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A decent day out

GPSguru

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I don't post in this section very often, maybe I should.

A forecast of a calm sea and a hot day, we (wife and I) decided to go to the skerries for a few Plaice. Off the slip and on the water by 08:00, our first stop was Hopes Nose / Orestone for some fresh Mack. Nothing doing, but the wife had a full string of good sized Scad. The next stop was Berry Head, but I trundled around and didn't see any Mack on the sounder.

Next stop was the Skerries. A quick look at the tidal streams showed we would drift along the banks toward Start Point, at about 1.4knts. At midday to 13:00 was slack water, and then the tide would pick up again, with our drift being toward Dartmouth.

After a few long drifts, it was decidedly slow, with only 3 keeper Plaice. At slack, I decided to anchor on the outer edge of the banks for Rays. I anchored in 45ft, knowing the tide would swing us around to be fishing in 90ft.

Once the tide picked up, we were into the Rays using big fish baits. I had 2 decent smalleyed at 9lb 9oz and 10lb 14oz. The wife had a couple of small blonds, about 5lb ish. The dogs also arrived and 5 of those pests were boated. Even the Mack played ball and the string of tinsels flowing out in the tide produced a few bait sized Mack. It was feck’in hot on the banks, and I am glad I packed drinks in the iced coolbox.

Not a bad day, but I have had better. The totals were 5 Scad, 6 Mack, 7 Grey Gurnard, 6 Plaice, 2 small eyed, 3 Blonds, and 5 dogs. A round trip of almost 45nm.


Our AIS track on marine traffic, and a few fish pic's, including a mutant Blond !

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Nice report Ian, and some good photos! Sound like an excellent trip with a mix of Species. 🎣🎣👍👍
 
I’d be pretty happy with that mucker
We normally catch 15 - 20 plaice, and about 10 are takers. I am fussy on take size, the MLS is 27cm, but I dont take any less than 40cm.

Also, I was hoping for some snakes (Launce) and instead of anchoring, I would have made some Turbot drifts on the inner banks.

But yes, it turned out to be an OK day.
 
Well done, sounds like a good day though. Surprised you didn’t see any launce?

Ooh that blonde does look weird!
The Police presence at the Nose and Berry Head seems to be working. There was one fishing at Hopes Nose and nobody on the platform at Berry Head 👍
 
The Police presence at the Nose and Berry Head seems to be working. There was one fishing at Hopes Nose and nobody on the platform at Berry Head 👍
That’s good to hear! Not that I plan to go down there, not really worth the distance to me, but let’s hope they keep it up!
 
It is probably a cross breed. The markings are nothing like a blond or a smalleyed, but maybe a bit of both. It has the shape and nose of a Blond.
It also looks kind of anaemic with weird black splotches, lumps and patchy skin.

Is it an inner city ray? 🤔
 
It also looks kind of anaemic with weird black splotches, lumps and patchy skin.

Is it an inner city ray? 🤔
Normally if I thought it was scab ridden I would have played the God card, but the bugger fought really hard for its size and swam off strongly against a 1.4kt tide .................
 
Cracking report and pics.
That's one strange looking ray!
I had a huss throw up a flat fish once when I landed it, and it looked very similar to that ray you boated, but it certainly wasn't alive and kicking anymore.
Could the ray have been eaten and half digested before somehow escaping and swimming free? Very far fetched I know, and the predator would have had to be a good size to get a ray in it....
 
Well done - nice Winstons.
Out today in rather lumpy seas so had to seek shelter in lee of Isle of Wight. Smoothies , strap congers, Gurnards, Bream and Macks. Rather slow fishing but winkled a day's fishing out of some bad weather. Sea state by 7pm was flat I am told ! Great yesterday & great for tomorrow si had a " wrong day" sandwich !
 

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