South West Sole destroying

[Mr Fish]

Had a daytime 8am-6pm comp today and with some kind advice from @squidword I decided to try Burnham-on-Sea for the first time.

Got up at 4.20am (???) and got away from home about 5.30. Supposedly it would take the best part of 1.5 hours but I got there in an hour, quickest run up that way ever I think.
Amazing what you can do with clear roads and no dopey sods dawdling along at 40mph for miles on end.

It was monsooning when I got there and waited in the car for it to pass, but hordes of Weston Outcasts turned up for what presumably was a comp so while they were booking in I yanked on me waders and got down there.
Interesting spot, hadn’t appreciated how much of an estuary it is. Bit muddy at low but nothing too bad compared with the Taw estuary back home.

Bait was ragworm mainly, trying for sole, but I had some squid and mackerel to try for thornbacks.

Unfortunately that was as exciting as it got really. I put big rag baits short, long, mid range, short short, most came back the same condition they went out in.
Tried a whole squid and walking back. That eventually came in untouched too.
Finally had a slack line bite close in and it was a bit of a feisty fish but my heart sank when I saw a 5lb strap wallowing around.
It chose that moment to bite through my sole trace, which was absolutely fine by me, damn things can stay in the sea.

Walked up to the next chap but as I got there he brought in a strap that had wrapped itself in his mate’s rig too, so we didn’t really have time for a conversation and I left them to it.
Sadly I saw that eel a bit later washed up and gasping. I carried it out and put it back but it was belly up and later washed up dead.
Now I don’t know if they did everything right (sometimes fish will die), but I suspect the hook was removed come what may and the fish put back half dead.
Maybe I do them an injustice but at the very least they could have returned their own fish when it washed up. I usually scan the shoreline for such things if I put a fish back as they don’t always go back first time.
In any case, it wasn’t a good look for the hordes of grockles who descended on the beach when the sun finally came out. I had to point out several times that the fish was nothing to do with me.

Anyway, the beach was getting busy, although to be fair no one caused me any problems or paddled anywhere near the lines, but a crowded beach isn’t my idea of fishing.
Tried it for two hours back, going longer to compensate for the rapidly dropping tide, but not a thing.
I understand the club fishers had very little too, so wasn’t just me, but why it was so poor I have no idea.

Sorry, boring report really but might help anyone thinking of fishing up that way.
Definitely a mark I’ll return to but next time after dark, I think.

 

[Warby72]

Sure I read somewhere that it's better to cut an eel off rather than try to unhook it if it's deeply hooked as they often pass the hook a day or two later.

 

[Mr Fish]

Sure I read somewhere that it's better to cut an eel off rather than try to unhook it if it's deeply hooked as they often pass the hook a day or two later.

Yes imo it’s always better to cut the hook and at least give the fish a chance rather than ripping its insides up.
I caught a conger once with five different hooks in it, in various stages of rusting. So that fish was able to continue feeding. I kept it but I was quite young and it was eaten in any case.

Of course, no idea if the chaps today did rip the hooks out, so might be doing them an injustice.
But I have noticed too many anglers have the ‘I’ve got to get my hook back’ attitude, regardless of what it does to the fish.

 

[Had1]

Good try good write up.
I also heard stories of 6 traces being in a conger and 7th person landing it off wrecks etc but admit my first conger which was about 12lbs off the rocks I cut the trace and watched the poor thing suffer and wash up beyond reach... couldn't believe it as fresh water eels shed the hook every time... test it in a landing net cut hook length and leave fish in net every time iv tested it the eel is swimming free around the net with the hook in the net somewhere.
But congers don't seem like that maybe the big hooks who knows ...also notable that it was in high water temperature which presume is the case round your way at the moment Mr fish.
As the few I couldn't get hooks out of without causing more damage than good since have been in April or may lower temp swam off fine

 

[Tatunka joe]

Good effort mate ?

 

[Timmy H]

Brean beach may have been better but at this time of year the holidaymakers can be a problem wherever you go from Burnham yacht club and northwards. I haven't fished it for ages, I prefer Huntspill sea wall or shoot over to Hinkley, Shurton or Lilstock.

 

[Mr Fish]

Brean beach may have been better but at this time of year the holidaymakers can be a problem wherever you go from Burnham yacht club and northwards. I haven't fished it for ages, I prefer Huntspill sea wall or shoot over to Hinkley, Shurton or Lilstock.

Yes, as soon as the rain stopped they came out along with the flies!
Have to say none of them were a problem and they gave the anglers space but if I wanted to fish in a crowd I’d go to a pier.

It was somewhere to try on a neap tide that in theory should have thrown up sole or thornies and tied in nicely with the comp times. Wasn’t really the right tide for the reefs, time wise, unfortunately.

 

[John Mitchell]

I fished there with bananas and Rock marks in the winter and I had 7 codling I think

 

[bananas]

Unlucky Mr Fish, only fished it few times now, nice easy place to get to and set up, but the mud! hate the mud, have found it really only fishes a couple a hours before high and a hour down, that's when the locals seem to arrive and fish it.
Saw a chap last time I was there, Bass fishing just around the bend where the round about is, he had a few out there.

 

[ouchthathurt]

Good write up mate, even if the result wasn’t want you were after. I always cut away deep hooked fish, I change my hooks at the end of every session anyway.

 

[Muskins]

The fishing in the upper channel has been rubbish this year for me, plenty of hounds down lilstock/minehead way I hear. however B-O-S and upstream has been poor ....so much so I have been on Chew valley and Blagdon, but it has to get better soon.

Musky

 

[Mr Fish]

The fishing in the upper channel has been rubbish this year for me, plenty of hounds down lilstock/minehead way I hear. however B-O-S and upstream has been poor ....so much so I have been on Chew valley and Blagdon, but it has to get better soon.

Musky

It was my first venture up there for awhile. Caught a few hounds down this way last month but they don’t hold my interest for long.

 

[Tow-rag]

Yes imo it’s always better to cut the hook and at least give the fish a chance rather than ripping its insides up.
I caught a conger once with five different hooks in it, in various stages of rusting. So that fish was able to continue feeding. I kept it but I was quite young and it was eaten in any case.

Of course, no idea if the chaps today did rip the hooks out, so might be doing them an injustice.
But I have noticed too many anglers have the ‘I’ve got to get my hook back’ attitude, regardless of what it does to the fish.

That's why I never buy stainless steel or painted hooks. The quicker they they rot, the better for the fish. I've gutted dogfish before cleaning and cooking and often discovered a pristine hook or two in them with a few inches of braid.

 

[Tow-rag]

Had a daytime 8am-6pm comp today and with some kind advice from @squidword I decided to try Burnham-on-Sea for the first time.

Got up at 4.20am (???) and got away from home about 5.30. Supposedly it would take the best part of 1.5 hours but I got there in an hour, quickest run up that way ever I think.
Amazing what you can do with clear roads and no dopey sods dawdling along at 40mph for miles on end.

It was monsooning when I got there and waited in the car for it to pass, but hordes of Weston Outcasts turned up for what presumably was a comp so while they were booking in I yanked on me waders and got down there.
Interesting spot, hadn’t appreciated how much of an estuary it is. Bit muddy at low but nothing too bad compared with the Taw estuary back home.

Bait was ragworm mainly, trying for sole, but I had some squid and mackerel to try for thornbacks.

Unfortunately that was as exciting as it got really. I put big rag baits short, long, mid range, short short, most came back the same condition they went out in.
Tried a whole squid and walking back. That eventually came in untouched too.
Finally had a slack line bite close in and it was a bit of a feisty fish but my heart sank when I saw a 5lb strap wallowing around.
It chose that moment to bite through my sole trace, which was absolutely fine by me, damn things can stay in the sea.

Walked up to the next chap but as I got there he brought in a strap that had wrapped itself in his mate’s rig too, so we didn’t really have time for a conversation and I left them to it.
Sadly I saw that eel a bit later washed up and gasping. I carried it out and put it back but it was belly up and later washed up dead.
Now I don’t know if they did everything right (sometimes fish will die), but I suspect the hook was removed come what may and the fish put back half dead.
Maybe I do them an injustice but at the very least they could have returned their own fish when it washed up. I usually scan the shoreline for such things if I put a fish back as they don’t always go back first time.
In any case, it wasn’t a good look for the hordes of grockles who descended on the beach when the sun finally came out. I had to point out several times that the fish was nothing to do with me.

Anyway, the beach was getting busy, although to be fair no one caused me any problems or paddled anywhere near the lines, but a crowded beach isn’t my idea of fishing.
Tried it for two hours back, going longer to compensate for the rapidly dropping tide, but not a thing.
I understand the club fishers had very little too, so wasn’t just me, but why it was so poor I have no idea.

Sorry, boring report really but might help anyone thinking of fishing up that way.
Definitely a mark I’ll return to but next time after dark, I think.

View attachment 12341

Good report there Mr. F.
Reports should reflect your experience, not just chokka about plump sexy fish blah blah. (Like mine lol)
Nice one helping out the eel.

 

[Si-fly]

Nice write up Mr Fish, shame the fish didn't play ball... Odd really as it was howling there day before.... Should of brought bass in!

How did you cope with no bushes??

 

[Mr Fish]

Nice write up Mr Fish, shame the fish didn't play ball... Odd really as it was howling there day before.... Should of brought bass in!

How did you cope with no bushes??

I felt very exposed mate.

Then again, I could have put trousers on I suppose…? ?

 

[Fishlife]

Nice report. Know the area well as its only up the road from myself.
Never seems to fish well when there are lots of leads hitting the water, no idea why.

 

[Mr Fish]

Nice report. Know the area well as its only up the road from myself.
Never seems to fish well when there are lots of leads hitting the water, no idea why.

I was away from the crowd a bit but I think the next visit will be after dark

 

[Si-fly]

It was fishing very well for bass fairly recently, and a good bass angler friend of mine made a trip.
I don't think he had much, but he did try and catch a very large bass which kept beaching its self in very shallow water
He said he thought it was eating shrimp off the mud.

After trying all the baits he had dropping them very close he eventually gave up and tried to chin it. (grab bottom jaw)

Twice he had it over a 30 min period, but it was so lively he couldn't hang on!.... It didn't come back for a 3rd go!

He put it at an easy double...... Bigger than my fish he landed a couple weeks back.
Si

 

[Mr Fish]

It was fishing very well for bass fairly recently, and a good bass angler friend of mine made a trip.
I don't think he had much, but he did try and catch a very large bass which kept beaching its self in very shallow water
He said he thought it was eating shrimp off the mud.

After trying all the baits he had dropping them very close he eventually gave up and tried to chin it. (grab bottom jaw)

Twice he had it over a 30 min period, but it was so lively he couldn't hang on!.... It didn't come back for a 3rd go!

He put it at an easy double...... Bigger than my fish he landed a couple weeks back.
Si

Lol, I’m not sure laying your bait next to a beached fish or trying to chin it really constitutes angling! ???

I did see a couple of fish working the margins about a foot out and their backs were out of the water.
I assumed mullet but may have been bass. They weren’t huge, 2-3lb maybe.