Personal Best Fest!

Today we took a break from 2011's very fickle in-shore fishing and had a trip to the mid-channel wrecks in search of big Cod and Pollack.  The venue for the day was aboard Lyle Stantiford's outstanding 'Supanova'.  I have had a number of very successful trips with Lyle over the last 15 months but today would top all of those!  Also Lyle seems to have the knack for ordering up the weather for our trips and once again we had light winds and glorious sunshine for our two hour run to the fishing grounds.

Weymouth Sea Front From The Beach

On the way to our first wreck we all set about rigging our rods with flying collar rigs and a variety of artificial lures to try and attract our target species.  Lyle recommended a shortish trace, four or five feet as a maximum.  Lyle also advised that whilst "Rhubarb and Custard" sidewinders had accounted for a lot of fish the day before, the white coloured variety had found the better fish consistently.  I decided to try a mackerel pattern shad as I fancied these might just do the trick.  I also had the additional task of removing all of the braid from my reel and replacing it with new as I had a "braid bite" knot at about 250 feet.  I had been tempted to see if I would get away with it but, now I know what the day had in store, I'm glad I didn't.

My chosen outfit for the day was a Sonik SK4 12lb class rod with a Penn 310 GT2 reel loaded with 30lb whiplash crystal.  A good sporting outfit for hard fighting, deep water predators.

We arrived at the first wreck and were instantly ready to go.  This wreck had been the last one Lyle had fished the previous day and had delivered some larger fish than other wrecks.  We were drifting with wind against tide so this meant that our gear arrived at the wreck before the boat and this made for some challenging snags!  I started my day as usual by instantly hooking the wreck but fortunately I pulled out without tackle loss.

No fish came on the first drift but on the second, one of the crew had a take and bent in to what was clearly a very good fish.  He played the fish expertly with patience and was rewarded with a cracking specimen estimated at 15lbs.

15lb'er to start the day

Another blank drift was followed by a drift with just one more cod taken by the same angler.  This was a smaller fish but perfect for the fryer.

Lyle decided that this wreck would fish better after the tide had turned and called for lines up so we could head three miles off to another wreck.

The next wreck resulted in instant success for Pops who managed a moderately sized but very lively Pollack.

Pops is off the mark

A couple more Pollack came to the boat at this wreck, including one for me, however they were fairly small and the Cod didn't put in an appearance.  Lyle didn't hang around and we were off again, this time to a wreck just a mile away (one we had fished in March for Pollack).  The next wreck proved much more productive, even on a dying tide.  An angler towards the stern of the boat contacted a heavier fish and Lyle produced the net to bring the prize aboard - a nice eating size Cod, just what we were after.

That's More Like It

Pops then started to move in to the lead in our private head to head competition.  He managed another Pollack and then registered a Cod (not going to be my day I was thinking!). 

"Mmmmmm.....Supper"

At this point I was working my way steadily through my lure collection trying to find something that would find me a Cod.  I had taken another small Pollack on a Rhubarb and Custard sidewinder and a Pouting on a clear weighted red gill with a pink tail, but no Cod.  I decided to go back to Rhubarb and Custard as this had produced fish at this wreck for other anglers and I was running out of ideas.  It proved to be a good choice.  On the next drop I had a couple of plucks as soon as I started to retrieve.  Dropping straight back down three times in a row eventually brought me a hook up.  It took a short slow run initially then settled in to hang on, shaking it's head and providing significant resistance to my 12lb rod.  The fish was dogged rather than athletic so I was pretty confident it would be a Cod but I was not brave enough to declare what I suspected - that it was a good one.  Whilst Cod aren't as speedy as Pollack I always forget just how strong they are and, unlike a Pollack, they don't seem to tire all the way to the surface.  Eventually I could see colour and Lyle co-ordinated the other anglers to make sure no-one reeled in to my fish or line.  He flashed the net and the prize was mine - 15lb 4oz of prime Cod and beating my previous personal best by a good 5lbs.  In fact in the UK I have only caught Conger and Ling larger than this.

Great Camera work by Pops makes this fish look huge!

My Personal Best...Or So I thought!

More Cod came to the boat as well as some smallish Pollack.  I managed another Pollack but no more Cod at this wreck.  Pops managed another and moved ahead in the Cod comp before the tide died altogether and the Pout started to appear in numbers.  I started chopping and changing lures again and all of them were capable of finding Pouting.  I finally settled on a weighted black Red Gill with an orange 'firetail' which produced me more Pouting.  Not everyone was catching Pouts though and the odd Cod was still coming to the net. 

Keep Them Coming...

After a blank drift Lyle decided the tide was now good enough to venture back to the first wreck.  The initial drift was not productive but then the fish started to show in greater numbers.  There were better Pollack here as well and this angler managed a smashing double figure fish to add to his Cod.

A Quality Fighting Fish

Another take for the man in the camouflage baseball cap instantly attracted the interest of the skipper as it put a serious bend in this angler's fishing rod.

Heading For The Sea Bed

A patient battle saw the angler come out on top however.  Another terrific double figure fish.  The angler was confident it would be a personal best and Lyle broke out the scales again to check the weight.  14lbs 12oz - another personal best achieved.

Another PB

I was persevering with my black and orange Red Gill and whilst all of this was going on I managed another pan sized Cod, but so did Pops and he stayed ahead by one fish. 

Then I had a terrific hit. 

I wound into the fish which at first came up in the water ten feet or so. 

Then it ran. 

It ran so hard and for what felt like such a long time I thought it must be a Pollack.  I managed to get the fish's head turned round and started a long and dogged fight with what had to be a Cod.  I said to Lyle that I was fairly sure it would be bigger than my first and then instantly regretted saying it in case I looked daft!  This fish was so much more athletic than the first and I had my heart in my mouth with every shake of the head and line stripping dive for freedom.  Eventually the fish surfaced and Lyle brought him on board with the net.  I asked for the scales again and this time it was 16lbs.  I'd broken my PB twice in one afternoon!

A Long, Lean, Fighting Machine (the fish...not me)!

This fish equalled Pops' tally in the Cod comp.  A couple more drifts and Pops had found the Pouts again.  My Red Gill continued to show its worth however with me dropping one Cod and then boating another of around five pounds.

As we came to the end of the day there was time for one more good fish.  It fell to the man who had opened the batting at this wreck some five or six hours earlier.  This time a fine double figure Pollack to match up with his Cod.

A perfect way to end the day

As we headed back to port in glorious sunshine the skipper gutted and filleted our fish for us.  The sport today had not been prolific in terms of total numbers but the quality of the fish we caught was outstanding.  Plenty of the fish we caught were in double figures and everyone on the boat had a share of the spoils.  Match this with a skipper who is always the perfect host, some great company from the other anglers and beautiful weather, then you get a day that will take some beating!

A Happy Skipper Fillets Our Catch

Could it get better?

Well when I got home I found that a rod tube had been delivered for me.  It was on Supanova in March that I caught a Pollack that won me the Shoreangler.co.uk "fish of the month" competition which is sponsored by Moonfleet Angling (http://www.moonfleet-angling.com/).  The contents of the tube were my prize - a 5 - 10lb class Awa-Shima Ugly Battler boat rod.  This rod is thin as a whip and the "tippiest" rod I have ever owned.  I can't wait to try it on the Bream next time out with a bit of luck!

Contact - steve@madpolka.co.uk