South Devon Report 2006

[Jez]

Dived Budleigh today at high tide (lunch time). Not much of a current today as the tides seem small.

A nice sunny day with gentle winds. Viz was probably 5m or so. Not a great deal of fish about, the lack of current made it hard to know where to start looking. Found some school bass after 10 minutes on the reef but nothing worth shooting.

Spent the next 2 hours looking for fish but not finding much and dodging boats:rcard It is summer I guess, need to keep your eyes up as much as down. I did drift over what I guess where a decent pair of bass in a sandy 'dugout' but they clocked me as soon as I moved my gun (was in only 2-3m of water). They moved up under the kelp/rocks so I dived down and slowly approached the hole but couldn't really see in too well. I'd left my torch in the car and noticed that the 'cave' had a hole at the front too, so they probably legged it.

A large shoal of small bass found me a few minutes later and I enjoyed a couple of dives with them. They came really close but again, none worth shooting.

Found a patch of string weed on the way in near the beach that I never knew was there so tried a few commando style dives. I didn't have enough weight for the shallows though so had to speed through it just to keep the same depth. No fish but a few spider crabs about.

Met a fellow spearo as I was getting out who had been out at the same time. I didn't get his name but he said he'd been fishing there for 48 years! He'd nearly had a couple of mullet he told me but blanked like me.

 

[tuomo]

We dived budleigh 3 times last week and on days when the current was strong and wheather bad the fishinig was amazing.. Seems like the nice diving wheather isnt best for bass hunting there. Unfortunately it did not work out to dive with you Jez, maybe next time.
Report with pics later, soonish.

Tuomo

 

[scottwilson]

how deep do you guys go on average and how long do you stay down for.

I have found myself to be so unfit now that a 20 second dive is unheard of .
I think a trip to the gym 3 times a week is going to have to happen from now on

 

[foxfish]

Scott, I dont know a average but the best way to improve is getting in the water. Aim for 10mts & 1.25 minutes.

 

[scottwilson]

Thanks foxfish. Im going to try the leisure center for practice, I know its not the same as when you in the sea but im sure it will help.

I think the deepest ive been so far is about 5 meters. A good cardio workout might open my lungs up a bit aswell , The way I see it, ive only got to the end of october to spearfish until the water is just to cold so im going to make the best of it while I can. rofl

 

[foxfish]

Scott, the water is fine until Xmas if you have a good suit?
I am sure you are busy checking out all the DB threads but if you want any answers just ask. What kit are you using, gun ect.

 

[Mr. X]

My breath holding is unimpressive but does seem to be gradually improving as I spear. I don't practice breath holding & my main exercise these days is pool swimming (although I try to supplement it with other activities). I wonder if relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation, etc.) might be more useful though.

When I started last year my (dry static) breath hold was 45 sec (same as when I was a child). Then it went to a minute after spearing a few months. Tried it last week and managed 1 min 20s w/o much difficulty -- might have been able to do more but I was interrupted by somebody demanding my attention ("yes Officer?" - just kidding). It was also my first breath hold attempt, apparently not usually your best.

The freedivers are the apnea experts. If you want to go deep & long, there are techniques, dangers & safety measures that you should find out about (SWB, shallow water blackout being one -- check other threads for details).

[My 5mm wetsuit was good through Jan. last year. Couldn't muster enthusiasm to try Feb & March.]

 

[scottwilson]

im using a cressi-sub speargun sioux 60 which i had to take back to the shop yesterday and get it replaced as the trigger kept sticking, my wetsuit is a full summer suit 3mm and 5mm , a rash vest compliments of harbour sports.

I bought my fins second hand from venture sports , its the type you wear bootys with , they great with loads of power but i think i might buy a pair of closed fins for the rest of the summer.

Now im not sure if the guy in the shop was having a laugh at my expence but when i bought my weight belt , I explained to him that I was going spearfishing and wanted a weight belt to suit , I walked out of that shop with a bright yellow weight belt and 2 bright yellow weights , ha ha not funny.

My diving buddy explained between fits of laughter that now look like an overweight batman with utility belt .
If I muster up the courage, I will post a picture.:t

 

[Mr. X]

...Now im not sure if the guy in the shop was having a laugh at my expence but when i bought my weight belt , I explained to him that I was going spearfishing and wanted a weight belt to suit , I walked out of that shop with a bright yellow weight belt and 2 bright yellow weights , ha ha not funny...

He might have figured that as you were starting out you'd be more likely to loose it & might appreciate an easy to find colour (speaking as someone who lost their first belt). I think some spearos tie their belt to their float, however, I clip my float to my gun; I figure that way I am less likely to get tangled underwater, & my gun cost more than my belt.

 

[scottwilson]

valid point MR.X I never thought of it that way.

I still think I will invest in a black belt and good old lead weights in the future , just as soon as I have bought the other million and one things I want to buy ( including a kayak , I cant wait.)

 

[Mr. X]

...I still think I will invest in a black belt and good old lead weights in the future , just as soon as I have bought the other million and one things I want to buy ( including a kayak , I cant wait.)

Rubber belts seem popular with spearos as they tend to stay put. Marseille buckles too, not sure why - I would think some other designs would release more easily -- but I like mine.

BTW I believe Portland Oceaneering now carry bullet weights & I have got rather used to my cresent profile 4lb ones from the same place (the initially off-putting oxidized, brown tarnished look is actually quite camo & a row small dimples on each side keeps the weights in place). Weights are discussed at length on other threads.

Check out the "Kayak rigging" & "Kayak, Dory, dinghy" threads for on going kayak & boat discussions. I tend to fish more from the kayak currently. I reckon spearing from a kayak would work better with 2 spearos or at least 2 adults. There is a lot gear & hauling involved. Need to get my lifting bar & a trolley sorted out still! As a way to get to the far end of a bay (away from the crowd) or round the headland to the deserted bay on the otherside, with all your spearing gear -- its probably hard to beat (ok, a RIB would be nice!).

 

[scottwilson]

A rib would be great but im starting off small , thanks for the direction.

 

[podge]

My diving buddy explained between fits of laughter that now look like an overweight batman with utility belt .
If I muster up the courage, I will post a picture.:t

Scott I also suffer from a slight forward waist line so don’t be shy lets all have a look at Batman and may be a little chuckle after all that’s what’s its all about.

 

[scottwilson]

will do, I will get a picture taken on my next dive .

 

[Jez]

Dived Budleigh this evening over the high tide. The water was not as clear as I'd hoped, only just 4m or so and rather murky. The grey sky didn't help much but it was totally huntable.

Didn't find any bass but saw a few mullet, although they weren't too interested in me. I was feeling lazy so after one drift down the reef, instead of heading straight back up it as usual (into the current) I ferry glided across the current in towards the shore to explore the shallows behind the few rocks that hadn't yet been covered by the rising waters. Thankfully, they also provided a few eddies and slack water in which to rest.

Saw quite a few pollack but none worth shooting, they do seem a littel fatter now but I think some deeper water is needed to find any worth specimens this year. I couldn't be bothered to head back out into the current so I shot across to the river mouth and enjoyed getting sucked into the river as the tide wooshed up it at 10-15 miles and hour (sorry, don't know knots). Still a fun way to end your dive, its normally full of kids though so going there with a big gun won't win you any awards for appreciation, but it was empty tonight (just me being a big kid)rofl . Hopped out onto the back beach and headed home.

Hoping to return to spot near Dartmouth I checked out during the winter that looked really fishy this weekend if anyone wants to do some exploring. I believe there may be a wreck that could be visited from the shore nearby too (altough they give me the willies).

 

[scottwilson]

Glad you had fun i've heard budleigh is a good place to spearfish , whats the depths there?

 

[tuomo]

depths are not the thing in budleigh..
Its about 6-12 meters where the fish are.
The thing is the heavy current, that makes it quite demanding hunting place.

Tuomo

 

[scottwilson]

wow, ok, I will be giving budleigh a miss for now untill i'm confident enough with my fittness level as I am not at the moment and would hate to be in a situtaion that I cant get myself out of because im not fit enough. Im off to the gym.

 

[Jez]

Went to explore Dartmouth area for a dive today. I went to a cove I'd visited in the winter that looked promising, about a kilometre hike in from the car. Sadly the water was really milky even though the wind has been offshore for 2 weeks:head

I went in for 5 minutes 'cos it 'didn't look too bad' and thought I check it, just with my suit on, no gun etc. I swam out about 60-70m and did a few dives to check the viz, which turned out to be rubbish (1-2m)

I turned towards the beach to head back and get out and do something else instead of diving. I noticed my sweetie:inlove was waving rather excitedly in my direction (which doesn't usually happen when I'm in the water) and the two other ladies (plus dog) on the beach seemed to be looking my way too. I then got that 'its behind you feeling' and turned to see a pretty darn big seal head about 10m away on the surface looking at me! I headed quickly back to the beach doing backstroke so I could watch him. Thankfully he didn't disappear under the surface so I could keep a check all the way in. He hung around for a while and seemed to want to play with the springer spaniel on the beach. He came about 30-20m from the water edge and at one point let out big snort which was rather amusing. I might have stayed and played but I didn't fancy it in such low visibility.

We didn't manage to see him when we climbed out of the cove, I was hoping to get a better photo of him from above but here he is below. Hope to have a better dive this coming week.

 

[Jez]

I hiked down to Hopes Nose in Torquay yesterday, the first time since I f'd my sinuses there last year. I wasn't expecting much but what a difference a year makes!

Weather was fair, tide was high, light winds, no swell, sun mostly, viz to about 5m in places and rather refreshingly hardly any chavs in fast boats.

Straight off the beach I was into some good areas of stringweed that weren't there last year (which made me wonder about string weed's lifecycle and how spots may change correspondingly from season to season). No fish seen until I was halfway across the bay (following close to the cliffs) but only a few small school bass, one that was border line size wise spent a few moments nibbling the end of my spear almost. Got my trigger finger in right lather but remained focussed and let it go.

Not much else seen until I reached my usual spot under the clifs on the far side where there are some underwater stacks that usually hold pollack and the odd bass. Sure enough, I dived next to one stack and noticed rather late there was a bass 2m right under me in sandy hollow between the kelp. There was a '***** has he seen me' moment from each of us but I managed to bring the target in site and nailed it from 30cm away. The spear didn't even leave the gun fully before it hit the rock beneath the fish.

A nice 3lb bass on the stringer I headed up around the cliffs, checking some of the deeper spots on the way. A lot of wrasse making a lot of noise, 'cracking' the water with their tails. Saw a dogfish too.

I rounded the headland and was heading into Anstey's Cove when I missed what must have been a 4lb bass gliding underneath, just too slow to react. Shortly after I saw my first seahorse floating 3m down in open water! It looked dead so I scooped it to the surface in my palm to have a close look. It was actuall alive, its tiny pectoral fins thrumming away and watching me with its pin sized eyes! I let him go although I rather think he was at the mercy of the currents. They don't seem great swimmers.

I missed another 4lb bass as I was saying goodbye to the seahorse but felt good that I was heading to where they appeared to be coming from. I found the patch of stringweed I was looking for (where I rather incompetently missed a fatty bass on my last trip to the cove). Sure enoughm, there were lots of bass in about 3m of water. I missed twice and they buggered off after that:head . However, I did come back to this patch later and nailed two nice 3lbers, both surface shots.

On my way back I stalked the stringweed near the beach and saw lots of schoolies and managed another 3lber. Saw a few decent grey mullet but let them go. I shot one another nice bass but it tore off leaving its intestine caught in the spear's flopper. I've never had a fish tear off before and I felt awful as it legged it to go and die a lingering death. Must only take good shots.

Was hoping to get in today but went to the Cider Bar in Newton Abbot last night and I'm not feeling too ship shape today:hungover :yack