Goateeblank
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2020
- Messages
- 1,659
- Reaction score
- 5,657
- Points
- 115
- Location
- South Coast
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Venue: Weymouth Harbour, out of the wind.
Partner in crime: @cap'nhaddock
Target: Species for this years hunt.
Results: 7 species each, but not the same. Haddock had a long spined scorpion fish and I had a corkwing wrasse.
I was there first and set up in the harbour, sea side of the bridge. Haddock messaged me to ask where I was hiding. l gave him my location and he turned up without me seeing him, as he was sporting a natty new set of camoflage waterproofs and looking like some white haired Ninja commando or a red neck duck hunter. Use your imagination and take your choice. We exchanged gifts, me to him of homemade Christmas cake and he gave me a bag of mints or as I call them anti bite mints. This is a ploy he uses to try and stop me out fishing him!
The water was brown with run off and flowing quite hard out to sea. Bites were slow to start with, but once the fish came on they were petty constant.
First up a Rock goby. This was the first of many.
Second a Black Goby. Again this was the first of many.
Third a Corkwing Wrasse. it was the only one of the day between us and we can easily catch 50 plus in a session in different spots.
There was plenty of banter going on by this time, berating each other for the fish the other had not caught. You know how that goes!
Fourth. Whiting.
Fifth. Pollack.
At this point we moved closer to the harbour entrance, where he had more duplicates of species already caught. We know there are conger here and much as Haddock hates them, he needs one for the hunt and I was looking forward to seeing him deal with one!
Sixth. Pouting.
This one does not count, but is the second caught recently, a nice prawn!
I had set up a heavier rod for a conger or bass. It was live baited with small whiting or pollack (caught earlier), but they were not attracting the targets.
Haddock had a little nibble and he said, that's a conger. It mazes me how tentative conger bites are, but once you lift into them they really show their power. This one was giving Haddock some grief, but with a big effort, he managed to lift it up over the hand rails, where it snapped the snood and was then trying to get back to the water. Haddock was blocking its passage (for want of a better expression!) and not enjoying it much. I put my gloves on and grabbed it, whilst he got his species card and took a picture, before guiding it back to the water. He was pleased having that one crossed off!
We were thinking about packing up, but I said I would be happier leaving if I had just one more species.
The gloating started. Not had a conger yet, etc, etc. Get that crap bait off and put a lump of gar on. I did as I was told and lobbed it a couple of yards out. Got talking to a couple of lads who had just turned up and my rod went. Lifted into it aaand, fish on. Nice and strong and lunging well. It was staying deep and being great sport, then it was gone! Checked the bait and only a little bit left. Haddock obliged with another lump of gar and back out it went.
10 mins later I had one of those tentative little bites, lifted and woke it up, a good old tussle ensued with some strong lunges like the last fish. Haddock pulled in my light rods so I could land the fish to the concrete ramp. I was feeling confident in the heavier gear, so lifted over the rail, and as advised, took it to a flat area further from the water. Picture time. I have had a few straps, but this was my best. It has made me think about targeting some bigger ones. Nicely lip hooked so an easy unhooking and return.
7. Conger.
Well that's seven "easy ones" ticked off. It gets harder from now! Thanks to Haddock for company and lumps of gar! Oh and anti bite mints - which I forgot about.
Partner in crime: @cap'nhaddock
Target: Species for this years hunt.
Results: 7 species each, but not the same. Haddock had a long spined scorpion fish and I had a corkwing wrasse.
I was there first and set up in the harbour, sea side of the bridge. Haddock messaged me to ask where I was hiding. l gave him my location and he turned up without me seeing him, as he was sporting a natty new set of camoflage waterproofs and looking like some white haired Ninja commando or a red neck duck hunter. Use your imagination and take your choice. We exchanged gifts, me to him of homemade Christmas cake and he gave me a bag of mints or as I call them anti bite mints. This is a ploy he uses to try and stop me out fishing him!
The water was brown with run off and flowing quite hard out to sea. Bites were slow to start with, but once the fish came on they were petty constant.
First up a Rock goby. This was the first of many.
Second a Black Goby. Again this was the first of many.
Third a Corkwing Wrasse. it was the only one of the day between us and we can easily catch 50 plus in a session in different spots.
There was plenty of banter going on by this time, berating each other for the fish the other had not caught. You know how that goes!
Fourth. Whiting.
Fifth. Pollack.
At this point we moved closer to the harbour entrance, where he had more duplicates of species already caught. We know there are conger here and much as Haddock hates them, he needs one for the hunt and I was looking forward to seeing him deal with one!
Sixth. Pouting.
This one does not count, but is the second caught recently, a nice prawn!
I had set up a heavier rod for a conger or bass. It was live baited with small whiting or pollack (caught earlier), but they were not attracting the targets.
Haddock had a little nibble and he said, that's a conger. It mazes me how tentative conger bites are, but once you lift into them they really show their power. This one was giving Haddock some grief, but with a big effort, he managed to lift it up over the hand rails, where it snapped the snood and was then trying to get back to the water. Haddock was blocking its passage (for want of a better expression!) and not enjoying it much. I put my gloves on and grabbed it, whilst he got his species card and took a picture, before guiding it back to the water. He was pleased having that one crossed off!
We were thinking about packing up, but I said I would be happier leaving if I had just one more species.
The gloating started. Not had a conger yet, etc, etc. Get that crap bait off and put a lump of gar on. I did as I was told and lobbed it a couple of yards out. Got talking to a couple of lads who had just turned up and my rod went. Lifted into it aaand, fish on. Nice and strong and lunging well. It was staying deep and being great sport, then it was gone! Checked the bait and only a little bit left. Haddock obliged with another lump of gar and back out it went.
10 mins later I had one of those tentative little bites, lifted and woke it up, a good old tussle ensued with some strong lunges like the last fish. Haddock pulled in my light rods so I could land the fish to the concrete ramp. I was feeling confident in the heavier gear, so lifted over the rail, and as advised, took it to a flat area further from the water. Picture time. I have had a few straps, but this was my best. It has made me think about targeting some bigger ones. Nicely lip hooked so an easy unhooking and return.
7. Conger.
Well that's seven "easy ones" ticked off. It gets harder from now! Thanks to Haddock for company and lumps of gar! Oh and anti bite mints - which I forgot about.
