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South Coast A mixed few days of weather and results ...

CKB

CKB

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Location
Channel Islands
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Strong winds and some difficult conditions, no more tope runs yet, despite fishing the same stages of the tides which meant being up at some crazy hours. Lots of dogfish, lots of foul hooked black bream attacking my big baits. I switched to garfish to see if I could keep them away but, a similar result. I went congering at a spot called the tip but, and hooked a 9-13 strap after 3 mins, it completely destroyed my shock leader and I thought a 30+ would be impossible landing in their fierce washing machine of white water below me. I am pleased to say after 2 lost cuttle, I finally landed one. There are gars everywhere at night here, thousands kiting about under my torchlight, I suspect they are breeding. Gars were fun on LRF kit, I just got a bunch of new gear through which I am dying to use, all light stuff for LRF and lure.

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This was a better stamp at 1lb 8oz and became my breakfast, it was delicious baked in the oven.

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Brutal looking heads they have on them.
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I think when it calms I'll go for some wilder venues.

Cheers guys,

Chris

P.S. You can also keep up to date with my catches on Instagram or Facebook: Atlantic Drift Fishing
 

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CKB said:
Strong winds and some difficult conditions, no more tope runs yet, despite fishing the same stages of the tides which meant being up at some crazy hours. Lots of dogfish, lots of foul hooked black bream attacking my big baits. I switched to garfish to see if I could keep them away but, a similar result. I went congering at a spot called the tip but, and hooked a 9-13 strap after 3 mins, it completely destroyed my shock leader and I thought a 30+ would be impossible landing in their fierce washing machine of white water below me. I am pleased to say after 2 lost cuttle, I finally landed one. There are gars everywhere at night here, thousands kiting about under my torchlight, I suspect they are breeding. Gars were fun on LRF kit, I just got a bunch of new gear through which I am dying to use, all light stuff for LRF and lure.

View attachment 1432View attachment 1433
I needed a stiffer rod for heavier luring (40-70g) and this one doubles up nicely for larger squid and cuttle.

Absolutely tiny on a size 6 hook and isome.


Gars are everywhere at the moment.

A bream bait, at least that's how it ended up.


Madness bream this size taking big baits, wish i'd left this one out for a few hours.

View attachment 1441
This was a better stamp at 1lb 8oz and became my breakfast, it was delicious baked in the oven.

View attachment 1440

Brutal looking heads they have on them.
View attachment 1438
View attachment 1437

View attachment 1439

I think when it calms I'll go for some wilder venues.

Cheers guys,

Chris

P.S. You can also keep up to date with my catches on Instagram or Facebook: Atlantic Drift Fishing
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I can't catch bream when I am targetting them!!!!!!wish they were pestering me!!!!
 
Here, you could catch 50 in a daylight session and 20 at night. I need to do a session on them with smaller hooks to see if I can get couches and some of the rare ones. They are a good bait and very good eating, so I shouldn't complain but, they've ruined 2 sessions lately.
 
JLD said:
Nicely done. Some good fishing down where you are. We only get bream in the summer months and, I agree, they are good eating. Just as you say, baked in the oven they take some beating.
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I have fished for them enough in Dorset, 3-12 being my best, would be nice to beat that here, the record is actually on this island. I am finding almost any fish fresh is so good compared to restaurants and supermarkets, I am not even seasoning them.
 
That's a good fish. I have had a few lunkers off the charter boats here. Don't think they were that big though. I always found that it was best to be the first to get in as the big boys seemed to come to the bait first so made sure I was always baited, ready to go and straight over as soon as the skipper gave us the nod. Maybe the rest of the shoal were following their leader? Not found anywhere locally where you can catch them from the shore yet although I know a couple of spots where experienced charter skippers have said it is possible. Haven't tried hard enough probably.
Agree about the freshness too although when I was working I used to organise charter trips with workmates. There were a number of Indian computer programmers who were very keen to go out and they told me that they preferred to keep the fish for a few days before eating them as they considered them to taste better. Each to their own I guess.
 
JLD said:
That's a good fish. I have had a few lunkers off the charter boats here. Don't think they were that big though. I always found that it was best to be the first to get in as the big boys seemed to come to the bait first so made sure I was always baited, ready to go and straight over as soon as the skipper gave us the nod. Maybe the rest of the shoal were following their leader? Not found anywhere locally where you can catch them from the shore yet although I know a couple of spots where experienced charter skippers have said it is possible. Haven't tried hard enough probably.
Agree about the freshness too although when I was working I used to organise charter trips with workmates. There were a number of Indian computer programmers who were very keen to go out and they told me that they preferred to keep the fish for a few days before eating them as they considered them to taste better. Each to their own I guess.
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I think the large ones are big females, where I was fishing they may have been guarding a nest. I have just got back from a year in India, their fish markets don't even keep the fish on ice in 40 degree heat, it makes you want to hurl when you get anywhere near the market in Mumbai. I bet after one day the fish in Mumbai taste like ours do after 4 days :) I'll stick with eating the same day and using a fridge. ha
They definitely taste stronger with age.

Cheers
 
Some seriously nice photos there Chris, what camera are you using? Regards, Geoff.
 
hullcitytilidie said:
Some seriously nice photos there Chris, what camera are you using? Regards, Geoff.
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Cheers Geoff, just iphone and not a particularly new model. I broke my flash gun on my Canon whilst travelling and I am waiting for 2 new ones in the post, when they arrive I'll use the proper cameras again. When using the phone its crucial the amount of light output from your torch.
 
Great effort rewarded. I don't think the tope hang around that late here in the South East so roll on May.
 
I remember back in the late sixties/early seventies reading about tope and the tactics used at Spurn Point at the entrance to the Humber. I used to fish it for cod at slack water as the flow was awesome at other times and you couldn't hold bottom. You were however into deep water straight away so didn't need to cast far.
After my normal fishing on the beach had ended I decided to have a go on the point for tope using the recommended mackerel suspended under a balloon. Overall I had poor results but did manage one once that bottomed my 20lb spring balance out which quenched my thirst for tope fishing. Cod fishing was far more exciting back then and always kept my family well fed!:)
 
hullcitytilidie said:
I remember back in the late sixties/early seventies reading about tope and the tactics used at Spurn Point at the entrance to the Humber. I used to fish it for cod at slack water as the flow was awesome at other times and you couldn't hold bottom. You were however into deep water straight away so didn't need to cast far.
After my normal fishing on the beach had ended I decided to have a go on the point for tope using the recommended mackerel suspended under a balloon. Overall I had poor results but did manage one once that bottomed my 20lb spring balance out which quenched my thirst for tope fishing. Cod fishing was far more exciting back then and always kept my family well fed!:)
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Ive had some fun at Spurn but never saw a cod. Got a few turbot, flounder and schoolies though.
I remember doing an all-nighter there once. I cast out at high tide and sat next to my rod in a camping chair. Next thing i know, it was daylight and i could see my line all the way down the beach straight in front of me to the end tackle, still some 10 yards short of the low tide line ?
Slept well though!
 
everyone loves a provider. :)
hullcitytilidie said:
I remember back in the late sixties/early seventies reading about tope and the tactics used at Spurn Point at the entrance to the Humber. I used to fish it for cod at slack water as the flow was awesome at other times and you couldn't hold bottom. You were however into deep water straight away so didn't need to cast far.
After my normal fishing on the beach had ended I decided to have a go on the point for tope using the recommended mackerel suspended under a balloon. Overall I had poor results but did manage one once that bottomed my 20lb spring balance out which quenched my thirst for tope fishing. Cod fishing was far more exciting back then and always kept my family well fed!:)
Click to expand...
 
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