• Becoming a member is completely free!

    • Join the community and start contributing to a large source of sea angling information.
    • Become an active member and you can enter member exclusive competitions.

    REGISTER FOR FREE HERE

South West Trip out in the storm!

Si-fly

Si-fly

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Messages
1,019
Reaction score
4,885
Points
117
Location
Somerset
Hi all, I finally got out yesterday and braved the wind, after a few days of horrible weather over here!
I was in 2 minds about going, but eventually dragged my ass out of bed a couple of hours late!
It was my first trip this year, and more of a join a mate local and have a yap for a few hours , trying to survive the wind , than a stomp somewhere trying to bag up. 🙂

Anyway, eventually I arrived and joined my mate on what is a very good mark, but it's one of those spots that is excellent or crap, and over the years I've never really fallen in love with it like others have.
I then noticed a bit of movement in a rockpool, 2 small thornbacks were swimming about!....mate had caught.....nice, as he had blanked the previous day.

I quickly set up to catch the last of the ebb, and put out a big squid bait on 1 rod and a few rag on the other (amazingly these rag were still alive, well over a week old and left from the tiddler trip.)

Low water came and went and the session was drawing to a close....just weed for me so far and a missed bass looking bite for my mate. The time hadn't been wasted though, we had hatched plans for a proper trip on Friday... hopefully the effort will be rewarded with a few fish!

Tap tap slack......a bite 😀. Almost time to go and I had something on the end ...well think I did, and hopefully not just weed!
I had now just about wound tight to the fish, had a big bow due to wind, and all went solid....ah nooo....I'd not had a snag all session...bugger.

Rod back on the rest...no joy with that, so pull for a break it was......line was singing....pitch getting higher.....slack ...lead had popped out 😀....fish still on as well ..happy days .
Now it was no monster, but a very welcome blank saved ....roll on Friday.
Cheers Si.PXL_20230104_124456906~2_4N0VQLOc3r.jpeg
 
Another great write up Si, and a nice photo! Well done! 🎣🎣👍👍
 
Well done for getting out mate. Great read and pics as always, i’ve still not made it out yet, lack of mojo and still not managed to send my Century back yet, have added to the lack of fishing.
My brave it this weekend with my trusty Icon’s….
 
J Richards said:
Well done for getting out mate. Great read and pics as always, i’ve still not made it out yet, lack of mojo and still not managed to send my Century back yet, have added to the lack of fishing.
My brave it this weekend with my trusty Icon’s….
Click to expand...
Get the rod sorted, and get down the beach....you won't catch at home 🙂

I have spare mk1 icons if you ever want any more cheap 😁👍
 
Nice one Si!

Genuine question and I’m not trying to stir anything, but are the rays okay in a shallow pool for a few hours?
Just wondering how long it takes them to use up the oxygen in the pools?

Or is it just for a short recovery time?
 
Si-fly said:
Get the rod sorted, and get down the beach....you won't catch at home 🙂

I have spare mk1 icons if you ever want any more cheap 😁👍
Click to expand...

I have 4 spare rods lol so i shouldnt moan. Just my Kompressor SS’s sooooo much.
Might sneak out this weekend if the weather settles a bit
 
Mr Fish said:
Nice one Si!

Genuine question and I’m not trying to stir anything, but are the rays okay in a shallow pool for a few hours?
Just wondering how long it takes them to use up the oxygen in the pools?

Or is it just for a short recovery time?
Click to expand...
It was just a short time till the flood. They often get stranded if put back on the ebb as the tide drops so fast....Upto 40ft in 6hrs!
I've personally never had an issue doing this, but have seen a fair few rays perish getting stranded and not being seen soon enough....esp at night.

Obviously you have to be sensible about size of pools, temperatures, and only use pools which have just uncovered. Most of our reefs also only have a max of 3hrs fishing the ebb so in reality the water is fresh and the rays not in there too long.
 
Si-fly said:
It was just a short time till the flood. They often get stranded if put back on the ebb as the tide drops so fast....Upto 40ft in 6hrs!
I've personally never had an issue doing this, but have seen a fair few rays perish getting stranded and not being seen soon enough....esp at night.

Obviously you have to be sensible about size of pools, temperatures, and only use pools which have just uncovered. Most of our reefs also only have a max of 3hrs fishing the ebb so in reality the water is fresh and the rays not in there too long.
Click to expand...
Fair one, yes I know stranding can be a problem, and of course I’m all too familiar with the tidal range lol.
I normally wade out as much as boots will allow then put them back but keep an eye out, though it can be difficult at night I know.

Dogs are another one. Unless light is an issue (not usually on the BC!) I’ll always scan the tide line after putting fish back, just in case!
 
Mr Fish said:
Fair one, yes I know stranding can be a problem, and of course I’m all too familiar with the tidal range lol.
I normally wade out as much as boots will allow then put them back but keep an eye out, though it can be difficult at night I know.

Dogs are another one. Unless light is an issue (not usually on the BC!) I’ll always scan the tide line after putting fish back, just in case!
Click to expand...
It's a strange one the dogs, hounds can be an issue as well at times....just swim back in.
Think the rays just drop to the bottom to recover and get caught by the tide.
There is no right and wrong, think it's a pretty unique problem to the channel....big tides, shallow reefs etc.....else where I'll take a pic and put them straight back as a rule.👍
 
Si-fly said:
It's a strange one the dogs, hounds can be an issue as well at times....just swim back in.
Think the rays just drop to the bottom to recover and get caught by the tide.
There is no right and wrong, think it's a pretty unique problem to the channel....big tides, shallow reefs etc.....else where I'll take a pic and put them straight back as a rule.👍
Click to expand...
I’ve had the same in the BC and also on our shallow surf beaches, but then I’m usually wearing waders so wade out to thigh height before releasing them.
Have seen people lob a doggy four feet out into the surf then wonder why they keep coming back 🙄
 
Si-fly said:
It's a strange one the dogs, hounds can be an issue as well at times....just swim back in.
Think the rays just drop to the bottom to recover and get caught by the tide.
There is no right and wrong, think it's a pretty unique problem to the channel....big tides, shallow reefs etc.....else where I'll take a pic and put them straight back as a rule.👍
Click to expand...
It was explained to me by a marine biologist friend actually - can’t remember all the scientific blurb but because sharks have a different physiology to pelagic species they can become disoriented more easily.
And rays are essentially sharks too aren’t they, or very similar?

I’ve accidentally dropped schoolie bass in a couple of inches of water enroute to going back and they know EXACTLY where the open sea is and where they want to go. Flip themselves upright then churn the tail like crazy to get back to deeper water, fascinating to watch.
(Obviously if they don’t make it in a few seconds I’ll pick them up again and take them out deeper).
 
Mr Fish said:
It was explained to me by a marine biologist friend actually - can’t remember all the scientific blurb but because sharks have a different physiology to pelagic species they can become disoriented more easily.
And rays are essentially sharks too aren’t they, or very similar?

I’ve accidentally dropped schoolie bass in a couple of inches of water enroute to going back and they know EXACTLY where the open sea is and where they want to go. Flip themselves upright then churn the tail like crazy to get back to deeper water, fascinating to watch.
(Obviously if they don’t make it in a few seconds I’ll pick them up again and take them out deeper).
Click to expand...
Can drop a conger 20 feet out of the water and the bloody things will make it back in and away before you have time to react!
 
Kine262 said:
Can drop a conger 20 feet out of the water and the bloody things will make it back in and away before you have time to react!
Click to expand...
Yep they’re good at cross country lol.

Mind you, I remember putting a 19lber back on a flat beach one night, waded right out with it, then when I walked back it was twisting around my ankles, followed me all the way back in 😰😰😰

This happened a couple of times before I practically walked to Wales before dropping the bloody thing off and legging it 🙄
 
Mr Fish said:
Yep they’re good at cross country lol.

Mind you, I remember putting a 19lber back on a flat beach one night, waded right out with it, then when I walked back it was twisting around my ankles, followed me all the way back in 😰😰😰

This happened a couple of times before I practically walked to Wales before dropping the bloody thing off and legging it 🙄
Click to expand...
Your natural attraction to snakes!
 
Back
Top