PB Tope twice in 30mins

[Tony smith]

The trip started on the Friday night got down to the boat about 7pm 

Met up with my mate James and had a few beers. We had a plan to go out to the Conger Mark 5 miles past the Nab Tower

to target the early Tope hoping we would get some mackerel on the way out.

I had just serviced the boat last weekend so feeling good that she’s all up together 

woke up to a beautiful day with a big red sun on the Saturday morning perfect 

So its over to the fuel barge at Portsmouth then off we go two days fishing seas like glass great feeling it’s what’s having a boat is all about 😁

As we was just going out from Portsmouth the engine started to die on us. We decided to head for the passage in the blocks out of the shipping channel.

we tried to bleed the system again then we had no engine at all. There we were drifting out to sea. I had left my spanner’s in the car 🥱. We got it started again and headed out hoping it would clear I knew I could get back ok at low revs so not such a problem if you know what I mean.

I put a shout out on channel 10 if anyone had a 19mm spanner.

Within  a minute a bloke called Ron said I am fishing Gilkickers there’s nothing doing here so I will pop over. 

He had a Rodman 700 lovely boat we decided to head towards each other we met up by the middle fort. What a really nice fella he was. 
he tried to bleed the air out but it was no good. He asked us where we were going.

we was going to Dean Tail to get some mackerel he said I will follow you there.

What a nice bloke.

We didn’t catch much there Ron had just one herring 

Ron said to us why don’t you follow me to a fishing spot I know we might get some smoothound 

so off we go about 6 miles off Southsea 

we anchored up along side each other 

Had  a few doggies Ron had a few Smoothounds then I pulled up a string of four mackerel then another four then Ron had four then James had a couple 

we had a nice bit of banter going between the boats 

we had enough bait to go out to our Conger Mark just had to sort the boat out.

We decided to follow Ron home and try and get the boat sorted he was heading to the dry stack at Gosport 

Said our good byes what a Legend he was 

such a nice bloke. 👍

We went on to Hardway at low revs with no problem

Talking to a Arvor Specialist Stuart Monk 

he said it could be the hand primer pump letting in air so we decided to bypass one of the filter to the fuel.

I had a few plumbing bits in the car I had a 10mm straight joiner perfect for joining the fuel pipe together.

Couldn’t try the boat as it was sitting in mud 

The next morning we was up at 6am nice morning again tried the boat PERFECT 

We headed for our Conger Mark about 15 miles out 

Weather was warm and sea was perfect 

Anchored  up fished all day with nothing 

Had a problem with boat pulling anchor we re anchored about three times 

the water was moving so fast out there 

It started to calm down and I could feel that we was going to get a bite I even told James it looks promising now 

We had plenty of fresh mackerel and even caught some out there we also had squid.

I said to James we will give if half a hour here then we will go to the Nab about 5 miles away a bit calmer water 

I decided to put my shark rod out on the float I put the rod up on the roof of the boat 

baited with live mackerel about 25foot down 

we started getting bites but not connecting 

then bang I had something on good it pulled out a load of line on the first run 

after a decent fight a 25lb Tope my PB to date I was in the cabin looking at my photos 

James could hear a reel screaming he looked at all the rods nothing then he looked up at my rod on the roof it was bent over with line streaming out.

to say I was excited was a understatement 

My shark rod had gone off. I put my phone down believe it or not in the frying pan with fat in it 🤣🤣

Picked up my shark rod the float was still under struck into it  I’m in 

it was about 200 yards from the boat 

after a good fight about 10 minutes we had a 35lb Tope on board it’s head had popped out of my landing net one end and he tail the other. 
So after a bad start to a two day session 

a great ending 

we headed back to Hardway 

with a big smile on my face 

sorry it’s a bit long 👍🎣🎣👍

Tony 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony smith]

Forgot to say in this post that James had a 12lb Undulate Ray at midday 

[Andy135]

Top report Tony! Sounds like you had a blast, despite the engine trouble. Cracking effort 👍👍

Was that you on ch16 talking to to the coastguard and he was asking if you were a member of a recovery service like Seastart?

[Tony smith]

No mate wasn’t us 

[Saintly Fish]

Nice one Tony, two PB tope and a deep fried phone........ what could be better ??

[Scotch_Egg2012]

Well done on the Tope 2 beauts is a good days fishing. 

That's Ron Garett he runs a Rodman called Scorchio out of Gosport drystack.  Indeed he is a very nice guy

[Tony smith]

Yes that’s him Scotch-Egg2012

i am trying to reach him on WhatsApp 

 

[Andy135]

Think I've chatted to him a couple of times at the dry stack. Invite him on here if you get hold of him @Tony smith.

[Tony smith]

Yes I will mate 

[Bass&Chips]

Great report and pics plus 2 pb's in a day. Excellent news they're on there way round as and I had a go over the weekend with no joy.  

[Tony smith]

Hi Andy

hes going to join tomorrow mate 👍

[Andy135]

8 minutes ago, Tony smith said:

Hi Andy

hes going to join tomorrow mate 👍

Good stuff. 👍👍

[suzook12]

Good stuff 👍

[Cuda4]

Great report and fish,always nice to get a result after the troubles you had at the start of your session.👍

[Tony smith]

Cuda4 

I was really pissed off Saturday when the boat was playing up. But just goes to show you never know what’s going to happen. 
trip turned out epic. 😁🎣😁

I have ordered the new part so all good 

one happy fisherman 👍👍