A Morning In The Life Of A Commercial Fisherman

[JB]

Now the sun is starting to rise and as you sip your tea you feel like the luckiest man alive.

 

I have had that feeling thousands of times.

 

I think it was a good post and here is a repeat of one of mine.

 

On the 10th January 1977, the day my son was born, I was long-lining. The fishing was not good when we started in October the previous year, and had been getting progressively worse. The trawlers where doing well. The new fishing to our area – gillnetting - was also doing well. But the sea was full of sprats and, as a result, we could not get the fish interested in our bait. Nevertheless, at 3 o’clock on that morning, we shovelled six inches of snow out of the coble and steamed two hours north to ground off Skinningrove. We worked 7 lines, 1540 hooks, for 14 small codlings. When we got in, we didn’t re-bait the lines. That was the day I decided to give the job up for the winter, as I wasn’t covering the bait cost.

 

At that time, I had a new boat on the stocks and had gone out on a financial limb to get it. So there I was, with a new family, no income, no money in the bank and nothing under the mattress. There were no jobs on the trawlers; there never are when they are doing well. So I mended trawl nets for two months until the new boat was ready.

 

That spring was poor for lobsters. There was swell in the water most of the time, and I could not get the pots where I needed them to be to catch lobsters. So the potting season was a waste of time and effort.

 

That summer was windy and the salmon came late. But when they did come, what a season! I worked 20 hours a day and in six weeks we finished up with a very good year’s income.

 

All fishermen have stories like this. I think this type of job makes them what they are and is possibly why anglers don’t understand them. If they got the same wage every week they probably wouldn’t do the job.

 

JB

[Slashley]

Hiya Sam, how you doin? I assume that account was from the Blackwater. If it was, does it pretty much represent the general state of the way it is nowadays? P.s. Have you been down Holliwell Point lately and how did you do?

[sam-cox]

Hi ya Ashly,

 

I havnt stepped foot on a commercial fishing boat since April 2000.

Im also not likely to as due to a Mole on this forum helping me fall out with the skipper. I have been mates with him since I was six.

 

There are lots of small codling in the Blackwater and crouch, Ive been doing ok from the jetties in the crouch.

[Chris Goddard]

Hi ya Ashly,

 

I havnt stepped foot on a commercial fishing boat since April 2000.

Im also not likely to as due to a Mole on this forum helping me fall out with the skipper. I have been mates with him since I was six.

 

There are lots of small codling in the Blackwater and crouch, Ive been doing ok from the jetties in the crouch.

Sam, why do you let it bother you HOW others view your spelling?? I think your grammar is bad too (Can't spell atrocious! ) But why does that matter?? I can spell quite well but does that make me any better than you are?? I think not matey!!! KEEP IT COMING and ignore the knockers!!

[DoubleShotDamo]

So why are people getting @rsey with my post? If you don't like it, you don't have to read mine either!

 

Sorry Sam if you were not causing trouble; but too many people on here do. I expected Binatone to respond and assumed Wurzel would, as you are all hoping. But it gets very boring...yawn....anglers Vs commercials...yawn...It's obvious there is a massive gulf between....yawn....commercials and.....yawn....anglers beliefs and views....yawn....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[SandTiger]

Could try a spell check tough - I think theres one for IE at http://www.iespell.com/

[DoubleShotDamo]

Could try a spell check tough - I think theres one for IE at http://www.iespell.com/

 

 

"Though" or "Tough"!

 

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Edited November 19, 2005 by DoubleShotDamo

[SandTiger]

"Though" or "Tough"!

 

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Yer far too quick fer me DoubleShot

[Jaffa]

Yer far too quick fer me DoubleShot

 

?

 

[SandTiger]

?

 

 

'Coz I meant 'tuff' of course

 

thou my own dyslexia also prompts me to use spell chacks whereever I can and not to care wot others may think

Edited November 19, 2005 by SandTiger