Plymouth is a favourite venue for our sea fishing club and I would like to say it is the fishing that makes it so but that is not always the case. Sea fishing is at best hit and miss. The Tope session earlier in the year had hurt and I was not looking forward to another attack on Sharks that would end in a blank. I need not have worried though as Malcolm Jones on Sea Angler 2 is a tried and trusted skipper and has never really let us down. He works hard to get results and that always helps.
Sea fishing rigs are amazing. I wish I had photographed this one as it is different to any other I have ever used. 50lb main line leads to a matchstick which holds the soft drink bottle float so that the bait is at the right depth, which leads to a wire trace leader and a circle hook that looks like it would never hook anything. But that lot works!
Three anglers with three rods out led to five Sharks on the boat. When they run they are unmovable, just hang on and wait for them to tire. This can be an arm aching 30 minutes.
A super result, all taken on Mackerel flappers at about 20 metres depth. Simon took the biggest at 87lb but I was more than pleased with my 80lb contribution. The biggest fish I have ever caught and I celebrated it in the bars of Plymouth that night, and the next morning!
That's fantastic Joe. I had my first ever tope just a few weeks ago and I have to say, even though it was just a baby at eight pounds, it fought like a demon and tailwalked twice!
ReplyDeleteI really would like to get out after blues at some point. How far out did you have to go for them?
Thanks Jeff, went out about 20 miles, the wind was a force 5 whatever that means, pretty rough and we all felt a bit seasick but managed to keep the previous night's kebab! Booked again for next year, hoping for a 100lber.
ReplyDeleteA force 5 means that your hat stays on your head! I see you had a PB tope out of Brightlingsea. Thing is, I fished for bass for years off Point Clear, which is caravan site on your left as you steam out of the harbour, and I never thought to catch the ferry across the water and get on a charter.
ReplyDeleteNext year I will certainly be getting down there for the summer tope run. Did you go out on the Sophie Lee? looks a quick boat.
I would leave booking a Tope trip til last minute. We booked well in advance and the fish were not there in any number so we had a difficult day, last year was no problem, 10 runs, five on the boat. Circle hooks are a must. The Sophie Lea is quick and the skipper is pretty good if not a little expensive, relative if you catch!
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