Popular Post Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 10, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 10, 2021 (edited) After much discussion and deliberation I finally took the boat out solo today. Should of been recovering from a general anaesthetic but that didn't go ahead at the 11th hour (a story for another time) Decided to dip the toe in on an easy mark that doesn't suffer a lot of tide is fairly shallow and not to far from Port. I've got a few different marks at Hillhead but wanted to try a spot I think should throw up Hounds and Thornbacks, the Hounds showed up but sadly the rays did not. Ended the day with 14 Hounds, 13lb 4oz the biggest and lost another 5 to snags, I had picked the edge of a rougher patch which showed on the relief shading it yet again proved it was very accurate, looked like a patch of bolders on the chart and that's exactly what it felt like. Everything went according to plan except for a bank of sea fog that rolled in. It cleared up in time for me to head back, but it was quite a nice day a little bit lumpy in the afternoon as the forecast SW showed up. Headed home via a couple of spots I'd seen the gulls working on the way out but nothing on the way in. Berthing turned out a breeze. Edited June 10, 2021 by Scotch_Egg2012 suzook12, jonnyswamp, Saintly Fish and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 Well done Scott. I bet your wondering what all the solo boating fuss was all about now!! Where was the rocky mark, on the edge of the spit? Scotch_Egg2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 10, 2021 Author Share Posted June 10, 2021 2 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Well done Scott. I bet your wondering what all the solo boating fuss was all about now!! Where was the rocky mark, on the edge of the spit? You're dead right all the fuss and it was fairly straight forward. Couple of screen shots added showing the spot, I'll fish further off it next time I reckon that's where the rays will be, might be worth a shot nearer the bank showing in between the 2 yellow bouy. Very little weed 18ft deep. I was fishing really light (Bream gear) and they really put up a great scrap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 Good work Scott. Very productive session. 👍 I'm planning a solo session early Sunday morning. Where did you berth? Alongside the launch pontoon or further up nearer the entry/exit ramp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 Well done on the fish and well done for getting out on your own, it certainly makes it easier to do a spare of the moment thing-which I often find the best as they are less stressful. I’m fortunate that there is a self service bait place on my way home so sometimes I pick up some rag worm and go straight past my house to the boat. As for the raja clavita I always find fishing hard up a bank the best, often casting nearly onto a drying spit to find them. They have become a bit boring now locally to the point where they are only a notch above dogfish, though it’s always nice to get a decent double. I hardly ever keep any now as I can’t be fkd to skin them suzook12 and Scotch_Egg2012 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 45 minutes ago, Scotch_Egg2012 said: After much discussion and deliberation I finally took the boat out solo today. Should of been recovering from a general anaesthetic but that didn't go ahead at the 11th hour (a story for another time) Decided to dip the toe in on an easy mark that doesn't suffer a lot of tide is fairly shallow and not to far from Port. I've got a few different marks at Hillhead but wanted to try a spot I think should throw up Hounds and Thornbacks, the Hounds showed up but sadly the rays did not. Ended the day with 14 Hounds, 13lb 4oz the biggest and lost another 5 to snags, I had picked the edge of a rougher patch which showed on the relief shading it yet again proved it was very accurate, looked like a patch of bolders on the chart and that's exactly what it felt like. Everything went according to plan except for a bank of sea fog that rolled in. It cleared up in time for me to head back, but it was quite a nice day a little bit lumpy in the afternoon as the forecast SW showed up. Headed home via a couple of spots I'd seen the gulls working on the way out but nothing on the way in. Berthing turned out a breeze. Very well done Scott, going out solo is easy once you have sussed out a plan and have everything you might need to hand 👍 Scotch_Egg2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 10 minutes ago, JonC said: Well done on the fish and well done for getting out on your own, it certainly makes it easier to do a spare of the moment thing-which I often find the best as they are less stressful. I’m fortunate that there is a self service bait place on my way home so sometimes I pick up some rag worm and go straight past my house to the boat. As for the raja clavita I always find fishing hard up a bank the best, often casting nearly onto a drying spit to find them. They have become a bit boring now locally to the point where they are only a notch above dogfish, though it’s always nice to get a decent double. I hardly ever keep any now as I can’t be fkd to skin them Scotch_Egg2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 10, 2021 Author Share Posted June 10, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Andy135 said: Good work Scott. Very productive session. 👍 I'm planning a solo session early Sunday morning. Where did you berth? Alongside the launch pontoon or further up nearer the entry/exit ramp? Luckily as it was a weekday marina was pretty quiet. I put her on the holding pontoon. They were retrieving 3 boats so I just stuck her in front of them, hosed off and flushed the engine. They lifted her straight after. I got everything (warps etc) in place before I pulled the anchor so it was all to hand when I came alongside. One tip Ray gave me as he does a lot of solo trips was to have a rope on a centre cleat ready so when you pull on it the whole boat comes in parallel to the pontoon rather than fighting with a bow and stern rope. I used one today and it worked a treat, I stepped off and tied that rope off whilst I sorted the bow and stern. Bumblefish has a nasty habit of sitting with the stern moving away from the pontoon when alongside I have to use a spring to keep her parallel but the centre rope sorted that. As mentioned on the other post I came in very slow with a short burst of power when needed. Couldn't have done it better to be honest no need for the boat hook just stepped off. Edited June 10, 2021 by Scotch_Egg2012 Andy135, suzook12 and GPSguru 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 10, 2021 Author Share Posted June 10, 2021 51 minutes ago, JonC said: Crikey we don't see numbers like that in the solent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 10, 2021 Author Share Posted June 10, 2021 55 minutes ago, GPSguru said: Very well done Scott, going out solo is easy once you have sussed out a plan and have everything you might need to hand 👍 A plan made it a lot easier, thanks for the tips you gave they all helped. GPSguru 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 1 hour ago, JonC said: You also get Tope, IIRC the Uk boat record was caught at Bradwell....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 54 minutes ago, Scotch_Egg2012 said: Crikey we don't see numbers like that in the solent Yeah that’s the only time I’ve ever kept loads, we had about 40 that day. Most went back,I always put the female ones back. Scotch_Egg2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 50 minutes ago, GPSguru said: You also get Tope, IIRC the Uk boat record was caught at Bradwell....... The tope do run to decent size but the problem is always getting the mackerel for them. I have considered going back to the eel sections though, which can be bought live at the fish market. The shore smoothound record also stood for years off St. Peter’s flats, but now been surpassed. suzook12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 (edited) 38 minutes ago, JonC said: The tope do run to decent size but the problem is always getting the mackerel for them. I have considered going back to the eel sections though, which can be bought live at the fish market. The shore smoothound record also stood for years off St. Peter’s flats, but now been surpassed. I would have thought Mack would be cheaper than eel at the fish market. Here Mack is not generally an issue, when I go to the skerries on Saturday, I will stop off on the way for fresh mack, and will the crew to expect to catch a dozen or so in 10 - 15 mins, whilst I have a cup of coffee. Edited June 10, 2021 by GPSguru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 8 hours ago, JonC said: The tope do run to decent size but the problem is always getting the mackerel for them. I have considered going back to the eel sections though, which can be bought live at the fish market. The shore smoothound record also stood for years off St. Peter’s flats, but now been surpassed. Dab is also another good bait for the Tope but getting hold off them is like trying to source hens teeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 Glad you managed it all ok. Being prepared is the main part! I always tie centre cleat first. One that is on boat can’t move much. Can then take your time setting stern then bow lines. 🙂 Scotch_Egg2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 43 minutes ago, Odyssey said: Glad you managed it all ok. Being prepared is the main part! I always tie centre cleat first. One that is on boat can’t move much. Can then take your time setting stern then bow lines. 🙂 Not so great if you don’t have a mid cleat though! Like me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Odyssey said: Glad you managed it all ok. Being prepared is the main part! I always tie centre cleat first. One that is on boat can’t move much. Can then take your time setting stern then bow lines. 🙂 That's exactly how I did it, thanks for your tips on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted June 11, 2021 Author Share Posted June 11, 2021 27 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Not so great if you don’t have a mid cleat though! Like me. I tied it round the base of my pulpit rail. Saintly Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzook12 Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 13 hours ago, JonC said: The tope do run to decent size but the problem is always getting the mackerel for them. I have considered going back to the eel sections though, which can be bought live at the fish market. The shore smoothound record also stood for years off St. Peter’s flats, but now been surpassed. We often have the same issue Jon, later in the season Yarmouth way has a good run of tope to 50lb, but the amount of fresh mackerel available makes it hard going. I've never had a run using flatty as bait to the point I seldom even try nowadays. May see about getting out on a charter after the tope in the wash in the next couple of weeks, we seem to get them earlier this end, but smaller average size..... Scotch_Egg2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.