Guernsey 2006

[Magpie]

No, not overly cynical, must admit I'm wondering the same things myself.

And if he was found not far off Fermain, why didn't he just swim to shore? Say he'd damaged a leg or something in 2 days you could still doggy paddle that far!

But we should try not to judge till we get the full story, half of what we know is just rumour.

 

[ADM]

Trip report from thi morning session on the bootlace forest.

Well it certainly is a forest!! Tons and tons of weed. great fun swimming through it and at times got a bit tangled up having to swim with arms and spear out of the water to try and push over it as it was a bit impenetrable in places.

Saw two big grand daddy rockies, one of them easily over 8lb using a friends 8lb shore caught fish as a guide this might have pushed 10. Left hm alone. Took a shot at another big rckie about 6lb and the spear went right through his head. Still cant work out how he got off when he shot into the weed, the spear went on the top of his head and out of his mouth. So if you see a big rockie with a hole in it, please return to me...

Anyway, carried on through the jungle for about 2 hours, great and really quite warm, even in my shortie didnt feel any cold at all.

Came through the weed into a small "gully" through the weed to see a bass and a big bream sitting there. In my decision making time as to which one to shoot, they went off in opposite directions. i went after the bream as it was a big fish, maybe 3lb where the bass was smaller. Didn't see it again, and neither did I see another bass or bream after that!!

Did however see a single mullet, thought I would have seen more but... quite a nice one and shot it, bit low and to the middle but he was mine. Weighed just under 4lb.

A few questions now I have them from lack of experience. Excuse the fact they might seem very obvious to you but to me as a rod and line angler I am a bit perplexed:

1. How do you kill the fish when in 10ft deep water trying to control it on the spear. Guess my shooting needs to improve!!
2. How do you get it effectively on the stringer (I use a metal loop style one with a rope to my belt).
3. How best to attach different species to the stringer?

 

[Magpie]

Nicely done Andy.

I find administering the coup de gras is easiest by using the knife in through the top of the head, just back from the eyes, wriggle it about a bit and when you find the spot the fish will wriggle hard and its mouth open. That'll be it, job done. Key thing is to have gloves on (especially with bass) so you can just grab the fish without worrying about the spines, easiest place to hold them it thumb and forefinger under the gills.

I use a pin type stringer and push it through a nostril and out through the bottom lip, keeps the mouthy closed then to reduce drag. Not sure what you do with a ring strinegr though.

Final thing, make your pics a bit smaller eh mate!

 

[ADM]

Oops. Shrunk it a bit... Got a widescreen monitor so didn't notice.

 

[ADM]

Forgot to mention that the weight belt definitely did help a bit. Recon I need some more lead though, Possibly the same amount again (i.e. 16lb total). Found swimming easier as I wasn't so high on top of the water so the cruising with fins was much easier if still a little splashy but they were underwater on their own rather than me having to try and get them underwater before kicking.

 

[Andy.R]

Good catch Andy

I went in the same spot last week weds or thurs it was flat calm and hardly saw a thing. I think it was too calm, well thats my story! Weight wise I like to go in a bit heavy and at the moment am using 8kg with a 5mm one piece suit.

Andy

The found diver story had dissappeared from the 2 oclock news altogether no mention!!!! - strange. Also no comments from air search rnli or anyone also strange

 

[Magpie]

Well they can't remove it from the front page of the Press I've bought!

8kg? Is that all! I use 27lbs (12.5kg) [including ankle weights] with my 5mm 2 peice! I wouldn't mind but I'm not all that fat! and thinking about it, carrying that 2kg anchor the other day I could still just float will full lungs...just!

 

[Andy.R]

There is quite a bit more more neoprene in a two piece, assuming that you have long john style trousers.

Plus don't forget I also tank dive so I don't like breathing in ;-)

Andy

 

[Old Man Dave]

Well done Andy. Hope you eat your mullet and enjoy it.

I think you need some more weight. If you wear socks/boots then consider some ankle weights as well as more belt weight. More weight will alter your body angle and stop neck ache while enabling you to look more ahead rather than down, also it will sink your legs and hence fins some more. Sometimes not seeing many fish doesn't mean they're not there, just that they saw/heard/felt you first. No splashing (more weight again) and slow movement helps you to catch fish unawares. Remember with their lateral line system they can feel you are there even if they can't see you in the thick weed.

Finishing off fish is easier if you can touch bottom or move to a nearby rock. A sharp pointed knife is best although you can use a sharply pointed stringer. Trying to do this while treading water is difficult and you can end up stabbing yourself. I turn my fish upside down and try to sever the spinal cord right behind the head by inserting the knife through the gill opening from underneath and using its point in a stabbing manner. I string my fish through the gills and out the mouth or mouth and gills, doesn't matter. This works with a stringer spike or a fish ring like yours. The only fish this doesn't work with is mullet. The attachment of the gill plates under the head is too flimsy and they break off. Traditionally they are threaded through both the eye sockets but I find this too gruesome. With mullet I make sure my knife stab goes right through the head and use that hole for my stringer. You can just use a sharp stringer and do the job in one.

Once you've speared the fish keep it on the spear and grab it firmly. Kill it with knife or stringer spike and secure it to your belt or float, then remove the spear. Never be tempted to remove it from the spear even if you think it's dead until it is safely on the stringer (or fish ring). Unsecured fish have a nasty habit of reviving at the wrong time and you can't hold them, hence "as slippery as a fish".

Dave

 

[podge]

Nice catch Andy
Dave’s got it spot on with the get the fish onto the stringer first bit as I thing we have all lost the odd fish like that before.
The only fish I have ever not killed with the knife was a large soul, which I just could not hold still for long enough so he was dispatched with a good thumbing to the gills.:martial
As for weight I use a cressi competition 2 piece suit and I have 11kg so far but I thing I will need some angle weights to get it just right as my fins still tend to be a bit splashy.
Oh foxfish get well soon mate sorry to hear about your ears.
Paul

 

[Old Man Dave]

Anyone got some scrap lead they'd like to donate to the cause. I must have made a 100lb plus of weights last year and it's cleaned me out. I'd like to offer some weights to any of the newbies who need them as I have to many others in the past but need some more raw material.

Thanks

Dave

 

[Andy.R]

Ah Ha I knew it was worth keeping!

Got some lead your welcome to (not a lot), been keeping it to make some fishing weights, but never seem to get time to even go fishing let alone make weights.

Andy

ps I hear Matthew Harvey got discharged from PEH early afternoon!!

 

[Magpie]

I'll have an ask around Dave.

My guns now starting to take shape, all the bits are in place, just need to varnish the stock, stick the copper bits on and drill for the bolts and jobs a goodun (once its spear arrives from France).

I just tested it for floatation in the bath and it just floated without the spear and sunk like a stone with it, so in sea rather than freshwater its shouldn't be too far off.

Ended up trying it with a rail, and it turned out pretty well, not bad for something cut by hand eh!

 

[Mr. X]

Anyone got some scrap lead they'd like to donate to the cause.

I keep finding small amounts of lead on beaches & have started to collect it - seems a waste not to. Not sure why it is there, it's not in the form of fishing or dive weights, just random strips & bits. I found a very big measuring weight with moulded in handle on the sea bed close to the end of the harbour wall in Coverack, might have been cast iron though. I was just able to lift it from the sea bed ... tried clipping it to my 11 litre float but it was much too heavy (& I already had a fish & some salvaged fishing tackle on the float). Would have made a good door-stop or, if lead, perhaps a weightbelt or 2.

Magpie, the gun is looking really good. How did you cut the rail - curved chisel? BTW I've noticed recently that my gun is muzzle heavy with the spear on, I never noticed it last year. I suppose that could be a safety feature (so the muzzle points down by default) but I think it is sometimes causing some muscle fatigue around my trapezius-muscle after 2 or 3 hours, & sometimes sooner.

 

[portinfer]

I like going light... using 7 to 8 bullet weights with the 5mm and about 5 bullets with the 3mm. Works for me but I do like being light - easier on the back - I tend to grab kelp if I go for shallow aspetto. I tend to find the range of depth hard to work out weighting (shallows down to 10m) so weight myself for the deepest I reckon it will be. Recently I started marking down the suit and weight combo and neutral bouyancy depth (... cos I'm interesting like that ...).

 

[loops]

Hi Guys, l use 22lb of weight on a 5mm suit.. just remember the deeper you go the less weight you will need...l find the quickest way to kill mullet is to break there necks...
happy hunting
Andy

 

[Magpie]

If I was going deeper I would certainly take weight off, but as I rarely go more than 8m its fine. At the moment I'm neutral at 4ish and by 6 I'm sinking without a trace.

Mr X, I found the best way to do the rail was to wrap a pen in sand paper and rub that up and down it. The pen ensured that the channel was straight as it ran smoothly up and down the track, it also ensured consistant depth and good finish. Was a fair bit of work, and it probably still need to be a couple of mm deeper, but my thumb is missing some skin now so I'm going to try it as it is!

You could always just cut your spear down in length, that should even it up a bit, or put some lead in the handle to balance it.

 

[Andy.R]

Apologies for my sceptism over the missing diver the story is true. Its in the Sun so it must be!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006410380,00.html

Andy

 

[stuckinsurrey]

Hi OMD,
Shame you dont live in UK, i work for a demolition company so lead is not a problem to get hold of. Me and podge used to make loads of sea leads for fishing, was always a good laugh even it it usually ended up with headaches. Lead making and poorly ventilated garages dont mix well. Think that posting lead to the Channel Islands could be an expensive business! Got many church roofs in your area, usually a good source ;->

 

[podge]

Hi OMD,
Me and podge used to make loads of sea leads for fishing, was always a good laugh even it it usually ended up with headaches. Lead making and poorly ventilated garages dont mix well.

Oh how I miss the lead making and the death of the Coleman stove as it erupted into flames and had to be drowned in your mothers fish pond.
Happy Days
And the morel of the story is Coleman petrol stoves great for making cups of tea not so good for melting large amounts of lead.