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4th July

The Breakwater has seen plenty of Pollack and Bass. On Saturday I had kids sessions, teaching them to fish etc. and we had plenty of Pollack, Garfish and Mackerel. The piece of news I wanted to share with you was that most of it, including the Mackerel was coming out on ragworm. I was amazed.

Our sharking never materialised yesterday. Nervous of an increasing wind forecast we didn't want to travel 15 odd miles out, lay a chum trail only for it to be a waste of time so we opted to go wrecking on one of the closer wrecks. We managed around 35 Pollack, most were small to start with but we did get in to a succession of good fish in the 14lb to 16lb bracket. A couple of Ling came out, a solitary Cod and I hooked in to a 30lb Tope at the end of what turned out to be a perfect day. We traveled home at 27 knots so we could have gone sharking after all maybe next Sunday. 

18th July

It's proving really difficult to keep the site updated at the moment, shop is really busy. Basically most things are fishing really well. Pollacking off the shore is top notch, reports of 2 8lb plus fish taken on float and spin gear. There are enough Bass around to target, fish to 6lb on plugs and lures. Mackerel, Garfish and Wrasse are around most rock marks.

From the boat the flatfish action generally is slow although Arthur Savages' crew aboard Private Venture managed 15 on one trip. Bass are thin on the ground but the forthcoming spring tides will change that. There have been a few Tope around, some Eels, Huss and there have been plenty of Black Bream about. Wrecks are fishing there socks off for Pollack to 16lb, a few Cod and Ling.

I was out nearly everyday last week and had three poor trips which resulted in a few Bream and no Bass. One trip yielded a couple of Bass to 5lb and some Bream. Yesterday we traveled a bit away from the island and managed some good quality fishing for Pollack, best around 14lb and most of it around 10lb to 12lb, Ling to 20lb, Tope to 25lb and other bits and pieces. We were looking for Bream and Cod and didn't see one! A good day though.

25th July

This last week in the boats has still seen quite a few flatfish being caught, best Turbot's are up and around 17lb/18lb. There are a few Brill amongst them but not as many. Plenty of Bream to 4lb 8oz with Rose Ann from Exmouth getting amongst some good catches as well as Shande III, Peace and Plenty and Smuggler IV. Bass have appeared in reasonable numbers on these set of tides with fish to 8lb reported. Sundance and Peace and Plenty again over this weekend. Good numbers of Tope showed too but they're doesn't appear to be as many packs as normal. 

Some good sport from the shore with Bass coming to plugs with some regularity, fish up to around 6lb. Plenty of Pollack, more Mackerel than last year, Garfish on the increase and a lot of Wrasse to 3lb. On weekends I do a lot of tuition for the kids and we normally target Pollack, Mackerel, Garfish and if the fish are hard to come by then we fall back on the Wrasse. Saturday was a little different as the shoal of Bass that have frequented the end of the Breakwater had a moment of madness whereby they were hitting our float fished baits. We only landed one but lost two others which in a short session was pretty good considering how we were fishing.

If you fancy a trip over then contact Spike Spars who skippers the Bessie Vee out of Langstone. He has 5 spare spaces in September at £350 each which includes your boat space and accommodation. Spike can be contacted on 02392 613243.

11th August

Theme of the moment.......haven't got time to keep this updated!!!! Have to say though the fishing has been good around the shores. Lots of Pollack and bits from most rock marks with the Breakwater giving some really good fishing on light gear. Bass to 4lb, Pollack to 5lb, Wrasse over 6lb as well as numerous Garfish and some Mackerel. There have been Sole caught from the beaches, best which I saw went 3lb. Bass to plugs all around the island.

Boats have fished well for Bass, Flatfish slow but will pick up again shortly. Plenty of Bream about at the moment. Not much in the way of Tope, wrecks are ok but not their normal good fishing. 

My fishing has consisted of many guided sessions with a sprinkling of boat trips which have yielded mainly Bass and Bream. Wrecking trips have been aborted because of poor weather. The best of the recent trips was yesterday whereby we hooked in too 11 Bass on plugs in shallow water around the rocky outcrops around the island. Best fish went 12lb and a tiny bit which Matt Smith caught.

Look out for the Guernsey Sea Fishing Festival that happens on the weekend of 19th to 22nd August for boat and shore. £2000 of guaranteed prizes and £3000 if you break a Bailliwick of Guernsey record. Contact Brian Montgomery on 01481 745662 for full details.

Also its the week long Shore Fishing festival in Alderney coming up on October 1st, for details get in touch with me. Sorry its a quick snapshot of what is going on but time is limited. More photos will be on the Gallery page and Shore guiding page by the end of the week as well as photos of competitions held in Alderney week.

25th August

It feels as if the autumn weather is approaching, wind and rain making it feel very much as if summer is over. Fishing wise there have been an influx of Black Bream, best reported is one which was on one of my guiding sessions, 3lb 4oz. It fell to float fished ragworm off the Breakwater. Couches Bream have been reported, quite a few Sole have shown as well. Loads of gars, a few Mackerel and enough Bass falling to plugs to keep the enthusiasts happy. Mullet are around in good numbers too.

Harbour is producing plenty of fish, Bass to double figures, Bream, Cuckoo Wrasse, Scads, and all manner of bits. When the boats get out the Turbot and Brill are few and far between but Bass are plentiful, especially amongst the rocks for the dinghies and small craft that can get in there with plugs. Further offshore there are loads if Bream to 4lb 8oz on slack tide. Wrecks are finding a few fish.

If you are coming over for the fishing festival in October think about getting your bait and tackle orders in quick as time is marching on and we need to get these organized to ensure a smooth service. Personally I am looking forward to it and of course getting re-acquainted with familiar faces and friends....................as well as I hope some fish!!

29th August

I'm not so busy now so hopefully updates will become more regular. Reports of Bass to 5lb, Mackerel and the like from the back of the island. Plattes Saline turning up Sole and Black Bream. Lots of Garfish about, as well as Pollack. A few Mackerel around the weekend.

Our trip in the boat yesterday was a corker. Around 40 conger eels with the best fish weighed at 48lb, Tope to 30lb and 10 or so Ling to 21lb plus all the usual bits and pieces which included herring. Two highlights, the first were the 6 Basking Sharks around the boat, one coming right in close which really was moving and the other was the glorious sunset. The sun literally sunk behind the sea where we would normally see it sink behind low cloud and then disappear beyond the horizon. It meant half our journey was in darkness but as we headed home a look behind saw the wonderful skyline..................... 

2nd September

Slow fishing for the Turbot and Brill this week but no doubt it will soon improve. Bass a little slow too although this weekend will see a radical improvement with the spring tides. Bream still around in numbers, fish to 4lb caught. 48lb Conger aboard Sheila Ann fishing just 'yards' of the shoreline. They have had a bit of species hunt this week with Triggers and Cuckoo Wrasse coming aboard amongst the more usual species.

From the shore there are Sole, Black and Couches Bream, Bass, Gars, Pollack and Mackerel reported. For those of you who know Dougall, he managed a dozen Mullet to 5lb 8oz from one of the rock marks.

6th September

Black Bream reported this morning of 4lb from the Breakwater. Few more of these showing now. Some small Bass to plugs. Ideally you need to be early morning for these. 

Sunday saw an improvement in the boat fishing for the visiting fleet. This was in stark contrast to the previous few days whereby Easterly winds appeared to put the fish off their feeding habits. Peace and Plenty found quite a lot of Bass on the south side of the island. Private Venture is having a good tip over too with bass and some Flats. Alderney Felix our local boat found good fishing with the same species and included Bass on a fly rod too!! 

My trip on Sunday wasn't so clever. We managed to find the Bream but failed on the Bass. Opting to plug fish in the shallows the two fish we did find were a good size, 6lb a piece so luckily our patience paid off. Finished the day with plenty of Mackerel. On Friday Fieona and myself had 5 Bass on a far shorter session, that was plugging too. 

23rd September 

No updates recently due to another technical hitch that I never knew how to deal with but any way back on track for now. Loads I could tell you about but basically I'll just summarise the last 10 days or so. Firstly boat sport has been absolutely dominated by Bass and none more than the 18lb 6oz fish caught by Brett Adams aboard Weymouth boat Peace and Plenty. Skipper Chris Tett has had a superb season and this has just about topped it off on his 30tyh trip of 31 over here. Well done to Brett for keeping his cool with such a fine fish which has smashed the Channel Island record by 1lb 1oz. The picture is on the Gallery, I don't believe the photo's do it justice as the weight was in the girth. Plenty of other Bass around too on the normal marks with a good sprinkling of double figure fish. Offshore Rebel, Sundance, Bessie Vee, Valkyrie and Alderney Felix all getting in to them. Turbot and Brill are on the increase but the size is poor with most fish are going back.....or should be!!! Good numbers of Tope showing in deeper water. Plenty of Bream around too, best fish are up around the 4lb 8oz mark. Other fish that are there and virtually ignored are Congers, Blondes, Bull Huss. 

Everybody likes a story about a shark don't they? Got a phone call whilst fishing from Chris Tett saying that I am on the wrong side of the island and missing the fun. "What fun....Bass?". "No shark around the boat." What had happened was Tim, Chris' crew man, was winding in a double shot of Bream when a shark came up from the deep and took both Bream! The shark very quickly bit through the trace line and stayed around the boat long enough for everyone aboard to get more than a glimpse of it. It kicked its tail and was gone, apparently for such a size the speed was amazing, but was sighted again of the stern of the boat. The following morning Chris' customers were still enthusing about the size of it, a girth like a 45 gallon drum was one comment. Chris had already said it was  12 feet long and probably a Mako....some sight!! As one of the guys said, the fishing was good enough anyway but to see that absolutely topped it.

Shore fishing is getting along nicely. Black Bream to 4lb 2oz, plenty of 3lb's, Couches have been reported most days as well. Good shoals of Mullet but not big fish, just over 5lb is the best you could hope for based on what has been caught although I saw a fish which would have made 10lb from the Breakwater. Bass are taking baits on the bottom but better on plugs. A few Sole around, Red Mullet to 2lb, on one night quite a few came out. Congers around as you would expect, best fish 42lb..from the harbour!! Oh yes...........some Tope. One dropped last night but two were caught Monday night, one of 32lb and one of 34lb. Oooh...I can almost hear you rushing around looking for the phone to book that flight out here!!!

Don't forget, take a look at the Gallery page at Brett's Bass.

Send mail to chris@alderneyangling.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: January 06, 2006