Latest Fishing Reports: South West Wales
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25/09/2010
Fishing Report by Ian Pratt
on Celtic Wildcat (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
25 Sep 2010 by Ian Pratt
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You have to be keen to go shark fishing. Well that's what I told myself anyway when the alarm went at 0350 and I drove down to Neyland for an 0700 departure.
Anyway, a great group of 8 lads onboard for the last Danglers shark trip of the 2010 season - last chance saloon for this year.
I was really looking forward to the day - I've already had a PB 130lb shark this year so was pretty relaxed - one under the belt; just have fun.. A few of the lads were virgins though and so the pressure was really on them to boat the big blue of a lifetime....
It's stunning motoring down the Haven on an Autumn morning. Nothing better. Good company, a day at sea, and a glorious Pembrokeshire sunrise. We rounded St Ann's and the swell picked up a little but nothing too horrendous. The northerly airflow made the air crystal clear and you could see for miles and miles.....right up to Grassholm and beyond
We stopped off at the Barrels to load up with mackerel. It took a little longer than usual as there was plent of small stuff. We also pulled in a few codling and pollack. Anyway, boxed up with chum, we motored way offshore to the shark grounds 28 miles from nowhere. The water was inky black and clear and soon the slick was oozing its oily summons to the ocean predators.
We didn't have to wait long - not even a boiling kettle length. First up we saw the shark dorsals patrolling around the boat right on the surface, taking in the heady mix of yummy, chummy mackerel. Then, the first shark headed toward one of the outside floats and made a dive. Moments later, the ratchet screamed off with the first run of the day.
After a good account of itself, Jason boated the first blue - so we knew it was going to be a good day. Well done fella.
We then had quite few really good runs which were lost - either through a dropped bait or through a combination of equipment failure and poor technique! The sharks also happily ploughed through everyone's lines as they made off with their free lunch causing a couple of small tangles and lost end tackle.
In between the runs, we watched the dolphins and gannets and some of the lads entertained themselves with the garfish - I think we had a round 20 all of a good size. These also proved by far the best bait for the blues as well as for tea!
The old shark-meister himself, Cpt. Pennar Pointer then demonstrated how it should be done. A text book handling of the run and playing the fish to oscar performance standard.
Now shark virgin Paul is normally the calmest and most placid man on the boat. However, having lost two very good fish earlier in the day, he was having to count to 10 quite often. Sharking does that to a man. Finally, he had a third run and this time, the fish stayed on.
Paul took his time and let the fish tire out, playing the clutch like a pro. This was a young male blue and boy did he go like a train - or maybe a lift: up and down; up and down; up and down
Well done Paul. A virgin no more. Congratulations
Huw Nash and Clive share another blue - in all I think we boated 5 and lost at least as many.
SkipperNick gave us a superb day out. Sharking on Celtic Wildcat is excellent fun with plenty of deck to space out - and to safely land and unhook the fish and take a quick photo. Thanks Nick for looking after us on the sharkers this year and we look forward to the ones we've already booked with you for next year. Great value for a 12 hour trip so far offshore and always bang on the fish.
Finally got home around 2130 and more than ready for a quick beer! What a day. Happy but tired.
Ian
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23/09/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
23 Sep 2010 by David Hancock
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Autumn Treats,
Big bass showing in amongst a few early codling and the usual doggies, whiting and pouting.
2 nice ones so far today for Brian No2 from Bexleyheath. Both to lug baits meant for codling.
Dave. View Boats Page
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18/09/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
18 Sep 2010 by David Hancock
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The Bromley Boys cam on their annual beano yesterday.
Heads were hanging low after a late night in the hotel bar, not the brightest of ideas before fishing but heyho we are here to have fun !
As the tides were fairly small and the wind fresh we stayed inshore, hopeing for some more codling.
Expectations were high and large lug baits were sent seawards for the coddies to sniff out.
Sure enough the coddies found them, no large fish all in the 2 to 4lb range but a great day close to home.
Get on down with a bucket of lug. Remember that with 4 or more on a weekday we'll go !
Dave View Boats Page
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17/09/2010
Fishing Report by Ian Pratt
on Celtic Wildcat (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
17 Sep 2010 by Ian Pratt
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My arms have only just recovered enought to post this report....so you know we had a good day.
12 members of the Danglers club steamed out from Neyland on Celtic Wildcat to fish the Hats and Barrels reefs. A lovely calm early Autumn day in the Haven and a little fresher as we rounded out into the ocean and headed out past Grassholm. The northerly air flow gave us super visibility at this wonderful Pembrokeshire location.
It was pretty much non-stop codling from the start of the day to the end. They came on every lure and shad from sidewinders to goldfish and fire-tails as well as hokkais. The majority were just in size so went back but we all had a few fillets from the larger specimens to take home.
The pollack - usually the main predators on these reefs - were fewer in numbers but they did make an appearance. The codling were so prolific, some Danglers were actually heard to complain that it was getting too exhausting - drop then nodding bite; drop then nodding bite; drop then nodding bite......! All day, every drift, drift after drift. The codling which were coming to the boat and immediately going back were specimens that would make for a good day out of Penarth in the winter months....
Anyway, catch of the day by a very very long mile was young Luke from Dale with a lovely codling which came on large red hokkais.
Later on, following the diving gannets and other bird action, we tried for mackerel and caught strings of mini joeys. We also had ballan and cuckoo wrasse.
So a good H&Bs trip all round. A huge thank you to skipper Nick O'Sullivan who worked hard all day to keep us busy and gave us a great day out. As ever a lovely trip on a superb boat with a hugely knowledgeable and helpful skipper. View Boats Page
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16/09/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
16 Sep 2010 by David Hancock
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First couple of inshore codling on the boat.
Wayhay, winter`s here !!!
nice to see in amongst the bass , whiting, dogs and pouts. hopefully the weather gods will be kind to us this winter season and we`ll be able to get out for some cracking sport close to home .
Dave. View Boats Page
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01/09/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
1 Sep 2010 by David Hancock
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Tuesday and Wednesday this week we went a fair way south from our normal grounds for a little adventure.
The trips certainly paid off as we had great fishing with a good variety of fish hitting the decks of Excel 2. On both days when the tide was running at it's hardest we drifted for bass with good results. Great to have anglers setting new PB's . The fishing was really exciting as the bass hit the baits hard as we drifted through the White water of a tide rip on the edge of a bank.
As the tide slackened we did drifts further along the series of banks picking up plaice and gurnards to dragged lugworm baits. On both days we anchored for a while as the tide was gentle to try for a blonde ray or two, sadly we didn't see any on these trips , just a few of them pesky dogfish !
When the tide started to run hard again it was time to feather up a few mackeral to take home nice and fresh in the cool box, then off home after a great days fishing.
Dave. View Boats Page
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30/08/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
30 Aug 2010 by David Hancock
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Small tides this week off to the wrecks for some Black Bream and some Big Blondes on the banks .
Next week it's monster tides so Bass will be the target species, probably the best time of year for a proper lunker.
Keep everything crossed !
Dave. View Boats Page
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18/08/2010
Fishing Report by Ian Pratt
on Celtic Wildcat (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
18 Aug 2010 by Ian Pratt
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Well I was convinced this offshore trip was going to be a victim of the weather. Thankfully I was so so wrong and 8 of the Danglers' finest sporting fishermen gathered in Neyland yesterday morning to board Celtic Wildcat for our second shark trip of the season.
As we motored out to pick up the mackerel, Paul Martin, skipper of Atlantic Blue, kindly radioed over to say he was into the shoals off the H&Bs reefs. His on the spot update helped us with a shorter than usual diversion for our feathering and was greatly appreciated. The shoals were in thick so it took hardly any time to fill a box with mackie and off we went.
The steaming 30+ miles offshore was a bit lively in the fresh conditions and we hit the odd rain squall but soon we mercifully silenced those powerful engines, the slick oozed it's oily path downtide, the sun came out, the gear went overboard, the sandwiches came out...and the wait began. I think I even heard the distant whistle of the kettle. And you know what that usually means.....
Yup, 45 minutes into the drift and with the tea not yet poured, Aled was the first one to have a distinct run and he set the mark for the day with a lovey blue
Soon after, the only shark "virgin" onboard, had a nice take and after enjoying a good fight was initiated not only as a sharker but a 3 figure one at around 103lbs!
Then it was Steve's turn up on the bow who landed a lovely 120lber (the second of thre 3 figure fish to be landed today) then a nice one for Ian M. Young Bob lost a small porbeagle at the side of the boat after a good fight but made up for it with 2 more blues. After toying with the garfish for a while, Greg boated another lovely Blue. Jason shared a fish with Rich so everyone caught one.
Hang on - let me just check those numbers? Wait a mo. There's one missing?
Can you guess who it is yet?
Yes, in the final minutes of the trip, I had a gentle run and then a massive slab of concrete took off at speed and gave me a tremendous fight. Amidst the usual heckling from the cheaper stalls along the lines of "Oscar", I had a right old struggle on my hands. Finally boated my PB of 132lb blue shark
I'd had all my trips blown off last year so it was good to get out there again and also try my new reel which I'd bought of "Wheelie-Bay Ian". Handled like a dream thank goodness.
So a superb day out for everyone. Huge thanks to Skipper Nick O'Sullivan and Celtic Wildcat for working so hard to make the day a special and memorable one for all the Danglers onboard. Nick couldn't have worked harder for us all day from making the tea, grinding the chum, expertly and safely handling the sharks oh - and skippering the boat. Thank Nick - I won't be forgetting this one in a hurry....And we have another 2 shark trips with you on Celtic Wildcat still to come!
Ian View Boats Page
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26/07/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
26 Jul 2010 by David Hancock
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Another double figure bass hit the deck of Excel 2 today.
Well done Joe Fidock on capturing a superbly conditioned 11 3/4 lb fish.
Bait was a halved mackeral fillet fished hard on the bottom.
Inshore fishing continues to go from strength to strength at Ramsgate, ignore the miseries that say there`s no fish. We know better and can find them !
The next couple of months will be belters, i promise . . .
Dave. View Boats Page
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11/07/2010
Fishing Report by David Hancock
on Excel 2 (Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire)
11 Jul 2010 by David Hancock
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2 new PB`s on the boat today.
one of them a 7lb bass for Tim, the other a 6 lb Thornie for Rasher.
Well done lads.
Dave. View Boats Page
