South Devon Report 2010

[foxfish]

Just for you Mr X A RARE fish sparked a bidding war at Brixham fish market yesterday when a South Devon skipper netted the 6ft 6in specimen off Portland Bill.

 

[Spiderman]

Re: Plymouth National Aquarium - Stone Bass?

Any body out there familiar with the Plymouth Aquarium? I was most impressed by the huge tank of British sea fish & its auditorium-style viewing area - a spearfisherman's dream (although non-spearo will likely prefer the tropical tanks with shark, barracuda and trigger fish).

The biggest fish (I think) in the UK tank was unfamiliar to me, it was almost like a huge carp. From the rather sparse key at the back of the room, it looked to me like it was probably the "Stone Bass" - but perhaps I'm mistaken. The Stone Bass pictures I see on Google are not the same fish. I was wondering if anyone can provide more information on the fish at the aquarium? Is it native to the UK waters or was it washed in from warmer climes? I found a listing for the aquarium that included a stone bass caught some years ago, but at 65cm that sounds too small to be it (unless it has grown considerably over the years?).

Part of my interest comes from seeing the rear end of a very large fish down in Devon, which disappeared into a deep hole behind a rock spike as I approached. It was so big and odd looking that I did not attempt to spear it, I figured it was probably a wrasse judging by the size, location and rather slow movements. I did however, dive down into the hole to look around and got another brief glimpse before it disappeared. To me, it seemed too big to be a wrasse (and I've speared very large ballan wrasse in Cornwall) and I think the tail was different, with rounded tips. Perhaps just wishful thinking.

It's a little while since we last visited but as far as I can remember from the talk they did at the big tank the strange fish is indeed a stone bass which they have had for quite a few years.

It is truly an awesome tank which is hard to watch without mentally lining up shots as the bass cruise by

 

[Old Man Dave]

On a tenuous link here's Cape Town aquarium. Itchy trigger finger or what.

Dave.

 

[Mr. X]

Thanks for that guys. Plymouth Aquarium also has sharks and large tropical fish but I found the UK tank (and the smaller displays near the start, inc. table tanks of flat fish) fascinating, mesmerizing even. It was literally carpeted with different flat fish. I found my interest in the tropical fish went more to retrying to identifying popularly speared species than sharks. I would have liked to have seen a wahoo but would not recognize one, I did see barracuda, trigger fish and I think amberjacks (AJs) and trevally (sp?).

Other memorable aquarium displays - what looked like giant, chrome-plated sardines in the Chicago (Shedd?) Aquarium and an octupus going through a maze in Seattle aquarium. Plymouth holds its own with those aquarium, perhaps even better in some respects.

 

[foxfish]

I paid a visit to Plymouth aquarium last year & enjoyed it too.
Watching that big wall tank with the stone bass cruising around was great, I also enjoyed the pock pool environment.
We went out on one of the tourist boats around the harbour, that was very interesting as well!

 

[MARK BISHOP]

Any news on the comp at Tallan/Looe yesterday? Who won?

 

[scottie3030]

Colin Chester won it, shiny1 had a good bag of bass which won him 5th place I think, nothing special showed up but it was a really nice place to dive! Nice to meet up with everyone!
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[scottwilson]

Did you guys get any decent viz for the Comp with these swells? I dived Plymouth yesterday and had a meter at best

 

[Davidocallaghan]

Colin Chester won it, shiny1 had a good bag of bass which won him 5th place I think, nothing special showed up but it was a really nice place to dive! Nice to meet up with everyone!
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hi Ricky i have to correct you there Mr OCallaghan was 5th with 3 bass and 6 pollock shiny 1(nick c) dont quote was 8th ??

 

[Davidocallaghan]

Did you guys get any decent viz for the Comp with these swells? I dived Plymouth yesterday and had a meter at best

hi scott at 16mtrs the vis was good 5mtrs plus in fact it was that in most places roflroflrofl

 

[neale crawford]

hi Ricky i have to correct you there Mr OCallaghan was 5th with 3 bass and 6 pollock shiny 1(nick c) dont quote was 8th ??

hey dave don,t forget my 6th pace and biggest bass at bigbury comp and dads 8th place at 75 years old. cheers mate

 

[scottie3030]

Ha sorry dave
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[Spiderman]

I paid a visit to Plymouth aquarium last year & enjoyed it too.
Watching that big wall tank with the stone bass cruising around was great, I also enjoyed the pock pool environment.
We went out on one of the tourist boats around the harbour, that was very interesting as well!

We've been as a family four times now and still haven't had enough of it. The new Blue Reef aquarium in Bristol also has quite a good collection of British species including some tempting bass and some very atractive wolf fish. Well worth a visit if you are in the area

 

[Davidocallaghan]

ok neal i have most of the fact so 1st gary roch lic
2nd colin chester lic
3rd james thornburn lic
4th chris issacs jer
5th mick veal s/sea
[B 6th n crawford exe[/B] 36.50
7th D ocallaghan exe 36.26 8th P crawford exe 75 yrs old 36.24
9th Steve mullineux s/sea
10th Keith eayrs s/sea
1st jurnior Chas mullinuex best round fish Bass neal crawford 2.250
best flat flounder Gary roche .545

 

[crazywind009]

hey dave don,t forget my 6th pace and biggest bass at bigbury comp and dads 8th place at 75 years old. cheers mate

How big was the bass neale? any pictures? well done lads would i love to come but the week end was very busy for us

 

[MARK BISHOP]

Thank you all for the comp news. Fantastic effort Mr Crawford senior, I thought Shiny1 was doing well at his age 62

 

[sunfish]

Re: Plymouth National Aquarium - Stone Bass?

The biggest fish (I think) in the UK tank was unfamiliar to me, it was almost like a huge carp. From the rather sparse key at the back of the room, it looked to me like it was probably the "Stone Bass" - but perhaps I'm mistaken. The Stone Bass pictures I see on Google are not the same fish. I was wondering if anyone can provide more information on the fish at the aquarium? Is it native to the UK waters or was it washed in from warmer climes? I found a listing for the aquarium that included a stone bass caught some years ago, but at 65cm that sounds too small to be it (unless it has grown considerably over the years?).

Hi Mr X,
The stone bass caught my interest at one time as a possible Irish "big fish catch". Occasionally one is caught by the angling boats.
Unfortunately the adults live at depths well beyond spearing range. One of their favourite foods is pollack. An alternative name is "wreckfish". The young fish often live under floating wreckage, flotsam and jetsom and these are the ones that get caught.

 

[Mr. X]

Is that two father-&-son pairs in the top 10?
Looks like a very good day for LIC (and Rob Allen gear?).

 

[neale crawford]

How big was the bass neale? any pictures? well done lads would i love to come but the week end was very busy for us

hi ollie it was just over 5lb yes great week and weekend the jersey boys enjoyed it also with some great results A Romill getting a nice 3 place at talland bay cheers mate also thanks dave o,cal

 

[neale crawford]

hi just a couple of presentation photos of the comps me. nick. dave o,cal. peter . andy rom from jersey