Latest Fishing Reports: Silver Spray II
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01/2018
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Jan 2018 by Sam Cumming
First report of the year will only be a brief one due to all the wind and rain we have had since Christmas which has restricted us to just half a dozen trips. Fishing at anchor is still producing good numbers of whiting up to just over the 3lb mark, slack water being the most productive time with white feathers or hok-eyes the rig of choice. We rounded out 2017 with some more bass both on the drift and at anchor on live pout. It's just catch and release now until July, perhaps the entire year, we shall find out in March after a further review of stock numbers. Last week we managed our first trip to target the spurdogs successfully. Although a large swell running from the southwest kept the blonde rays fairly quiet as the gear was lifted off the bottom frequently, the spurs didn’t disappoint with 5 fish landed all between 17-20lb. There are also some big pollock starting to appear, February can be a good month to try and target that new personal best providing we get the weather. Alderney and Cherbourg trips are filling up fast so drop me an email at info@silverspraycharters.com if you would like a list of remaining dates.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray II -
11/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Nov 2017 by Sam Cumming
Top trip for last month was certainly our final trip over to Alderney for the year. I've always liked going across the channel this late in the season, providing you can get a bit of favourable weather, the fishing is never disappointing. Day one saw a decent enough session at anchor on a wreck for congers and bream, unfortunately no ling this time around which was disappointing as we had plenty the week before. Day Two started off with Bob Hall's couches bream double header, the most we have ever had on the whole boat for the day is 2 so this was something special. The catches continued throughout the day however and we ended up with 19 couches coming to the net, including ten for Ian Napier who was just hoping to catch his first one on this trip. Plenty of hard fighting black bream of varying sizes were caught by all throughout the day mostly returned for next year. A manic session on the anchor saw tope up to 50lb, bull huss, more bream and even a bonus plaice (only the second one I've ever seen in Alderney). Day Three started off with a few hours on the banks which produced half a dozen flats, tub gurnards and cuttlefish, nothing massive but we have had worse days than that this year. Then off to anchor up a big rock mark which was very productive with huss, bream, congers and plenty more big tope. To round the day off we did an hours breaming back by the island, a slow start turned into a frantic half an hour with the bream taking anything you put down there. Average size was way up on the previous day at around 3lb. Bob Hall had the last say of the day with a couches bream and black bream double this time. Day four and the weather unfortunately turned for the worst and we were faced with a small neap tide against 20 knots of westerly. The prospect of swinging round and round the anchor rope all day didn't appeal so we headed back across to Poole Bay to finish the trip up in calmer waters. Out of only a handful of mackerel the lads managed 6 small eyed rays, 1 undulate, 2 smoothounds and would you believe it a 15lb 4oz turbot!?!?! All the time we have spent steaming around looking for those flatfish far and wide and we catch the biggest one of the year right on our doorstep. That’s going to be a tough trip to beat. We are now taking bookings for Alderney 2018 so drop us an email for a list of dates. info@silverspraycharters.com
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10/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Oct 2017 by Sam Cumming
Top trip for last month was certainly our final trip over to Alderney for the year. I've always liked going across the channel this late in the season, providing you can get a bit of favourable weather, the fishing is never disappointing. Day one saw a decent enough session at anchor on a wreck for congers and bream, unfortunately no ling this time around which was disappointing as we had plenty the week before. Day Two started off with Bob Hall's couches bream double header, the most we have ever had on the whole boat for the day is 2 so this was something special. The catches continued throughout the day however and we ended up with 19 couches coming to the net, including ten for Ian Napier who was just hoping to catch his first one on this trip. Plenty of hard fighting black bream of varying sizes were caught by all throughout the day mostly returned for next year. A manic session on the anchor saw tope up to 50lb, bull huss, more bream and even a bonus plaice (only the second one I've ever seen in Alderney). Day Three started off with a few hours on the banks which produced half a dozen flats, tub gurnards and cuttlefish, nothing massive but we have had worse days than that this year. Then off to anchor up a big rock mark which was very productive with huss, bream, congers and plenty more big tope. To round the day off we did an hours breaming back by the island, a slow start turned into a frantic half an hour with the bream taking anything you put down there. Average size was way up on the previous day at around 3lb. Bob Hall had the last say of the day with a couches bream and black bream double this time. Day four and the weather unfortunately turned for the worst and we were faced with a small neap tide against 20 knots of westerly. The prospect of swinging round and round the anchor rope all day didn't appeal so we headed back across to Poole Bay to finish the trip up in calmer waters. Out of only a handful of mackerel the lads managed 6 small eyed rays, 1 undulate, 2 smoothounds and would you believe it a 15lb 4oz turbot!?!?! All the time we have spent steaming around looking for those flatfish far and wide and we catch the biggest one of the year right on our doorstep. That’s going to be a tough trip to beat. We are now taking bookings for Alderney 2018 so drop us an email for a list of dates. info@silverspraycharters.com
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09/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Sep 2017 by Sam Cumming
The Headline trip for the last month only just squeezed into this report as it happened just two days ago. Our planned trip to target ling and black bream was met with perfect conditions for a change. With so many of the small neap tides getting blown off by high winds this year I have to admit I was sceptical at times leading up to it. Happy to be proved wrong on this occasion we headed over the horizon and after a cup tea and a few drifts the tide was right to chuck the anchor in and get down to the serious stuff. First up were the ling taking mackerel flappers and heavy hok-eye rigs baited with squid. A frantic hour saw plenty of ling mixed in with congers come to the boat until the tide started to cut away and they went off the feed, as was expected. After our success with the big gear people were reluctant to switch over to the lighter stuff, Mickey Claire from coventry landing our first bream of the day at 5lb 12oz soon speeded up the transition however. Bob Summers followed that up with a cracking PB of 5lb before a few more congers and even a couple of cod on the lighter gear. We saved the best for last though as Mickey Claire made it quite an incredible brace when he wrestled another black bream to the boat just before slack. This time around it weighed in at 6lb 8oz, just shy of the british record and certainly a new boat record for us at Silver Spray. Talk about a red letter day, what a monster fish, well done Mickey that’s going to be a tough one to beat. The bass fishing of late definitely deserves a mention. The usual lures and live baits working well, it's been nice to see so many fish coming up around the slack water on cut baits. Kev Lee topping the charts this month with a fine fish of 9lb 8oz on mackerel strip. Further inshore the plaice fishing in Poole Bay has been brilliant, not just the numbers of fish showing up but also some real whoppers. Frazer Jones landed one of 4lb 8oz after over 2 years without a fishing trip to his name. And to round off a brilliant months fishing we managed to land a porbeagle shark on our first try of the year. Caught by Casey Alcock on his birthday the fish took one and a half hours to bring to the boat and was estimated to be 150-180lb, a truly magnificent creature. We are coming up to our last trip over to Alderney this year, looking forward to next year the dates are starting to fill up already so get in touch if you are interested in a list of dates.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray
info@silverspraycharters.com
07787 375386 -
08/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Aug 2017 by Sam Cumming
I'll start this monthly report over the other side of the Channel in Alderney as that’s where both Silver Spray's have just returned from yesterday. A good few days mixed fishing to report, slightly hampered by the weather on the last day. We started the trip of with some nice tope on the anchor half way across, mackerel have really been in abundance all over the area we cover so it makes a spur of the moment anchoring session a lot easier when you don't have to worry about the bait. We even managed to find a few pollock on the wrecks which has been a tough ask of late. Around the Island itself we had both turbot and brill on the banks but catch rates aren't what anglers have become accustomed to over the last few years so its best kept to half a day to keep bordem levels down and interest up. We then moved over to target bream which went very well with good numbers of fish in varying sizes and plenty of double hook ups which always gets the rod tips bouncing. Quite often on these multi day trips there is one fish that stands out above the rest, on this trip there were a few. Day one saw Les Traynor land a porbeagle shark of around 20lb on a sideinder lure, the fish took the lure just under the surface and was released after a quick photo. One of our targets at this time of year are couches sea bream, a tropical looking snapper-like fish which are bright pink and blue. They are fairly rare usually so it was a surprise to see 3 caught across the last 2 days of the trip. Tony Lees managed to catch 2 of them up to 2lb using a flowing trace and a 2/0 circle hook baited with squid head. Elsewhere on our side of the water the bass fishing has really heated up, the fish taking a mixture of lures fished up through the water and live scad fished tightly to the bottom. And last but not least the plaice fishing is coming along nicely with most sessions seeing constant activity if you can get a steady drift speed going. We even managed a 5lb cod on the plaice gear, not sure whether it is a late winter cod or an early one? Won't be long and we will be thinking about anchoring up with the big squid baits, check your diaries and getting booking those spaces.
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07/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Jul 2017 by Sam Cumming
I'm writing this month's report from the hotel on Alderney as we couldn't get out to sea today due to strong north-easterly winds. It seems like the last 2 weeks have all been pretty similar, although we do have more shelter in Poole Bay than most places so we are still able to get out. First trip out to target the bass after the ban was lifted on July 1st was met with some tough conditions with both the tide and the weather not in our favour. We fished for about an hour before the stiff westerly picked up and the tide dropped away, fishing was successful on the lures in that time with plenty of smaller fish taking the tronix lures wound quickly up 10 turns and back down. As usual the bigger fish fell to the guys who stuck with the large live baits. Kelvin Hindmarch's new PB hit the deck at 9lb 12oz and is still our biggest of the season so far. The cod are thin on the ground out in the channel with the last 2 trips only producing 3 each but we are still getting some good pollock and the ling are starting to show more frequently. We should see the first of the big wreck bream soon on certain wrecks, could this be the year we see another one over 6lb? Back in the sheltered waters of Poole Bay the variety of fish available is amazing with most trips producing at least 15 species. Plaice brill and turbot are coming to the net both at anchor and on the drift. Rays and tope are in abundance now with undulates being the most plentiful. Packs of 20lb+ male tope roam around about 12 miles out and are providing excellent sport when we can get to them.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray II -
06/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Jun 2017 by Sam Cumming
The wreck fishing has been sporadic with some days seeing heaps of fish hit the deck only for the same marks to produce next to nothing the following day. Pollock are still a good size with fish over 15lb taking the lures over various wrecks. The cod have been thin on the ground but have increased in size, 6 or 7 fish being our best trip but 18lbers not uncommon. Pretty much every angler I know has been out to enjoy some of the awesome bream fishing we are getting off Poole this season, I expect you are fed up of hearing about it. The black bream continue to provide quality sport fishing with fish to 4b coming on most trips. As the waters have heated up the rays have started to move, undulates, small eyed and blondes are in abundance. I had a great time at the Poole species hunt this year, organised by Sarah and Louis Medley. The 2 teams on my boat managed 17 species between them, evenly spread between the larger species and a few of the mini goby and wrasse variety. Brilliant day out, bear it in mind for next year if you have got a few mates who want to give it a try. Looking forward to being able to land a few bass in two weeks time.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray II -
05/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
May 2017 by Sam Cumming
Despite a week or so of easterly winds the fishing from Poole has been very good in the last month. We have mostly been bream fishing, with great success on the marks in the Bay. The size of the fish we are seeing has been very encouraging with plenty of 3lb plus fish hitting the baits. The best bream so far has been Barry Culver's 4lb 8oz PB which was caught on squid head. As well as the bigger fish we have had some good numbers on other marks too, usually a smaller stamp so plenty returned for next season. Our first Alderney trip went well, with some cracking brill on the banks being the highlight. The wreck fishing was very quiet in late April but I'm pleased to say that its picked back up again now and we are starting to see the first of the cod. The mackerel have started to arrive as well, how long they will stick around for is another matter, we have had catches off Poole, Alderney and in the Channel. Looking forward to some more wrecking trips over the coming weeks to target some big cod.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray II -
04/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Apr 2017 by Sam Cumming
April '17
Things are hotting up on the inshore side with the first decent hits of bream rattling the baits last week on the spring tide. A range of sizes up to about 2lb were on show, we usually expect to see the bigger fish arrive a couple of weeks after the first ones. It's nice to see so many anglers using circle hooks to target the bream to cause minimum damage as they are mostly catch and release. Out on the wrecks the pollock are still in abundance on the drift. Last weekend we had a tow for sandeels whilst turbot fishing using our trawl and then used the sandeels to great effect to target the pollock. We have had the first summer cod and bonus john dory out on the wrecks as well, which is a good couple of weeks earlier than last year, let's hope this is a good sign of things to come. And finally our fishing at anchor hasn't slowed up at all with plenty of decent spurdogs around despite the warmer temperatures. Ian Napier landed a cracking PB of 20lb the other day, one of 3 he had during a short spell over slack water. Fish of the Month definitely goes to Dean Lodge of Species Hunt UK for his 22lb 2oz undulate ray he caught during a hectic day on one of the banks south of Poole. Beating our previous boat record by 2lb. Off to Alderney for the first time this year tomorrow.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray II -
03/2017
Fishing Report by Sam Cumming
Mar 2017 by Sam Cumming
I'll pick up where I left off in the last report, we have completed our first few wreck trips to target the pollock. The first drift of the year is proving hard to beat with Jamie Hayes landing a monster of 17lb 8oz, Andy Hayden catching the years first ling and Bob Morrison boating his first of 3 doubles that day. Fishing has been steady on all the trips out to the wrecks, clarity in the water is still very good and we should get a good few more weeks before the bloom comes in and the pollock become a bit more elusive for a while and we focus on the cod. Elsewhere we have had our first trip down to the shambles, plenty of sand eels on the feathers but only a few turbot to show for our efforts. The fishing will pick up as we move on into April and the temperature rises again. And finally the offshore banks have been producing some enormous hits of spur dogs, nothing too big yet, but a few fish around the 20lb mark show that the big ones are on their way. Although the weather has kept us in mostly over the last few weeks we are looking forward to more of the same over the next month on the fishing front.
Sam Cumming
Silver Spray II
