UK shore fishing venue suggestions please!

[john frum]

Phew!

Interesting how a question about fishing venues rapidly turns into a discussion of St. Bob Geldof "former rock star!".... (what the hell did he ever record except one crap single with one crap band). So that's where I stand on him - if not exactly the issues he espouses on which he has some, SOME, valid points.

 

On TV presenters: well one of the reasons I'm back fishing was that I had a couple of years of serious surgery where I spent a lot of time on the sofa watching Sky channels. Decided to give up a heavyweight job and scale life down a bit - no, A LOT. Part of this was caused by watching the Usual Suspects catching unusually large fish. Oddly, some of the programme-makers involved were originally taught the video game by me.... but that's another story. Matt Hayes: "cheeky chappie". John Wilson; "ho ho HO". JPY; "a ****" (bonny wee 17 lb trrrout though). My first reaction was horror at the over engineering of angling these days. Admittedly mostly in coarse fishing. Hair-rigged tandoori-flavoured trout boilies fished by The Method - using a £300 centre-pin reel etc. Mave you seen the price of those goddamned things?

 

Meanwhile thanks for the suggestions. I actually have friends on the W. coast of Ireland. They even have boat. Dragging all my gear to Ireland isn't something to look forward to. And it costs a bluddy fortune to take a car over. Here's a story from an Irish trip in 1990:

 

I drive through Glengarriff in Cork and stop for my girlfriend to pick up some groceries. The (borrowed) rods are in the back of the (borrowed) Jeep. Horny-handed local saunters up.

HHL."Y'here fer the fishin?".

Me, "er, sorta".

HHL "oi've gotta boat. here's me card".

He hands over a business card which has a pic of a tidy looking forward cabin fishing boat; about 35ft I'd guess.

Me. "Could we go out tomorrow? How much per person?"

HHL "Fer sure, fer sure, xy punts (pre-euro and I don't remember the price, but it was very reasonable) up to six people."

Me. "Ok, how about 8.00 am tomorrow, I'll be bringing my friend's two boys with me so that'll be four of us. what can we expect to get"

HHL. No prablem" (I can't do the accents as you can see) "There's Pallack, Bass, to be sure out dere."

Next day we turn up and the HHL is waiting for us. We park and lug the gear down to the jetty where we can see a bunch of useful looking boats riding at anchor a little way off. The boys are really excited. So am I. Kirsten is less excited but that could be connected with handling lugworm.

We climb into a little skiff, about 12 ft and equipped with a dodgy looking Seagull and a pair of oars and very little else, and wait for HHL to ferry us out to the angling gin-palace that's waiting for us. But he doesn't get in. He leaves the scene of the scam hotfoot. We're in a 12 ft gin palace with no safety gear, an anchor on about 30 ft of clothes-line, and ****-all else. I got as far as the swell coming in from the Irish-seaward entrance to Bantry Bay before

a) I lost my bottle.

or

Sanity took over.

 

I expect the b@stard's still there. I just wish I'd had the presence of mind to take a cr@p in the boat before cutting it adrift.

[john frum]

I forgot to say - I'd already paid the HHL.

 

And thanks for the suggestions; Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, Other. I'm now trying to make up my mind what to do (meanwhile dealing with electricians, plasterers, plumbers etc).

 

Great forum!

[stavey]

summer said, Perhaps he does have that power. Despite your dislike of him he certainly does influence the influencial. He said a few words and Ebay certainly listened. Power to the people.

 

Absolutely summer, todays events will be watched by millions around the globe because of one man even if its for only one day, he and efforts will be remembered much longer in history than tony blair's pm reign or george bushes presidency, whether ken or steve or whoever hates to admit it, (if applicable) their wives/children/grandchildren etc, will be glued to the telly, and all politics and the rest of the bull will be stuck down the toilet for twenty four hours. and maybe when they retreive them the next day they might just think a little differently........

[stavey]

john frum, i have to apologise for gate crashing your post, and now i shal leave this post for the subject it was intent for. good luck on your quest.......

[john frum]

Stavey

No problem, it's a free forum and goes where it will!

I'm an anarchist from way back (If voting changed anything they'd make it illegal).

[gerryatric]

Summer ,you are dead right in your thoughts about the tackle trade, the media and the personalities. Many of them have been asked to add their weight to the fight but so far only a few pounds and a few bit of tackle have been forthcomming. The trade is hurting this year and dummping end of seasone gear has started already.

[yakmad]

hi john.

i live in cornwall and have sea fished on both coasts down here for twelve years .i am moving to west bay area of dorset in a week but if you are going to fish in cornwall at any time i would be more than glad to point you in the right direction.also did 6 years in local tackle shops so i can let you know best ones for bait and tackle or where to go and dig your own.that goes for anyone aswell.just give me a shout. cheers yakmad

[john frum]

Thanks Yakmad. I noticed your post elsewhere on the subject - it makes a change to hear specifics!