Popular Post thejollysinker Posted December 19, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 19, 2021 Managed to get a rare 'last minute request' day off from work to make the most of the light winds and get out for a day. The plan was to visit the Galicia a couple of miles out to see what was showing and then head out to the rough ground mark about 8 or so miles out, anchor up and spend the day sending big baits down in the hope of: Huss, Conger, Ray or maybe even a stray Cod, plus the inevitable suspects, Whiting and Doggies. I was at the river by 6.15am and went down to test out my new 11ft dinghy (it's new but new to me...), wellies on, trolley and oars etc in hand, out with the drain bung, water out and up on to the trolley. Bugger me, I knew it would be heavier than my old Dell Quay Jaunty but I did struggle moving the damn thing. Thankfully it wasn't that far to the water's edge and soon she was in and I was wrestling with the trolley which had welded itself to the barnacles that definitely need removing 😅 Rowed over to the pontoon and tied up, walked all my gear down and loaded up... so much more room and a much more capable tender at 11ft. Rowed over to the boat (collided with another in the fast ebbing flow due to an underestimation of how fast it was pushing 😬) and unloaded all my gear. Cover off, lights on, engine test and get ready to go with the sky starting to show some faint light on the horizon. Slipped the mooring and got going with all the Gulls giving it rock all... was a great feeling to be the only person on the river. Got out to the Galicia and circled round it, found some targets and had a go with Hokkais and an 80g jig.... snagged (profanities followed), re-tied and drifted again to catch a nice big Mackerel so I thought the game was on but after 3 more drifts I'd had enough of catching bugger all else so moved out to the rough ground. @GPSguru had been very kind and given me a number of marks in the Bay as I have been struggling to make this boat fishing lark work since I started 2.5 years ago... I have learnt an awful lot since then but it's really nice to have some help to find different marks that can throw up different species which gives me so many more options depending on weather conditions etc and for that I thank you Ian 😊 Anyway, I found a deep depression on the navionics app and thought I'd just drop anchor there and try it. Dropped my jigging rig over the side, hit bottom and reeled up a few turns, stuck it in the rest and set about getting some downtide gear set up. Whilst doing this I heard the ratchet go and grabbed my rod which had hooped right over (Kenzaki 12lb) and had a good scrap from a surprise 45cm Bass, result! A trawler I'd seen motoring North earlier had hauled his gear and then set his course towards me for another drag and passed by me about 400 yards. He must have been catching shed loads of Whiting as the seabed seemed to be carpeted with the bloody things and they weren't even a decent size. Don't get me wrong, big enough to eat but on the wrong side of average... had them much bigger off the beach last xmas at slapton. These trawlers must work the hell out of this ground as I've seen them a number of times out here... it's no wonder the fishing is what I would describe as dire 😔 Here's a Whiting: Here's another that has eyes bigger than: Whole fillet of Mackerel sent down and after literally 4 mins: What is this? The Whiting were full of them, like a super hard slug: Sun breaking through around 14:45, quite dramatic: What about this? I spent a fair amount of time installing a worklight on my homemade mast for the deck area... works a treat but upon looking at it in daylight it was apparent that it was filling up with water despite its supposed waterproofness (if that's even a word?), one of these: Sea Hawk LED Deck Floodlight. I bought this from an Ebay seller as it was a good price (still expensive) but it has failed miserably 😞 Something else to bloody well sort out.... Grrrr! As the day wore on I was getting more and more battered by the rising wind which was again making a rising swell side on getting more and more uncomfortable... one of the most annoying things in this situation is my helmsman seat which creaks like a bastard, really, it does. There's nothing more offputting when you're uncomfortable than a really annoying noise that even the music can't drown out ... gonna have to try someting different methinks 🤔 Well. that's it folks, all I had after the Bass was Whiting after Whiting, Dogfish galore and bugger all else.... I hauled anchor with my Alderney ring setup which always makes my arse twitch when I'm on my own for some reason 🤷♀️ Piled on the revs for the trip home at 18-20 kts and was soon home, back on the pontoon to unload then a little trip out to the mooring, fill tanks, tidy up, cover up and row back to the trots to tie the big bloody heavy dinghy up (I think I need another set of wheels or try and persuade Arnie to come fishing with me 🤣). On reflection, I had a great day out, although it didn't feel that way at some points and just love being a boat owner and having that freedom to just bugger off and have a good day out away from the everyday shit ☺️ Here's the sunrise: Lol, too many photos 🤣 GPSguru, mick, suzook12 and 5 others 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 28 minutes ago, thejollysinker said: just love being a boat owner and having that freedom to just bugger off and have a good day out away from the everyday shit ☺️ This is what it's all about for me! Fish are a resulting bonus , no fish not really a problem. Thanks for sharing your day, a story of the lonely marina told in good detail! 👍🏻 thejollysinker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Quality write up! Thanks for sharing. Always good to be out early doors and with a bonus bass too! Shame about that trawler though... Still, you had a productive solo session. Well done 👍 thejollysinker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, thejollysinker said: What is this? The Whiting were full of them, like a super hard slug: It looks like part of a starfish................ I guess you were able to load the ADM file Ok into your Garmin. If yes, then you should also get the 'notes' attached to each mark, especially the wrecks with size and orientation. Edited December 19, 2021 by GPSguru Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captin slows old outlaw Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 looks like you had a good day (any dog fish ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejollysinker Posted December 20, 2021 Author Share Posted December 20, 2021 15 hours ago, GPSguru said: It looks like part of a starfish................ I guess you were able to load the ADM file Ok into your Garmin. If yes, then you should also get the 'notes' attached to each mark, especially the wrecks with size and orientation. you might be right there... new bait choice 🤣 Yes Ian, the files loaded ok thanks. I'll need to spend some time playing around with it now to find out all that sort of info. I must admit to not spending much time at all with it once I'd seen all the marks come up on the screen, was too keen to be fishing making the most of the daylight hours. GPSguru 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejollysinker Posted December 20, 2021 Author Share Posted December 20, 2021 15 hours ago, GPSguru said: It looks like part of a starfish................ Could be a type of worm (Echiurian family) it did appear to have a hole at each end and they were partially digested so might not have had all parts present? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejollysinker Posted December 20, 2021 Author Share Posted December 20, 2021 17 hours ago, captin slows old outlaw said: looks like you had a good day (any dog fish ) I did have a good day thanks mate.... yes, plenty of dogfish 🤐 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 26 minutes ago, thejollysinker said: I did have a good day thanks mate.... yes, plenty of dogfish 🤐 Sounds like an excellent day to me! 👍🐶 GPSguru and thejollysinker 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike farrants Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 sounds like a great day out - i haven't anchored alone yet - still need to pluck up the courage to try one day! I also was worried when i read your report that you hadn't put the bung back in your tender - you mention removing it - but not putting it back - and then leaving your mooring! cracking Bass! thejollysinker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejollysinker Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 7 hours ago, mike farrants said: sounds like a great day out - i haven't anchored alone yet - still need to pluck up the courage to try one day! I also was worried when i read your report that you hadn't put the bung back in your tender - you mention removing it - but not putting it back - and then leaving your mooring! cracking Bass! just do it... I just get mentally prepared with a small list of things that need to be remebered, boat hook to hand along with safety knife and off you go. It is pretty straightforward with the Alderney ring method but it's like anything, if you don't do it often.... About the bung... it did go back in. I'll have to be more careful with my editing in future 🤣 Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 6 minutes ago, thejollysinker said: just do it... I just get mentally prepared with a small list of things that need to be remebered, boat hook to hand along with safety knife and off you go. It is pretty straightforward with the Alderney ring method but it's like anything, if you don't do it often.... About the bung... it did go back in. I'll have to be more careful with my editing in future 🤣 At our sailing club bungs are one of the most commonly stolen things also dingy launching trolly tires. Always a good story about meant to put them back. thejollysinker 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.