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SPECIES CAUGHT IN 2017:
Pollack, Pouting, Black Bream, Brown Bream, Mackerel, Poor Cod, Tope, Conger Eel, Scad, Thornback Ray, Dogfish, Sand Eel, Red Gurnard, Blonde Ray, Squid
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Saturday 8 April - Offshore Rebel First trip of 2017 aimed at wrecking for Pollack. We left at 7.45 am with eight anglers onboard and headed due south for about 25 miles in calm seas, light southeast breeze and clear blue skies. When we reached our first planned wreck there was already another boat there so we headed west for about 20 mons to another wreck, but this only yielded 1 Pollack and 1 Ballan Wrasse. We then decided to move back to our original wreck which was being fished by 'Peace and Plenty', but after 8 drifts and only two fish caught we moved again northeastwardly for about 30 mins and after three drifts we finally got into the fish with 8 decent sized Pollack being landed on one drift. However this only lasted for this drift and only a few 'stragglers' were caught so we moved again northwards to our final wreck, but this only yielded 3 Pollack. We packed up at 4.00 pm and headed back to Weymouth arriving after 6.00 pm. The fishing was extremely difficult on this trip with 20 Pollack to 13 lbs being caught, my tally was 1 Pollack at 8 lbs and 2 Pouting - a very disappointing start to the season.
Saturday 13 May - Offshore Rebel Cancelled
Saturday 10 June - Offshore Rebel Cancelled
Saturday 8 July - Offshore Rebel This trip was originally planned to be a wrecking trip for Cod an Pollack, but due to the lack/absence of fish on the wrecks it was agreed to fish inshore. We were all aboard by 7.45 am and set off with calm seas, light wind and clear blue skies. It didn't take long to reach our first stop just southeast of Portland and we set the anchor. It wasn't long before the first Bream was landed by yours truly, others followed and I also landed a 3 lb Pollack, too small to keep. Soon after the tide dropped away and it was decided to move to the Kidney Bank and try for Blonde Ray. We set anchor dropped our lines and waited … and waited, but after 45 mins we moved to the east and set up again, but still they weren't biting. We moved back to our first stop and anchored up for Bream and this time it was more productive with mostly everyone catching and we ended up with over 30 Bream, best at 3.5 lbs. We had a short stop off for fresh Mackerel to take home before moving to the Sambles Bank for a few drifts for Turbot. Before starting our first drift, Barry Luxton had brought along the ashes of his fishing buddy of many years Roy, to be scattered over the Shambles. This was a surprise to everyone on board as we had never experienced this before. After the ceremony we had a few drifts for Turbot, but the only catch was a large Spider Crab to Heath. In all it was a pleasant day's fishing with brilliant weather, but a few more fish would have been welcomed. My tally was 7 Black Bream, 1 Brown Bream, 1 Pollack and 4 Macvkerel.
Wednesday 16 August - Friday 18 August - Supanova II - Weymouth Conger Competition Day 1 - We had loaded our gear on the night before so with 10 anglers we left the quay at 7.00 am with calm seas and sunny skies. Our first stop was for fresh Mackerel from the Shambles Bank, which didn't take long and we were soon heading due south for our first wreck about 20 miles out. We reached the wreck at 9.30 am and after anchoring up we soon got down to the job in hand. I landed the first Eel at 30 lbs and soon after others were being landed on the rising tide. We were rewarded in the morning session with over 60 Eels, the best at 60 lbs. Numerous Tope were landed and I caught a large Thornback Ray weighing 17 lbs, just 8 oz less than the Weymouth port record. We moved about 2 miles south to another wreck, but the catches weren't so good. However a nice Eel was landed weighing around 72 lbs (this to be confirmed onshore), so the Eel was taken onboard. We finished up with over 102 Eels (all returned for another day). On arrival back in Weymouth, the weight was confirmed at 70 lbs 12 oz, however another Eel landed from another boat weighed in at 71 lbs, unbelievable! My tally for the day was 8 Eels best at 30 lbs, 1 Thornback Ray at 17 lbs and a Tope at 30 lbs.
Day 2 The wind had risen overnight making the sea very rough as we left harbour. Our first stop was again for fresh Mackerel, but this time they were not so plentiful so we had to settle for Scads instead. We sailed out to our second wreck from yesterday and after several attempts in the high wind to set the anchor, fishing finally got underway by 10 am. Eels were not being landed so readily as yesterday and after the tide slackened off and the wind increasing it was decided to move back inshore and try a small wreck in Weymouth Bay. Only 3 Eels were caught on this wreck plus a lost anchor, I had hooked the rope and another angler had hooked the anchor link. Our total catch was a poor 28 Eels best at 42 lbs and several Tope and Ling. My tally was 3 Eels, two at 19 lbs and one at 30 lbs. We however were the top boat after two days with 130 Eels, next was Offshore Rebel with 125 Eels, but they did have the largest Eel on the day at 58 lbs.
Day 3 The wind had strengthened again overnight to Force 5, but the direction had swung round to the west. Again we had to settle for Scads for bait, but some anglers had Cuttle Fish as well. We headed to a wreck 25 miles southeast and anchoring up was difficult with the wind, but finally fishing got underway at 10.00 am. Again I landed the first Eel at around 18 lbs, this was to be my only Eel that day no matter how hard I tried. Eels were being pulled in all around me including Tope and Ling. The tide was slackening off and shortly after 1.00 pm Rod Adamson hooked into a decent fish. Still on 4 lbs of lead weight the Eel took 3 dives on the way up which is a good sign of of a decent Eel. Once on the surface the Eel was boated and weighed in at around 70 lbs. The call went out on the radio that we had landed this Eel and with no other Eels being reported things were looking good both for Lyle, our skipper and the lucky angler Rod. We arrived back in port at 4.15 pm and the Eel was confirmed at 73lbs 8 oz, the largest Eel on the day and the overall winner of the 3 day competition and winning our skipper the top boat award. It was even sweeter as last year the skipper managed to boat two good sized Eels for Rod that could have landed him the title then, but the Eels made their way out through the scuppers!. My tally for the competition was 13 Eels.
Wednesday 6 September - Friday 8 September - Supanova II - Mixed Fishing Trips Day 1 Due to the skipper having a hospital appointment we didn't leave port until 9.30 am. There was a stiff breeze as we left with the forecast giving increased wind later. Our first stop was for fresh Mackerel as bait, but they were hard to come by so we opted for Sand Eels. After about 30 mins we moved south about 5 miles southeast of Portland Bill and anchored up for Bream and Rays. The Bream were slow to take with only a few small ones to show, however a nice 14 lbs 8 oz Undulate Ray was landed on a Bream rig. As the tide eased away we moved west and tried again for Bream on the drift, but only small ones were to be had, As the tide picked up we moved back to the Shambles and drifted for Turbot with only one small one being landed. We then tried drifting for Bass, but again to no avail - the fish just weren't there. We arrived back in port at 18.30 and despondent at the poor catches, my best was 1 small Bream.
Day 2 We set off at 8.00 am with a better weather forecast predicted, but the wind was stronger than yesterday. We went through the usual routine for bait and then set about anchoring for Bream on the fast tide. There was more success today with larger Bream to be caught. There was also a selection of other species - Pouting, Dogfish, Red Gunard, small Conger Eels (18") and small Tope (12"). After lunch the wind picked up as forecasted so it was decided to move to the Shambles and drift for Turbot in the increasing swell. However only a 5 lbs Brill and a small Turbot were caught. In all this was another disappointing day with the lack of sport.
Day 3 Cancelled due to high winds.
PS There was a bit of excitement on Tuesday night when a rescue operation was underway to airlift 13 people from the Jurassic Viewing Tower on Weymouth pier involving the Coastguard helicopter.
Saturday 13 October - Offshore Rebel We were all aboard by 7.45 am, but we had to wait for the bridge to open. It was a calm overcast morning with a light southeasterly breeze as we left the harbour and we decided to try for some Squid just outside the harbour. After four drifts only 3 Squid had been caught. We headed for the Kidney Bank just southwest of Portland and try for Blonde Ray as planned. We were anchored up by 10.00 am and it wasn't long before yours truly landed the first Ray at about 7 lbs, then the next … then the next …. Eventually after I had landed 5 Rays one of the other anglers caught one followed by a nice 5 lbs Turbot. The going was slow with others now catching the odd one, but by 2.00 pm the tide had dropped and the Rays were gone. Our tally for the session was 15 Rays with 7 to yours truly. There was also a smattering of small Conger Eels, Pouting and Mackerel. As the sun broke through we decided to move eastwards and anchored up again for a try at Bream. They were thin on the ground and very small, but eventually as the tide picked up so did the size finishing with a total of 25 keepers. We packed up at 4.00 pm and headed back for another try at Squid, but this was slow with only one landed. This was an enjoyable day with good weather and pleasant fishing.
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