Ferret Master Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Hi, The more observant of you will have realised I have been away and as a result you have been spared from my somewhat random and pointless (at times ) posts. :o Me and my Dad have been out fishing on the rocks most evenings off Manorbier beach in Pembrokeshire and have had a good week. :o We borrowed a beach caster from a friend and Dad bought himself a Mitchell beachcasting reel as we quickly found out that multipliers and casting don't go well together. I was using a spinning rod and an absolutely **** reel with bits missing but suitable for the abuse that the sea (and me) would throw at it. We were aiming to catch bass and mackerel for dinner as we have failed to do this in previous years. Dad was mostly legering and float fishing. I was either on the feathers or spinning with a small ammount of float fishing as well. This meant that Dad caught more than me as he was catching species which just don't bite the spinners like dogfish and pouting for example. The first night we just caught small pollack, wrasse, dogfish and a small bass using ragworm and sand eel. The second night I was float fishing and had only caught 1 pollack. Something wasn't right, :( I think the rag had gone off. Then the most beautiful sight in the world appeared. MACKERAL WERE JUMPING. I hastily swapped to a large spinner and after a few casts hooked a mackerel. WOOT!!! I then hooked into another which happened to be rather a good size. Dad also accounted for a couple of pollack and a wrasse float fishing. The third night I started off on the spinner and caught a pollack. I then managed to catch another couple of mackeral that evening. I then said: 'Wait, get a pick of one on the hook with me holding the rod for PW'. While Dad was working out which button to push on his phone the mackerel decided to jump off the hook, wriggle down the rocks and into the sea. B) I very nearly went in after it. My camera shy father also caught a mackerel on the feathers, 1 dreaded spider crab and a dogfish. Night four was a bit of a disaster from my prospective. I snapped up 4 spinners and only caught a pollack and a decent flattie on them. Meanwhile Dad started off on the feathers and caught 2 mackerel he then started legering and caught 8 dogfish, 4 pouting and a pollack. Was quite funny at times watching him wrestle with dogfish spewing their dinner up over him and wrapping around his arm and scraping the skin off... B) Night five we got to the beach later than planned as we waited far too long in a pub for our dinner to be served. I had a nice 16 oz rump steak with plenty of chips, peas, mushrooms and onion rings. B) 2 old ladies on the beach said there had been fish jumping and we thought oh good the mackeral are still in. We went round to our mark and Dad set up quickly putting some feathers on. I was left up the top sorting out some tangled traces. Suddenly I heard him say the water is throthing with fish and we thought the mackerel were feeding. He cast into them and had 4 fish hit the trace. Upon reeling them in after a good fight. (I had brought the little bucket down for the mackerel he says THEY ARE 4 BASS WOOOTTTIFICATION! We only decided to keep the biggest and let the rest go after pictures had been taken. Sadly the cameraman was too excited from his catch to take very steady pics. I managed a small bass the proper way on a spinner later on that evening but the feeding frenzy seemed to be disturbed by the first cast which caught so many. Dad also got 5 dogfish and a spider crab legering. Now, anglers need fresh Pembrokeshire new potatoes and asparagus to compliment their catch on the plate. We found ourselves at a local farm and got chatting to the farmer who said there was a snake under a pallet of strawberries and they couldn't get it out. My Mum said: 'Oliver has snakes at home in his bedroom, he'll deal with it'. I duely plodded off and upon inspection under the pallet I found a rather angry grass snake trying to be evicted with a broom handle by the farmers husband. The farmhand brought his lifter thingy over and took one pallet away. I was then handed a pair of gloves as it seems they had decided to let the scrawny 14 year old deal with the hissing replile. The farmer then prodded it from one side of the pallet with the broom while I was the other side. The snake turned on the broom and I grabbed it by the tail and dragged it out Steve Irwin stylie. We then relocated it the other side of the lane by a pond. Well done if you have read this far! FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Not a bad grass snake that, well done Used to come across loads in my Grandads horse manure pile, they loved the heat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 I'd say one of the best posts on here, well written, great story and cracking pictures. Well done young man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 What a nice string of bass.......and that grass snake was well gravid, i hope you didnt pull her around too much.....and wearing gloves you big wussie, id rather pick her up than deal with that string of sticky bass! Nice break!!! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaggyRS6 Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 I hate snakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 That is a cracking post B) Glad to see that you put the small bass back as they take years to mature - are very slow growing. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead-eye Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 welldone good catch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 WELL DONE YOUNG MAN - Cracking write up and sounds like you had a really nice break. keep up the good work. Cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Top post and pictures, well done. We did miss you, a bit like you miss a headache. B) B) B) :o (only joking). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Glad you had such a good time NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted June 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 I was suprised the snake hadn't tried to play dead yet when it was under the pallet as this is what they often do. B) I would have quite happily caught her with bare hands but the farmer said here's some gloves use them. It was quite funny after we took her across the lane as a car drove past us and then reversed to see what we were doing. 'Is that an adder'? 'No it's a grass snake.' 'It's an adder.' No it's not.' 'OK have a look for yourself.' AHHH DON'T BRING THAT THING NEAR US IT'S VENOMOUS!' B) B) It seems despite the yellow on it's neck, it's size and lack of black triangles on her back they had decided it was an adder. :o FM :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Nice one Oly LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Sounds like you had a great week. Like the one with the snake....it was you on the right wasn,t it B) Excellent post,cheers for sharing GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 That was a smashing read and some cracking pics lad. B) Thanks. B) Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AP1shooter Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 That is a cracking post B) Glad to see that you put the small bass back as they take years to mature - are very slow growing. Don Don There is also a legal minimum size limit in wales of 45cm. Ferret Master Great Post young man well done B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
young airgunner Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 well done ollie and cheers for giving me the heads up about the snakes on msn. i bloody hate snakes arggghh. enjoyed the pics of the fish and the write up but im afraid i skipped the snake pics rather sharply . well done mate. did the fish make good eating? cheers james Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted June 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Thanks. B) I have eaten most of the mackerel but there are still a couple of them in the freezer as well with the bass. Delicious! I've just checked online and it seems that the legal limit for bass is 37cm? FM B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel b3 Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 a cracking post with great pics matey , it looks like you had a fine old time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AP1shooter Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Thanks. B) I have eaten most of the mackerel but there are still a couple of them in the freezer as well with the bass. Delicious! I've just checked online and it seems that the legal limit for bass is 37cm? FM B) I think you will find in Wales the limit is 45cm and in england 37cm just to clarify check here http://www.wfsa.org.uk/shore%20sizes.htm and for England http://www.defra.gov.uk/fish/sea/manage/annualquotas.htm and as you where fishing in pembroke, a little confusing I know well done on your report Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Well done FM, good fishing and and a great post Glad to see there are still some fish left in our seas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted June 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Thanks. B) I have eaten most of the mackerel but there are still a couple of them in the freezer as well with the bass. Delicious! B) I've just checked online and it seems that the legal limit for bass is 37cm? FM :o I think you will find in Wales the limit is 45cm and in england 37cm just to clarify check here http://www.wfsa.org.uk/shore%20sizes.htm and for England http://www.defra.gov.uk/fish/sea/manage/annualquotas.htm and as you where fishing in pembroke, a little confusing I know well done on your report Thanks. B) When I did my search I found out that the limit was 37cm but they were pushing for 45cm? Your link seems to sum it up although as is always the case there is lots of contradictary evidence on the web. \ This Welsh bass fishing boat seems to think it's 37cm. Here FM :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipper Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Fantastic post and pic's FM. Looks like you had a grate time better than lying on a sun lounger all day and getting legless at night every day for the duration of your holls Reminded me of my holls in cuba last year. Fishing through the night with the locals Fantastic Me with red snapper My son with a big Crab Look at its left claw one of the locals with a red snapper My son catching the bait I will be there again next year I hope Kipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naddan28 Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 great pics, looks like you had fun! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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