Guernsey 2009

[Sarnian]

Well the vis at a favourite NW spot didn't look quite as good when I got in this lunchtime. Stealthing through the weed in the little "lagoon" behind the back of the big rock, I thought I saw a familiar blue- grey head sitting motionless behind some kelp in about 3 ft of water. Or was it just seaweed? Twang! the Mamba shot slightly high and behind the gill plate, but just enough to keep him hooked on.

Saw nothing else apart from possibly a bream flitting into the distance in the same area, and a solitary mullet.

It was just under 4lb - I may enter in the May FOM, although I suspect others may better this over the weekend. ( couldn't find my proper scales!)

For the record: Low at 1.8m, in just at low tide, fish half hour afterwards. Light NE wind.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Nice one Col. Doing better than me. See Ed and assume Pete had a few as well. Did my first dive for a month or so and found reasonable although not great vis. Saw 4 bass a single big wrasse and a couple of dozen mullet. Loads of beautiful purple jelly fish around too. Had a big swim out in some strong tide and was disappointed to only get the wrasse which went about 5lb.

Dave.

 

[SurfnSpear]

well you lot will be happy to know Mart is safe and well in Cornwall! I did though have to ring him and Sarah a taxi as they had consumed a little lager at the Lewinnick Lodge here in Newquay! Heh heh!:friday

 

[Sarnian]

Intriguing .... tell us more!

 

[Andy.Round]

Good to see some fish being caught at last, I had a cracking sailing weekend in France except for lack of wind. This meant we had to keep very close inshore around the Ile Brehat. Viz looked pretty good and there were more spearfishermen in the water than you could shake a speargun at, including what looked like families, really good to see. On the way to Guernsey yesterday morning a dolphin came up to the boat swam underneath and then shot off, really great sight.

See we are back to westerly seven’s now that sailing is over.

 

[Don_Jose]

I spent the weekend in Jersey. Went over on Friday night and back on Sunday. They got the forcast all wrong for yesterday. Still - pleasnt run back on Sunday. Small swell but no wind so perfect for my little motor boat. (Sorry Andy!) Viz looked pretty good all the way - no dolphins though.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Ed (Portinfer) and I went yesterday for a 2 hour marathon swim to some outer reefs in search of a big bass. It was deader than a morgue out there. Just a few small fish in the shallows. It was a rather big tide and there was a swell but even so !!!

Then off course i see this http://forums.deeperblue.com/767892-post1040.html . If you haven't watched it don't as it's too depressing. Is it my imagination or are these mainlanders getting better vis and a sh*tload more fish than us?

Dave.

 

[Magpie]

Similar story from me, 2 1/2 hours in the weed beds at L'Eree yesterday and saw no sizeable fish. Did see a shoal of about 50 bass in the shallows on the way in, but they were all 6 inches long.

Viz was no better than average.

 

[Sarnian]

I also tried Grandes Rocques on Sunday afternoon, and saw nothing, zilch, rien, gar nichts, de nada, zip, nul points.

 

[ADM]

Silly question... But why are you all on the west coast?? The viz is East out of the wind and so are the bass... At least it looks very clear above water and the danglers are catching plenty??

 

[Magpie]

Because monday it was blowing easterly and it was murky as hell on the east.

You need to be in to tell what the viz is like, but you can see when it's the colour of milk it ain't worth trying!

 

[Old Man Dave]

I was NE on Friday and vis was fishable but not as good as it looked from the shore. ONly saw a very few smallish bass. Personally I'm not up for diving Belle Greve anymore. Two years and two serious ear infections after diving there might be a coincidence but I'm not going to risk it. Haven't been north much either especially a couple of spots by the dump because of the pipe there.

Dave.

 

[Don_Jose]

When was the last time there was a spearo competition here? I tried to organise one a few years ago and got a lot of interest - even got couple of shops to stump up some prizes too. I didn't bother in the end though as the whole insurance, guard boat health and safety etc made it too much hassle. All comp rules and guidelines came from the British Spearfishing Society.
Maybe a few people would be interested in an un-official comp one day? Sort of..... slope off fishing for a while wherever you want and then meet up at say The Rockmount for grog and food. Oh, there will have to be a weigh in too. Dunno - what you think?

 

[njb]

Sounds good. I would be up for it. As long is its not a Saturday afternoon.

 

[UK Spearo]

When was the last time there was a spearo competition here? I tried to organise one a few years ago and got a lot of interest - even got couple of shops to stump up some prizes too. I didn't bother in the end though as the whole insurance, guard boat health and safety etc made it too much hassle. All comp rules and guidelines came from the British Spearfishing Society.
Maybe a few people would be interested in an un-official comp one day? Sort of..... slope off fishing for a while wherever you want and then meet up at say The Rockmount for grog and food. Oh, there will have to be a weigh in too. Dunno - what you think?

BSA comp 5th Sept on Jersey, at St Ouens (I can't make it though, to expensive for me I'm afraid).....

 

[Old Man Dave]

Well at last our season seems to have started. After poor vis and little fish things seem to have improved. The neap tides, less swell and east winds have all conspired to see the vis improve from fishable to good. It was 20+ft most places I was (shallowish on the west coast) tonight although less where there was some remaining swell but in the deep vis is getting on 30ft.

Biggest change though is the fish seem to have arrived. Not just the bass but mullet, wrasse, smelt, sandeels etc. At last it looks alive down there and with good vis and the sun out it was positively pleasant.

I'll leave you with a catch picture as it's getting late and suit to wash, fish to fillet, tea to eat etc. Will add some more detail tomorrow when I get a chance.

Dave.

PS did I blink and miss something/someone. Welcome newbie, what happened to your post? Don't be shy, we don't bite, well not most of us anyway.

 

[Spaniard]

Cracking catch mate! Half-term suits you....:t

 

[spearheads]

Wow, thats alot fish for One dive.

 

[podge]

Great Stuff Dave, is Mart back from Cornwall? If he is it’s time to get the smoker warmed up.:friday

 

[Dave L]

Nice catch there Dave !!