re: spearfishing along the beach line?

[Mr. X]

Anyone who knows Colin will know that the "shinyness" of the muppet probably attracts him as much as the fish

rofl

If you want to catch big bass like Colins, fish areas that hold them, learn the shore marks and/or buy a boat with GPS, because you have to go along way off-shore. Thats not to say that you cannot catch big bass in close but you won't get as many because everyone else is spearing/fishing there as well.

I saw a few decent bass (6 on 3 different days) diving from the shore in Cornwall; none as big as Colins but I would say all over 3lb. Re. boats, funny you should say that. I have been keeping an eye out for a second hand rib/dinghy -- although I don't feel ready for all that yet (& part of the enjoyment of spearfishing is that it is relatively simple/lightweight/small footprint/inexpensive - compared to, say, scuba or sailing). A good friend bought a small dory last year & has taken RYA Yacht Master(?) certification -- I will probably hang out with him some to get a feel for all that; fortunately, he is keen to try spearing too! I was thinking the main benefit of a boat was for hopping along the shore quickly without changing -- I am increasingly getting the impression that going out to sea is a big part of it (perhaps the main use?). I will start a thread on ribs/boats -- I am keen to learn more.

I have also been considering a kayak (2 seater, sit-on) as an alternative -- surprisingly not much cheaper than a boat...but I think I would need to get more experience sea kayaking & spearing separately before trying to combine them. I would think the risk of mishap, injury, gear loss increases markedly when combining pursuits like this .

 

[dave]

rofl

I saw a few decent bass (6 on 3 different days) diving from the shore in Cornwall; none as big as Colins but I would say all over 3lb/30cm. .

Minimum landing size for bass is between 36cm and 45cm depending on the area (eg Cornwall 37.5cm) There are moves to get everywhere changed to 45cm
A 37.5cm bass weighs just over 1lb. A 3lber is about 50cm long. Bass are not really considered big until they get over 10lb . There are plenty of bass up to about 7lb to be had inshore (and plenty of much bigger ones are taken on shore dives) it is just that some of the offshore marks are more consistent for big fish (and the best offshore marks are not the ones listed in the angling books, you have to find them for yourself:hmm )
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk

 

[Mr. X]

Minimum landing size for bass is between 36cm and 45cm depending on the area (eg Cornwall 37.5cm) There are moves to get everywhere changed to 45cm
A 37.5cm bass weighs just over 1lb. A 3lber is about 50cm long. Bass are not really considered big until they get over 10lb . There are plenty of bass up to about 7lb to be had inshore (and plenty of much bigger ones are taken on shore dives) it is just that some of the offshore marks are more consistent for big fish (and the best offshore marks are not the ones listed in the angling books, you have to find them for yourself:hmm )
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk

Fortunately I didn't claim to have shot them! They were big, I don't know exactly how big -- not as big as Colins though (probably in the region of 2.5-6lb). I generally carrythe card from Portland Oceaneering -- clearly my memory isn't what it used to be - & yup it says 36cm+. I normally use inches - and look for something well over a foot; in light of your comments a foot and half or half a metre should probably be the guideline. [Strangely, I also have a printout called "Welcome to the Bass website" in front of me. It also says 36cm. I am sure I read somewhere that there is a campaign to increase that.]

I did not see any small bass in Cornwall. I have (only) seen a few small bass in Dorset so far -- about the size of mackeral.

BTW where do get the limits for Cornwall -- I should keep track of that?

 

[Flattie basher]

Could spearo's in the south east please keep in mind if they are diving in sussex fisheries area waters (Dungerness to Hayling island) that there is a voluntary agreement that the minimum size for speared bass is 45cms. This was an agreement reached through consultation between the sussex sea fisheries committe and local spearfishermen.

 

[miles]

Hiya

Re. boats, funny you should say that. I have been keeping an eye out for a second hand rib/dinghy

Mr.X, GET A BOAT!!!! It'll open a whole new world of spearing for you!!

Regards
miles

 

[Mr. X]

Hiya



Mr.X, GET A BOAT!!!! It'll open a whole new world of spearing for you!!

Regards
miles

Having seen pictures of several of your boats (& fish) I know there speaks the voice of experience! I really don't feel that I have exhausted shore fishing yet -- my problem is getting to the sea often enough & being able to spend sufficient time in the water once there to make the most of it. Strangely, this may be the best time of year for me to spear -- once Summer hits, the coast will be in grid lock & the shoreline & slipways
crowded (oh, I see, another good reason for a boat!).

 

[miles]

Hiya

As you've probably noticed from your shore-diving experience, fish tend to always be in certain areas. Sort of hot spots. If you dive with a boat, you soon find quite a few productive area's. The boat will allow you to visit quite a few productive spots as opposed to shore diving and only being able to work one or two spots. Your time is therefor more productively spent, increasing your chances tremendously.

A boat also allows you to reach area's where shore divers don't have access to. This allows you to dive area's that has little diving or fishing pressure.

Just some plus'es of owning a boat!!

Regards
miles

 

[dave]

Boats do open up a whole new world of spearing (I certainly wouldn't be without mine!) but it is worth bearing in mind that one definition of a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into!
Buying a second hand boat is like buying a second hand car, there are really cheap old ones about, but you have to ask yourself whether you know enough to spot whether you are being sold a dog! Cheap boats are generally cheap for a reason! A lot of the bad rep outboards get for reliability is due to bad (or no) maintenance

On the subject of voluntary bans, they are all very well (and a neccessary compromise in Sussex) but they are generally respected by recreational fishermen and ignored by commercials, so actually end up having no conservation benefits(in sussex for example the 45cm only applies to spearos:head ). Unfortunately with human nature being what it is laws with strict enforcement are the only way to go
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk