Guernsey 2009

[foxfish]

We went to the Le Grand Mare last night for their festive menu & very nice it was to but we also notice lots of lights out to sea!
Not sure what it is all about, might of been someone on Grosse Rock or a trawler sheltering or boats fishing the bass mark?

 

[ADM]

I was out fishing last night but not that way. It kept snowing on me...

Had a couple of pollack on the lures.

As for Jonny getting in the water, well the sea is fairly warm, sort of, but the air and wind is bloney freezing so that's a big effort. Well done!!

 

[njb]

Went in on the low. Just back and finished spraying my stuff down. Didn't see anything apart from a small lone rockfish. Went in at bordeaux and did a lap around the middle rocks castle side. Vis was pretty good, just with a bit of sand suspended. Im not sure if il be going in again this holiday. Anyone had/know of much on shore rods?

Nick

 

[Old Man Dave]

It's fishable again, after nearly 2 months. Unfortunately that's most of the early winter night season gone. Plaice are well away by now (except for little non breeders), ditto turbot and brill, but soles usually stay 'til Dec/Jan. Should still be plenty of reds and some bass. Trouble is in my experience they move out a bit when it's been so rough for so long.

Tried a quick 50 minute dive tonight. Vis was fishable at about 10 to 12 foot. Some swell but not too bad. Fairly high tide which is not my favourite but there should have been fish. There were plenty this time in the last few years. In the end other than a million smelt I only saw 3 squid which I left. Nice to get in again although a bit chilly and I was glad of the extra vest (but didn't need the gloves yet).

I would try another spot or two but sods law I am fully booked for the next few days. Even tonight was; leave work, home and change, dive, home and change, eat tea, out to carol service and home again. Life always gets in the way of diving. Hate that.

Dave.

 

[Jonny250]

Well done Dave and Nick.

I went in around 10pm but the wind had got up to 25 ish knots and there was a wave dumping on the shore of my chosen spot. Went in anyway but didnt exp[ect to see much. Vis was good, but everything was moving around lots. didnt last very long and swam back in along some rocks where i saw a small bass.
swam in and back to the car to try another place.
In at number 2 (appropriate name) where the water was brown and the smell was bad. Decided aginst putting my head under and made a swift exit. Must have looked funny to anyone watching lol.
that's probably me done for the winter unless it calms down for a bit. or unless i find the dolphins on the little russel at the weekend.

 

[podge]

Good work chaps, don’t give up yet jonny you never know that Bass or Sole of a lifetime might just be there on the next dive, besides that I don’t want to be the only nutter that’s still diving this time of year.

 

[ADM]

The rods are still taking a few bass but it's mainly just Clarky fishing. I'm fishing but not catching... It's bloney hard work and also rather chilly.

Might try some squid tonight and see what's about.

 

[ep_haury]

ello again. A few more questions.

First off, I have some questions about the extreme tides you have and how they affect your harbours. Now I’ve seen the images of Elizabeth Castle in both extremes, and I’ve seen the harbour of Gorey Castle with the boats on sand. But different shapes of the sea floor would lead to different results, and am I right in assuming that there are harbours in the C.I.s where the water may rise and fall, but the boats still are always in some amount of water?

Also, if that is the case, how are your piers/quays/dock/wharfs designed? I mean ,how has the fact boats rise and fall so much (unless in some areas where they don’t) affect how you design them or how you tie up your boats? Any idea how old any of the techniques you use are?

Also, how common are flies on your beaches, especially on piles of seaweed? What size of flies tend to gather there, if any? Are they present in both summer and winter months?

Also, please check out these screenshots from a Sue Daly video.

For the image with the cuckoo wrasse, what are the plants directly behind them? Are those ordinary seaweeds with other sea plants growing on them (And if so, is the “base” plant most likely alive or dead?) Or is each a single plant?

Which kind of seaweed is in the beach image?

 

[Magpie]

There are 3 main times of moorings, marinas, deep water or drying. In the marinas the pontoon slide up and down big piles in the sea bed and a barrier retains always 2ish metres of water under the boats. Depp water moorings are deep enough to retain water under the boat at all states of the tide. Most of these are simple swinging moorings where the boats all move around together with the wind/tide. Drying moorings do exactly that, swinging moorings where at low tide the boats are left sitting on the sand.

Flies are very common in the summer aruond piles of rotting seaweed, they're fairly small. Far less in the winter.

In the cuckoo wrasse pic the main stems are kelp, and yes, it looks like there is somethiing growing on old kelp stalks next to the fish, no idea what exactly though. The seaweed in the secong picture is bladder wrack.

HTH

 

[Old Man Dave]

Lets welcome Mike from Jersey http://forums.deeperblue.com/guernsey/85182-hello-guernsey.html#post792595.

Dave.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

its nearly ormering time wooooooo! cant wait, may even moderate how much I drink nyrs eve, anyone know if lobbies are still about, as I had loads over the summer, but have never managed one ormering.

 

[Moz]

Hi Mike from Jersey
will be good to have some inter island banter.
How was the season over there?

 

[Moz]

Hi Fro,
am think quick dive on 1st to clear the head and then ormering on Saturday.
Am keen to observe your freakish ability to seek out the wee beasties.
Will catch up when back from uk

 

[Old Man Dave]

its nearly ormering time wooooooo! cant wait, may even moderate how much I drink nyrs eve, anyone know if lobbies are still about, as I had loads over the summer, but have never managed one ormering.

Did you catch the lobsters diving, or in pots or working the shoreline at lowtide? You do find lobsters inshore all year. Their moult and breeding cycle happens in the spring time. Early winter is a good time to look for lobster and crab while diving as the weed (kelp) has died right off and it's easier to find the holes. Trouble is that, in my experience, with such a long spell of rough weather (2 months now) most marine life that can move has gone out a bit deeper,

Dave.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

I had about two dozen over the summer/autumn, was the first year where it "clicked", the how, when, where, why sort of knowledge. I do a lot of forraging above and below the water, learning from trial and error, but also from observing those older and much wiser than me, and relying on their age making them soft enough to let a tip or small secret slip out. Had about half snorkelling, half cricking. I still havent figured out the effects of water temp, season and storm activity on their movements. all I know is the bigger the tide the better for cricking, though I know of holes down one of my beaches in wales where i got 3lb lobbies out on neaps.
I had some good bass this year poking, dangling and fishing off my surfboard, but many here seem to be better than me (e.g OMD=Flatties), think I might try and make "bugs" my speciality."

Any lobby stories, recipes (feel free to withold the clues, good spots are rare/sacred) or tips would be very welcome. Cant wait for the summer as I only explored a very small area and it strikes me guernsey has a whole lotta coastline which resembles the spots i've got lucky at.

 

[Jonny250]

that's a fine effort on the lobsters fro' ! i agree there's plenty of coastline to explore, and all the surroounding reefs too! if you can get over to the west coast offshore rocks/reefs e.g. bou corneille or petit saut rocher i reckon there must be some relatively unmolested ormers and lobby holes... no doubt mart/omd will be able to shed more ideas? I stopped there a couple of times last year from the kayak and the latter rock has a shallow gulley/pool (at low tide) which could be good (not that i would really know).

managed to get out in the boat on Saturday morning, but couldnt find the dolphins, so stayed dry!

 

[foxfish]

I have only ever found one lobster while ormering, it was on a New years day about 20 years ago, just lying under a rock.
Had a few diving though but in the past I was never a very enthusiastic crab hunter due to amount of conger.
Not a concern nowadays of course!
Its not actually that difficult to find lobsters its just not something I particularly enjoy especially as I received over a hundred a year from my potter friend (unfortunately not free).
cooking - well I have already written thousands of word on that subject....
One thing is the seasons - in the summer a parr boiled lobster placed on the BBQ for a couple of mins - in the winter a lobster thermidor is a fantastic treat.
I think most importantly, not overcooking is the secrete to success.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Had a look tonight. Definitely getting cold. Vis is fishable at 10 or 12 foot. Tides are okay and no swell provided you're west or north. In for over an hour and saw a million smelt and 1 squid. Was mainly bassing in a spot I had 4 fish two months ago. None seen, so none caught. Might go again if conditions hold but doesn't seem to be any fish left inshore. I'm guessing they got as p*ssed off as I was with 2 months of wind and b*ggered offshore a bit early.

Dave.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

ha, you do have a point there foxfish, had a really good dive in the summer, found a good patch, had 3 in the bag and was in the routine of sticking my head in holes and under boulders without a second thought, found the perfect boulder, thought i'd be in luck, poked head under and there was a large pointy big eyed face staring straight at me, only a foot away. Promptly withdrew my face from the vacinity. No idea what size the conger was but it was a bit thicker than a tub of pringles so 10-15lb? No problem with it tho it stared at me and I left it alone. Do they get more agressive or boisterous the bigger they get? As for looking for lobster on ormering tides im convinced that they are there but I have'nt been looking properly. Will let you know if I get more than a dozen on new years day I agree with the summer barbeque tip, makes them taste and smell fantastic.

 

[Old Man Dave]

In again tonight. Perfect tide and calm sheltered conditions with barely any swell. Vis was about 15 foot which isn't brilliant but eminently fishable. I tried out a bit deper as it was low tide springs and was able to go a way without too much depth. Saw the usual million smelt but only size fish were a small bass, a medium squid and a lonely red mullet around the pound mark. Didn't want any of these so let them go in peace.

Think that will be the last dive this year as it looks like the fish are gone. In past couple or three years we have caught well at this time of year and up 'til mid january but not this year.

Someone prove me wrong.

Dave.