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Sea bass hunting : advice (UK)
- Thread starterportinfer
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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Hehehe, i'll admit to having strong killer instincts.. before spearfishing i was a keen hunter..(rifle and shotgun) and my shooting history goes back to my archery days too. Anyway do what you feel is right, who am i to say shoot a fish in the face! Good luck mate, cant wait till the 14th.... my first real dive trip this year! (god i hate living away from the sea... anyone want to buy me a house!?)
Joe
Joe
Hi yo!
Today was one of the days like normal, I get all my stuff to the beach by using two busses! almost 2hours of traveling.. and then I arrive to the beach where I can see the water is so murky...!!!
and I have my 110 gun with instead of 75cm gun just made for this kind of conditions!!!
But in I go as I have promised myself that I should.. I have made the journyey, right?
So in I go, trying to avoid the angler, who tries to catch me with his lure..little out of his league, may I say.. well
I swim to the reef, and find myself in a current.. like river. barely 1,5m viz! but I made the journey, didnt I? and I let the current take me and what do I see below me.. a school of bass!!! I dive instantly, no breathe up or snything.. no time.. the current is ripping me to the sea out of the reef..
I can see the Bass all around me, some too close, and the onew within the right range ar just shadows, circling me like silvery wall. I decide to take aim at one of the shadows.. and track for just the little bit I can before the fish would disappear into the murky water and shoot. I can see or feel no fish. Darn!! in these kind of conditions I thought I would never get a second chance.. But I kept swimming agains the current while re-loading my gun. I get things done. I can see I have drifted off the reef! I make the dive instantly again not wanting to drift any further out. and I hold on to the kelp.
Out of the blue comes one Bass! it comes right close to take good look and starts to swim away. I take aim and fire. HIT!! Yes! I see the fish thrashing, and I give it some slack, let the fish thrash into the kelp.. wont rip loose. I make u-turn at the surface and return for the fish that is now lying on the bottom. taking a breather. I grap it and give it the spearo special.. brain surgery with rambo-knife.. and now here I am, after tasty Bass meal, writing..
I have picture but only the normal kind.. the fish weight after I had cleaned it up 3pounds... very tasty..
Good luck with you all here in uk who are after Bass!
Pekka
Today was one of the days like normal, I get all my stuff to the beach by using two busses! almost 2hours of traveling.. and then I arrive to the beach where I can see the water is so murky...!!!
and I have my 110 gun with instead of 75cm gun just made for this kind of conditions!!! But in I go as I have promised myself that I should.. I have made the journyey, right?
So in I go, trying to avoid the angler, who tries to catch me with his lure..little out of his league, may I say.. well
I swim to the reef, and find myself in a current.. like river. barely 1,5m viz! but I made the journey, didnt I? and I let the current take me and what do I see below me.. a school of bass!!! I dive instantly, no breathe up or snything.. no time.. the current is ripping me to the sea out of the reef..
I can see the Bass all around me, some too close, and the onew within the right range ar just shadows, circling me like silvery wall. I decide to take aim at one of the shadows.. and track for just the little bit I can before the fish would disappear into the murky water and shoot. I can see or feel no fish. Darn!! in these kind of conditions I thought I would never get a second chance.. But I kept swimming agains the current while re-loading my gun. I get things done. I can see I have drifted off the reef! I make the dive instantly again not wanting to drift any further out. and I hold on to the kelp.
Out of the blue comes one Bass! it comes right close to take good look and starts to swim away. I take aim and fire. HIT!! Yes! I see the fish thrashing, and I give it some slack, let the fish thrash into the kelp.. wont rip loose. I make u-turn at the surface and return for the fish that is now lying on the bottom. taking a breather. I grap it and give it the spearo special.. brain surgery with rambo-knife.. and now here I am, after tasty Bass meal, writing..
I have picture but only the normal kind.. the fish weight after I had cleaned it up 3pounds... very tasty..
Good luck with you all here in uk who are after Bass!
Pekka
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Nice story Pekka ! I had a similar story : Friday was thinking of going out after work quickly then the pub but fell asleep at home.... anyway woke up at about 7:30pm and thought why not.
So walked to the beach (luckily live about 100m from a nice bay here in Guernsey), still feeling a bit groggy and sleepy but the cool water sorted me out.
Was just going to go out for 30mins and have a look around... swam out for a while to a nice point and collection of rocks. Dove down and had a look around and saw a single bass that dissapeared into the darkening waters. Swam a bit more, dove some more then found a shoal of bass in amongst some long seaweed: aspetto, tracked and fired. Got a nice bass (about 2 pounds), walked home, ate, realised that I had been in the water for about an hour and a half (rather than 30 mins - so hard to keep track of time) - and fell asleep again ! Rocking Friday night ! Well, made a change from town.
So walked to the beach (luckily live about 100m from a nice bay here in Guernsey), still feeling a bit groggy and sleepy but the cool water sorted me out.
Was just going to go out for 30mins and have a look around... swam out for a while to a nice point and collection of rocks. Dove down and had a look around and saw a single bass that dissapeared into the darkening waters. Swam a bit more, dove some more then found a shoal of bass in amongst some long seaweed: aspetto, tracked and fired. Got a nice bass (about 2 pounds), walked home, ate, realised that I had been in the water for about an hour and a half (rather than 30 mins - so hard to keep track of time) - and fell asleep again ! Rocking Friday night ! Well, made a change from town.
Sarge - you can look at Shane's pics - I may take a snap of the next one (if I catch another - missed one on Sunday), but the two I caught are about 2pounders - ie small.
I'm sure the Med. version is the same - maybe I'll wait until I catch something worth photographing (or maybe another photoshop session !).
Ed
I'm sure the Med. version is the same - maybe I'll wait until I catch something worth photographing (or maybe another photoshop session !).
Ed
Thanks guys, especially Shane, that fish definitely looks more like a relative of the striper than any of the species we call 'bass' off the California coast. Shoot, ours aren't even the same shape, being much chunkier and much less long. They don't weigh anywhere near as much, either. If someone nailed a 10 kilo calico bass, it would make the news! 4 K is considered serious.
Hi Everyone,
I've been away from the board for some time now but will hopefully be posting more regular from now on (last one was last year!)
Anyway, been reading through this Bass Hunting post with great interest as I live in Weymouth and we have some great Bass grounds around us. In fact only last saturday a 12lb 9oz Bass was caught from my local beach.
I'm heading out for my first spear session of the year this weekend so will let you all know how I get on.
Cheers
Steve
I've been away from the board for some time now but will hopefully be posting more regular from now on (last one was last year!)
Anyway, been reading through this Bass Hunting post with great interest as I live in Weymouth and we have some great Bass grounds around us. In fact only last saturday a 12lb 9oz Bass was caught from my local beach.
I'm heading out for my first spear session of the year this weekend so will let you all know how I get on.
Cheers
Steve
Steve, good luck.. and hmm.. I might be interested to come for a visit to your local beach.. where exactly is it.. I am now in Exeter, but might be in Falmouth some time soon.. if I get transportation in order...
Let us know how your hunt goes.. I am planning on hunting as soon as the weather gets good enough..
Good Luck
Pekka
Let us know how your hunt goes.. I am planning on hunting as soon as the weather gets good enough..
Good Luck
Pekka
Hi Pekka,
Your more than welcome to join me around weymouth at anytime, I'm personally still a novice, but have been diving and rod/line fishing the area for years so I know some good marks.
I prefer not to put exact locations on the Web as we have a lot of trouble with commercial netters finding out what areas are fishing well through angling/spearfishing reports. Then the next time you head down the beach there is a bloody great gill net across it!
If you want to PM me your email address I am more than happy to let you know where the marks are, some are well known and others are little gems that I found myself whilst out either fishing or snorkelling.
Cheers
Steve
Your more than welcome to join me around weymouth at anytime, I'm personally still a novice, but have been diving and rod/line fishing the area for years so I know some good marks.
I prefer not to put exact locations on the Web as we have a lot of trouble with commercial netters finding out what areas are fishing well through angling/spearfishing reports. Then the next time you head down the beach there is a bloody great gill net across it!
If you want to PM me your email address I am more than happy to let you know where the marks are, some are well known and others are little gems that I found myself whilst out either fishing or snorkelling.
Cheers
Steve
Hi everyone,
Just found this little community of Spearo's. Havn't managed to get out this year yet, as had a diaster going to Croatia on Sailing holiday. My Cressi Sub 110cm Gun got left behind at Heathrow by Croatia Airlines. Had it for two days in Croatia, then had it mangled by them on the way back :-((
Hopefully getting a new one this week for a trip to Brittany and Channel Islands.
Does anyone here in the UK have any views on the rubber band v pneumatic type of gun for bass and mullet hunting.
I think I aa going to go for another rubber band type - I think Sandford and Down here in Plymouth have Mares guns in stock - anyone know if they are any good? Can you get these Rob allens here in the UK??
The pneumatic type looks like it will not be safe, because I assume that if the spear is in the gun, then it has to be loaded, which means it's difficult to unload when coming in to the beach or boat. I always unload when near to my children and other people.
Last year had a good end of summer with great spearfishing in Guernsey (Hi portinfer!) coming over there 2nd week in August.
Also I note that someone mentioned stringing the fish. I have always used a bright yellow catch bag. Not sure if the fish see it, perhaps I should get rid of it and use a line???
My best catch was out in the Channel islands on a hot summers day about 3 years ago, had 7 mullet all around 2lbs each.
Best Bass was in Guernsey about 5lbs a few years ago.
Last year had some success with bass and large Mullet on the coast not far from where the scrap has been sunk in Whitsand bay.
Off to Brittany next week, so hope it's good, otherwise we have to keep shopping for meat!!
John
Just found this little community of Spearo's. Havn't managed to get out this year yet, as had a diaster going to Croatia on Sailing holiday. My Cressi Sub 110cm Gun got left behind at Heathrow by Croatia Airlines. Had it for two days in Croatia, then had it mangled by them on the way back :-((
Hopefully getting a new one this week for a trip to Brittany and Channel Islands.
Does anyone here in the UK have any views on the rubber band v pneumatic type of gun for bass and mullet hunting.
I think I aa going to go for another rubber band type - I think Sandford and Down here in Plymouth have Mares guns in stock - anyone know if they are any good? Can you get these Rob allens here in the UK??
The pneumatic type looks like it will not be safe, because I assume that if the spear is in the gun, then it has to be loaded, which means it's difficult to unload when coming in to the beach or boat. I always unload when near to my children and other people.
Last year had a good end of summer with great spearfishing in Guernsey (Hi portinfer!) coming over there 2nd week in August.
Also I note that someone mentioned stringing the fish. I have always used a bright yellow catch bag. Not sure if the fish see it, perhaps I should get rid of it and use a line???
My best catch was out in the Channel islands on a hot summers day about 3 years ago, had 7 mullet all around 2lbs each.
Best Bass was in Guernsey about 5lbs a few years ago.
Last year had some success with bass and large Mullet on the coast not far from where the scrap has been sunk in Whitsand bay.
Off to Brittany next week, so hope it's good, otherwise we have to keep shopping for meat!!
John
Hey, in my view rubber guns beat pneumatics every time, loads more accurate, quiet and more reliable, thats not saying pneumatics dont have their place i have a little 45cm for winter diving (anyone who knows UK waters in winter will understand using a 45.. vis is usually about 50cm! and as a backup on my float for holes second shots etc etc. bit of a toy really though, but good for flatties in shallow water. Go to www.spearo.co.uk, dave (appears on here sometimes) stocks them, i get a lot of gear from him and am about to order a rob allen gun myself. However i'd pick omer or picasso guns above mares any day.. there is a picasso stockist in the UK Dave Bailey i think, should be able to get his details from picasso america. and if you email omer about orders and shipping to the UK they will treat is as export.. i.e 50% off their US prices. just remember to check shipping and taxes etc. I use a stringer for my fish but have a bright blue bag on my weight belt for shellfish etc. doesnt seem to cause me any problems. Just come back from some diving this week, best bass 8lbs (biggest for me this year, all time being 11lb) one mullet but a whopper at 10lb and a few lobsters. Good luck on your next trip.
Joe
and as a backup on my float for holes second shots etc etc. bit of a toy really though, but good for flatties in shallow water. Go to www.spearo.co.uk, dave (appears on here sometimes) stocks them, i get a lot of gear from him and am about to order a rob allen gun myself. However i'd pick omer or picasso guns above mares any day.. there is a picasso stockist in the UK Dave Bailey i think, should be able to get his details from picasso america. and if you email omer about orders and shipping to the UK they will treat is as export.. i.e 50% off their US prices. just remember to check shipping and taxes etc. I use a stringer for my fish but have a bright blue bag on my weight belt for shellfish etc. doesnt seem to cause me any problems. Just come back from some diving this week, best bass 8lbs (biggest for me this year, all time being 11lb) one mullet but a whopper at 10lb and a few lobsters. Good luck on your next trip.Joe
Hi John If your after a RA gun in the UK you'll have to visit Dave at http://www.spearo.co.uk/front.htm he has a good selection or try Neil at http://www.apnea.co.uk/ for another good selection of gear. I cant comment on the air vs band guns as I have no experience of air guns, sorry
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Plymouth - I posted a thread here about UK spearguns - have a search for it - got some good replies and allowed me to narrow the choice down.
Drop me a line if you want to hook up in Guernsey.
The bass seem to have become really scarce recently - have only seen the occasional one or two rather than the shoals a few weeks back - bit dissapointing ! Where the heeel are they !
Ed
Drop me a line if you want to hook up in Guernsey.
The bass seem to have become really scarce recently - have only seen the occasional one or two rather than the shoals a few weeks back - bit dissapointing ! Where the heeel are they !
Ed