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Dorset Spearing 2008

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Girlfriend was on a hen do this weekend just gone so I was lucky enough to have a dive both days! Wahoo!

Saturday - Got in with Coops in Portland Harbour. When we arrived there were mullet mouching around in the shallows so we decided to skip breakfast and get straight in - that was the last we saw of the mullet for 3 hrs. Not much seen for the first hour, just a small plaice and lots of small wrasse. Finally saw a bass and proceeded to miss it - bugger. Swum a bit further and managed to wrinkle a lobster outta a hole which we then chased across the sand and caught in a pincher movement between us. Next drop down came across a bass led up in the weed. He didnt move so I managed to shoot this one and really pleased as it was my best bass so far, weighed at the car at 6lb 9oz! Really chuffed and the long swim back was slowed by checking he hadnt come off the stringer every 100yrds! Not much else seen and the vis was pretty dodgy 2-4m hazy. Consumed the lobster on the BBQ at Podges later on- Yum!

Sunday - out with podge on the boat, tried 3 spots vis was all over the place. Saw a few small bass and a few mullet, nothing really big though. I had a mullet tear off the spear unfortunately, Podge had the same with a nice bass. Just a few spiders and a mullet between us for our efforts. The best part of the day was getting the boat towed back up the slip way by a kind jet skier (they sometimes have their uses) in the meltingly hot sun.
 

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As Jim has said, it was a hot day but unfortunately with not too many fish.
I had the Mullet last night and very nice it was and I’m have Spider Crab fishcakes tonight so 2 meals out of a Sunday dive, not to bad after all.
Jim’s Lobster was top class on my bbq, fresh lobster does take a lot of beating in my book. :friday
 
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This is a picture of Coops' new spear tip guard - pretty funky I reckon. Coops asked me if I knew how hard it was to drill a chicken.....things these Radstock dwellers get up to......:t
 

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Great catch Jim! No diving for me unfortunately since the arrival of the littlun, as I haven't been more than 5 miles from home!

I have been swimming though, so thought I'd post a viz report in case it's helpful. Viz in Bournemouth bay (including Hengistbury) is very poor at the moment. Less than a metre in the shallows increasing to 2m ish further out. The big blow on Saturday really stirred it up.

Line fished with mackerel feathers off the kayak up at Hengistbury, Sat pm for an hour or so and caught 2 mackies, a garfish and 5 pollock - all came home for the bbq. The gar was very tasty but had green bones!!

BTW anyone thinking of diving Hengistbury in the future, bring the biggest baddest float you can muster with the tallest loudest flag, and write DIVER all over it - the place is packed with lunatics in all forms of watercraft not watching where they are going...nearly got run over in a 13 foot yak several times!

Hoping I might get a dive in soon...:confused:
 
Milkman , Garfish bones are harmless despite green colour , even considered medicinal in some countries , not sure about that but they can be eaten . Take leftover bones , rub with garlic , dip in seasoned flour and shallow fry in very hot oil for about 1 min' , very nice and you can truly say nothing was wasted , like a good hunter should !
 
Guys - I heard through the grapevine that two spearos got nicked in Portland over the weekend for mooring up and diving under one of the harbour jetties - anyone know any more about it? Apparently the guys were arrested and all their gear, including boat was confiscated!!

Looks like the HM is getting pretty serious - watch-out...

Sorry if it was any of you guys,

James
 
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They were wrong to tell you that it is illegal to spearfish at kimmeridge, it is a voluntary marine reserve, and you are free to do what you like there. I have had some people moan to me about spearing there in the past but politely ignored them. I guess that this is an area where it is a good idea to be subtle about what you catch, but most people won't mind you taking a fish for the pot. PS Spain are my team for the Euro's!
I visited Kimmeridge several times angling & kayaking and made a point of asking if fishing is allowed of several people there, including those working in the museum/aquarium place & a guy who lives there who claimed to be a warden (I am told that he is not) walking his dog there in the early hours one morning. "Yes, no problem." is the response I always get - they are used to anglers & expect them - I suspect they are fishermen themselves. I think their aim must be to prevent commercial fishing there (much of it is shallow & rocky anyway) -- or perhaps those working & living there do not support the reserve status. Many of the people who go there go specifically to fish or launch their fishing boats. And yes, there usually are lobster pots there.

... 2 of them approached me and told me that Kimmeridge is a marine reserve and it is NOT LEGAL to practice spearfishing or fish or collect any molluscs and they were warning me only as they did not want for me to be in trouble!!.I told them I was sure it was legal to practice ...
:mute:mute

Visited a location I haven't been to for a couple of years yesterday. Not particularly fishy. Took 2 mullet 1 big, 1 small. Also saw a large shoal of small mullet passing by at speed, more sizeable wrasse than usual including one maybe 5lb, two small-ish bass and a lot of blue/green sandeels. Vis. was good for the 75cm gun -- clearer in some spots. Picked up a large male spider crab but realised it was having "a romantic moment" so put it back:D.
 
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Hello Weyman. Welcome to the forum.
Went out in the new kayak spearing today for the first time. Paddled from Sandsfoot to Bincleaves in double quick time & went in there. Vis was great but nothing seen worth shooting. Getting in and out of kayak is an adventure but ok if everything still on kayak is tied down! Now looking forward to venturing further afield in search of fish.
 
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...ok if everything still on kayak is tied down! ...
Good point. Chatted to an older gent with a new fishing yak (v. small, neat Ocean Kayak) at a car park recently. He paddled out to me a few hours later and asked me to dive to recover his lure box! I took a look around but no sign of it.
 
Guys - I heard through the grapevine that two spearos got nicked in Portland over the weekend for mooring up and diving under one of the harbour jetties - anyone know any more about it? Apparently the guys were arrested and all their gear, including boat was confiscated!!

Looks like the HM is getting pretty serious - watch-out...

I have also heard that the Port Police are getting a little touchy and this includes the whole length of Breakwater, I suspect it will get even worse as 2012 approaches!!
 
Freedive Saturday at Vobster Quay

Ok then gents the freedive Saturday and BBQ this weekend is a go.
For those of you that are coming (sorry I’ve lost my list) this is how it’s going to work.
Meet at Vobster Quay at 10.00 so that Bryn can go through what’s happening and after a day of diving and tuition of to the campsite for a BBQ and a little drink.
I think that Bryn is away on a course for most of this week so feel free to PM me and I’ll try to help if I can.
For a map of how to find Vobster see the link below.
Don’t forget to bring a BBQ and something to cook on it and some booze of your choice,
oh and best bring yer wetsuit and fins.:):)
See you there gents.

http://www.vobsterquay.co.uk/welcome.shtml#C
 
You are not allowed within 150m of the breakwater and with the bloom at the moment it makes spotting fish a bit tricky from that distance.
Had a few nice mullet last week from nowhere near the breakwaters, honest. The bloom was there but it was patchy some nice clear areas, may have thickened up now though.
Ringstead was thick with it on Sunday.
 
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