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  • 08/08/2014 Fishing Report by Nigel Lihou on Optimist (Brixham, Devon)

    8 Aug 2014 by Nigel Lihou

    Report on-board Optimist

    03 August 2014 to 08 August 2014
    Well what a week's fishing we have had off to the Skerries at the start of the week with a group from London and some fantastic Rag worm from a new supplier, the days bag included Plenty of Plaice, Gurnard's, Blonde Ray along with Mackerel and a few small Whiting. A happy group returned to London with memories of a good day out.
    For the rest of the week we have had a group from Morecombe who we wanted to give a bit of variety to so for day one it was off back to the Skerries for some more Plaice this time up to 4lb with a few other species making up a good days fishing. The following day was called off due to the weather but plans were made for the rest of the week.
    Time to target the Wrecks and first off it was the 10 to 20 mile out wrecks that although producing fish were only catching Pollack and Pouting the surprise catch in amongst the day's fishing was a lovely 2lb Red Gurnard. Some good fishing but not what we would be expecting from these wrecks at this time of year.
    Next day was planned as a long one out to a large mid channel wreck expecting to find some good sized Cod and Pollack, first drift looked good producing several small Codling and Pollack the wreck showing well beneath us with the electronics showing plenty of fish but the rest of the drifts although producing fish did not bring anything of size to the surface, we still managed a good species count with Pouting and Mackerel and some 2lb to 3lb Whiting. A long way to go for fish and not what should have been there.
    The final day and for variety we anchored on a local reef with good sized mackerel fillets as bait we sat and waited for the action, one of the group having purchased a new rod before setting off he wanted to christen it and what a way do it with a large Conger in excess of 25lb, at the same time another member of the group boated a 4and half pound Bull Huss, the action continued with another 6lb conger coming aboard and rounding off the day were a brace of Thornback Rays in excess of 12lb. A really good day we had saved the best till last.
    The groups Species count for the week included : - Plaice, Dab, Red Gurnard, Mackerel, Whiting, Herring, Horse Mackerel, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Pouting, Pollack, Codling, Silver Whiting, Tub Gurnard, Conger Eel, Bull Huss, and Thornback Ray. A large amount of these were returned to fight another day but some were taken for the pot during the week our crew kindly filleted and froze the early part of the weeks catch and Friday saw iced up cool boxes loaded for the return to Morecombe with promises of a return in the future.

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