Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
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.
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Are there gurnard at Gurnard?
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Be advised. An elderly Scottish gentleman of this parish claims to follow the Chris E method, but catches only kelp.
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
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...
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
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.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
[ QUOTE ]
Does any one know how to make one.
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There was an article on how to make one in PBO a while ago. Must have been around 2005, cos that was when I still paid for both YM and PBO each month.
From memory it was just a couple of bits (3?) screwed/glued together, with some holes drilled in it. Not up to usual PBO complexity. Something even I could manage. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Unless someone else can help I could try and dig out my past copies for you.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
[ QUOTE ]
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.
[/ QUOTE ]
Chris
If at anchor you suggest bottom fishing. Does the tidal stream make any difference to this? If you have a couple of knots of tide flowing past you I assume you can still fish for mackerel. Will bottom fishing work in a strong tide?
I have tried streaming out a line with half a dozen lures at anchor outside Newtown Creek on the IoW a couple of times. With a couple of knots of tide I assumed this was the equivalent of sailing along slowly, but all I caught was lots of seaweed.
Do I need to try something different, or do I just need a bit more patience?
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Chris,
Question for you. Some weeks ago we were anchored off Priory Bay. It was very early morning and I could see fish regularly breaking the surface all around. Bit like trout on a lake or river. What were they? I tried chucking a spinning lure at them from the dinghy but was ignored.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
If you are anchored the chances of catching mackeral is fairly slim. Mackeral usually sit in deeper water although at the end of summer you can catch them 3m in Keyhaven Roads and we catch a few when anchored on Christchurch Ledge or in 30m off the IoW.
Off Newtown a lump of fish on the bottom is your best bet, you might pick up one of the elusive bass or perhaps a sea bream.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Studland not worth it, unless you see bass striking on the surface, which they sometimes do, then chuck a spinner near them, they *might* take.
I know that peeps have caught fish off Swanage but have not fished there myself. I've a feeling that you will probably be tucked in too close near the beach, I think that the fish are caught from the ledges on the outside of the anchorage which is prob not where you'd stick yer boat.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
I thought that would be the case. We carry 3 rods already set up to use in holders on our gantry, 2 x 30lb ones, one with feathers the other a Rapala plug and a light spinning rod also with a plug. It looks like we might know what we are doing but we don't...
Trouble is I hate just going out for an aimless sail, we have to be actually going somewhere, then because we ARE going somewhere we are generally going too fast to fish even with the handline and paravane we also have. Down in Brittany we've had some luck drifting after having dropped the mainsail just off our destination and furling the genoa whilst we have a go. I even tried a couple of windless times in Le Raz De Sein and Alderney Race but all I got was a bigger than usual mackerel. What I really lack I guess is fish fingers - like gardeners have green ones!
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
I have tried frankfurter as bait & that did'nt produce results (being to lazy to dig for rag worms) & also a little shiny gold spinner with red spots on it & though I noticed small fish following this out of curiosity they did'nt seem to bite or maybe it was just to big for their gobs.
My question is is there a special type of lure that is guaranteed to attract the more exciting type of fish?
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
"My question is is there a special type of lure that is guaranteed to attract the more exciting type of fish? "
Decades since I did any serious sea angling (beach casting and pier fishing), but when I did I remember the two killer baits were lugworm (if you were gonna leave it sitting there) and a mock sand eel (if you were gonna wind it slowly in).
No doubt those more expert will have better suggestions.
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Yeah I did a lot of beach casting & I heard of the magical properties of sand eels but could never procure the blighters (we used to dig rag worms on Western shore).Now I want something more exciting than the odd flounder or occasional bass.
I hear of porpoises seen off the Isle of Wight & have watched those programs on black marlin.......sometimes it can be so lovely anchored in a little bay that for now I shall keep private but I yearn for that exciting stuff......I would'nt want to catch a porpoise don't get me wrong but just the setting seems so lovely & the prospect is not entirely without hope?
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
In short, yes. TK is right about lug as bait and sandeel as a lure, there are newer and better lures but the sandeels still works well. However, both of these things pail into insignifiance if they're aren't fish to eat them in the spot you are sitting in...
Prob with bait such as lug or rag worm is that a. you have to find a shop to buy it from ad b. it doesn't last that long. Which is all very good if you are going on a fishing trip but in my experience doesn't chime with yotting arrangements.
Hence, I carry a couple of rods for feathernig and spinning and if I want to bait fish I use slices of whatever I've caught feathering and spinning, usually mackeral.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Thanks;I shall try & sort out some feathers & try trolling that sand eel thing across the bottom.Have you ever seen porpoises & is there a good place for them?
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
In 40 years of sailing I've only seen porpoises once in Channel waters - near Les Echrous, between Jersey and St Malo.
Maybe they don't like seeing me?
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Harbour porpoises are pretty common in the Clyde; we see them about 50% of outings. I haven't seen dolphins up there yet (though, of course, a porpoise is simply a small dolphin in taxonomic terms).
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Hmmm I wonder what they were then. They were small and had a porpoise like snout, but behaved more like dolphins. They were absent unless I switched the engine on, upon hearing it they would race over swim around for 30 seconds and then disappear, I presumed because there was no food for them.
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Basically, if it was 1-2 m long, counter-shaded with a blunt snout, it was a porpoise. And I have verified this with a cetacean biologist who was a former secretary of the IWC!
They are both toothed whales (Odontocetae (from memory)), anyway!
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
I thought I had a rubber sand eel but what I have actually got are some very life like looking prawn type lures.I guess you jig them about on the bottom in the hope of catching bass?
Would they be any good for a Priory bay/Osbourn bay type location?
Getting quite excited here & off to find a cook book [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
I've tried fishing before, never had any luck, mainly due to not knowing what I'm doing! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
So, encouraged by Chris' guide I had another try yesterday. Just enough wind to sail meant I was looking for something to do.....
I tied a spinner on and dropped it over the back, 5 minutes later I was trying to work out what was banging about in the cockpit - turned out to be the rod! By the time I'd got over the shock I was too late and whatever had been on the end had got off. I'd been told that there are a lot of Bass in that part of The Wash, but could have been anything.
Rest of the morning was gently drifting with the wind and tide, 2 knots was the best I saw. Not a nibble on the fishing side of things.
Wind changed and got up for the sail back which meant beating into an f4 with the tide behind me, great sailing and sun still beating down.
Eventually had to start the engine as I got near the river entrance so decided to start the "tidy-up". Wound the line back in on the rod and saw the usual clump of seaweed on the lure.
Was surprised to find that once I'd got it onboard, I'd caught a fish!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]
It's the first one I've caught since I left school! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
are you sure thats from the Wash ? Its only got 5 legs [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
the mackeral are coming to a place near you soon
still fishing beats cutting the grass [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]
are you still going to Fosdyke next week ?
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
[img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]chuck your spinner out whilst approaching and going round Tabs and a way up the Welland you may catcha Basstard
Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
It wasn't too far past Tab's when the rod tried to jump overboard....
Never seen so many boats out fishing as there were on Sat, spoke to a few who weren't catching anything!
Only saw 1 sailing, me. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
An interesting looking critter,I'm not sure how you would cook it though [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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Re: Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Right, pollack and coalfish, definitely two different types of fish, although very similar. One has a kink in its dorsal line the other doesn't but I can't remember which...
Saithe, lythe and coley all different names for pollack , although I wouldn't be too surprised if commercial fishermen lumped pollack and coalfish together.
Of course, some are bigger than others - plastic pink squid on the surface at 8 knots. (The squid is about 6 inches long so you can see how big this monster was)
Warm water trolling tip - don't believe the books and troll 1.5 to 2 boat lengths back - let out as much as you can, 150 metres is good. We caught loads this way.
This is a sort of Mackerel ie a Wahoo.
By the way I thought it was Mackerel not Mackeral. (Oh God I hope I haven't started another thread like the one about ensigns and apostraphe''s.)
Of course, some are bigger than others - plastic pink squid on the surface at 8 knots. (The squid is about 6 inches long so you can see how big this monster was)
Warm water trolling tip - don't believe the books and troll 1.5 to 2 boat lengths back - let out as much as you can, 150 metres is good. We caught loads this way.
This is a sort of Mackerel ie a Wahoo.
By the way I thought it was Mackerel not Mackeral. (Oh God I hope I haven't started another thread like the one about ensigns and apostraphe''s.)
You're right it is mackerel.
Not a bad Wahoo, they'll take at any speed you can drive a boat at, I've had them returning from a game fishing trip at 20 knots.
Re how far to troll behind boat in warm water. I used to run a couple of rods off the back of mine when in warmer climes and caught as many fish at 20 yards out as I did at 100. I found that the most important thing was when to fish, we caught the majority of fish in the two hours after sunrise and the two hours around sunset.
But that's another story, shame we don't have this kind of fishing locally (although some of my friends are, as I write, off the coast of W Ireland fishing for 1000lb+ tuna....)
I have a diagram but have yet to master putting pictures or scans on to this site (I can attach to emails,) so I'll look a bit further into it.
Deadly simple and it works a treat. We catch Cornish mackerel up to about 6kts but it is better at around 4kts. Can't work out if it's better in sun or not - for the spinner- or whether Springs or Neaps are better.
Our attempts are completely haphazard, chucking it out when we remember and we rarely fail to catch something. Even caught a Sea Trout the other day (had to look it up in Rick Stein's fish book,) brilliant.
Making a wild guess that you're referring to my pic of the dolphins (I don't know how the heck you can tell who is replying to who since The Change)...
Chris_E\'s *definitive* guide to catching fish from a yacht
Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!
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