South Devon 2015

[scrumpy]

Family ties. You maybe lucky wembury way, just find a sheltered cove. I'd stick around that way as viz seems to be iffy all over. Blackpool sands is privately run and do not like spearos on the beach, when it is busy. Saying that when I've dived it, I've wrapped my wetsuit around the gun or you can park up on the headland towards Slapton and climb down the valley very steep to a small beach and then swim round for the small reefs, bass often cruise these spots but the rest of the beach is shingle. Just check google maps.

 

[gixxermatt]

Thanks for your help meadfoot looks ok. Any tips ? Just going to the hotel then checking heybrook

 

[Trelawney]

Sunny skies, bit of wind and some god awful inshore viz at my favourite lobster spot near Plymouth today. From the shore to 100m out, I had a max of 50cm-1m viz, at best 3-4m. There was a lot of rotting seaweed on the beach and it was getting washed out with the tide.
Two lobsters found, although one was a soft shell so he went back. Kept the other one. No bass seen in the stringweed, and lots of 1lb pollock swimming about. Stayed in for two hours then the wind shifted to the SW and the sea became a bit choppy.

 

[mirror]

Went in today S Hams , sheltered spot , calm sea , lovely weather , dreadful vis 1-2 metres , put gun away and went for a longish paddle in kayak just to explore a spot and took 3 decent spider crabs , no fish seen but might have been surrounded by them for all I know !! happy days ahead ... I hope ......Terry..

 

[scrumpy]

Fish will hug the shoreline towards the new beach huts being built. Further around the headland known as thunderhole, towards the harbour does go quite deep. Always worth a look towards hopes nose, which obviously is the other end of the beach. Lots of rocks, reefs, crabs, lobbies, squid. Known locally as a good bass mark. Sometimes I find it's over fish / dived.

 

[stan7]

Hi all, went in for the first time this year off a shelterd East devon beach on sunday late eve, vis was prety good 4m + to start but fell away to 2 m. A few fish around sand eel and small pollock as it got dark i took a flounder, my brother however came out with a larger flounder and a Gilt head bream this was his FIRST TIME spearfishing, not bad !!!. Good to get in again, hope to go this comming weekend wind looking good.

 

[scrumpy]

Massive thumbs up on the gilthead and also for finding viz.

 

[stan7]

Yea, I was suprised with the GHB, was not at my usual spots.

 

[scrumpy]

E devon boys saying no viz that way now. Try to find some later somewhere?

 

[scrumpy]

Saying that any viz South hams boys

 

[arronthompson]

I was in at South Hams on Sunday. The bloom is in, and viz varied from 2-3m. Water temperature reading was at 12°C. Didn't see an awful lot of fish around, but I took a few spider crabs for the table.

I'd like to do a few night dives soon and my torch is broken, so would anybody mind recommending any torches and how and where you mount it - if mounted at all.

Cheers

 

[scrumpy]

Xtar D06 is the main torch night spearos use that I know. I don't use a mount just hold in the hand. Torch direct are excellent with good customer after service or ebay have listings, just make sure it comes with a Xtar/Panasonic cell battery and buy from a uk supplier. Approx £60 worth it though.
Thanks for update on viz was that Slapton or bigbury side or is it all over, as bloom isn't to bad here, just no viz

 

[arronthompson]

Xtar D06 is the main torch night spearos use that I know. I don't use a mount just hold in the hand. Torch direct are excellent with good customer after service or ebay have listings, just make sure it comes with a Xtar/Panasonic cell battery and buy from a uk supplier. Approx £60 worth it though.
Thanks for update on viz was that Slapton or bigbury side or is it all over, as bloom isn't to bad here, just no viz

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll order one soon.

I was a few miles south of Slapton. Seems like the jellies are back in too; probably saw around twenty compass jellies and one blue jelly.

 

[scrumpy]

Ok mate. Might try around salcombe and poss hallsands / blackpool sands. If can't find any local. Brixham looking doable

 

[scottwilson]

Lee im diving tomorrow mate so will give you a vis update regardless

 

[scrumpy]

Cheers mate. Found viz at dawlish on small stretch either side was brown though. Luckily last night checked before suiting up and all gone. Wind had picked up though. Teignmouth both ends the same. Will also check later. Cheers

 

[Amateur Spearo]

Finally managed to get in for my first spearing trip of the year late afternoon yesterday in Torbay. The water was clearer than expected close in (probably 3 metres) but the offshore wind was stirring things up a bit further out. I went to a spot I've had success at this time of year and was feeling pretty confident with the half decent viz. Spotted a bass almost as soon as I got in but as I contemplated whether it was big enough to shoot (in hindsight in probably wasn't) it buggered off. Swam around some decent ground for another hour and saw sweet f a bar little wrasse and Pollack. The spot is usually a dead cert for mullet if nothing else but none seen.

Felt slightly more buoyant in the water than last year (expanding waste line I imagine!) and felt the cold more than I remember at this time of year (increasing age I imagine!). Must get the better half to sew up the holes in my suit; sexist I know but I can't sew for toffee.

Viz should stay in the bay for a few days with the offshore wind so will try another spot soon methinks.

 

[scrumpy]

Scott haven't got your number for some reason. Did you get in?
Thinking of dawlish way, 2-3m but looked a bit green this morning. Thought possibly brixham, blackpool sands or lannacombe. Decisions decisions decisions.

 

[Dai ASBO]

Going for an early Torquay dip in the morning. Didn't see anything last week so keen to start the season at last.

 

[scrumpy]

Just back home hard 3 hour dive. Viz 0-1m very very murky with the bloom and hard to focus.
Out with 3 bass biggest 3lb, 1 mullet and a nice plaice.

Now the ones that got away. Speared 5lb bass had it dancing all around me, but couldn't see it in the gloom. Finding my way along the line I could feel this was a decent bass and was easily a 5lber, as I went to grab it the spear came away and it was gone. Searched for it but it was hopeless. Hate those moments and it's why on night dives I go for a head shot.
Swam through about 100 yards of 0 viz to find myself in about 2 feet of water, and passing me was another bass of 5lb and following was another which was 7 if not 8lb. Obviously not fully tuned in and a bit rusty, both weren't hanging around and were gone. Last year wouldn't of hesitated. I'll blame this one on the bloom!!

Dive was close to teignmouth