Good or Bad year so far ?

Rich66 · Post by **Rich66** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:37 pm

I noticed a few posts on other regional forums mentioning that the fishing in there area had been poor this year. I fish Portsmouth and the surrounding area and have found this not to be the case especially for certain species i.e Bass and smoothounds. I keep Records of the fish I catch, Where, when, and what tide state. Comparing this year to the last few I have done slightly better this year to date for bass bream and smoothound, Although I have noticed that I dont seem to be catching as many mackerel as most years. I would be interested to hear fellow south coast anglers opinions on this. Has it been a good year so far or bad one ?

Post by **rabbi2** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:37 am

Althogh Im not from your area I have found a sready deccline in shore caught mackerel over the past few yeard.
Cheers keith

timoz · Post by **timoz** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:22 pm

yer not been catching as many as last year.

waverider14 · Post by **waverider14** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:42 pm

I also have noticed the decline in Mackerel this year but think there has been an increase in other species like smooth hounds it seems to have been a very good year for them?

I am just hoping that we have a good cod season....

timoz · Post by **timoz** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:44 pm

waverider14 · Post by **waverider14** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:53 pm

Yep i'm with you on that one Tim an expensive fish!!! I will be collecting my own crabs from now on ....
Just wish I lived as close to the sea as you do mate!!!

mulletover · Post by **mulletover** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:33 pm

Hi
I mainly fish SE but have fished south and thames, and I don't know if everyone is on holiday but there is very little being posted.

Mackeral have hardly shown at my favourite venues, but then there hasn't been any settled weather.
The bass seem few and far between as well.
I had a poor summer last year, but this one is looking worse.

One of the reasons I am posting on the south forum is that my best fish this summer so far was at Selsey, thanks again to Timoz for help, and at Eastney, but a 200 mile round trip is a bit excessive and expensive too, but that's how desperate I was getting to catch!!!

I'm out most weekends but really struggling for venues as it all seems so quiet!

Regards to all
Martin

waverider14 · Post by **waverider14** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:28 pm

Hi Martin where are you from mate? which area?
Only asking because ive been hearing some really good reports from Dungeness area they had a good start with lots of cod and it seems there having the best year in many.

mulletover · Post by **mulletover** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:30 pm

I'm in Kent, about 40-50 miles from Dungeness.
Dungie fished well in the winter, but to be honest I haven't heard of much either on here or elsewhere in Kent this summer. The boats seem to be doing great and I'm hoping to get into a syndicate for a monthly charter boat.

I have to confess I am less of a winter fisherman, night sessions in the freezing cold are getting less appealing as I age, especially on the hands!!!

I posted on the SE forum about the lack of fish. Seems to be fairly common.
I've only been fishing about 5 years, the first year I had 3x 5lb bass from The River Medway where I live. We'd go out and have at least 20 schoolies a session with the odd bigger one. That summer we caught dogfish, eels, pout and even a gurnard in the river.
Just seems to be poor this year and you start getting paranoid that you're doing something wrong.

I fish a fair bit, have read up loads so consider I'm not exactly a beginner now, I think maybe I don't quite get winds and tides exactly, you know, all them articles where the 'pros' seem to know exactly what fish are where at anytime!!!

I'll be out Saturday, Sue on the SE forum is down at Dugeness tonight so I'll be watching her report with interest!!!

If you want any info on Dungie or kent in general I will do my best to help!!

Martin

cuckoo · Post by **cuckoo** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:08 pm

Its been an excellent summer on the south coast and is getting better ! coddies already being reported from certain south coast marks , mackeral are thinner on the ground as per the norm , plenty of double figure hounds to be had , decent bass in now but my only gripe is the flounder poulation seems to have dwindled rapidly

, still havent had a flounder this year yet

, had plaice and turbot but no flounders

Rich66 · Post by **Rich66** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:20 am

Sounds like the general opinion is the same as mine. Bass and smoothhound catches seem to be up. I read on another post that the decline in mackerel was somehow down to the amout of bait fish being caught and used comercially for pet food. Obviously any decline in mackerel would have a detremental effect on the Bass, Smoothhounds over a period of time. So maybe the good fishing at present will come to an end. What a horrible thought ! Lets hope not anyway.

Sounds like you Kent Boys should get down on the south coast and make the most of it.

Rich

waverider14 · Post by **waverider14** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:48 am

Hello Cukcool,
I see your from Southampton...Have you tried Hythe reclaimed land? It might be a bit early yet as they normally show in numbers in October but thats a great place for flounders,we used to go there or Weston shore?

Anyway bud I hope you get one....

lockpicker · Post by **lockpicker** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:31 am

Well after last week end I can`t complain,dozens of bream from Calshot.
Both rods never stopped for an hour and a half,just too many to count.The sweat was pouring off me.
Nothing of any size,just loads of them,and I loved every minute!
Pete.

waverider14 · Post by **waverider14** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:15 am

Well done Pete,
A good session....

Can you help out with the sticky at the top marks directions and pics?

Jay

lockpicker · Post by **lockpicker** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:28 pm

Sorry Jay,members only on the Spit.
Pete