islandgun Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I was wondering how the sea fishing is around the country, I was inshore line fishing last night in perfect conditions and normally would expect plenty of Pollack and mackerel but hardly saw any, The mackerel started well with good numbers of large fish but they disappeared and the Pollack which I usually get to double figures are absent, the sea is full of Brit, Sandeels and baby Pollack and the best guess is that the large fish are preoccupied with these so why would they want to chase a rubber eel, I hope this is the case, However on the bright side I got close to a Minke whale and was surrounded by a school of porpoises, I must remember to take a camera Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 Sounds like absolute heaven in this weather ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Mackerel are patchy from the shore here in the south east, a brief spell with a strike every cast then an empty half hour before the shoal returns or another comes along. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Everyone I speak to here is struggling with the mackerel, very patchy. I was out this morning with my cousin but the mist locked in, we had plenty of Pollock for kreel bait then we tried for a ling and only got 2 but we didn't go far out as visibility was only about 40 yards. We did see one porpoise though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Minke can be good sport on the right tackle though resist the urge to go too light, i wouldnt consider anything less than a 3.5 lb TC stick and i'd be inclined to use 22lb strsight through on a 7000 size winder. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Minke can be good sport on the right tackle though resist the urge to go too light, i wouldnt consider anything less than a 3.5 lb TC stick and i'd be inclined to use 22lb strsight through on a 7000 size winder. Lol Do you use a steel trace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted July 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Everyone I speak to here is struggling with the mackerel, very patchy. I was out this morning with my cousin but the mist locked in, we had plenty of Pollock for kreel bait then we tried for a ling and only got 2 but we didn't go far out as visibility was only about 40 yards. We did see one porpoise though. The Pollack fishing this year is the worst anyone can remember the mackerel came early and were in decent numbers and top quality but they have disappeared as well, hopefully it will pickup later ! Minke can be good sport on the right tackle though resist the urge to go too light, i wouldnt consider anything less than a 3.5 lb TC stick and i'd be inclined to use 22lb strsight through on a 7000 size winder. Lol These are the great northern Minke and I never go lighter than 50lb braid and rollers throughout and you do need some heavier rubbing leader as the barnacles on their back will sever light line, if your in a small boat they can tow you all over the north atlantic at high speed great fun but don't make the mistake I once did and forget to take some tea ! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Or you could loose the e off the Minke and use a rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny tim Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 I,ve been fishing north wales it is dismal ,mackerel are few and far between We have been targeting the bass and after five trips haven't even had one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 So what do you think the reason is for the lack of mackerel around at present The weather is good so thought they would be showing by now especially as I have 2 weeks off of work with the kids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Personally I think the mackerel have been over fished but some may disagree. Cant blame the lack of feed because from what I have been hearing the sea birds have had the best breeding season for years, plenty of feed and close to home too. Puffins coming back to the nest with that classic beak full of sandy eels which I haven't seen for a long while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 So what do you think the reason is for the lack of mackerel around at present The weather is good so thought they would be showing by now especially as I have 2 weeks off of work with the kids Climate change has warmed the sea and the mackerel are all up North now, like Iceland! Seriously, it's true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted July 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 Climate change has warmed the sea and the mackerel are all up North now, like Iceland! Seriously, it's true. Have you any data ? It has been on my mind for a while a 1 degree warming would make a huge difference, (although mackerel and Pollack are associated with warm summer seas,) Aister in Shetland reported plenty of Pollack, but given this, should we not be getting the fish usually happy in the south of England , also in the OP we did get plenty of good mackerel early Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 (edited) The mackerel stocks have not collapsed in a year. Particularly since there are three different overwintering grounds, sw ireland, biscay and n sea. We have few at the minute also, because they are in very deep water feeding on shrimp. I have caught 6 this year off my usual mark, but the boys in know off the boats have been in deep water and can lift hundreds if they want. Nature is strange! Edited July 29, 2014 by Dr D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted July 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 Ok, its hard to believe that stocks have collapsed, three theories, one is that there is so much food in the water (due to what ever reason) that mackerel and Pollack cant be bothered to chase an artificial, second that they have moved to deep water, both of these would appear to be localised (whats good in n ireland may not apply to west wales), third warming seas pushing them out of Uk waters, but why would they pass up on the copious amounts of bait fish inshore now, perhaps the bait fish "bloom" is due to the fact that predators are absent ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 I was surrounded by a school of porpoises.... Talking to a keen sea fisherman in Pembrokeshire today he was claiming that the porpoises were keeping them away from the feeding areas where you would normally catch em??? (not my opinion i know nothing about sea fishing) Tight Lines Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted July 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 Talking to a keen sea fisherman in Pembrokeshire today he was claiming that the porpoises were keeping them away from the feeding areas where you would normally catch em??? (not my opinion i know nothing about sea fishing) Tight Lines Aled perhaps unusually I always feel happier when there are porpoises and seals in the area as I reckon that they know where the fish are, I think its pure mayhem down there with everything feeding on everything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 1, 2014 Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 In Strangford lough we have an on going problem with poor sea fishing due to the mackeral run failing each year, there numbers get lower and lower every year due to the fact that there is usually 3-4 super trawlers sitting at the mouth of the lough each year which scoope up everything in the path but most of all the mackeral which are a life line to some species of fish in the lough such as migration tope which come to breed they need the mackerel to feed on to be able to breed also the large sea trout that used to be in Strangford lough have virtually disappeared due to the fact of the mackeral run failing to happen. There is much more to write about but it makes my blood boil!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 In Strangford lough we have an on going problem with poor sea fishing due to the mackeral run failing each year, there numbers get lower and lower every year due to the fact that there is usually 3-4 super trawlers sitting at the mouth of the lough each year which scoope up everything in the path but most of all the mackeral which are a life line to some species of fish in the lough such as migration tope which come to breed they need the mackerel to feed on to be able to breed also the large sea trout that used to be in Strangford lough have virtually disappeared due to the fact of the mackeral run failing to happen. There is much more to write about but it makes my blood boil!!!!! I did a survey of seal diet at Ballykinler and Minerstown a few years back and found that the stocks of oily fish in the area were very low. Seals were eating mostly pollack, saithe and sandeels. Interesting data for fish stocks around the area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted August 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 (edited) I did a survey of seal diet at Ballykinler and Minerstown a few years back and found that the stocks of oily fish in the area were very low. Seals were eating mostly pollack, saithe and sandeels. Interesting data for fish stocks around the area 955i The mackerel fishing is often up and down but the Pollack fishing here always 100% reliable has disappeared, I seem to remember that your an ecologist do you have any theories ? Edited August 2, 2014 by islandgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 It's crazy stupid because Strangford Lough is a protected marine environment and they ( the government) will not protected the shore 3 miles of shore which has to be done to ensure future fish stocks which the trawlers cannot decimate, a little fact is that Strangford Lough acts pretty much like a fish nursery in a way that big fish such as tope cod and pollock lay there eggs and the fish hatch in the winter and start to grow, so how can these bigger adult fish breed if the trawlers suck everything up I.e not sustainable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 My theory to why mackerel fishing is bad all round the country is due the the fact of Hughs fish fight the whole country is eating mackerel which they all think is sustainable, they are completely wrong just because mackerel have numbers does not mean they are sustainable. A fact about mackerel- mackerel are one of the slowest growing fish in the ocean it can take up to 6-7-8 for a mackerel to reach a 1lb in weight. Again that proves my theory that mackerel fishing isn't sustainable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler23 Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 Iv been doing a it local, cumbria off shore and boat, plenty of bass around, a lot of smooth hound too, goin to venture out next week for mackerel and tope, hopefully be a few about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 955i The mackerel fishing is often up and down but the Pollack fishing here always 100% reliable has disappeared, I seem to remember that your an ecologist do you have any theories ? Nothing particularly scientific but my own theory is that with decline in cod stocks, fishing boats are turning to 'the next best thing' including pollack, haddock and saithe. All good 'codalikes' in the chip shops etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted August 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 (edited) Nothing particularly scientific but my own theory is that with decline in cod stocks, fishing boats are turning to 'the next best thing' including pollack, haddock and saithe. All good 'codalikes' in the chip shops etc cheers I understand that Pollack are targeted much more for the chip shop trade but also understand that for most of the year they are a reef loving making them harder to catch trawling, can line fishing or wreck netting decimate a species in a year ? cant really see an inshore fishery that has good stocks of fish for 10/11 months a year (Pollack) reduce to almost nothing in a year from over fishing, it has just occurred to me that maybe they are targeted when spawning in deeper water in the late winter ! I hope my first theory is correct and line catches improve when the bait fish shoals move away in the autumn Edited August 3, 2014 by islandgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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