Catch Report – 7th July 2010

As usual the crew phoned in last night to check that the weather was good to go to sea but after waking up and looking out of the window it was clear that the wind was blowing a lot stronger than had been forecast and the sea was white capping as far as the eye could see.  On went the computer to check the marine forecast again.  The wind was easing down and so we were still fine to go but we knew it was going to a bit of bumpy ride out to our first fishing mark with the sea state lessening as the day went on.
With the crew on board we set off at a slower than normal speed and punched out for about an hour and 20 minutes.  As we approached the first wreck we were met with 3 trawlers working the area and one of which had got himself well and truly stuck on the wreck we were hoping to fish.  So after a few carefully selected words thrown in his direction we moved off to another wreck.

With the tide as good as slack the crew decided to do a variety of different things.  Some of them got the feathers out for Mackerel and then used them for bait others put on sidewinders and one or two put Cuttlefish bait down.

After 10 minutes of drifting and not really moving anywhere at all nothing had happened so we moved about 20m or so to the other side of the wreck where we could sit above what looked like the best place to get a catch.

I was standing talking to Nick and Ian and after being asked whom I thought would be the first person on the boat to get a positive bite and having just answered that I thought it would be Ian the first bang went Ian’s rod.  He was fishing with a baited hook (cuttlefish) and he was onto a good fish.

Whilst Ian was playing in his fish down went Nick’s rod who again was fishing with a Cuttlefish bait.

I was ready with the net for Ian’s and up came a Ling, which weighed in at 11lb.

Nick was still playing in his fish and Ian was already saying that whatever it was he had caught you could just bet it was going to be bigger than his.

And it was!

Only by 1lb though as Nick had netted the second Ling of 12lb.

The fishing was rather slow today and it was a good half an hour before the next good bite.  Collin was the next one to get a good bite and he brought the first Cod of the day to the net.

Meanwhile Nick and Ian were still having a good old banter about it being typical that Nick had got the bigger of the two Ling.

Nick took the competition between the two of the up another level when he next landed a Pollack.  It was only around 6lb but it had put him further into the lead.

With the fishing slow but steady I looked over to see Angelo who appeared to be stuck in the wreck.  When I asked if he was stuck he said yes so over I went to get him out.  I took his rod and it did indeed feel like he was stuck but I was able to reel in line and being able to see a number of other lines crossing and the reel being hard to reel I took it that we must have a good old tangle going on.  I lifted the rod and wound in several times before I felt a bit of a kick on the end of it.  Realising that he was into a good fish I handed back the rod so he could finish playing it in.  He was delighted with a 12lb Cod.

Ok back to the Nick and Ian show!

Ian’s turn to take the lead on combined weight caught today.  He netted a very nice 8lb Cod.

Would Nick be able to rise to the challenge and retake the lead?

Well if any of you know Nick then you will know that he is just a jammy git and it wasn’t long before he was playing in yet another fish.  This time a Cod and although it only weighed in at 7lb it was enough to give him 1^st place in this little battle between the two of them.

Today we didn’t see lots and lots of big fish but those that were caught brought a lot of pleasure to the anglers.  For Nick it was his first Ling and for Angelo it was his first Cod.  Everyone caught fish today but not everyone got a big one, although Nick and Ian did very well.

Another great day out and enjoyed by all and the weather turned out nice with the ride home being a lot smoother.