Tuesday 9/8/05.
Out in my boat with tank diver mate John for a whole day mooching for flats etc.
John wanted a turbot to repay a mate for a favour. Now no longer commercial, flatfish have become a barter currency (don’t tell the tax man). So off to OMD’s turbot hole.
A small gravel bank lies in the lee of an exposed reef. It’s 60 ft to the base of the reef and then the bank runs down to 100ft before turning into stony bottom. Year before last I had a 24.5 lb tubby here.
We had all the usual hassle. Tide was too strong, then too slack, then running the wrong way. I was in first and had to make 2 drops, all the way down and all the way up x 2. During my 20 minutes of bottom time I only managed 5-10 minutes on the bank. Found a 6lb brill, but that was all, still not a total disaster.
John went in but blanked (situation normal). Oops – sorry John.
Time to go somewhere else. Opened the throttle and “Spearfish” covered the 5 miles to “up north” in 15 minutes.
My turn, so dropped in an inshore 50ft deep run on the edge of the tide. Fish wise it was gurnard, gurnard, gurnard, oh look there’s another gurnard. Left them all for the trotters and worm drowners, although was nearly tempted by a big tub gurnard, as they’re pretty good tucker. Picked up 2 scallops and spiked a sole but flatfish were looking few and far between.
Next fish spotted was a favourite of mine – a john dory. It was only a small one so wasn’t in any danger from me but it was about to get a good teasing. I love these fish and not just ‘cause they’re one of the best eating fish. Head on they are so thin they literally disappear but when they turn sideways they are relatively huge and seem to appear from nowhere. I kept tapping it on the tail with my spear tip to make it turn – fascinating. Now you see it now you don’t. They also have amazing fins, colour and the weirdest mouth. Love ‘em.
Finished my run with another sole and a plaice.
Engine in gear and after a 5 minute run and it was John’s turn. He managed over an hour bottom time by working a bay with a low tide depth of only 35-40ft. 3 nice sole and a couple of plaice. Nice one John – I take it all back.
Decided to finish off with half a tank in the deep on a small gravel bank. Too much tide and another fight with the SMB line while being towed by the tide in 90ft. The end result was another nice brill and a crab joined the rest of the catch in the fish box.
Two weary divers tidied up, washed down and headed home. Long day, nice (if small) box of mixed fish and a feeling of utter contentment.
“Born to fish” Old Man Dave
