Popular Post Andy135 Posted January 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 14, 2022 With the forecast looking great and with the boat fueled up and ready to go, I had high hopes for a decent session today. @Saintly Fish and I slipped out of the marina just before sunrise and headed south, watching it rise above the horizon as we buzzed towards our mark at 25kts. The mark in question was just north of the Spoils, a historic dumping ground south of the Nab Tower. Big thanks to @Scotch_Egg2012 for the numbers 👍 Arriving at slack water we dropped the hook and got our baits down. Within less than a minute we had bites... big bites. We'd anchored over a snake pit and they were hungry! We'd brought three rods each but barely had time to rig them all up, such was the frantic pace of bite, wind, unhook, rebait, bite, wind, unhook... Neil did a good impression of Benny Hill, chasing his conger around the deck. And so it went, conger after conger to mid-double figures. After an hour or so the tide strengthened and the bites slowed, with only the occasional fish making an appearance. That said, the weather and conditions were fantastic, and unseasonably warm for mid-Jan. We sat out the worst of the tide and as it started to slackened again the bites returned, and this time something a bit different arrived. A thornback ray, which made a welcome change from conger. And before long, another one arrived. A PB thornback ray for me, just nudging into double figures. After a few more congers, some whiting and pout the wind started to pick up, and as we were 12 miles out we decided to quit while the going was good. The return journey was uneventful but brief, hitting 26kts as we returned to the shelter of the Solent and Portsmouth Harbour approaches, where the sea state became glassy, a great way to finish the day. Big thanks to Neil for plenty of banter and laughs. Good netting skills too 👍 JonC, mike farrants, Saintly Fish and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostPiker Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Hope to have as successful a day tomorrow. Fancy sharing the mark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 3 minutes ago, LostPiker said: Hope to have as successful a day tomorrow. Fancy sharing the mark? Where have you decided on? I will be at West Lepe Bouy from around 8.30am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostPiker Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Just now, Saintly Fish said: Where have you decided on? I will be at West Lepe Bouy from around 8.30am. Going to nab. As the weather is so calm we thought we would venture out that far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 52 minutes ago, Andy135 said: With the forecast looking great and with the boat fueled up and ready to go, I had high hopes for a decent session today. @Saintly Fish and I slipped out of the marina just before sunrise and headed south, watching it rise above the horizon as we buzzed towards our mark at 25kts. The mark in question was just north of the Spoils, a historic dumping ground south of the Nab Tower. Big thanks to @Scotch_Egg2012 for the numbers 👍 Arriving at slack water we dropped the hook and got our baits down. Within less than a minute we had bites... big bites. We'd anchored over a snake pit and they were hungry! We'd brought three rods each but barely had time to rig them all up, such was the frantic pace of bite, wind, unhook, rebait, bite, wind, unhook... Neil did a good impression of Benny Hill, chasing his conger around the deck. And so it went, conger after conger to mid-double figures. After an hour or so the tide strengthened and the bites slowed, with only the occasional fish making an appearance. That said, the weather and conditions were fantastic, and unseasonably warm for mid-Jan. We sat out the worst of the tide and as it started to slackened again the bites returned, and this time something a bit different arrived. A thornback ray, which made a welcome change from conger. And before long, another one arrived. A PB thornback ray for me, just nudging into double figures. After a few more congers, some whiting and pout the wind started to pick up, and as we were 12 miles out we decided to quit while the going was good. The return journey was uneventful but brief, hitting 26kts as we returned to the shelter of the Solent and Portsmouth Harbour approaches, where the sea state became glassy, a great way to finish the day. Big thanks to Neil for plenty of banter and laughs. Good netting skills too 👍 Great day out again today mate, thanks for redeeming your skipper skills and actually finding some quarry this time! 💪🏻 I can remember the last time we had a busy day such as today!! Here are a few more pics for @JonC and others. It was a cold start at 06.15. Oh yeah and it seems that you forgot to mention the two most important facts of the day!! mike farrants 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 2 minutes ago, LostPiker said: Going to nab. As the weather is so calm we thought we would venture out that far There is around 4-5mph more wind tomorrow than today. Today was starting to rough up a bit after lunch. Hence I have decided to stay in the shelter of the Solent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostPiker Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 3 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: There is around 4-5mph more wind tomorrow than today. Today was starting to rough up a bit after lunch. Hence I have decided to stay in the shelter of the Solent. Hmm maybe a last minute change then... Will consult with boat mate in the morning Saintly Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Good work today and great write up. @Andy135 when you hold the rays there’s a bony ridge either side of the mouth that allows you to get a good grip on them. Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyswamp Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Great day by the sounds of it 👍 Always better to err on the side of caution if you think it's going to blow up Saintly Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 12 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Oh yeah and it seems that you forgot to mention the two most important facts of the day!! Let me guess... it has something to do with tangles?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Looks like you guy's had a great day, plenty of action and some good Thornbacks. I bet @Andy135 was cussing as there were no dogs, but I guess the slimy snakes made up for them. Sea was rough here today, not at all as forecast. The forecast from windguru and MSW was 0.3m @4secs, after looking at the sea later this afternoon I checked the wavebuoy live data and the sea was 1.2m @ 3 secs ! My mate Alan will be going out to the 40 mile wrecks tomorrow, but I have declined to crew as I think the sea will still be kicking up rough. Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 7 hours ago, Andy135 said: Let me guess... it has something to do with tangles?? No, but that's also one you left out. I was thinking more about who caught the two trophy fish!! These details are missing from your report, maybe you're just tired?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 2 hours ago, Saintly Fish said: No, but that's also one you left out. I was thinking more about who caught the two trophy fish!! These details are missing from your report, maybe you're just tired?? Oh, you mean the dogfish you caught? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 2 hours ago, Andy135 said: Oh, you mean the dogfish you caught? Yes that, AND the biggest fish!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 30 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Yes that, AND the biggest fish!! Oh that. I was leaving that for you to share and gain the kudos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 44 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Oh that. I was leaving that for you to share and gain the kudos. You know me, I'd rather sit in the shadows than blow my own trumpet on centre stage! ☺️ Geoff, GPSguru, Andy135 and 1 other 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Glad you managed some fish on the numbers, we headed there today in hope of a Spurdog or 2, sounds like a rinse and repeat. We stopped counting the Eels after passing the 40 mark. Also had a Thornie, pout, whiting and either a very late or very early Smoothound. Eels were hitting the uptiders as soon as the bait hit the bottom not giving any thing else a chance to home in Saintly Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 34 minutes ago, Scotch_Egg2012 said: Glad you managed some fish on the numbers, we headed there today in hope of a Spurdog or 2, sounds like a rinse and repeat. We stopped counting the Eels after passing the 40 mark. Also had a Thornie, pout, whiting and either a very late or very early Smoothound. Eels were hitting the uptiders as soon as the bait hit the bottom not giving any thing else a chance to home in Nice work. Throw up a report when you get a chance 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_Egg2012 Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 21 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Nice work. Throw up a report when you get a chance 👍 I would but I'm rubbish at remembering to take photos, I didn't take any today and don't normally like to report without some photo's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike farrants Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 haha we've all done the "Snake Dance" chasing an eel all round the boat! looks like a cracking day out fellas! Andy135 and Saintly Fish 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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