I only ever used to get them washed up after storms, but since the underwater salting trick
Underwater salting trick..? Tell us more!
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South Devon 2016
- Thread starter Trelawney
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
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Underwater salting trick..? Tell us more!
I'll have to give credit to mirror for this one.
Fill an old washing up liquid bottle with salt.
Out on the sand, past the intertidal area, you should see the siphons of shellfish sticking out a little.
Squidge a bit of salt into the siphon and wait (not too close, try not to disturb them)
Within about 20-30 seconds the shellfish should come out.
Sometimes they are reluctant to leave their burrow. The big cockles can be pulled out, but razor clams tend to burrow pretty deep.
Vis in Teignmouth is getting better. 2/3m at low tide today.
I was expecting to find some mullet in the shallow water. None to be seen! There were bass patrolling the area mind. Mostly small, with some bigger ones staying on the edge of the vis. They were very curious, and kept appearing over the hour and a half I was in the water. I only took one shot - and missed. Bugger. It was nice to see so much of them all the same.
Will dive again on tomorrows high tide.
I was expecting to find some mullet in the shallow water. None to be seen! There were bass patrolling the area mind. Mostly small, with some bigger ones staying on the edge of the vis. They were very curious, and kept appearing over the hour and a half I was in the water. I only took one shot - and missed. Bugger. It was nice to see so much of them all the same.
Will dive again on tomorrows high tide.
I dived a local reef today, just outside Plymouth. Viz was OK, about 4m clear, and 8m hazy, as I could still make out the outline of the reef from the surface. There wasn't much about, no bass, pollock or lobsters, so I went out deep for some plaice. The only thing I shot was a flounder. Disappointing, but hey-ho. Vid of the unfortunate fishy attached.
I was given the salting trick by the legendary SHINY , he does not do it himself though but has a mate who does it professionally , for best results do not approach the clam from directly above as they are very pressure sensitive and will burrow quickly !! I move parallel to the sea bed and when one is identified quite quickly give it a good dose of salt , often they will blow out the salty water then catch them with a second dose to ensure they will evacuate the sea bed , I often dive and squirt a few , then surface to take breaths before diving to collect the razors and then squirt a few more , sometimes this can be a very productive rhythm . I took a quick dip today just to test my ear after having a problem a while back , and the ear was OK but the vis in Torbay is pretty awful 2 metres and really milky nothing seen ( literally !!) Torbay rarely fails to disappoint . I am baffled as to why it is so poor as it has been flat calm for ages now .... Now I know my ear is OK I will going further afield for better condition and hopefully some fish !!!
Dived at Teignmouth and Babbacombe again today. Vis still the same 2-3m.
On the first dive a school of nice plump pollack came to have a look at me. There were some lovely fish among them. I was quite close to the end of my breath so surfaced had a bit of a breathe and went back down to find nothing. They'd gone.
Most days I curse myself for getting excited, taking a shot too soon and scaring the fish away. Today I am cursing myself for not taking a shot soon enough. Spearfishing eh!
I saw bass on two occasions, but they didn't stick around long enough to take a shot.
Came home with a spider crab, and a dozen super awesome cockles for another super awesome cockle curry.
On the first dive a school of nice plump pollack came to have a look at me. There were some lovely fish among them. I was quite close to the end of my breath so surfaced had a bit of a breathe and went back down to find nothing. They'd gone.
Most days I curse myself for getting excited, taking a shot too soon and scaring the fish away. Today I am cursing myself for not taking a shot soon enough. Spearfishing eh!
I saw bass on two occasions, but they didn't stick around long enough to take a shot.
Came home with a spider crab, and a dozen super awesome cockles for another super awesome cockle curry.
LOL! Too true!
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Human food .... however it is not simple to be able to do this , it depends on water quality which takes time /money/ evidence to prove it comes from a clean ( category A ) area where the clam beds are .. I had a very interesting chat with a mussel farmer about this a while back , they do make good bait though , or so I am told !
Oh, I've not much interest in diving for a living. I worked for three years as a DM, and started to hate diving. A change of career later and I'm happy hating my job and enjoying the sea.
Managed to get in the water in Torbay on Wednesday and the viz as reported is still fairly rubbish although somewhat improved from last weekend at about 2M. I wasn't expecting to see too much as just out to empty (the empty) crab pot again but I quickly managed to scare off a huge mullet in the shallows. Despite the viz and two busy seals I managed one half decent mullet which turned into some cracking goujons and chips. When mullet is fresh it makes great eating. As far as viz goes further afield for anyone heading to the South Hams, I was boat rod and line fishing out of Dartmouth yesterday and we went as far round as a few spots off Salcombe. Despite the recent South Westerlies, the viz this side of Start looked pretty bad but the water cleared up further over towards Salcombe.
Attachments
South Hams dive yesterday on an incoming tide. Stunning vis, 6-8 meters comfortably. Had sinus problems so unable to dive anything other than a few meters down. Some mullet around but little else, came across a few bass on one occasion but small and made off quick time. Came away with an average mullet. Reckon it would have been more successful if able to dive deeper. Oh well, still good fun though.
Got in last night dawlish warren, viz was pretty poor 3-4m but murky to 0 
strange really as winds have been kind this way. Took 1 around 4lb close in around the boulders and one tucked up against the groynes after midnight Worked the length of the beach, devoid of life. Have given up trying to load the photo, me and technology still don't get on!! I'll get there one day?
strange really as winds have been kind this way. Took 1 around 4lb close in around the boulders and one tucked up against the groynes after midnight Worked the length of the beach, devoid of life. Have given up trying to load the photo, me and technology still don't get on!! I'll get there one day?
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I got in today (too hot to work ! ) easterly winds put me off a few choices of locations , so headed to a sheltered spot in the S Hams, lovely weather , calm sea, and superb vis 8-10 metres , however I did not see a single edible fish !! just a few wrasse and some sand eels , this is one of my most reliable spots yet it was utterly barren , I know very few are on this forum now but is anybody getting any fishy action ? diving or otherwise ?.......this season so far has been dreadful .....
Heya,
I'm aware this is a Devon thread, not Cornwall, but maybe one of you visits the west occasionally... I'll be in Cornwall the next 4 weeks, will do some spearing mostly in Lands End area, but was wondering about trying for some scallops, too;
A look on google maps showed me that the Helford and/or Falmouth Inlets, or close to them anyway, might be a spot for them, since there'd be enough sediment and not too much surf....
Now I've read that the Helford is a private fishery, but can't for the life of me find a proper map showing me where that fishery ends, if it's just in the river or out at sea, too...
Any advice about the Helford or Falmouth, esp. in regard to Scallops, would be greatly appreciated;
I've got a Fishing Kayak, so am fairly mobile, and would be comfortable collecting in 10-12 meters (as I'd be by myself...).
Cheers!
Leon
I'm aware this is a Devon thread, not Cornwall, but maybe one of you visits the west occasionally... I'll be in Cornwall the next 4 weeks, will do some spearing mostly in Lands End area, but was wondering about trying for some scallops, too;
A look on google maps showed me that the Helford and/or Falmouth Inlets, or close to them anyway, might be a spot for them, since there'd be enough sediment and not too much surf....
Now I've read that the Helford is a private fishery, but can't for the life of me find a proper map showing me where that fishery ends, if it's just in the river or out at sea, too...
Any advice about the Helford or Falmouth, esp. in regard to Scallops, would be greatly appreciated;
I've got a Fishing Kayak, so am fairly mobile, and would be comfortable collecting in 10-12 meters (as I'd be by myself...).
Cheers!
Leon
Hey everyone
I've been spearing for a few years now but I've been a bit of a lone bassassin!
Any body interested in acquiring a dive buddy I'd be very interested! Thanks
I've been spearing for a few years now but I've been a bit of a lone bassassin!
Any body interested in acquiring a dive buddy I'd be very interested! Thanks
I know what you mean. We hit some of the deeper reefs on Sunday from the kayaks, and there were no fish around at all. I had to go down to 20m to see some 1lb pollock. Maybe the water is too clear for them during the day?
