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The summer is finally over

Ianpick

Ianpick

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Oct 9, 2020
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Freshwater IOW
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I was given a heads up for a quite interesting spot 400yards off Norton Wall Just outside Yarmouth Harbour. 16' dropping to 26' onto a flat platform. The sort of ground I like. I was told it was a low water mark so I shifted my boat onto deeper moorings this morning so I could get out on the ebb a few hours later.
Last week I had a conversation with someone who had caught bream, good sized ones, off the end of the Pier so I thought I'd give it one last go for the year.
November 11th and I wasn't expecting much to be honest but weather the last month has been appalling and there's some more rubbish on its way. The chance of a few hours in a convenient break in the weather was not going to be sneezed at.
After a lot of faffing around trying to anchor in the right spot, it's quite a small area no more than 30 yards diameter, I lowered the anchor and managed to fix myself just off centre of the mark.
Forever the optimist my usual size 4 hooks bream rig settled on the seabed on one rod and not being sure what was around a single 1/0 baited with half a squid on another. Sit back and wait and see what happens sort of scenario.
Nothing for nearly an hour on the last of the ebb then the tide turned and a nice rattle on the bream rig got my pulse going a bit, right up to the point when I lifted the rod. It was never going to be a bream, I could just tell. Sure enough a pout, decent sized fish but not very sporting.
Shortly after another, much bigger rattle on the same rod. As soon as I got tight I knew it was much bigger and probably a conger, but it got quite lively and decided to pull back a bit. That didn't last long and a bass came up to the surface and into the net.
Another half hour but both rods stayed in their rests until the tide started to pull hard and the weed arrived.
15mph wind yesterday, a brief lull with the wind dropping to 3 or 4 mph this afternoon then back up to 20 tomorrow night, you just have to take advantage of any opportunity this time of year, which is definitely no longer the summer. Roll on May.
 
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Good effort Ian. I don’t have a boat now but whatever fishing you do, it’s always depressing when it dawns on you about October or November that the fishing you’d been enjoying all summer is now at an end for half a year.

I like my surf beach bass fishing and while the fish will still be around for a bit, it gets to the point where standing on a beach is no longer fun when it’s damp and very chilly.
Plus the surf seems to become a lot stronger and more unpredictable this time of year too.

Plenty of other fishing I can be doing though, which isn’t the same story when you’ve got a boat.
 
Ianpick said:
I was given a heads up for a quite interesting spot 400yards off Norton Wall Just outside Yarmouth Harbour. 16' dropping to 26' onto a flat platform. The sort of ground I like. I was told it was a low water mark so I shifted my boat onto deeper moorings this morning so I could get out on the ebb a few hours later.
Last week I had a conversation with someone who had caught bream, good sized ones, off the end of the Pier so I thought I'd give it one last go for the year.
November 11th and I wasn't expecting much to be honest but weather the last month has been appalling and there's some more rubbish on its way. The chance of a few hours in a convenient break in the weather was not going to be sneezed at.
After a lot of faffing around trying to anchor in the right spot, it's quite a small area no more than 30 yards diameter, I lowered the anchor and managed to fix myself just off centre of the mark.
Forever the optimist my usual size 4 hooks bream rig settled on the seabed on one rod and not being sure what was around a single 1/0 baited with half a squid on another. Sit back and wait and see what happens sort of scenario.
Nothing for nearly an hour on the last of the ebb then the tide turned and a nice rattle on the bream rig got my pulse going a bit, right up to the point when I lifted the rod. It was never going to be a bream, I could just tell. Sure enough a pout, decent sized fish but not very sporting.
Shortly after another, much bigger rattle on the same rod. As soon as I got tight I knew it was much bigger and probably a conger, but it got quite lively and decided to pull back a bit. That didn't last long and a bass came up to the surface and into the net.
Another half hour but both rods stayed in their rests until the tide started to pull hard and the weed arrived.
15mph wind yesterday, a brief lull with the wind dropping to 3 or 4 mph this afternoon then back up to 20 tomorrow night, you just have to take advantage of any opportunity this time of year, which is definitely no longer the summer. Roll on May.
Click to expand...

I use my RIB all year, you need to dress for the the occasion.

TBH, we get some cracking winter days, not as many as summer, but those that we do get are usually perfect for offshore fishing.
 
Nice one Ian, and saved the blank as well mate.. 🎣 🎣

Ian.
 
I will be out on my boat during the winter but it is weather dependant and good days are less frequent for the next few months.
The first time I ever went out on it I had to lift the ice out of the bottom before pumping the rain water out.
 
Ianpick said:
I will be out on my boat during the winter but it is weather dependant and good days are less frequent for the next few months.
The first time I ever went out on it I had to lift the ice out of the bottom before pumping the rain water out.
Click to expand...
Some of my best days have been a short winter weather window. I can remember a couple of years ago going 55 miles out on early Feb, and coming back with well over 200lb of pollock off 6 wrecks, which was quickly filleted and given to relatives, friends, and the local OAP home, plus a freezer full for me. Most Pollock brought up from 250ft ain't going back due to barotrauma.

My wife is not keen on me going that far, but I have told her many times, if shit happens even one mile out, it is the same thing !
 
My boat has been put away in the garage until next year. Probably come out a couple of times to run fresh fuel through the outboard.

Safe safe boaters.
 
Don't pay marina fees as on a mooring - but still frustrating. Boat out of water eo January for maintenance during the "quiet" period. The boys who are getting out in the weather windows are catching bass, spurs and whiting.
 
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