Well, That's a 1st And 2nd And 3rd

[wymberley]

With my knees and back I was forced to accept that I had become a liability on the marsh many years ago. Still, up at 4am to fish the rising tide off Budleigh Salterton and watch the 'fowl moving around the Otter estuary and dream of Findhorn Bay.

 

As it got light another angler approached and asked what it was that he had dangling from his rod. Gurnard was as far as I got but had never seen the like. He said he was going to put it back and as he had a below-the-knee prosthesis, I unhooked it and put it back for him. The water was gin clear and when it spread its pectoral fins there was no way you were going to forget that sight. I checked it out when I got home and found it to be a Streaked Gurnard. These are supposed to be rare in our waters according to the boffins, certainly I've never seen one before, but the Cornish fishermen will tell you otherwise AND it was the 3rd one he'd caught this morning.

 

Just before the Gurnard incident, I thought I'd better get a parking ticket before the warden starts his rounds. Was half way back across the pebbles when a very charming young lady from a small group that had arrived earlier, had lit a fire and were having breakfast while watching the sun come up from behind the point, came toward me asking if I'd like a bacon roll as they had one going begging. Seemed churlish to refuse. A right tasty morsel it turned out to be.

 

What did I catch? One gull that flew into my line in the dimpsey which took a few minutes to sort out and one mackerel. Who cares, a very pleasant four hours all in all.

[samboy]

Glad you had a good time, better than being stuck indoors.

[islandgun]

Yes, reading about fishermen in Cornwall who regularly catch streaked gurnard but the "experts" claim them to be rare, Red and Tub Gurnard make fine eating to my mind, skinned if you like, they have firm flesh with one large bone, they are also very cheap to buy, how long before they become the "in fish" like the once cheap angler fish (monk) I wonder, Not getting any Bass down in Devon then ?

[wymberley]

Yes, reading about fishermen in Cornwall who regularly catch streaked gurnard but the "experts" claim them to be rare, Red and Tub Gurnard make fine eating to my mind, skinned if you like, they have firm flesh with one large bone, they are also very cheap to buy, how long before they become the "in fish" like the once cheap angler fish (monk) I wonder, Not getting any Bass down in Devon then ?

Sadly, not too many bass from the shore locally now - unless you can get to somewhere where the professional boys can't navigate. Not fully awake yet and as stiff as a board - the pebbles play havoc with my knees - so you had me for a minute until I twigged that it was an easily made typo. It's not often, hardly ever, I hear the alternative name used. Do the monk fish in the markets where you are still have no tails?

[islandgun]

Sadly, not too many bass from the shore locally now - unless you can get to somewhere where the professional boys can't navigate. Not fully awake yet and as stiff as a board - the pebbles play havoc with my knees - so you had me for a minute until I twigged that it was an easily made typo. It's not often, hardly ever, I hear the alternative name used. Do the monk fish in the markets where you are still have no tails?

This is another niggle of mine, like "sea bass" when I was a lad you could catch Monkfish from the Essex shore,they looked like a cross between a Ray and Tope, I never caught one but remember reading about them (early to mid sixties) I suspect they are now extinct. Later as a young man I worked on deep sea trawlers out of Lowestoft and we caught a lot of Angler fish along with the Sole and Plaice, the unfortunate Angler fish (considered almost worthless ) had its tail removed which was then marketed under the name of Monkfish and used as scampi and sold in pubs all over Britain along with chips and in a basket, you may be able to find reference to the real Monkfish in old books

 

Interestingly (to me) just googled Monkfish and found reference to ANGEL shark also a story that an Angel shark had been filmed swimming up the Stour having seen the pictures it looks like a Smoothhound or Tope

Edited September 2, 2015 by islandgun

[wymberley]

Yep, that was my point about the missing tails. Used to catch them from the shore in Aden. In return for being given them, the watching locals would take them off the hook for you and before you'd re-baited and cast, they'd be in kit form ready for the pot.

[Lord Geordie]

I remember catching a gull once! Properly catching! I lobbed out a float with dead bait and the gull took the bait and got its beak hooked! You have seen nothing like it! Most people fight their catch from below! Mine was in the air and I had to reel it DOWN managed to cut the hook out and free the bird, much to the disgust of other anglers who were baying for me to club the poor thing! Never forget that one

Edited September 10, 2015 by Lord Geordie

[guzzicat]

Fishing the Spey years ago for sea trout I had a bat take my Teal blue & silver on the back cast, I thought I had snagged a floating something so put the rod in waistcoat clasps & pulled line in over hand, I had a torch between my teeth & nearly bit it in two when this thing like a wet chamoix leather was squirming in my hand, unhooked it & waded ashore to put it in a tree, neatly hooked in the "scissors".