South West Friday night catch report ?

[John Mitchell]

What a day that was .
After a lot of discussion we changed our plans on Friday morning to go up tats way , but that changed after we were informed the beaches had may bloom in a big way , so a last minute change of plan back to our original plan to fish a local beach we have not fished before .
South Milton sands , meanwhile Trampster had asked me where I was going on Friday night just as I was packing up my car , so he said could he join us , so I got there first as Bob was stuck in holiday traffic ( caravans I expect ) ???,and I told him and Dave which car Park I was in , good one Bob he parked in the car park at the other end of the mile long beach and there is no connecting road , so we ended up fishing different ends of the beach and the phone signal was bad ?, so I am on the beach now waving to Bob half a mile away now ??,with a stream in between us .
I set my rods out and gets my frozen bag of bait out , BUT hang on where is my worms and peelers I had bought earlier, oh dear back home in my garage , ( school boy error) but Bob had dug me some lug so I had to do the walk of shame half a mile along the beach a mile in total there and back .
so I had enough bait now 4 king rag a bundle of lug mackerel and squid all set now , Trampster had tuned up now in the car park I was in so he joined me .
I wish I could say it was a good night but I can’t , it was just a nice evening out with the lads ?.
I had 7 dog fish 4 spiders so I was kept busy. It was a nice beach to fish in the autumn after bass I think .Trampster and I packed up just after 10 when most of the lug and mackerel was used up . Here is a couple of pictures

 

[Tatunka joe]

Well done Jhon bey sorry I gave you the bad news about the may water so late mate but it’s bad up ere least you had a few bey ???

 

[John Mitchell]

Well done Jhon bey sorry I gave you the bad news about the may water so late mate but it’s bad up ere least you had a few bey ???

Cheers tat it saved me a journey up the a38 mate

 

[Trampster]

Great report & photos John, and thanks for a good night's fishing & banter!

When John mentioned they were off to an East Devon mark, I cried off as I wasn't really up for a 130 + mile round trip, but when the mark changed at the last minute to somewhere a bit closer to home, I was up for it. Mad dash to get gear ready, fired up Jeepy, and wrestled with the commuting traffic to get to the mark about an hour away.
I know the area quite well, so once I got John to clarify where he was, I soon tracked him down, unlike Bob! Got down from the car park to the beach OK and got set up. I blanked (as usual) but it was a great mark in good weather, and it was good to get out. John mentioned that he had forgotten his bait, and in the process of trying to lighten my gear, I'd left my tub of weights in the boot of Jeepy, so between us, we weren't off to a good start. The bag of frozen King Prawn - all I could find in the freezer, was still solid too! It was amusing waving at Bob 1/2 mile along the beach ?? - shame he got the wrong end, as I was looking forward to meeting another TSF member. It was also a chuckle watching John's Spider Crabs - some of the ones he caught & threw back came crawling back up the beach to see him - they didn't want to go back!

We packed up around 10pm, and John kindly carried my box across the beach to the steps that lead up to the steep track back to the car park. Even though my box is on little wheels, it nearly killed me trying to get back up the steep tarmac track to the car park. John made sure I was OK (thanks!) and headed for home, whilst I sat on a bench for a while to get my breathing back down to normal, before heading for home.

Great venue, great company, and a good night, even if it was another (consistent!) blank! ???

 

[bananas]

bloody Devon road signs, well at least it go me to the beach, looks a nice one too, maybe towards the end a summer it a liven up.
I could see you bringing a few fish in and trying to throw them back, was quite surprised how dark they was, the only one I had I thought was a bully coming through the surf! Now I know you had more fish that end but I definitely had more entertainment my end .
The bottom two are nice pics

 

[flappy]

I knows that spot.

 

[John Mitchell]

I knows that spot.

I didn’t think it would matter disclosing where I caught a load of dog fish ???

 

[flappy]

I didn’t think it would matter disclosing where I caught a load of dog fish ???

Didn't think it's called south Milton...?

 

[Trampster]

Didn't think it's called south Milton...?

Yep, South Milton sands. You pass the South Milton Parish sign on the way up the hill to the car park from Thurlestone.

 

[Trampster]

bloody Devon road signs, well at least it go me to the beach, looks a nice one too, maybe towards the end a summer it a liven up.
I could see you bringing a few fish in and trying to throw them back, was quite surprised how dark they was, the only one I had I thought was a bully coming through the surf! Now I know you had more fish that end but I definitely had more entertainment my end .
The bottom two are nice pics

Bob, if you're down there again, head for the village of Thurlestone, go right through the village until you come to the Golf club (Bat & Ball!) on your right - take the next right.

 

[Ranculos]

Well don't John, found you guys on here in the end!

 

[Kine262]

Nice pics John. Shame the fishing wasn't great but it sounds like an enjoyable evening for you all.

Can you eat those Spider crabs?

 

[John Mitchell]

Nice pics John. Shame the fishing wasn't great but it sounds like an enjoyable evening for you all.

Can you eat those Spider crabs?

The spider crabs are now being called Cornish and Devon king crabs , so yes you can eat them

 

[Ranculos]

The spider crabs are now being called Cornish and Devon king crabs , so yes you can eat them

I heard that they renamed them, I can't say I've ever attempted to eat one but maybe i shall give it a try. Might get enough for a sandwich.

 

[bananas]

I heard that they renamed them, I can't say I've ever attempted to eat one but maybe i shall give it a try. Might get enough for a sandwich.

Spose to taste better than edible crab, sweeter, not sure if any meat in the body as only seen the legs served up, mind you a couple a 2 foot legs would be a good meal???

 

[Ranculos]

Spose to taste better than edible crab, sweeter, not sure if any meat in the body as only seen the legs served up, mind you a couple a 2 foot legs would be a good meal???

Haha yeah I suppose it would be a good meal, I must stop eating like a family of 4 ?

 

[flappy]

I know it as thurlestone rock..?

 

[bananas]

The rocky sticky up thing with a hole in it is Thurlstone rock but the beach is South Milton sands.

 

[Cfish]

I heard that they renamed them, I can't say I've ever attempted to eat one but maybe i shall give it a try. Might get enough for a sandwich.

if you've had a crab sandwich from a beach cafe etc,chances are you eaten spider crab.

 

[Trampster]

Y

Nice pics John. Shame the fishing wasn't great but it sounds like an enjoyable evening for you all.

Can you eat those Spider crabs?

You can eat 'em WIll, but they need to be a lot bigger than the ones that took a liking to John's bait! Not as much meat on them as Brown crab but those that are partial to them say the meat is much 'sweeter'. The French love 'em! Not a fan of any shellfish myself. Troy (Troj's Fishing) on youtube catches a lot from his boat in Guernsey and has done some good catch & cook videos.

One of Troy's here for ya: