Your Most Enjoyable or Memorable Trip of 2004

[Gillies]

With the year almost up, I’m wondering what was peoples most enjoyable or memorable trip of the year?

 

I prefer fishing over hard ground most of the time when boat fishing, but this year my most enjoyable day was one fishing over the soft, everyone on board enjoyed a good day no matter how experienced they were at boat angling. Species coming onboard included Thornback Rays, Spotted Rays, Blonde Rays, Turbot, Plaice, Dabs, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Tub Gurnard, Haddock, Whiting, Mackerel and one large edible Crab.

 

Since it was a lovely sunny day, hardly any wind and very little drift I opted to use a large home made double spreader, and most of the time fish were coming up two at a time – and you just didn’t know what was going to come up next. There was no fish of great size (biggest a Thornie of 7lbs 6oz), but there as a nice variety of soft ground species, and they were there in abundance.

 

Unsurprisingly the guy who caught crabs (sorry I mean the crab) – the fish kept away from him after he caught that.

 

For any commercial skippers reading this, the mark was 200 miles west of the Outer Hebrides.

 

Gillies

[tugmistress]

Hi Gillies,

i think my most enjoyable trip this year was just the other week when we decided to nip onto scrabster pier for a couple of hours between shifts. caught loads of flatties, enjoyed the sunshine, and had fun which is what its all about for me.

Hoping to get out on wednesday if it isn't too rough up here just for a couple of hours for a bit of anti sea sick practice....lol

oh yeah, message from davie proudfoot for you gillies, but i think i will pm you

[Davy Holt]

Hiya,

 

Most memorable trip ???... just about every one I did this year

 

Fishing wise it would have to be the weekend with Norm B. Sandtiger, Spasor & Norrie.. that was fun with 26 skate to 195lb in 2 days

[Westie]

No doubt about mine...

 

I only started sea fishing again this summer after many moons of just dreaming about it - our move to Suffolk meant that I was within a short drive of the coast.

 

First trip to Bawdsey Quay. Spent half the previous night making up some of my own rigs and checking, double checking and triple checking everything ready for an 8 o'clock start. I was so excited when I got to the beach. It took me about 5 minutes to bait up a 2 hook clipped rig with rag, because I'd simply forgotten how to negotiate the rag's nippers!! Laugh about it now - I just let the buggers nip me. But on that morning, the first worm bit me and hung on for dear life. I don't know who was more frightened - me or the worm. Probably me!!

 

First cast into a very still sea.

 

5 minutes sitting on the beach, with the sun out and just enjoying the peace and tranquility. No-one else to be seen.

 

Rod tip rattles - I nearly jumped out of my skin, because when I was younger and sea fishing, I never really caught anything. Because of the disbelief of what I had just seen, I stared at the rod tip and it rattled again. Reeled in and I knew a fish was on. 10 yards from the shore and my first sight of a flash of silver. A perfect little bass of only about 3/4lb, perfectly hooked in the scissors. Unhooked quickly, but not without jagging myself on the gill cover. Gently placed back in the sea and chuffed to bits.

 

My first fishing trip to the sea for over 15 years. My first ever bass. On my home tied rig.

 

And to top it all, I caught another 4 bass that day. All on the wee side and all safely returned. And a doggie, and an eel.

 

Once you've been fishing once, it never really leaves your blood. There aren't many things in life that can make you feel as excited as a kid again.

 

But this Christmas will be different - I've never really managed to get as excited about Christmas as I did when I was a nipper. This will be my first Christmas with my first child. Now that simply cannot be beaten...

 

Unless I catch a 10lb bass next year....

 

I'd like to say a huge thanks to all on this forum who have helped with tips and guidance since I joined it.

 

Happy Christmas, all. santa santa santa

[Snatcher]

It was catching my first bass on a popper up the Mull of Galloway. Had blanked on four previous trips trying to achieve it!

The other one has to be catching those huge mullet in Malta. Must thank my Maltese fishing pal Alex for giving me the oppertunity to do it.

What will 2005 bring I wonder?Gonna really try hard to catch a tope from the shore up the Mull.

[tack4]

definately pollacking at the mull christ the one that came off when handling rig up was a clonker!

2005 can't come quick enough

eh snatch?

[Spur-Hound]

hmm i donno if i have 1 particular most fond memory of this year... Heres a few that will always stick in the old nut:) ...

 

Fishing with the skatemiester up at lochaline and catchinmg my 1st skate of 85lbs..WHAT an experience And then again going back up to lochaline on the catchalot and witnessing some huge skate bieng caught by some mates, Not forgeting MY PB shore fish of a 13lb conger coming from under the boat up at lochaline...

 

Another special moment for me wasnt actualy whilst fishing, but connected with, Was when i got my acceptance letter for the scottish jnr team, I was so proud of myself couldnt stop smiling for days, ANd bieng part of the team down at folkstone in june was something else also.. Even if we lost...

 

Not forgetting when i recently met one of my angling idols. And even went out and caught a few cod for the camera...

 

EVEN spending the night almost hypothermic in a tent all night whilst p*ssing down and a gale blowing has braught about an experience, And has taught me, NEVER to do something so F*ing stupid again...

 

Its strange i seem top have almost a photographic memory when it comes to fishing, I can remember NEARLy every trip and catch down to the tee that ive had this year, and near enough the ones of previous years...

 

Oh happy happy days

 

LEts hope 05 brings about more fond memories for everyone, and ohh yess, i will be driving by then (hopefully) So all the more fishing to be done santa

[Snatcher]

Darn tootin tack4. Have you broached the question about an overnight stay yet? Also tight lines for your trip with Manxman.

[dale]

difficult....

 

hooked into a large bronze whaler shark whick proceded to beat me up for half an hour before the worst moment....losing it in the surf... still what a battle.

2nd best..... doing it all again 2 hrs later.... again losing it in the surf......

 

at home.... doing 9 shore trips for Bass and getting some every time...last 3 trips setting new PB's from the shore each time..

 

strange these are all shore and i'm supposed to be a boat angler.... just shows its the catching not where....

[RUDD]

Westie:

No doubt about mine...

 

I only started sea fishing again this summer after many moons of just dreaming about it - our move to Suffolk meant that I was within a short drive of the coast.

 

First trip to Bawdsey Quay. Spent half the previous night making up some of my own rigs and checking, double checking and triple checking everything ready for an 8 o'clock start. I was so excited when I got to the beach. It took me about 5 minutes to bait up a 2 hook clipped rig with rag, because I'd simply forgotten how to negotiate the rag's nippers!! Laugh about it now - I just let the buggers nip me. But on that morning, the first worm bit me and hung on for dear life. I don't know who was more frightened - me or the worm. Probably me!!

 

First cast into a very still sea.

 

5 minutes sitting on the beach, with the sun out and just enjoying the peace and tranquility. No-one else to be seen.

 

Rod tip rattles - I nearly jumped out of my skin, because when I was younger and sea fishing, I never really caught anything. Because of the disbelief of what I had just seen, I stared at the rod tip and it rattled again. Reeled in and I knew a fish was on. 10 yards from the shore and my first sight of a flash of silver. A perfect little bass of only about 3/4lb, perfectly hooked in the scissors. Unhooked quickly, but not without jagging myself on the gill cover. Gently placed back in the sea and chuffed to bits.

 

My first fishing trip to the sea for over 15 years. My first ever bass. On my home tied rig.

 

And to top it all, I caught another 4 bass that day. All on the wee side and all safely returned. And a doggie, and an eel.

 

Once you've been fishing once, it never really leaves your blood. There aren't many things in life that can make you feel as excited as a kid again.

 

But this Christmas will be different - I've never really managed to get as excited about Christmas as I did when I was a nipper. This will be my first Christmas with my first child. Now that simply cannot be beaten...

 

Unless I catch a 10lb bass next year....

 

I'd like to say a huge thanks to all on this forum who have helped with tips and guidance since I joined it.

 

Happy Christmas, all. santa santa santa

There have been plenty of small Bass up the River Deben this year Westie.

I take it you were fishing in the river?

Have you tried fishing the seaward side of the spit into the sea?

There can be some great angling off Bawsdsey beach, East lane, Shingle street, Orford Island, Aldburgh dirty wall and town beach or Thorpness.

I live near Felixstowe and plenty of small bass showed along the whole beach.

Not much about at the moment but I have heard a rumbling of a 14lb cod from the shore near the pier!!!!!!!!!