Alderney
Angling.com
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3rd January Too blowy to get out afloat so picked up my beach rods and off I went again. That's the first time in a while since I allowed dust to settle on the rods and not had to crack the salt off of the reels!! Not so good this time, all we managed was a couple of missed bites which were more than likely Bream although one that Fieona missed was a bit savage. One of the local lads found some good Wrasse, best went 7lb 14oz with a couple around the 6lb. Still plenty of Mullet from both sides of the island. 4th January Went Mullet fishing yesterday afternoon. Saw plenty!! Fished the Frying Pan and we saw loads, jumping and diving and belly flopping they were. We couldn't reach them though and they never came in on the shirvy. Fieona managed a small Pollack just as it got dark, (and the Mullet were still jumping!), and earlier I had a small Garfish. Earlier that morning further round Mullet to 7lb 6oz were landed with quite a few in that 5lb to 7lb region. Good forecast for early tomorrow morning so I will get the bottom of the boat wet at least. 7th January More Mullet coming out. Some good sport with fish between 5lb and 8lb from Cachlierre Pier and Frying Pan. Best fish for Frank Cusado, one of 9lb 6oz. Gallery page has been updated. 14th January Didn't realise it's been a week since I updated. Since then the Mullet lasted a few more days before the stormy weather either broke the shoals up or sent them to deeper water. Doyle has produced a few fish though but only in the 3lb to 5lb bracket. Platte Saline has produced bits 'n' pieces including some fine Red Mullet to 1lb 8oz. There are more of those around the frying pan. Breakwater is now providing some reasonable Bream fishing, up to 15 fish per angler with 3 fish around 3lb 4oz to 3lb 8oz landed. A Conger was hooked and lost in the harbour. I'm off for week on the mainland so no updates for a week or so. 27th January Not much too report, no-one is actually fishing! Last lot of lads here didn't do that well neither so it appears to be all in the doldrums. One thing they did have was a seal in front of them chomping away on a good Mullet. One report I did have that might interest you is from one of the netsman fishing not too far out. One haul of his nets which were fishing for Red Mullet and the like, therefore quite light, produced several Tope up to 50lb and one slightly larger fish.......................a 300lb Porbeagle! It trashed the nets in the commotion and regurgitated a 15lb Mullet. Walking the dog this morning I spotted Mullet jumping in Longis Bay. Are you in to your birds? Had an encounter too with a Hobby this morning. Unknowingly I disturbed him on his breakfast of Turnstone. Quite a shy bird I was pleased to get so close, the Hobby that is, once he realised I was there off he flew leaving the Turnstone to fend for himself. Not sure what to do as it was covered in blood, I just moved him a few feet in to some shelter out of the cold wind, in case he had a chance of survival. A few moments later he did fly off. Yesterday I watched Peregrine Falcons off the cliffs doing their acrobatics and also it appears the Gannets are in the area again as they soar the sky. No boat fishing happening as the winds won't abate and are blowing straight in to the harbour. As each windy goes by though its just another day closer to summer. 31st January Went out in the boat yesterday. Too many choices I think. Couldn't get on my Pollack mark and it was more comfortable around the south side of the island which is where the choices come in. Started out drifting a couple of reef marks for Pollack and Bass. No Bass but four Pollack all round the 3lb to 4lb mark. Didn't want that so spent 30 minutes looking for Launce. Not there so change of tactics. Looked for the Bream, baited feathers, rubby dubby bag down, plenty of fish on the sounder but no Bream. Assume they were Mullet. Gave that on an hour, steamed out a couple of miles on the edge of the sandbanks for some early flatfish. Only gave it 30 minutes here as the wind was getting a bit brisk so before the ebb tide got away I opted for safety and headed in. It can get very tricky getting in to the Swinge from where I was so this was probably the best option. Had a Bass though in those 30 minutes. 12.30pm, all tied up...........now watch the forecasts for the next trip!! 1st February Managed to get out yesterday afternoon. Decided to g o for the fun factor after Sundays events and chased the Pollack. Lots of small fish with only a few over 4lb, best went around 8lb. For those of you that normally follow these pages will know about the Tope encounters I have had when Pollacking............................gone one better. Having hooked a Pollack it then went screaming off in a direction it wasn't going, and then went light after a few very short moments. When I retrieved the fish he was shredded to bits, this time the flesh wounds were very different to the Tope. These I am sure were from a Porbeagle which are fairly common around here. There must have been a few in the area I was fishing as the Pollack when I located them, or them me, were so tightly packed it was like mackerel fishing and as I have said the size were small. The Pollack were also following hooked fish to the surface and jumping, either then or further away from the boat. All three sights I have never seen before in deep water.
17th February 24th February Golly gosh it's poor! Three lads over from Plymouth having a torrid time of it. Hardly any fish caught, 4 were I think and nothing worth a mention. Desperately searching for Mullet which are proving elusive but given the weather conditions its probably hardly surprising. One glimmer of hope from Commercial Quay was a 31lb Eel to local lad Martin Huddart. 26th February Thought this was worth a mention. Fieona and I were watching a pod of bottled-nose dolphins off Platte Saline for 30 minutes this morning. There were about 5 adults and the rest were calves judging by the size of them. Fascinating watching them at close quarters. They were working on the back of one of the eddies created by the strong tide through the rocks. After they went I took Fie to work, walked the dog on the other side of the island and by the Slides there were another three, 1 adult and 2 calves. Good start to the day.............. 15th March It's been a while since I've done an update. Illness, holiday are two contributing factors but also lack of fish and fishing taking place. However I do have some good news for all you boat anglers that come over here looking for Turbot. Our local charter boat Alderney Felix managed a few fish on Sunday so they're here and will only increase in numbers from here on in. From the shore there have been a few eels landed, shoal Bass, some bream and the odd Mullet but in all honesty there hasn't been the numbers of anglers fishing to give a true reflection. 21st March Mullet are shoaling up behind the Breakwater, some good fish amongst them. Garfish are showing too float along with Pollack to 3lb. Sole have shown at Platte Saline, not big fish though, around 1lb. Also shoal Bass. Bass have also come on plugs in Braye Bay. Other marks worth a try are Longis, Lighthouse and left hand side Platte Saline. Conger eels are there to be had if fished for. Out in the boats there are Turbot and Bass showing over the sandbanks. Out on the wrecks some good Pollack fishing. 29th March Shore sport slow. Mullet proving hard to get with many a stand off between angler and fish. Lots of fish, and some big ones at that, shoaling around the island but very few being hooked and landed. Shoal Bass, Pollack, Garfish are some fish that are being caught with the odd Sole at night. Plugging getting the odd Bass to 3lb. Out in the boats Turbot are increasing in numbers with some Bass in amongst them. Neither species showing any larger fish. I got afloat yesterday for a few hours, first time in 5 or 6 weeks due to one thing or another. Opted to anchor in amongst the rocks on the south side of the island because there have been some good commercial catches of Smoothhound and Tope. Some of the Smuts have topped 20lb. Peeler and squid were the premium baits, but I also had mackerel, gar and black lug. I managed to catch a Turbot which came out on that number one Turbot bait black lug!! Skillfully fished for I say! My other fish was a rather lively Blonde Ray that must have gone double figures, which I un hooked alongside the boat........this was caught on a well known ray bait ...... garfish! It never goes to plan does it? 31st March Alderney Felix, our local charter boat, managed to get in to double figures for Turbot and Brill on Tuesday so they're on the increase. I was out in the afternoon but didn't venture out too far because of limited time so did some lure fishing for Pollack and Bass. Only managed the Pollack, fish to around 5lb which was fun. Lost the best fish as it got dark though, would of capped of a good session. I was due out yesterday but ducked out at the last minute (I was stood on the slipway ready to go!), because of the 4 to 5 forecast. Guess how flat it was after lunch, never mind! |
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