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  • 25/01/2015 Fishing Report by nick smith on Osprey (Minehead, Somerset)

    25 Jan 2015 by nick smith

    Report on-board Osprey

    Happy Dangler's were out again with steve on the winter cod quest, things had been quiet before christmas, then there seemed to be lots of fish about over the christmas week, so were looking forward to getting out and stuck in, but unfortunately weather didn't play ball so had to cancel, but all was looking good last sunday as we pulled up at minehead harbour for a 10.30 start.
    picked up some nice fresh worm from the kiosk on the harbour wall then boarded the Osprey.....Steve gave us the option of going for the cod, or if we wanted to go down channel to try for some ray as well, but it was cod we were after so we headed up channel and got set up. majority of us were using 2 rods a downtider and uptider with various baits squid, worm, hermit crab, large fish baits, and prawns.
    We hadn't had our baits in the water long before the rods started knocking and some nice codling in the 2 -4lb mark were coming over the gunnels......but after the first flurry things died down and fishing proved hard for the rest of the day.
    Steve stuck it out for a few hours while we caught the odd fish, but then pulled the anchor and turned down channel. again it wasnt long before we hit the first fish a nice looking 3 bearded rockling of over a lb in weight, followed by more codling, whiting, thornback and blonde rays, conger and finally he who must of stepped in dog poo hooked into something nice........
    As mike's rod bent over we all shouted encouragement as you do and after a short battle the fish broke the surface and it was a lovely looking cod that steve swiftly netted. As it was de hooked we could see it was full of roe so mike quickly agreed to put her back after getting a quick weight, 22lb 4oz. and after a try at putting her back with the net, but failing due to the stregth of the tide we torpedoed her back, she bobbed back to the surface and we all thought she wasnt going to make it, but then with 2 swift kicks of her tail she was heading back down into the murky depths.......
    on a high and with the fishing slowing up again steve took us back up channel where lots of codling had been coming in both to the boats and from the shore......but again fishing was hard with just a few small conger and coddling coming to the baits.......But an hour later than scheduled steve gave us the bad news that it was time to go back in......
    So codquest completed we were all happy and already debating the next trip with steve next month where big rays should be on the menu...........

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