South Devon Report 2012

[shiny1]

Some good catches on the South Devon thread this morning. I would love to see what other reports come in but im off out with a old mate of mine from way back,Ahab on his boat the Pequod. This could be a long day!!

 

[north1]

In today again, got a nice spider crab! Left the others behind as they were a little bit smaller!

Lots of large wrasse, not sure of the names of them, some grey spotty types others more patterned, i let them be as i have heard they are pretty bony and difficult to fillet - is that true?

No silver fish or brown crabs spotted though, and didn't check the estuary for flatties. Visibility was excellent!

Do you chaps cook spiders before you freeze them or just bung them in and cook once de-frosted? Risotto planned for next weekend and not sure the best way to keep them, i normally eat them straight away!

cook the crab first then freeze it. Or cook it first then pick it and then freeze it.
Crazywind may have some suggestions.

 

[Broseidon]

Cook > Pick > Freeze.

I tried the cook and freeze method last year - apart from taking up tons of room and stinking my freezer out, most of the meat (when I finally picked them) was very stringy, dry and dehydrated. Freezer-burned in appearance. Pretty much ruined.

 

[mirror]

RE spider crab meat : cook and pick it and freeze in a small tupperware container and it seems to keep just fine ,several months no probs and I have then eaten it in a sandwich or salad ,but not tried reheating in a cooked dish . Are there many spider crabs about yet ?

 

[crazywind009]

The best way is to freeze in smal batch in cling film take the air out as much as you can never in a open box that will cause the freezer-burned look

 

[BFA]

Hi all got in this moorning with my friend ricardo whent to this ledge told by one the fisherman who suplie us at the resto on the first dive i could see bass mist this big bass 14lb +:waterwork a bit to slow on the triger then we bump in to a big schools of gilt head bream i hear this bang in the water and the whole schools gone gutted back to the top and i can hear ricardo calling me went to him i can see in the water a big flash off silver and he as shoot the biggest guilt i have seen in my spero life 7.4kg!!!! i am happy for him and gutted i always dream of those guilt head bream

Hi,
Great to hear about the bream, I am planning to jump in tomorrow for cuttlefish in Torquay, hopefully I get something, but might be too early in the season.
Where about roughly is this fishy ledge your fisherman told you about.. I am from Italy so still learning about the south coast.
Cheers,
Fabio

 

[AlB]

RE spider crab meat : cook and pick it and freeze in a small tupperware container and it seems to keep just fine ,several months no probs and I have then eaten it in a sandwich or salad ,but not tried reheating in a cooked dish . Are there many spider crabs about yet ?

Back in again today, lots of mullet, big schoal and a few spiders, i got 3 decent sized ones for the pot !

Also met anther spearo in the car park - he bagged a nice mullet by the rocks!

thanks for the cooking advice!

 

[tribs]

Hi All,

Not wet but did get out tonight in the boat. Launched in an Easterly swell but nothing to worry about. Viz looked decent and had suicidal pollack going crazy for redgills over the rough ground. lots of pollack and mackerel around with pollack even jumping chasing food.
East not ruined the viz so as long as the wind for Thursday doesn't last I'll be in chasing the silver which must be there!

Tribs

out

 

[crazywind009]

Hi All,

Not wet but did get out tonight in the boat. Launched in an Easterly swell but nothing to worry about. Viz looked decent and had suicidal pollack going crazy for redgills over the rough ground. lots of pollack and mackerel around with pollack even jumping chasing food.
East not ruined the viz so as long as the wind for Thursday doesn't last I'll be in chasing the silver which must be there!

Tribs

out

The viz is bad mate whent in strait point is verry bad at the bottom and budleigh 1m to 1.50m ,big ground swell grounding the bottom ,bit better on the main reef 2 to 4m viz lot of big wrass no silver

 

[north1]

Cook > Pick > Freeze.

I tried the cook and freeze method last year - apart from taking up tons of room and stinking my freezer out, most of the meat (when I finally picked them) was very stringy, dry and dehydrated. Freezer-burned in appearance. Pretty much ruined.

Good call Broseidon. Think I may try to pick more of my spiders before freezing. Agree completely with the space issue. The only problem I have is after a dive I am too lazy to clean the gear, cook the crab and pick.
Best way of doing it is to catch, cook with friends, eat and miss out the freezer.
Doesn't always work like that though.

 

[scrumpy]

Guys

Has anyone ventured Torbay way in the last couple of days with the gentle easterly we've had?
Looking at the web cams sea looks fairly calm but wondered if any viz to be found. I know easterly is normally a no no but surprise me.


lee

:wave

 

[Gaz D]

Is it a Dream,is it for Real or is it???

I got my Turbot yesterday. A big thick 7.4kg beast. Its not until you get one of this size you realise how thick they are and how hard it is to get the spear to penetrate all the way through.
Off out again now so will write a report later. Taking the gun cam this time.

Hey Nick,

You had me for a minute or two, when I first got out of bed, but when I asked my missus what the date was (to see if you would win March FOM) the game was up (especially after last year, when I fell for it hook, line and sinker).

And after your post this year, I absolutely refuse to believe Crazywind either!

Correct me if I'm wrong about this guys (although I'll still refuse to believe either of you anyway!)

:t

.

 

[Scoobaru]

Hi all got in this moorning with my friend ricardo whent to this ledge told by one the fisherman who suplie us at the resto on the first dive i could see bass mist this big bass 14lb +:waterwork a bit to slow on the triger then we bump in to a big schools of gilt head bream i hear this bang in the water and the whole schools gone gutted back to the top and i can hear ricardo calling me went to him i can see in the water a big flash off silver and he as shoot the biggest guilt i have seen in my spero life 7.4kg!!!! i am happy for him and gutted i always dream of those guilt head bream

Holy s#€t that's the biggest bream I've ever seen. Congratulations. And unlucky on the bass

 

[Highlander]

Hi all, I am over in Ilfacombe this weekend for a wedding & was hoping to get in, weather permitting, which I am not sure will be good anyway.

Are ther any recomendations, I was thinking around Combe Martin or closer towards Ilfracombe. Is there anything i should be aware of, bar boats/ferry? Maybe a place to park would be good & a short jaunt down to the water.

Cheers for any help.

Scott

 

[Gaz D]

Hi all, I am over in Ilfacombe this weekend for a wedding & was hoping to get in, weather permitting, which I am not sure will be good anyway.

Are ther any recomendations, I was thinking around Combe Martin or closer towards Ilfracombe. Is there anything i should be aware of, bar boats/ferry? Maybe a place to park would be good & a short jaunt down to the water.

Cheers for any help.

Scott

Sorry mate - could tell you where to surf, but not familiar with the area for spearfishing. Not sure how good the viz is that far up either.

Good luck.

.

 

[Gaz D]

Speaking of which: anybody interested in a top-end winter surfing wetsuit, worn once, by me (before I realised it was too small and had to go out and buy another one, the very next day!)

You'll find it here if you are:

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

.

 

[shiny1]

Yes Gaz it was a April fools joke. I did get rep for it off one member so i did catch a few. After last years GT on the breakwater i didnt expect anybody would fall for any of mine again.
The turbot in the pic was one i picked up down Plymouth fish quay last summer. They are very thick and will take a bit more than my little 70 to punch all the way through i think. Hope to get the chance this year!!.

 

[Gaz D]

Yes Gaz it was a April fools joke. I did get rep for it off one member so i did catch a few. After last years GT on the breakwater i didnt expect anybody would fall for any of mine again.
The turbot in the pic was one i picked up down Plymouth fish quay last summer. They are very thick and will take a bit more than my little 70 to punch all the way through i think. Hope to get the chance this year!!.

I was gonna let it run a couple of days before I said anything but, astonishingly, not many people seemed to be reacting to it - they all seemed to be more interested in what the viz was doing????

For me that would have been fish of the decade - I think I'd rather shoot a turbot like that (even one half that size) more than anything else.

Even more than Crazywind's bream.

.

 

[shiny1]

They are out there its just being lucky and finding one.
I take mates with me some times and knowing my luck it will be one of them who finds one. I do all the hard work finding the spots then a mate gets the reward lol.

 

[Jonny250]

It was the flip-flops that gave it away Nick far too chilly for that yet...
still an amazing fish to see tho. I look forward to seeing your own speared one later this year...