SKIPPER’S LOGBOOK
Species to target from the boat now.
Casting my mind back to the middle of March, when a blizzard of snow was pelting the windows of the office, it was hard to imagine that soon anglers would be foraging far afield to target some of the most successful species available. Having seen charter boats lost in port to some of the most horrendous easterly storms I can remember in some 40-odd years of chartering, my first trip after the harsh freeze, which sent the water temperature plummeting to a bone-chilling 3°C, showed us the effects that a sudden change in meteorological conditions can have.
The first five hours of torment produced not a bite, with the last three hours only livening up enough for my gallant crew to winkle out a few dogfish, a handful of whiting and a couple of lazy rays.
However, my spirits remain high because the weather has improved. Soon, our rods will be bouncing under the weight of several species that have become prolific in the Bristol Channel.
FAMILY AFFAIR
The first to show in numbers will be the dogfish family. Lesser-spotted dogfish will appear in their hundreds and, though no-one actually targets these voracious creatures, they are a fact of life here in the channel. They are here to stay. Bull huss will be available, too, because the females come inshore to lay their eggs.
Again, we will not be spending too much time on these breeding fish. They have been a great success story here, when some days will produce excellent sport. A mackerel and squid cocktail is ideal for the huss, but be aware that they are here to lay eggs and so are vulnerable. Release the fish as soon as possible to minimise damage.
The feisty spurdog has been a delight over the winters of the past few years, with massive shoals hitting the channel with gusto. Many fish to around 20lb have been landed, most of which are released. Though, by now, most will have ventured back out of the channel, it is not unusual to find one or two hanging around until the early summer. These fish were hammered commercially until recently, when restrictions prohibited their landing. Now they are thriving beyond imagination.
RAY SPECIES
The highlight of any spring charter boat trip in the Bristol Channel has to be the rays. Not a trip will go by without some fantastic specimens being caught. Historically, rays would go into a hibernation-type period over the winter, only to liven up as the spring air warmed the waters. These days, though, it seems that most rays continue to feed throughout the year, with the exception of the latest spell of extreme cold.
Small-eyed rays will take up residence on the many sandbanks, with fish to well over double figures taken on a regular basis. A frozen or fresh sandeel, presented on a flowing trace
of around 30lb is all that is necessary to entice these sporty rays.
Probably the most impressive of the rays has to be the blonde. Huge specimens are taken regularly from both boat and shore marks. Again, in recent years these fish have proved to be a great success story for us... trip after trip will often produce 20lb-plus fish.
Though they sometimes inhabit the same grounds as small-eyeds, the blondes tend to favour rougher patches. They can also be found in deeper water where the tide can be ferocious, resulting in the fish being a real handful, especially if they wrap their tail around the trace. They will, of course, come up through the water backwards, creating one almighty drag against the current.
SMOOTHHOUNDS
Another prolific species that has become high on the target list of the charter boat angler is the smoothhound. Restrictions on commercial activity have helped enormously with these amazing scrappers. Twenty years ago, the capture of a hound from the Bristol Channel was something of a special occasion. Now it is not unusual to catch more than 100 fish in a single day.
A peeler crab has always been the number one bait for hounds, but recently their palate seems to have changed slightly. Though peeler crab will always take hounds, I have found that they will take hardbacks just as readily. In fact, we often see more fish falling to hardbacks than peelers.
With a drop-net and a bit of mackerel bait, you can catch as many hardbacks as you want, whereas peelers can be expensive to buy. A finishing strip of squid or cuttlefish always adds to the offering, but I find this will also attract the attention of unwanted species such as dogfish and eels.
I believe the reason for the apparent success of these species is down to two contributory factors. First, the modern angler is far more conservation-conscious than before. Often, we will return from a day’s charter with no fish on board, not because we haven’t caught any, but because what we have caught has been released to fight another day.
Second, as a nation, we are always willing to step up and criticise Government officials for the bad decisions they make, and with issues such as fishery protection, these are fairly frequent. However, there are times when their protection policies prove beneficial, as we are witnessing now with the species I have mentioned.