Guernsey 2008

[Sarnian]

I seem to have grown a beard since you last posted it! Glad to see some of you have been getting in, and reporting back on conditions for the rest of us! The rest of the weekend doesn't look like improving either.

Extended my culinary repertoire to a cassoulet for 10 for Mrs Sarnian's birthday last night. Seemed to go down well - using the River Cottage recipe.:friday

 

[Jonny250]

Nice piccie Foxfish i like the 'adjustments'.
The kids in the youthclub i help with have started calling me Billy (Goat)

So as we have such beautiful weather at the mo and arent talking about our recent catches, hows about some clarification on the plus and minus of spearing low tide Vs high tide, neaps Vs springs...

As i've only been fishing for a (whole) year now, i've settled into some 'standard' routines, i.e. fishing the low and where possible on the incoming tide, rarely on the drop.
I prefer neaps to springs, except on the couple of occasions when i've gone looking for places that are normally 'deep' dives, i.e. south coast.
or is it just a case of making the most of whatever slot in the weather comes along???
What do you think?

 

[ADM]

I don't see why high water wouldn't work, especially over some of the shallow reef systems I fish at high tide, say L'Eree shinglebank through the gullies etc. Bass paradise but watch out at night.... There's some BIG snakes round that way.......

 

[foxfish]

jonny it would seem our friends across the water often go on the ebb tide, I have always assumed the low & rising tide to be the best but?

 

[Jonny250]

i think one advantage of fishing the low tide is that - especially on the west coast - the rocks that become exposed form good barriers from the swell, so it's generally calmer water - even further out. Also seems generally to be clearer water and sometimes i've thought that the rising tide brings with it the 'mixed-up' water that reduces vis.

Bass paradise but watch out at night.... There's some BIG snakes round that way.......

Oooh, I'll take me camera

 

[Magpie]

I don't think you can say this or that state or size of tide is better as each and every spot will be different, and then a couple of weeks later on exactly the same tide it will be different again. You'd have to dive a hell of a lot more than most of us do to get any real idea of a pattern I reckon.

I prefer low tide because its more interesting, remember our sport is not just about shooting fish. Low tide there is far more interesting places to explore, high tide is dull but there'll still be fish to shoot if thats the only reason you do it.

Very few of us are blessed with the spare time to be able to go at exactly the "best time" so its a case of going where looks good and seeing how your luck is I reckon. I've had fish at high, low, ebb, flood, spring, neap, day, night, dusk and even (once!) dawn.

My personal opinion is tide state plays more role in fishing than spearing as fish are often there but not feeding, which means you ain't going to catch them fishing, but spearing on the other hand....

 

[Jonny250]

I kind of agree with you magpie, about needing to dive zillions of times to really get a pattern worked out. Also about there's more to it than just shooting fish - hence the camera nearly always accompanies me.

Interesting idea about the fish feeding relating to the state of the tide, although they seem to take plugs at all states of the tide..?

so.. springs or neaps ? if you had to choose? (and why?)

 

[Magpie]

There will be fish feeding somewhere at every state of the tide, problem is being in that place at that time because its also always changing.

Springs for me, opens up more unexplored ground.

 

[Sarnian]

Amazing programme on BBC2 at the moment, "Coast" - shows us what we're missing at present! Must get back to it!

 

[Jonny250]

Went in for a swim this afternoon, down south and out of the wind; it was quite pleasant and i was really hoping i wasnt making a mistake - i've had good and also utterly unfishable days at the little place...

today the vis was pretty decent - considering the recent wind and waves

I had an interesting meeting with a fishing boat - the guys were very good and warned me they were putting in nets and also checked with me how many spearos were in the water (1)... they did come right along side me but as i had the camera mounted on the gun, didn't think that filming it close-up would be received well

Here's the vid, but the summary woud be: not very fishy, but a pleasant swim:

 

[Jonny250]

Gosh, bit quiet in 'ere.. anyone else been getting in?

went for another dip down south today, vis is still ok although yesterday was better. Managed to find some fish today so that made things more interesting

 

[Sarnian]

Great filming Johnny and well done for getting in! Whadya get? I did think about it but driving along the West it looked a bit stirred up. Looks like you might be the November FOM entrant!!

 

[foxfish]

You are getting better with you camera mate, really shows the recoil of your gun.
Are you going o tell us more?

 

[ADM]

Been loads of reds netted at that spot Jonny, that's why there's so many gill nets in there.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Thought I might get a night dive or two in this week. Not much chance according to the forcast and then discovered I was booked for 3 nights anyway. Fed up I went out in the p*ssing rain and howling wind and drowned a few worms for an hour. Crashing surf with tons of loose dead weed in the shallows was not ideal conditions. Still managed a small bass .

When is this weather going to relent?

Dave

 

[fearthespear]

I predict next summer Dave (if we get one!)...

 

[Sarnian]

Jonny 250 and I tried a night dive this evening down south.

It was a bit of a disaster for me as my new Princeton torch I've been waiting to use for nearly a year failed after about 5 seconds, though it was fine when I tested it out of the water last night. There was water sloshing around the reflector bowl, and the bulb appeared to have blown. So I messed about in the shallows with my little mask light, whereas Jonny had a little bit more luck - but I'll leave him to tell the story!

Still not sure what happened with the torch, unless the bulb was damp from sitting in my shed outside and blew. It hadn't been in the water yet and I'd screwed it up tightly I think.

 

[foxfish]

Really bad luck Col but full marks for giving it a go!

 

[Sarnian]

Thanks - meant to post a pic - not of fish unfortunately, but of the torch!

 

[Sarnian]

Good effort Dave -
I think I might of posted this before but here it is again rofl

Here's another one from the same day!