Essex Smooth Hounds are Back

[sam-cox]

I have often fancied fishing our flats from a canuo. From a yak the possabilties are endless. Maybe a bag of shervey hung over the side could help while drifting using flys or bait. A shurvey of minced mackeral and bread or bran would I think work. Also the quietness of a yak could help. The hound however are normally offshore around a 10 mile steam at least, and when they are taken inshore it can be very hit and miss.

[DJMCJERICO]

Great thread, all the talk about Bradwell has put a grin on my face, my grandparents have had a caravan there since about 82, i spent most of the school holidays down there, and have fond memories of finding chalk on the beach and decorating that pill box, used to get some nice eel's out of the farm pond by the priory.

Sadly my grandad past away about a month ago and i'm trying to get the family to keep the caravan on site for fishing etc, hopefully the news of hound will persuade them.

They have been my fav sea fish since catching one when i was 10 from a boat at haylin (sp) island.

 

Soz for bumping the topic back up

 

Ps, i think it is now free parking from the power station, although they are not to keen on people not visiting the station using the toilets

[Norm B]

Originally posted by sam-cox:

Hounds have very little commercial value so I belive that when the hounds disapeared in the late 80s it was directly due to over fishing by anglers not over fishing by commercial fisherman.

:cool: Hi Sam, Last year I saw tons of hounds in our local fish market, some still alive. Lots of big pregnant smoothhounds over 20lb included.

They were a 'by catch' from two Scottish beamers fishing the bream grounds. They were sold as 'pot bait' at about £1.50 a stone, or what ever they could get for them. What a waste of prime fish. I expect they'll be back again this year plundering our fishing grounds as they've wiped out their own stocks. Last year was my worst ever year for 'hounds' from both boat and beach, I wonder why! :mad:

 

[ 12. April 2005, 09:11 AM: Message edited by: Norm B ]

[Steve Walker]

There seem to be reasonable catches of smoothhound from the Solent area; one of my targets for this Summer, I think.

[sam-cox]

Norm, the people resposerble are [Edited - John S] mate, I realy do feel strongly about killing large pregnant hounds. And as pot bait, I wpuld pay a months wages to see these people hurt.......

 

[ 13. April 2005, 09:20 PM: Message edited by: John S ]

[sam-cox]

They used to be taken by both commercials and anglers hear in the Thames Estuary but most people have realised they tast like **** and return all hound, they fight so well and deserve sporting fish statas,,,,.,,.

Why hasnt my rude words been doctered, is it because Im right about the people who kill large pregnant smoothies and sell them as pot bait...

[Jaffa]

Norm B:

Originally posted by sam-cox:

Hounds have very little commercial value so I belive that when the hounds disapeared in the late 80s it was directly due to over fishing by anglers not over fishing by commercial fisherman.

:cool: Hi Sam, Last year I saw tons of hounds in our local fish market, some still alive. Lots of big pregnant smoothhounds over 20lb included.

They were a 'by catch' from two Scottish beamers fishing the bream grounds. They were sold as 'pot bait' at about £1.50 a stone, or what ever they could get for them. What a waste of prime fish. I expect they'll be back again this year plundering our fishing grounds as they've wiped out their own stocks. Last year was my worst ever year for 'hounds' from both boat and beach, I wonder why! :mad:

Norm, "Scottish Beamers"? I must be behind the times as I didn't realise there were any. Where in Scotland were they from?

[sam-cox]

Its probably because they aint Scottosh, they could be French ,Spanish ect,.,.,

[Norm B]

"Scottish Beamers"? I must be behind the times as I didn't realise there were any. Where in Scotland were they from? [/QB]

:cool: I'll pass on that one as they were about a mile from us and the skipper was cursing the bloody Scots taking the fish ETC. I can't swear they were Scottish but they were beamers.

[sam-cox]

i know thany are tommy tankers