Ireland spearing 2008

[sunfish]

I had an afternoon in Galway Bay on Sunday, vis was about 3m, water was cold, all the usual fish were gone. I saw 1 solitary wrasse. Do pollock move to deeper water when its cold or is it the recent stroms that push them out?

During the summer, when lots of sandeel and small baitfish are around, it's usually fairly easy to find pollack. It becomes a bit harder at this time of year as the baitfish get less. I normally catch pollack right into December if the weather allows but this year the cold water has come very early for some reason. I'm sure there'll still be pollack around somewhere though. They don't go offshore to breed until late December or January as far as I know.
Today I went back to the spot where I got Bass on Monday. I wasn't intending to shoot any unless they looked like PBs but I couldn't have anyway. I only saw two and I scared them both before I saw them.

 

[abusingelves]

hey guys, got my replacement spear from subprof yesterday.

so i'm once again armed (hopefully not dangerous).

college has been very hectic since sept, and will be up until may.
hope to get out a few times though. fingers crossed for good weather over the christmas.

 

[sunfish]

I got out yesterday for a couple of hours, paddling through the swells to "Blackrock". Vis was no good inshore but out on the rock it was 2 to 3 metres, being cleared a bit by the tide run. I saw no fish of note but it was lovely to be diving again and the water temp. was reasonable at 50 degrees. Made 25 dives, deepest 44ft longest 1min 11 secs.

 

[fcallagy]

I have pretty much resigned myself to pool training now unless its a really nice flat day I'll be tempted in.

 

[sunfish]

I drove out West on Sunday, and paddled out to look for scallops and maybe pollack, among the islands. The day started badly as one of our dogs cut her ear, so I set off later than planned. My car then broke down twice on the way there.
I paddled out and found my scallop patch but I'd barely started when a real pea souper of a fog came down. I had a compass with me but I was getting fed up of the day by now and headed back for land. It feels weird paddling along with nothing in view and sound muffled.
Needless to say, once I got the boat out the fog lifted.:duh
Looking on the bright side, the vis was ok and my one scallop was delicious.

 

[sunfish]

Went out yesterday to the Eastern tip of a long headland. This is usually a good mark for big pollack. It was mid tide and it was ripping, even though it wasn't a "springer". I decided to come back inshore though I had some trouble freeing my anchor first. It had dropped into a crack in rocks and the chain was well jammed.
I had a pleasant swim finding a few smallish crabs. Vis was good at 15 to 20 feet so I might do a night dive in the next couple of days.

 

[sunfish]

Just got back from a night dive. I caught one flounder of 1.4lbs.
I saw quite a few red mullet though all seemed too small to take. Also a lot of small flatfish. These had red spots. Does that mean they're baby plaice or do baby flounders have red spots too?
Small grey mullet and pollack were around too.
How did your dive go Donnachad? Have you any photos?

 

[donnachad]

No photos, Dave no fish either. Quite a few small flaties and pollock about and two large mullet. I didn't see anything worth taking. I went earlier than the night before and the tide was very low in the cove. might be better on a higher tide

 

[glowworm]

Sunfish flounders do have orange spots sometimes but no where near as pronounced as the plaice.If you can see clear orange spots even on the fin edges then it's a plaice.I always think plaice are a bit more olive green all over rather than the different shades of green found on flounder.

I,ve attached some pictures of plaice to help

 

[foxfish]

Well done Sunfish, was that one of your first night dives?

 

[sunfish]

Well done Sunfish, was that one of your first night dives?

Thanks Foxfish, that was my second night dive since buying a decent torch (Shockwave LED). I'd done a few before with a small hand torch. I've seen red mullet and thought they were too small but I've just googled red mullet and found that the average size is 20cm. I think I might try one since people seem to love 'em or hate 'em. Maybe I'll like them.
The flounder was halfway under some weed. Are messy bits of sand better than clear bits? I haven't dived on sand much.
Gloworm, thanks for the photos. I don't have much trouble telling adult flounder from plaice but because I've rarely seen adult plaice here and all of the many baby flatties last night had distinct red spots, I was wondering if baby flounder start off with red spots which fade away as they get older. If baby flounder start off without red spots then there are a lot of baby plaice here, and so there should be some adults somewhere, maybe deeper? Last night I spent over an hour making repeat dives on sand at depths averaging 25ft.
Handling both torch and 90cm gun's a bit inconvenient. I think a lightweight 75cm gun would be better for nights. Killing and stringing wasn't easy while juggling torch and gun.

 

[Old Man Dave]

I use a dedicated night gun. Its a beuchat 75 modified with just a half wrap of mono and just a simple set of 16mm bands just loaded to the front notch. It's always had enough range for night work.

I wear the torch lanyard done up tight around my left wrist. When stringing fish I just let go the torch and although it swings around a bit it gives you plenty of close up light and you have 2 hands free to string the fish.

I have tried head torches and extra small wrist torches but they all add complication.

Don't bother firing the gun at flatfish just use the gun as a hansspear. Need to shoot reds though.

Dave

 

[glowworm]

Sunfish if theres small plaice then the big ones won't be far away.Plaice in dorset prefer cleaner sand with little weed but plenty of food.Plaice are predators so when your looking over sand look for small crab and shrimp holes in the sand.Also squat lobsters and worms.If i land on sand that is wavey i generally move straight on as a rule.The two flounders i had this week were both stuffed full of ragworm while the plaice had crab and prawn.The large plaice in the pictures had two whole mussels in it.

Is there any mussel beds near you?

I do the same as Old Man Dave at night with regards a short gun and the torch on my wrist.

 

[sunfish]

Thanks for the information Gloworm. A lot of the sand I was diving on was "wavy". I was beginning to suspect there must be signs for "good" sand so this should be useful to me.
I got in for a shore dive today. I made a few dives on sand but soon got bored and headed for the inshore rocks to look for big mullet and bass. There were a few around of 3lb to 4lb and lots of smaller ones but no big ones. I swam 2 to 3 miles total but didn't take a shot at anything.
I'm looking forward to my next night dive now but it's looking like the settled weathers gone 'til next week sometime.
Gloworm, the system won't let me give you rep yet so thanks again!

 

[Old Man Dave]

Check out this supposed 20+lb rod caught bass. Henry Gilbey

Dave

 

[sunfish]

Thanks for that link Dave, I'd read about Graham Hill's 14lb 5oz bass but hadn't heard about the even bigger one yet. I wish he'd taken a photo of it.
That bit of Waterford coast is noted for big bass.

 

[scottie3030]

bloody hell sounds like a good'un hats off for putting it back dont know if i would of done the same but i cant hit a barn door so i think it would be pretty safe just spent the day watching henry on realtime

 

[danas]

yeee , that is some bass...
when is best time to dive for scallops, it is good to do in winter time, or better leave it till weather worms up ???
is any specific place to look for it?

 

[sunfish]

Hi Danas, winter is a good time to hunt for scallops. They say any month with an "r" in it is scallop season. Try the link below for tips.
http://forums.deeperblue.com/beginner-hunting/76424-scallops.html
I find sheltered water best but they can turn up anywhere.

 

[tonydaboat]

Hi Guys

Still abit confused by all of this forum stuff, havent got a clue about threads and parse links in text. Anyway onto freediving. I'm new to the sport and I am finding it difficult to train as I feel i should have a buddy when doing dynamics and statics just in case of SWB. Its great going to UK but its working out expensive, plus I would like to get AIDA Ireland up and running but require a lot of help in doing so. Anybody who wants to buddy in Limerick/Clare, or wants to help out with AIDA Ireland please get in touch. E-mail address for me is:- boat-buoy@hotmail.com

Thanks lads

Tony