It is around this time of
year, with all the maintenance work duly conducted and My Way back in
the water I look back and reflect on what gems were brought over the
gunwales in 2008.
The weather is certainly what
many people will remember about 2008. Speaking to colleagues all over
the UK it was clear that 2008 was one of the most inconsistent for all
involved in the angling industry. Undeterred we all ploughed on,
making the most of those times when the weather gods smiled down and
gave us the opportunity to indulge in a little R & R; rest and
recuperation but also some rod and reel action.
My Way was re-launched following
her 2008 winter service period on 14th March, but in typical
early year conditions the weather had been horrendous, with the many trips
falling foul to extreme northerly. We only managed to get a float on 9
occasions for the following 4 weeks. When afloat the winter quarry never let
us down, with the odd signs of spring too – dogfish, conger, huss and
whiting with dabs, pout, pollack, coalies, a few ballans and some nice
spurdog offshore making up most of the bags.
From mid March until early May, we try and fish
offshore on most of the neap tides, spurdogs in great size and
quantity are the usual targets. Whilst fishing aboard My Way on Sunday
27th April, local angler (and part time skipper) Paul Whittle, left, hooked
into a cracking spurdog that weighed in at 19lb 13oz. The
WFSA record at that time stood at 19lb 2oz, also caught aboard
My Way last year by Manchester angler Damon Brierly, was clearly smashed.
Please note that these fish are caught and then released. The
governing body for angling in Wales, the WFSA has for a number of
years now, allowed C&R on record claims. Following a weigh, photograph
and measure the spurdog was released to swim off undeterred.
On Occasions though, the big fish just haven't read the script laid
out for them.
On the right, a perfect example that you shouldn't always listen to
the skipper, especially if he has a camera in his hand!
As we made our way towards the end of April and into May, the fishing
started to pick on an almost daily basis, with notable catches
including amongst the fish already mentioned more spurdogs to 15lb,
rays to 14lb and a host of double figure bull huss, with pollack and
coalies steadily on the increase.
Having rumbled
out a couple of good smoothhounds two weeks into May, we soon went all-out for our 2008 smoothie account.
Late May and into June is a terrific time to fish aboard My Way as our sights
are firmly set on these energetic and tackle testing sharks.
One day,
already reported here
will live long in the memory. 5 men, light quiver tip rods and plenty of
smoothhound action with weights up to 25lb - simply what dreams are made of!
During
one 2 day period the end of May, we were joined by Edward Farrell, Edward
is conducting one of the most concentrated studies on smoothhound in Irish
and British waters. During his stay we managed to tag and release 70
smoothhounds. Anyone who catches a tagged smoothie, please record the tag
number and pass the details to Edward via his web site, or contact the
Irish Central Fisheries Board direct http://www.ucd.ie/marbee/edward_farrell.html
June and July followed a similar pattern to earlier months with
more fish on the feed with a vast array of species to help make up
a days fishing. Wrasse certainly started to feed well as the
warmer waters reached our shores. With regular catches of our 5
main specie - ballan, cuckoo, corkwing, goldsinney and rock cook
the test for most anglers when we're drifting.
General species
hunts aboard My Way are now recording at least 15species through a
day afloat with smaller fish including dabs, gurnards, wrasse and
some of our bigger prey such huss, congers, blonde and thornback
rays along with tope and smoothies.
Dotted throughout the year we had small competitions - species
points, biggest fish or most fish points etc. Normally costing
only a few pound coins to enter, they are similar to a normal side
pool and adds that little edge to your day afloat, trying to win
your next day out!
So far it all sounds too rosy really, it wasn't! The weather through
July, August and September was very unpredictable, Gale force winds,
followed by more gale force winds restricted our trips severely. With
many trips cancelled, others where subjected to restrictions in our
areas of operations. As in 2007, this once again seriously dented the
numerous tope excursions we had planned. Needing to fish offshore for
the majority of our tope, favourable weather is certainly something we
hope for.
Some good fish though were caught through 2008, here's looking
forward to better weather in 2009.
A sponsored fishing day at the end of August saw us raise over
£2500 for Ty Gobaith Children's Hospice.
Fishing
through the summer has been a mixed bag of excellent days, good days, reasonable days and bloody awful days. Sadly there
hasn't appeared to be a trend to the fishing, the unsettled weather
really playing it's part. However, along with our early season
smoothies one of my favourite types of fishing is for pollack and wrasse
whilst on the drift over shallow
rocky outcrops, luckily for those aboard My Way neither fish was disappointing,
consistency in the inshore reefs is a blessing, offering anglers some great sport on relatively light gear.
The last few months of the year saw us again struggling around the
horrendous weather conditions that appear to have played havoc with
the UK for the best part of 2008. Undeterred once again, days afloat
resulted in some quality fishing.
Hopefully 2009 will prove to be a little more settled for all of us,
with plenty of laughs to be had during our search for the big one!
