rufus

This net is set up in the bass nursery area of the Blackwater Estuary so I suppose illegal. It's not big so I suspect that the person setting it is a caravan owner catching fish on weekend breaks and the mesh size is not going to take bass below keeping size. I have however seen other more determined teams setting nets in the area that are perhaps 500 metres in length. I watched these people at some considerable distance so can't be really sure of their activities. Whatever they are doing I suspect the target species is bass as the estuary is running alive with them.

Can anyone fill me in on the current laws regarding the use of monofilament gill nets? Came across one over the weekend, set up on mudflats with a couple of large mullet of 4-5lb caught up in the mesh, one still flapping around nearly an hour after the water had fallen away .

I see no ships...only hardships... [ 12. August 2003, 06:47 PM: Message edited by: rufus ]

So are jet ski's completely unlicensed? Surely not! There must be some kind of control of craft on the water that covers them..they cant just do what they want can they? They are horribly powerful and the power to weight ratio of these things must put them on a par with modern superbikes...right?

So jet skiers suck and blow ay the same time? Thought as much!

Just had a nice holiday on the sunny East Coast catching bass, everything about it was great... Only trouble was the tides...slap bang in the middle of the afternoon. Heat and daylight brings out the dreaded jet skier...every five minutes the drone of another on the horizon heading straight for my patch of the beach. Most go past and dissapear to bug some other poor sod. Then one comes closer and starts spinning around 250yds in front of me. End of session ! Jet skiers...going nowhere fast

No mention of eels! Jellied eels, not everyones taste but I was taught how to make them by my gran so I love em. Cut a very fresh eel or two into 2 inch chunks, skin on. Just cover with water, a little salt and crushed black pepper, chopped parsley if you want . Simmer till the flesh is tender, pour the lot into a glass bowl then leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning the liquor will have set, then you can eat the eels (with your fingers like a true Cockney) with fresh crusty bread. Take a look at this though.. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,...,977344,00.html Smoked eel is now ranked as the third most sought after dish amongst the London trendies, just trailing after caviar and lobster but beating all other finned fish into a cocked hat with next favourite mega expensive swordfish ranked a low 6th. Salmon is dead in the water and ranks a puny 10th. Farming has killed off its reputation. [ 21. July 2003, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: rufus ]

Great to see that in times of peril, anglers keep their heads. band together and do the right thing..after all, who else is out in all weathers fine and foul studying the sea and has the required respect not mess with it.? I bet they knew just what to do when the time required action and just how far they could push their luck. Good publicity for sea angling and a reminder to brush up on your own safety procedures whilst fishing.

I watched crabs and shrimps in their natural environment last year. They scurry for cover as soon as anything larger than themselves turns up. Noticed also that spells of crab & shrimp activity, bait stripping etc, coincided with the lack of fish presence. As soon as a shoal of fish turned up the crabs buried themselves and the shrimps dissapeared. I suppose that this may mean crab & shrimp activity indicates an absence of fish and maybe a change of mark or at least casting to a fresh area from where you already are. I must add that these were small shore crabs I was watching....maybe does not apply to larger edibles who are big and heavily armoured.

Had three around the 2lb mark, Essex mudflats, Bank Holiday Monday morning...bright hot sunshine at 7:30am (and sunburn by noon!) All caught in a foot or so of dead calm water. Not big fish but glorious fishing all the same. What a relief that the Spring beachcasting doldrums are finally over and there's fish worth fishing for in Essex!

I start lightly thumbing the spool as the lead starts to fall, much earlier in the flight of the lead than in daylight, then stop it as it hits the water...you just get to know when this is about to happen after a while. Distance is reduced somewhat but thats not a real problem when compared to the horror of a fat overun in the dark and having to cope with unpicking it or worse, cutting it all off the spool, rejoining to retrieve the rig and probably by then, hooked up fish.

The picture has been appearing and then dissapearing for some reason, so here's the URL just in case it's not there when you view the thread... http://goeasy.members.beeb.net/hooks Rufus [ 23. May 2003, 09:15 AM: Message edited by: rufus ]

Theres a number of places around the Essex coast where carp rods are ideal for bass fishing. Shoebury, you can park up right on the beach and fish for them with very light tackle as there is a very light flow of water. you can also dig blow lug there at low water. Use size 2 carp hooks of a near circle pattern on a short snood, thats what I use there and they work like nothing else I've tried. A 3oz lead is ok and a cast of up to 100yds will find them. Mersea Island is similar with a good head of summer bass . You'll have to return most as undersize but keepers are frequent enough to make it worthwhile.

Thought you all might like to see some fishing tackle of serious antiquity! These hooks date to the Middle Ages and were found by myself on the Thames Foreshore in London. It's another of my pastimes to go there every now and then and look for old stuff like this. Notice the pattern of the hook on the left - it's a circle hook surely! Nothing new is there? How about the middle hook..now that really is a long shank pattern, I reckon it's for flounder fishing. They are all made of iron and all have spade ends.

Thinking of taking a trip down to Somerset this summer sometime, possibly a family holiday for a week or two, staying around Burnham/ Berrow Beach area. Does anyone know anything about the fishing from the shore here? What can I target on the beaches and as for Brean Down...how do you fish the mark? I've been there before, though not for fishing, and had to walk to the old gun emplacements at the end. Do you have to walk all the way with tackle or is it possible to drive down? I keep seeing reports from Brean Down and it looks good for winter cod...anything worth catching in the summer?