View Fishing Report

  • 03/2014 Fishing Report by Gethyn Owen on My Way 2 (Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey)

    Mar 2014 by Gethyn Owen

    Report on-board My Way 2

    March 01st, St Davids day saw My Way set sail for the first time in 2014.

    Our original first sail was two weeks earlier, however with the weather remaining so bad I took the decision to leave My Way in the yard, safe and sound whilst winds up to 100mph pounded much of the UK. It's fair to say the weather has been atrocious for a very long time now, as eager and excited as I was to get afloat and fishing again I was also nervous at exactly what our day may deliver.

    Aboard My Way I was joined by 5 regulars, who have become good friends over the years and also 4 new guys to My Way, all of whom were experienced boat anglers, a nice mix of crew who undoubtedly could pull out a few fish when needed. A reasonable forecast for the most of the day, picking up to a force 6 towards the end and together with a 32ft tide our fishing was restricted to within Holyhead Bay.

    First off was a drift in search of a few pollack, coalies and maybe some herring. We had a perfect drift, right alongside our rock mark with the breeze slowing the boat down nicely at the end of the flooding tide. However 40mins of trying and our efforts returned a big fat zero, not even a bite for the efforts of all on board.

    The thick brown water wasn’t helping the situation to be honest, but never the less we should have had a few fish or bites even. A change of tactics was required and I decided to moved off to the mussel beds to anchor up, a little early for a 32ft tide, but this was getting critical now!Banter and a few risky jokes wasn't enough, we needed fish.

    Upon anchoring, we had a good flow of tide and we all eagerly waited the fish bite. A few false knocks and over exuberant 'strikes' it was 15minutes before the first fish came to the boat. Using his rod and reel with effortless perfection local angler Dave, slowly retrieved his catch whilst everyone else stood in awe at his angling brilliance. After what seemed like an eternity it was with great relief to see Dave lift into My Way the best looking ….... 8oz whiting I'd ever seen before.

    Rock N Roll, we're back on the money ….

    OK, not that exciting, but as most the guys concluded, it's March, weather's fine and we're out. The fishing remained slow on this mark, a few whiting, mainly pin size and dogfish.
    The odd double shot coming over, the first to Cheshire angler Pete Minns, who insisted on a photograph for his scrap book. Brooksy with a little help from his friends soon witnessed a dogfish on his rod.

    As the tide started to gather pace and making it uncomfortable to fish anymore, we upped anchor and I decided on a move further inshore and try for a few rays. We ended the last few trips of 2013 with an abundance of rays and despite that being a few months back, late Feb and early March is when we start the new influx of thornies and the odd spotted into the area. Sadly this move didn't work out, dogfish and a solitary dab were all that we saw. We did though enjoy lunch, a big fat breakfast butty is always a good call when afloat. More so on a cold early spring day and naturaslly washed down with plenty of tea or coffee.

    So anchor up again, this time to a muddy area around 1 mile outside the harbour. The tide should have slowed down sufficient to allow a fairly reasonable fish for all aboard. This mark soon had everyone who tried pulling out a few fish. The vast majority being dogfish and better whiting. We managed a few more double shots, of dogs and whiting but no triples. The dog or whiting trend was broken on a few occasions with small bull huss and also a nice ling of a few lb. Not a sight you see often when anchored up on a muddy piece of ground.

    In all it was a great day afloat, fishing was slow, can be for the time of year.

    But the day passed quickly. A few fish, a few laughs with friends all together with food and drink made for an enjoyable return to being afloat.Fingers crossed now that we are over the worst of the weather and the UK angling industry can get back on track.

    2013 was a great year aboard My Way however I'm looking forward to better times through 2014.
    Looking forward to seeing many of you through the year.

    Thanks

    Copy and paste the following link into your browser for the report and photographs
    http://www.goangling.co.uk/2014-March-report.htm

    View Boats Page