River Cottage - Catch & Cook

[spasor]

FTH?

Expect a swift drive out. Followed by a manic pollacking session. But there might be the odd cod or bass on the wreck. I`m sure Pat will have saved something special for you.

Then again you could hit the Shambles for flatties, as long as the skipper drags a fridge behind to slow the drift down.

[Zigs]

not going to steal his thunder, especially as he's probably a bit knackered, but i know fear the hands has had a good day. expect he'll be telling you in the morning

 

[Jim Roper]

ziggy searchfield:

not going to steal his thunder,

Surely he's not waiting for photos to be developed. He must have a digicam!

[Elton]

Last spotted browsing the 'Cottages For Sale' section of the Devon & Dorset Times

[Steve Walker]

Tog:

Could you ask Hugh about his 'support' for the semi-vegan anti-angling Green party?

The Green party seems to have thoroughly lost its way. It has become a ragbag of "radical" politics.

 

There is nothing intrinsically left or right wing about the principles of the Green movement, yet the Green Party's manifesto is the most left wing of the national parties. Animal rights has absolutely nothing to do with environmentalism, yet they feel the need to take a strong stance on the issue.

 

It's just a directionless agenda based on pandering to the prejudices of a bunch of urban crusties. Someone like HFW who is trying to promote a genuinely more environmentally sensitive lifestyle is far more in touch with the original point of the Green movement than those jokers, yet they wouldn't like his hunting, fishing, meat-eating, 4x4 driving, entrepreneurial way of life.

 

They should be ashamed of themselves, and he should have told them to get stuffed.

[FearTheHands]

Sorry for the delay in posting chaps!

 

What a fantastic day I had!!

 

There were 2 boats that went out 'Cara Cara' & 'One For The Nob', I was on the latter & have to say the skipper Richard is a top bloke. Very patient & easy going. I'd definitely recommend going out with him & would do the same again.

Hugh was on the Cara Cara with Pat, who from what everyone told me afterwards is also a great bloke to go out with. Not one single complaint was heard about either of the boats & quite rightly so.

The day started of very misty but the sea was quite calm. We headed out past Portland & went out to a wreck 22 miles off the coast. This being my 1st time boat fishing, let alone wreck fishing it was different than I thought. I now understand the comment about dragging a fridge behind to slow down the drift!

 

Other people were catching good sized Ling from the get go, around 10 or 12 pounds. A few had 3 good sized fish & our box was soon full to the top. One chap even managed to hook a queen scallop!

After several drifts there were only 2 of us that hadn't managed to reel anything in. One being me. I'd had 2 or 3 bites but hadn't managed to catch anything.

On the VERY final drift both of us hooked in. After a minute or two I lost the feeling in my left arm & felt like a right girl!! I wasn't giving up, after all who needs tendons ??

Finally got it to the surface & it was another Ling.

When we got it on board & later weighed it turned out I had caught the biggest fish of both boats all day - a 17 pound Ling

 

 

Had to split this post into 2 as it throws a wobbly if you post too many pics - continued below

 

[ 28. April 2005, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: FearTheHands ]

[FearTheHands]

Part Two

We then headed back to Portland Bill for some feathering for Mackerel, by this time the weather had cleared & it was bright, sunny & nice & calm. Took a while for any action, but like waiting for a bus once they started to appear they all cam at once. We all had a good haul of mackerel, herring, sandeels & 1 Pollack.

Gill one of the chef's from River Cottage then prepared some sashimi from a mackerel which I have to say was one of the nicest things I've tried in a long time! Raw mackerel, soy sauce, mustard - fandabidozey.

 

Headed back in to Weymouth & on the way stopped to collect a few pots. Plenty of spider crab & one lobster, unfortunately all too small so they went back.

Everyone then headed back to the River Cottage HQ near Bridport. Once there we had freedom to roam around the whole place & poke our noses into everything. We then sat down to some demonstrations on how to prepare the fish we'd caught & what do with them etc.

It was very hands on & I was volunteered several times to help out (serves me right for asking questions!)

The most interesting thing was preparing the Ling heads for slow roasting in the oven.

We were then given a four course meal which included a stew of Ling & Chorizo sausage & the baked Ling heads. Which again I have to say were rather nice (apart from the eyeballs!)

The 2 people on each boat that caught the biggest fish were given a signed book from Hugh as a prize.

 

Hugh seems a very genuine chap who is happy to spend time talking to you & clearly has a passion for what he's doing.

Considering we spent 13 hours (7:30am to 8:30pm) in their company I consider the entire day to be an absolute bargain & would highly recommend it to anyone considering it.

 

It was not merely a boat fishing trip but an experience of a lifetime!

[Norrie]

Great report there, glad you had a good day.... I'm off to Weymouth in Sept, to fish with Colin Penny on Flamer, for 5 days out of Dartmouth and you have really wetted my appetite..

[Elton]

Sounds superb!

 

FTH, I would love to add this to the articles section of AN, if you're up for it.

 

Particularly liked your last line

[FearTheHands]

Elton, that'd be great to see it in the articles section!

 

I have been promised some more photo's from someone else on the trip as well ..