Guernsey 2006

[Trip15]

Thanks guys - got some shopping to do today then.

Kit list:

Elios camo wetsuit (5mm)
Seatec gabbiano 90 gun
Seatec rubber belt and buckle (but no weights yet)
Spetton fins
Seatec mask and snorkel
Small dagger
HUGE float (seatec nautilus)

I had an unexpected windfall and I think the cash must have been burning a hole in my pocket! (I think, on reflection, I probably would have used an adapted boogie board or an inflatable float). Still it's big enough to carry a load of fish! (or a small whale).

 

[foxfish]

You certainly have some good quality kit mate.

 

[Magpie]

Nice gear mate! I see you've been lurking around the forum for ideas on what to buy.
What camo pattern elios did you get? Pics?

 

[portinfer]

Trip - all looks good - a mate has the gabiano and they seem nice - not sure about the Spetton fins though... presume you are buying from spearo Dave in Cornwall ?

There is a mother of a thread on fins somewhere on this site - might be worth trawling it again.

The Omer ice seem good - Tom and Dave allegedly have a pair each but I can't be sure as I have never seen them

Miles has a pair of Cressi 3000 LD that seem good and the Cressi 2000 that the three Italian brothers use certainly don't stop them from catching fish.

Me and Pete use Waterway Nemo fins (#2) and like them alot.

I used Sporasub H Dessault for a year or two - good to start off with but the fins are old school brittle plastic (very impressed with the Omer Ice plastic...) and I may well be wrong but I feel the Spetton will be the same ? Could be worth checking....

If you have problems with foot pockets I have a range .... goes for anyone else too.... I think I have 3 pairs of foot pockets that aren't being used... various manufacturers.... feel free to try with whatever blades you get.

Ed

 

[foxfish]

Talking about fins, I was considering using my shallow water jets today, I thought it might stop me diving to deep! The doc says I can go in the water but dont dive! Considering the size of tide its seems a bit pointless if you cant hunt flatties :vangry Port grat or Vazon would of been a good choice but I guess I will do a few more hours on the mambas new sleeve instead. Good luck to all you lucky spearos :waterwork

 

[Jez]

Foxfish, did I hear somewhere you've bust your ear? :crutch My sympathies if so.

 

[foxfish]

I except your sympathies mate but it is not that bad, just an infection & its getting better. (slowly)

 

[Sarnian]

Mart if it's any consolation I thought I'd see what the Knife is like on a low spring this afternoon. Tried the RH side first and the vis wasn't too bad considering the easterly. Quite interesting going through the long eel grass instead of above it, but didn't see very much at all. Then tried the other side from about 2 hours up - completely different as you would expect and really good vis.Saw a school of small bass briefly in the distance, and finally 2 medium sized mullet who didn't even hang around to be shot like they usually do!

So another fruitless trip but nice conditions and first chance to try weight belt and float. Could be because the fisherman say "wind in the East, fish are least" or something No doubt it's not a good time to go 'cos I didn't see anyone else there!

 

[spaghetti]

:crutch You have my simpathy too, Foxfish:
[ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=67337"]ear plugs for old spearo[/ame]
While looking forward diving again, you can think it positive: no good ears necessary for mushroom hunting

 

[foxfish]

It is all a big learning curve mate. Fishing time on these big tides is very limited, when the tide pushes all the usual holding spots for bass & mullet, IE boot lace, just lays flat! You are best looking for fish over the sand one hour each side of low. Sometimes you dont even need to dive to find flats. It is also just a good time to look & see places you cant normally reach. Other opportunities could be gathering some razor fish from the lagoon.

 

[foxfish]

Thanks spaghetti & you are spot on, I went mushroom hunting today & had a bumper catch. I have kept (eaten) one very large porcini (9oz) & sold the rest (7lb) to my Italian restaurant friend. I have been going almost every day for weeks with no luck but today they were there, I love the Autumn

 

[Sarnian]

It is all a big learning curve mate. Fishing time on these big tides is very limited, when the tide pushes all the usual holding spots for bass & mullet, IE boot lace, just lays flat! You are best looking for fish over the sand one hour each side of low. Sometimes you dont even need to dive to find flats. It is also just a good time to look & see places you cant normally reach. Other opportunities could be gathering some razor fish from the lagoon.

Thanks again for the tips. The bootlace was fairly horizontal! I suppose you can at least find the flatties by walking on them, rather than prodding - not that I've managed to spot any yet! That brother of yours must have a built in fish sensor.

Cheers

Colin

 

[Magpie]

Biggest tides of the year and what am I doing all weekend? Playing sodding cricket all day both days. Joy!

 

[foxfish]

Well I went fishing with my eldest brother.

 

[Andy.R]

I managed to get out of sailing early (no wind so we gave up) and dashed to get my kit for a dive. Actually 2 dives....

Before low water at the sunken forest Vazon, sight of some memorable catches (inc the 18lb Turbot) lots of holes, cuttles or crabs rather than fish though. Nothing. Viz OK surprising ground swell and lots of people swimming, so bailed out early.

Went down near home on the low water. Plenty of small mullet in the shallows grabbed a male spider, a handful of razor clams and a couple of small plaice. At last!!!

I was beginning to think I had somehow 'gone blind' not having been in much in recent years. I hope its starting to come back.

 

[foxfish]

Well done mate, they look like a tasty size.

 

[Andy.R]

forgot to say...

I saw the weirdest thing..... egg shells, yes hens egg shells!!! they looked like they had been hardboiled some had bits of egg still attached. Bait?

also

Came across a couple of scallop shells, from the look of them fairly recent. Scallops on west coast?

Andy

 

[Sarnian]

Biggest tides of the year and what am I doing all weekend? Playing sodding cricket all day both days. Joy!

Never mind Tom - look on the bright side - if you'd had your new gun you'd have REALLY been p*ssed off!

I tried seeing what the area by the Cartlines was like on a low spring - interesting to see lots of pollack but nothing else worth shooting.
Colin

 

[Magpie]

Nice Plaice Andy.

Talking of strange things seen a week or two ago out of Chouet I saw at least 20 golfballs rolling around on the bottom, mostly range balls but some proper ones too.

Yeh, that I would have been. I still haven't heard any news on the guns yet boys.

 

[beardy241]

Sure, they look like golf balls, but they're actually egg cases for the lesser spotted Caddyfish
[m]