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| December 18th- River Dean... and in a venue which has always been a good bet for a few early winter species John got Chub, Trout and Grayling today. I have also had Roach & Minnows there in the past plus it reputedly holds both Gudgeon and Dace so I guess we'll see plenty of cars parked up there come January instead of at the Ribble. If we weren't now in Spain I'd have to find another equally varied venue. |
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November 27th - Sitges Harbour...again but nothing seems interested in our plugs yet - we gave it an hour but eventually switched to fishing bread down the side. Maybe the Med is just like UK waters where resident fish change by the season because I got this new species on the left, a Salpa, a fish I'd actually caught up near Girona last year. Unusually though, despite catching none all summer, I then hooked a second soon after... trouble is it was probably 10 times as big and after gently battling it right to the side on 2lb line it snapped me, turned its head and swam away. Gutted. Keep laughing... |
| November 26th - Sitges Harbour...and armed with half of Hindley tackle shops worth of plugs we set off down the harbour in search of the the huge Barracuda that live there. Dad went half an hour before me and as I arrived, somewhat predictably, he was already hooked into and fighting some monster fish. Was almost mission accomplished till he swung it in... a Bass...! I blanked. Laugh away... |
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November 11th - Sitges Harbour Wall...and in quite rough seas today small Barracuda were still hanging around the end of the harbour wall. Was also noticeable that winter now seems to be arriving over here in Spain too, it was so cold I had to put my jumper on..! more |
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November 2nd - River Ribble...as reported by Mark - I set up down river of John & Dad went farther down. Later on, the wind was a little chilly and John had promised to be home for 5 so he packed all his gear away and went to say bye to Dad. On the way back as he was passing me we noticed a new species in the river, I was on it in a FLASH, hoping to SNAP it up. Before you could say CHEESE I had ZOOMED in on it and had it on the bank in my landing net. Although covered in a slight FILM, it still looked a PICTURE. However once EXPOSED to the elements we discovered it was a lesser spotted KODAK fish, recently purchased ON LINE by John. Unfortunately, upon closer examination it was found to be dead. Oh, there were also a couple of fish caught too...more |
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November 2nd - Sitges... and I fished the harbour today from mid afternoon till the sun went down. With the temperature still 26 degrees outside it was no doubt warmer than it was up at the Ribble though..! Wether or not the fishing was any better was debatable - managed probably 50 fish in total... White Sea Bream, Saddled Sea Bream, Bogue, Damselfish and loads of mullet including one of approx 4lb. Also tried livebaiting in the middle of the channel but got no takers so that big one is still out there eluding me. |
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Bleak
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11lb "Fish that Paul can't catch"
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October 15th to 27th - Dragonets & Rods Dragged Over in the land of Dragons... during an eventfull week in Morfa Nefyn as Mark spent his time catching various characters from Spongebob Squarepants, Neil skillfully caught a hard fighting Dragonet, it looks like everyone had Cod and Chips all round whilst John lost his boat rod - either dragged to the depths by a huge fish or it fell overboard in another schoolboy error. You decide... more |
Patrick Star
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Neils hard fighting Dragonet
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Squidward Tentacles
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Before loss of boat rod
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These are good with chips
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I`m sure I can see that rod...
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| October 1st & 2nd - Sitges Harbour... and a lucky seven species for John as in just two days, like Neil before him, he managed, along with several other things, his first ever Mullet. Other highlights have been several other species not caught before... White Sea Bream, Two Banded Sea Bream and Garfish. Wasn't only us fishermen interested in the Garfish today though as a shoal of them leapt from the water followed by a huge splash as the harbours resident monster Barracuda, (we think) put in an appearence again. Now wheres my livebait traces...? more |
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September 20th - Schoolboy Errors on the River Dove... as with expectations of Grayling Mark dug some worms beforehand only to find out he'd lost them when he'd got there, seemingly dropped into the river..! After nipping back to town for a tin of sweetcorn he managed this specimen on the left, only trouble is he's already caught one...more
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September 18th - Sitges Harbour... and something grabbed our ledgered mackerel head and started taking line. Expectations were certainly not of the monster of the deep on the right. The photo ain't too good but with eight wriggling tentacles and looking like something off The Flying Dutchman there was no way I was touching it. September 17th - Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen... go out, (fishing), in the midday sun. Others slope off on the premise of getting us all some drinks, sit themselves in the nearest bar and never return...! |
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September 16th - Sitges Harbour Wall... and conditions were certainly quite the opposite of those at the River Ribble a few weeks ago. Although he was claiming to be suffering from the effects of sunstroke, till he retired to a nearby bar that is, Neil did manage to get his first ever Mullet. A good day all round with several more big mullet for myself and, lots of small Bogue, Saddled Sea Bream and Derbio... more |
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| September 9th - Morfa Nefyn & Pwlhelli... and plenty of fish being caught by the Three Amigos. Although the Fishing Gods were still letting John catch Black Bream again they weren't giving him a Red Mullet this time...! Still, with new fish for all concerned today this remarkably now leaves three of us tied on 26 at the top. With just under four months to go it can't get any tighter than this. |
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September 7th - Sitges Harbour Wall... on a warm and sunny Friday afternoon with some wondrous views from the harbour across to the old town. Although my mini one-day species hunt didn't break any records I ended up with a nice mullet of about 4lbs, several Saddled Sea Bream, at least a dozen Bogue but best of all 3 of my favourite fish, Derbio, everyone of them doing monstrous leaps from the water when hooked. Just awesome. |
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August - Shell Island... late summer hols for John and family. More species all round but although I can understand the lack of a UK mullet - it's just that none of you can catch em - where are the missing fish this year, no Black Bream, no Greater Weaver and no Plaice..? Unless some serious fishing takes place soon then it looks like the winning total this year may well fall for the first time ever - will 33 turn out to be an all time high..? |
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August 28th - Plugging at Sitges Harbour Wall... and just like Neil we've caught quite a few tiddlers so far but now know there are bigger things out there over here in Spain... right at the end of the harbour today, just inches under the surface, swam a Barracuda getting on for almost four feet long. Despite my best efforts I didn't get him - theres always next time..! I did get something else though, this fish called a Dentex, which took a small silver plug. That freezing night at the Ribble last week now seems just a distant memory. |
| August 20th - River Ribble...looked perfect tonight but it just wasn't to be. No silly excuses, no rubbish line, rubbish hooks or bait. But it was freezing. Mark did about the best with about 5 Barbel and Chub, only because he sprinted down to the best peg, he also scared all my fish away lobbing 6oz weights on their heads, I sadly fared the worst with the thing on the right. But it was all because of the Blankers Chair wasn't it Jack... |
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August 14th - Something Different...I hoped for as we all went down to the docks today. Wether its the temperature of the water I don't know but using small slivers of mackerel we got two of these amazing fighting silver fish. They're actually called Derbio, see here, and pound for pound these things are the hardest fighting fish I've yet come across, leaping right out of the water when hooked, and without doubt put Bass, Mackerel and Mullet and Barbel all to shame...! |
| August 6th - Ouside the Harbour Wall... lurks the fish with big teeth..! You've probably all seen the documentaries about the Great White Sharks in the Med and although not quite as big these Barracuda also have some seriously sharp fangs. This little fellow on the right took a small floating plug... who knows whats next..? |
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August 4th - Morfa Nefyn... and Neil's catching up... well, in theory he is because just like the mythical Golden Orfe we haven't seen the pictures yet. Still, he's so far behind now I think, for a short while only, we'll let him count his claimed Wrasse & Launce. The Executioner might not though so watch this space... August 1st - Shell Island... and for a new month a new fish... Bass for Dad. |
| July Summary - A Quiet month... with very few new species being caught between us, just Mullet for Dad and myself and Bass and Weaver for Mark whilst on holiday at Abersoch. Looks like all that rain has put both the fishing and fish off as a poor boat trip from Abersoch testifies. Over here I'd kill for a bit of rain but the fishing I have managed has produced some nice fish like the monster mullet from the harbour, see reports forum, and the silver, mini tuna type thing below caught on mackerel strip that performed several acrobatic leaps on it's way in. Not like a dogfish in any way whatsoever... |
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July 17th - New species... althought there's undoubtedly more to catch in the Med than we currently have done so far these are just some examples... On the left is something you'll recognise already, a mullet, and although catchable here as Dad will agree they're not necessarily as easy as you might think. Below on the left is whats known as a Bogue whilst on the right is a Saddled Sea Bream. And so long as you come across and catch em they all count...! |
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July 1st - The Isle..., described in the handbook as The Prince Alberts premier carp water. I still can't make up my mind which is the more funnier - you lot not getting a bite and so resolrting to catching the blank saving fish here or me having a bit of a wobbly moment on The Pearl last year... |
| June holidays - Weymouth & Chesil Beach... and I reckon Mark had either been reading too many fishing magazines before he booked his holidays this year - or he was put up to going there by Neil, "The Man of Stupid Venues" - because the famous Chesil Beach didn't live up to it's promises - there weren't too many trigger fish nor was the harbour, "...packed full of mullet." Still, it wasn't all wasted as he did get Mackerel & Black Bream plus what might be the only Pouting we see this year... |
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June 2nd - Shell Island - At Last..! after 5 years since first hooking his first one, and then losing countless others in the meantime including one the night before, Dad finally landed his first Tope. No schoolboy errors, old line, rubbish reels, weak traces etc this time..! Other successes were another Tope for John, Mackerel, Gurnard, various Weavers & to the joy of a potential new junior angler Smelt all round. Although they were there we got no mullet but I thought I had one fishing by the rocks - hooked something big which started taking line faster than John running for the landing net, until it finally surfaced - a bass, 16's hook, 3lb line and a scrap of mackerel flesh. I hate Bass... |
Johns Tope
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Caught on breadflake
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Dads finest..
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Eye Spy something beginning with "S"..
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| May 22nd - Sitges Harbour... couldn't resist a little try when we were across. I know they don't count but it's a pity. Fishing with 16s hook and bread I got no mullet but did get plenty of other stuff - purpeley coloured wrasse or bream type things, silver bream type fish with a black splodge at the base of their tail and best of all a long silver, smelt like fish up to about 6" that leapt right out of the water when hooked - just like mini Tarpon..! |
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May 6th - Driving around Anglesey... on a wet & windy afternoon. All I can say is did Neil choose these 3 venues for you as he is the one normally full of stupid ideas for fishing venues, (Bristol Channel, Anglezarke & Hatchmere if you need proof.) Venue 1. St.Marys Church on the straits - fishless. Venue 2. Holyhead breakwater - more concrete than a conncrete factory and the sea 40ft away. Venue 3. Llanbadrig - "The Tackle Graveyard", but congrats on the two new species anyway - it looked very close to being a blank. I bet you wished you'd gone to Morfa Nefyn now though don't ya...? |
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| May 5th - Shell Island... they're here. Summer looks to have come a little early this year... After Kate managed to catch this little pollock on the reef - you can just about see it in the bucket - we cruelly decided to use it as bait further down the coastline in the deep water inshore passage. Was only in the water several minutes when we hooked and lost the first big fish. Several more pollock later, again from off the reef, we cast in and soon had this onboard. Note the reel on the left, along with the small spinning rod used to catch it... |
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Tench...
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...and after weeks of trying, a Ruffe.
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Apr 29th - Rossmere... on a warm & sunny Sunday morning - far better than going to church - or stumbling home from The Vic after a heavy night out. Anyway, in terms of the fishing we all got plenty of silver fish - Rudd, Roach and Bream but in terms of catching new species we perhaps didn't do quite as well... Dad & Neil couldn't find any Ruffe & I just couldn't get a Carp. John though managed two new species today, Bream and Tench, whilst I got a nice Crucian - thankfully no need to go to Top Bonnies now then eh..! |
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22nd April - Secret Venue Revealed...!!! Not secret really - is more commonly known as Top Bonnies, one of just a few places that we fished as kids that still survives, where in addition to the Carp & Perch recently caught by John were Roach for both Lucy & Sarah today. And anyway, I trust that all you young lads in this competition are getting a bit embarrassed by now... Hey Jack, Yer sisters caught as many as you and as well as yer girlie cousins even yer mother's beating you now - how bad is that..? And Joe - whats happenning mate..? |
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20th April - Carp... from Sandmere for Mark and from The Isle for John however there were no Carp for Dad at Sandmere were there...? Just bad luck or schoolboy errors - you decide. Other Carp too, this time of the Crucian variety, from a "...secret venue" for John but unless we find out the location of this "...secret venue", (Little Brigg), we could possibly see the return of The Executioner who may well decide they came from someones back garden pond and disqualify them...!!! Spill those beans... |
| Easter hols at Nefyn - UGLY...!!!... but no more so than Neil Higson - this Scorpion Fish that Sarah caught from the boat at Nefyn... the first of these in over 4 years and very possibly showing Morfa Nefyn as the best spot for any new species... flippin Red Mullet...mutter, mutter... |
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Out on the boat facing the mountains...
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Waiting patiently for that big one...
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Fishing buddies...
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Best fishing for ages...
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The sea-bed was paved with dabs...
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and I've caught just as many as my Uncle Mark..!
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Familiar sunset...
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| Mar 25th - Success & failure... at Rossmere today. Success for Mark with Bream and Rudd but failure else where... no new species for Dad and a blank, fishless day for John who just like Neil last year managed to hook fish but lose them. Schoolboy errors maybe but John, if you need any excuses just call Neil - he knows them all. |
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Mar 25th - Top of the league... (albeit only joint top but neverthless it's still a first) so will Neil turn out to be the Manchester United of the fishing league this year or as in previous years prove to be more like West Ham or Watford... it all depends on wether or not we really beleive what he claims to have caught - just like the Bream and Carp this weekend - doesn't it...? Hey Neil, take a look at this here. |
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Feb 25th - A long journey... only because we went to Hatchmere then found all the pegs taken when we got there - was full of Carp Anglers who had camped out overnight. In search of Pike we then set off to Springwood Pool but then found the gods against us again as the M6 exit at Knutsford was closed...! Eventually got there and started fishing a full 2hrs after leaving home but fortunately two of us got our indended quarry. One angler would have done better catching tiddlers at Rossmere... |
| Feb 24th - When you were all fast asleep... I had to drop Steve off at Manchester Airport this morning but seeing as it's so close to Rossmere I couldn't help not give it a try and using last weeks maggots, most of which by now had turned to casters, ended up with Perch, Rudd & Roach. As it got light there were fish moving about and on the top of the water everywhere - certainly looks like being a good early season venue. |
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Jan 20th - No secrets... on here as we all blanked today, some of us in arctic weather conditions, some of us in what appears to be glorious sunshine. Lucky you. I suppose it's OK once in a while, but two on the bounce ain't good. I'd guess then that we'll either see you at the River Dean catching minnows or at Adlington canal next weekend as a hat-trick might just well take a while to live down...? |
| Jan 13th - Wrongly thought... that all you anglers would either be making up for the schoolboy errors that you made last weekend or perhaps trying to prove you're a little better by at least getting off the mark. Or maybe it's just that you're trying to prove that leaving it late really is the best tactics - although thousands might beleive you I thought not and decided to knock a few off at the River Dean this morning instead. |
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