Guernsey 2017

[foxfish]

Pollock are being targeted right now as they are breeding on the deep water marks, commercial fishermen like to take advantage of breeding fish!!
Guernsey has it own rules regarding fishing and rarely follow the UK.
Spring normally spells the arrival of all the common inshore species but don't expect to see that much until the sea warms up & the bait fish arrive around May - June.
Cod are more of a cold water fish & we don't see many inshore.
If you were coming 20 years ago then you could expect a strong influx of Bass and Plaice around this time of year, you might be lucky but there wont be much string weed around for another 4-6 weeks.
You should look in the kelp at low tide. You might see Pollock and bass, mullet will be around too. Lobster and crab are present all year around.
We have lots of sandy bays & plaice can be found almost anywhere although they are often "spent" after retuning from their breeding grounds and not always in the best condition.
If you can find back dated post from 4 + years ago, then you will see some of us catch well in the spring. Google will help you search as the forum search facility is not great.

 

[scsmyth]

Many thanks again for the reply foxfish! Some great info, indeed it is news to me that Pollack were targeted commercially, people tend to turn their noses up at them in Scotland. Although they can be pretty tasty when fresh and cooked well, I always thought the market was limited.
Well all sounds like rather nice diving and I'm sure a bit different to other parts of the UK, I am looking into ferries just now so look forward for a dip in your waters in the near future I hope.
Thanks again for the tips, wishing you a good 2017 in the drink

 

[foxfish]

No problem mate, you might be interested in this too... you might want to contact GrantL.... https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/guernsey-fish-in-social-2017.107414/

 

[scsmyth]

Thanks for the heads up, looks like a fun event!

 

[foxfish]

We have room for 6 more divers.... https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/guernsey-fish-in-social-2017.107414/page-2#post-966151

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Hi Mart, I cant commit to the comp yet as may be away, I get it is first come first served though. May just have to meet up and drop by if there isn't a place available later on.

Paddled the knife down to portsoif on the SUP yesterday, lovely and clear and bass hitting bait in around the shallows.

Will email sea fisheries as I'm completely confused on the situation with bass.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Also, when do the spiders start to appear, I had good catches in may but am dying for a proper Guernsey spider sit down with a nice dry white and plenty of new potatoes and butter on the side

 

[foxfish]

We have only got 14 divers for the comp mate (max 20) so should be ok but it is the sat night menu choice that I will need in the next two weeks.
I have seen a few spiders reported, they are just starting now.....

 

[Spirit]

Been catching plenty of spiders over the last fortnight.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Had my first spiders of the season on Monday, and first dip of the season, in about 9m of water which felt a lot like hard work not many males about in close yet.

 

[Jacob Fitch]

Had my first spiders of the season on Monday, and first dip of the season, in about 9m of water which felt a lot like hard work not many males about in close yet.

I would agree mate, I've only seen one decent size male ... Plenty about which is good to see

Sent from my Wileyfox Swift using Tapatalk

 

[foxfish]

Apparently there is an unusual number of Undulate Ray about at this moment!
Lots being caught inshore by the netters and a few being caught by shore anglers.
Cant say that I have ever eaten an undulate ray but I guess they would be OK?

 

[Magpie]

Couldn't resist getting wet last night, freezer needed stocking after the long winter. No ray seen at all, none of the normal blondes let alone undulates, but it was a lovely dive. Good, but not the hoped for outstanding viz. Good enough to scan the bottom in 5-6m, which was lucky because my diving was terrible!

Plenty of life about, some of which came home with me:

 

[foxfish]

Nice plaice, thanks for the vid Tom.

 

[Rouge Moullet]

Great catch report Magpie .... and thanks for sharing ...... The viz seems better than usual for this time of year .... at least from the surface ..

 

[foxfish]

Mr Moullet, you would be very welcome to join us for the Sunday social on August 6th.

 

[Rouge Moullet]

Very kind of you Mart ..... but i probably wont ..... if the weather and tide are right i`ll be busy ....

 

[Rouge Moullet]

Had a good feed of shore caught mackerel .... spring has sprung ....
A few bass caught over the weekends shore competition ... nothing massive but they are there if you enjoy looking ..
Saturday north east viz was crystal clear .... never forget to enjoy every moment ....
Shame for the racing guys and all their hard graft ...

 

[ep_haury]

Hello, all. Since this is my first post here this year, I’m this person (https://forums.deeperblue.com/threa...s-not-a-mermaid-who-writes.77768/#post-860315). And I’m actually writing to you from another set of islands connected to a controlling country through odd historical happenstance: Hawai’i. (Admittedly, the odd happenstance was annexation after a coup, in the case of Hawai’i. Nothing nearly as atypical as Guernsey’s situation. But still.) Anyway, I have a question about your islands. Do you ever get pelicans in the Channel Islands?

 

[Magpie]

Hi Eric, this book is going to be some epic, how long you been writing it now?

Nope no Pelicans. Gulls, cormorants, shags, gannets, terns, guillemots, puffins but no pelicans.