Perfect Pollacking

This time last year I joined Lyle Stantiford on his brand new "Supanova" for only his second commercial trip with the new boat.  On that day the weather was perfect, the boat ran like a dream and there were plenty of fish to add to the mix.  One year on and the trip was a carbon copy!  The boat is immaculate still, the weather was flat calm and sunny and the fishing just as rewarding.

"Ready for the off"

A call to Lyle the night before had confirmed that the weather was set fair and that we would be fishing the offshore wrecks for fat "Spring run" Pollack.  Lyle said that they had been struggling to catch fish at the height of the very big tides this week and therefore it was critical that we hit the slack water for our best chance.  This meant leaving the dock at 6.45am! 

Lyle also told us that they had been finding it very difficult to catch any fish on the artificial lures that are normally used at this time of year.  Lyle had solved this problem by having a live bait well full of prime sand eels that he had trawled himself earlier in the week - they would prove very effective!

"Sunrise over the Nothe Gardens"

With the crew assembled we slipped the moorings and steamed some 25 miles in fabulous sunshine to our first wreck.  There were only seven us aboard today as Lyle had been let down by two anglers at the last minute.  I often read on forums the threads posted by anglers who object to paying deposits, but surely they must understand how damaging 'let downs' can be to a skipper's business? 

On the way out, all of us rigged up with flying collar rigs armed with strong hooks (I chose a Kamasan 4/0 which is  pattern which served me well all day).  The sand eels were rigged by passing the hook through the eel's mouth and out through the gills.  10oz was sufficient weight all day, dropping to 8oz at slack water.

We came to the first wreck before 9am and had our first drift.  I started with my usual disaster and immediately hooked the wreck and lost all my terminal gear including the leader.  No fish were registered on this first pass.

I rapidly re-rigged with my spare reel and new rig and I was ready for the second drift.  No fish on this one either or a third.  Lyle decided the water was too coloured (more so than the day before) and we pushed another 4 miles out towards the shipping lanes to find better conditions.

The second wreck was instantly more productive.  On the first drift I was quickly in to a fish as were a couple other members of the crew. The result for me was a fish of around 7lbs I guess and the others were of a similar size.

"off and running"

A second drift and more fish came to the boat with Pops opening his account for the day with a fish of 5 or 6lbs.

"Live Eels do it again!"

As the tide slackened so the pace picked up further and the average size of fish got larger.  For an hour or so the fish came to the boat at a rate of two or three a drift and the average size was probably 9 to 10lbs.

My next fish was my best of the day - a very fat 12lb'er.

"A Proper Fish"

I managed another 3 fish in the region of 9 to 10lbs with Pops only posting one in return.  It then went quiet for me. It is strange how this happens sometimes as fish were still being caught and I was using the same tactics but my bait was being passed over for those of other anglers.

Pops started his fight back.

"Another fish comes to the net for Pops"

Pops leaned into another fish and the result was a nice double figure Pollack.  You can see from the picture just how good the conditions were today.

"

"A Better Fish for Pops"

Lyle had predicted that the fishing would become tougher as the tide built and this proved to be true.  I had one more fish of this wreck on a live eel whilst Pops managed three more so I was winning six fish to five as we moved to the final wreck.  Both Pops and I had decided to give artificials a go as the tide increased and the fishing became more difficult.  With a good weight of fish between us already we figured we might as well have a try with different tactics and if we were unsuccessful it wouldn't bother us too much.

I tried rhubarb & custard sidewinders, red gills, and shads in every colour with no success.  Pops also chopped and changed his lures but when he attached a small "salmon pink" sidewinder he had found the recipe. 

He quickly equalled my tally of six fish. 

I then switched back to live eels and edged ahead with a seventh but he quickly matched this with another.

Then he pulled ahead with number eight - and time was running out.

"Where shall I put my fish Skipper?  I've filled these boxes!"

Luck appeared to be on my side as Pops caught wreck and lost his magic sidewinder as I hooked another fish to level the score.  Pops then emerged from the bottom of his tackle bag with another of the pink killer lures.

Lyle called out that we would have two more drifts and then we would be off.

Nothing for either of us on the penultimate drift and then on the final pass a bite for me! NO, the wreck!  I lost my gear and with the drift being 4.5 knots I had no chance of re-rigging.  I don't think I've ever seen Pops concentrate so hard but to no avail.  Honours would remain even and there were no bragging rights at the dinner table this night.

On the way in Lyle cleaned and filleted all of the fish for us - approaching 50 fish between seven anglers.  The top rod notched up 11 fish for the day, all of a good average size.

As we headed back to land in glorious sunshine, having enjoyed excellent sport with plenty of fish, I thought about the two anglers that had let Lyle down at the last minute.  You don't get many days at sea that are as "all round perfect" as this one and I can only imagine they would be kicking themselves if they knew what they had missed!

The Gallery

"The remodelled Ship Inn and fishing boats"

"Big Boat / Little Boat"

Contact - steve@madpolka.co.uk