Chris_E's *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht

[ChrisE]

This subject comes up with a degree of regularity and as a fisherman first, yottie second I thought this might help.



Here's one I caught earlier

The guide

First what can you reasonably expect to catch in UK waters, in order of most likely to be caught?

Mackeral from about May to about October, boat either drifting or moving at less than 4 knots
Pollock and coalfish, near rocks and reefs, almost anytime of the year, boat drifting
Bass, summer, can be caught drifting, moving < 3 knots or at anchor using bait.

The rest, dogfish, cod, etc all possble boat anchored using bait

Second, how to catch

Moving, feathers or lures attached to 50m or so line and a big (1kg) weight or a paravane (advanced technique, google for how to use)

Drifting, as above but with lighter lead (100 gm). Lower feathers r lures to about 10m and jig up and down. if that doesn't work try deeper or shallower.

At anchor or mooring, one hook and a lead heavy enough to hold on the bottom. Bait with bits of mackeral (see above) and wait until you feel a tug. This works surprisingly well in moorings such off Yarmouth or in Poole Harbour.

Thirdly, where.

Mackeral love the 'creases' between a flow and slack such as those off Hurst Narrows, St Alhems Head, The Forts. Bass love the same kind of area, they will generally be below the mackeral (but realistically, don't expect much, bass are a trciky quarry, even for experienced anglers). Either drift through or whilst slowly sailing.

It is *always* worth investigating an area where there are diving birds, they are probably the best indicators of where feeding fish are located.

Pollock and coalfish love ledges (such as Christchuch Ledge), rocky pinnacle and cliffs such as those in Western Scotland and off the Welsh coast. Generally, easiest to catch whilst drifting.

When at anchor or mooring, the fishing is generaly better in water over 5m deep and when there is a bit of flow, flood tides generally work best in estuaries, any tide in open mooring.

Lastly, when

The million dollar question, some marks such as Hurst Narrows fish best on the last of the flood and die on the ebb, other such as St. Alhelms Head and about 1m south of the Needles seem to hold fish at most stages of the tide.

That's it, tight lines.

Chris

[photodog]

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] With those shorts, you should have chucked him back....


Nice fish BTW.

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Twister_Ken]

Are there gurnard at Gurnard?

[Spyro]

That's a lot of pollock

[jpcarter30]

Lovely job - I'm taking from your post that's it's not a problem without rod and reel? What type of line is best for hand fishing ?

[Twister_Ken]

Be advised. An elderly Scottish gentleman of this parish claims to follow the Chris E method, but catches only kelp.

[ChrisE]

Whip along to a chandlery and look for the handlines with feathers and lures (usually from Norway) they'll do the job. Here's some examples:

http://www.fly-fishing-tackle.co.uk/...and_Lines.html

[JKay]

Paravane hand line

what do you think of these Chris

[ChrisE]

They'll work, provided a, you pay out all of the line and b. you are sailing at less than 4 knots. You can catch mackeral at more speed but wafting along seems to be the best kind of thing to do. Keep an eye on the line, usually, if a fish grabs the lure it will come to the surface, but sometimes it doesn't, I've had a shark grab a string of mackeral whilst trolling across Lyme Bay. And you thought it was safe to go in the water...

[maxi77]

Many years ago I chartered a boat which had simple wooden paravanes that worked very well. They took the kine down till the mackeral struch then cam eup to the surface acting as a splash marker.

Does any one know how to make one.