Lizard Peninsula

[jerseytrev]

I think my "catch nothing coz I'm crap" policy is doing wonders for pelagic fish stocks!!!

 

SDD~~

like mine then

[Martin Hurst]

Very interesting debate and I can see both sides. I keep a Diary of my fishing trips and a quick taly up would indicate that since 2003 I have caught 43 bass of which 3 have graced my table. if that means you dont want to fish with me thats fine However I should point out that on one of our recent Tope fests we witnessed two lads in a dinghy slaughtering the shoals in a rubber dinghy presumably their haul gracing the tables of Birminghams finest restaurants! ! Puts things into perspective

[SeaDooDavid]

Very interesting debate and I can see both sides. I keep a Diary of my fishing trips and a quick taly up would indicate that since 2003 I have caught 43 bass of which 3 have graced my table. if that means you dont want to fish with me thats fine However I should point out that on one of our recent Tope fests we witnessed two lads in a dinghy slaughtering the shoals in a rubber dinghy presumably their haul gracing the tables of Birminghams finest restaurants! ! Puts things into perspective

 

I will fish with ya anytime Martin, but NOT in the Irish sea at the moment!!!!

You will have to try and get up here in some good weather and we can get off them heads mate

 

SDD~~~~~~

[Martin Hurst]

obviously still blowing up there!! Maybe best to get one of those little surf yaks Talk of a final crack at the Tope early sept in tywyn , get yourself down!

[SeaDooDavid]

obviously still blowing up there!! Maybe best to get one of those little surf yaks Talk of a final crack at the Tope early sept in tywyn , get yourself down!

 

Oooooooh that could be good timing!! I am on leave in September (19 days ) Time to start sweet talking the holder of passes

 

SDD~~~~~~~

[Davies the Gills]

There's seems to be enough heat generated here to bake my next fish - who needs an oven?!

 

I'm a noob to the sea fishin' but have done a bit of river fishin. The main drive for me has always been to bring food to the table.

 

I agree that undersized fish need to be returned and don't have a problem with that. However, if the fish is of a good size then they'll either be on my plate that night or in the freezer for a meal to come.

 

I don't see any difference between going to the supermarket and buying some fish and catching my own. The latter is of course far more rewarding and if you're not a vegan/veggie then I think it fantastic to step in to the food chain and pull out a meal rather than being completely detached from the whole process and buying some cling film wrapped polystyrene tray with an impersonal fish sitting in it.

[Martin Hurst]

you got a vessel yet Davies??

pop around if you want any inexperienced advice!!

[Moonyaker]

I understand where you are coming from DTG but as far as Bass are concerned it is in our longer term sporting interests to put back fish less than 3.5 lbs and fish over 4.5 lbs and take fish around the 4lb mark if we are going to take any at all. The logic is quite straightforward ; small fish have not had a chance to spawn and the bigger fish (like river fish are more likely to be female) and the larger the female the more eggs she produces and the greater the contribution she can make if she lives in relative terms to the future health of Bass stocks.

 

The reality is also that Bass aint the best tasting fish around by a long way and it is ironic that its scarcity should make it more generally desirable.....now really fresh Plaice or Dab grilled with a topping of grated mature cheddar and black pepper, that is a different story!!!

 

Moonyaker

[Simon Everett]

There is another aspect to this that has been missed and that is the fact that a guide was used to find an area to target later. That is totally against the unwritten code of conduct - you do not go back on a guides patch - it is not illegal, it is just totally disrespectful.

 

If you go to a strange area and ask a local who makes his living from showing people some fish (fish that are specific to the area as bass are - those same fish return to the same area year after year) to put you on some you simply do not then go back of your own accord - unless you are invited or you ask first.

 

To go back the next day like that is showing a complete disregard for common decency "its a free country", "he doesn't own the sea", "I can go where I like" - all these are true from a legal standpoint - BUT NOT IN THE CODE THAT SPORTSMEN ADHERE TO.

 

I stayed with Barra, he showed a couple of his special shore marks - I would not dream of going to any of them on my own if I was staying down that way again - it just isn't done. I might ASK if it would be OK - and I know what the answer would be - unless he had rods coming and he needed those marks to take them. I would then respect that need and ask if he had any other ideas where I might be lucky and not be getting his way. That is how harmony is achieved and then you will get to learn some more marks - this is one way to guarantee you won't learn anything else from a guide.

 

Apart from anything, it is selfish.

 

And now someone will come on and say it is selfish to expect people to keep off - not if it is a mark found by hard work over many, many months of searching it isn't.

 

NOW you know why it is difficult to get people to divulge bass marks - because this kind of thing happens. I am not too worried by the extra fish - it is how it was done that I find rather disappointing.

 

Hopefully a little bit more of the etiquette surrounding guides has been learned by all.

 

By the way Paintfly - did you give him a tip?

[Martin Hurst]

erm lot to think about there simon! It will be pringle sweaters and no shorts on the campsite next Fair points though.