you have a new spear try rounding the edges of the notches on the spear with a file, these are too sharp for dyneema wishbones on spears made for the screw cap metal wishbones and they cut through after a while. I just recently replaced my first dyneema after about 2 years of use...

Thanks DeepThinker, I had just this week come to the same conclusion, as one of the toggles was missing when I came to replace the wishbone this time. You definitely need to tie the 20mm rubbers much more tightly than the 16mm ones. Also, I ran out of RA braid, so now using thinner, shinier whipping braid (although I seal the knots carefully with a solder iron). The earlier wishbones broke differently though, to one side of the line - I think this was probably due to either or both of:

- rubbers were initially uneven (so wishbone dragged through notch when released during loading & pos. during firing)

and/or

- the toggle moved suddenly during use (due to toggle being too high and/or knot too loose).

This time I have pushed the toggles down much further & tied the cinch knots really tight around the rubber & line (rather than around the rubber & narrow tip of the toggle); I'm hoping that will fix it.

I haven't replaced my spear yet but probably will do. Tried smoothing the notches with a small round file but could not really do much with it (is there a better tool for the job - flexible file or Dremel tool?). Yes, the original factory wishbone lasted more than two years and had worn but not broken when replaced. (Anybody tried the double wishbones that include a spare 2nd strand?)

 

[atomichaggis]

1 more thing..Anyone else get an eerie feeling when they see a garfish swim past..?

I can hear the theme tune at the start of 'The Empire strikes back' when a schoal of Gars goes by. looks real sinister.

 

[Mr. X]

I can hear the theme tune at the start of 'The Empire strikes back' when a schoal of Gars goes by. looks real sinister.

Had one keep circling me a Chesil last year -- very weird & predatory (if I wasn't several hundred times bigger & carrying a loaded speargun, I would have concerned).

 

[tribs]

I saw a shoal and thought i was going to be the first one to bag a barracuda in british waters! It was only when they came closer that my disappointment grew but then rapidly faded as they are remarkable creatures and a joy to see.


Tribs

out

 

[jimy286]

iv often had them jumping over my float line bak an fourth....!!!!WAT DA f###!!!

 

[atomichaggis]

Today was weird... The fjord was thick with Scad and Gars as far as the eye could see. I was just sat on the rocks fishing and thinking that I far prefered to be out in the dry. I know they (gars) are harmless but they look like they could do all the stuff people said Piranhas could do.

 

[Almostafish]

Sorry Podge I'm not dead and will want my mono fins back! :t

 

[podge]

Sorry Podge I'm not dead and will want my mono fins back! :t

Ah shit!
Still winters coming and isn’t it about time you went for a ride on that mad man bike of yours.roflrofl
See you soon

 

[Mr. X]

Dived yesterday, Lulworth area. Weather was grey & drizzly but not grim. 'Sea was calm but the vis. was poor (0-2m very cloudy). Again went in too early: saw only only a few tiny pollock & the strong current kept changing direction, keeping the cover weed down & moving (potentially stomach churning). Managed a few aspettos, but sometimes just ended up in a cloud of murk on the bottom. After an hour came in for 30 min break to give the tide time to change. Went out again & managed a mullet & pollock (about 46cm each) - the mullet within minutes of entering the water, close to shore. The pollock 2 hours later coming in, again close to shore. Got glimpses of 2 larger mullet (one just the tail as is disappeared) but saw no bass at all. It's hard to see bass & mullet in such murk, they blend right into it, so they might have been around; I thought I saw a grey shadow a ways off a few time - perhaps wishful thinking.

Unsually, saw several beachcasters sat out on the beach (perhaps they know something is about - flatties perhaps?). They came at low tide & probably got the best conditions of the day as the light was changing early evening. It would have been nice to spear a little longer & then angle for a while but I had company.

 

[glowworm]

Dived on sunday with the boy's but didn't dive where i wanted too as although the sea was calm the swell made Portland Bill too dangerous and merky to dive.

Anyway went to a back up mark and managed to find this beauty in about 7 meters.I almost landed on him and he took off which meant i could track him and shoot him with my 90cm in merky water.

Largest flattie of the year for me didn't weight it but i reckon 4 lbs +

 

[glowworm]

Forgot pictures....

 

[podge]

John it was a nice fish but like I said I wasn’t looking for Plaice which is why I only had Flounder.

NNNUURRR bloody flatfish with no orange spots.rofl

 

[Almostafish]

Great fish John!

 

[SurfnSpear]

Nice one Johnno!..hope Hendy did not pinch it off the counter!rofl

 

[foxfish]

Nice fish mate.