"Skerries" Plaice aboard "Gemini" out of Dartmouth

Despite problems with my new wind reducing boom microphone, which I had  attached to my video camera and which fell apart and forced me to remove it, I managed to shoot some movie footage.  I apologise in advance for my heavy breathing which regrettably you can hear on the sound track.  Without the boom microphone attached, it puts my nose and mouth far too close to the built in mike on the hand-held video camera.  Needless to say, once I got home, I managed to fix the microphone problem in less than 5 minutes!

View Video approx 3¼ minutes "Skerries Plaice aboard Gemini"
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Friday 25th May 2007 - "Gemini" Skerries Plaice Fishing - Today, Patsy and I spent a really good day afloat, fishing for Plaice on the "Skerries" which are situated in Start Bay, about 4 miles out from Dartmouth.  We were aboard Dave Harrison's Dartmouth charter boat "Gemini" in company with four chaps from the Cotswolds and a couple from near Derby.  They were all great company.  Dave, the Skipper was his usual helpful and thoroughly supportive self, as was Mick Hallam, our trusty crew.  The repartee, tea and coffee was prolific and thoroughly enjoyable.

I know that I have said that the "Skerries" are a shadow of their former glory, mainly due to commercial fishing pressure placed on the marine resources.  This is not unique to Dartmouth, but is symptomatic of a far wider problem.  Despite this, there is some excellent sport to be had on the "Banks" in search of those ever popular orange spotted "flatties", the Plaice.  We found some excellent sport there today, catching between us something in excess of 3 dozen Plaice, about half of which were returned alive by the anglers to grow, breed and fight again another day.

I was the first to get into fish when on the first drift of the day, I caught a specimen Garfish, which when later weighed-in ashore at Brixham SAC, this evening, on their calibrated scales, tipped the balance to 1 lb 9 ozs 4 dr, against a specimen rating for inshore boat of 1 lb 8 ozs.  It took my Plaice trace, baited with a cocktail of Ragworm and Razor Clam, as I was retrieving it to re-bait.  It was securely hooked fair and square in its bill on a Sakuma 1/0 circle pattern hook.

Mike Concannon proudly holds his specimen Garfish, 1 lb 9 ozs 4 dr caught on Plaice tackle baited with Ragworm and Razor Clam on the "Skerries" aboard Dave Harrison's Dartmouth charter boat "Gemini" Friday 25th May 2007 Photo courtesy of Dave Harrison

My preferred tackle today was an Abu Garcia "Suveran" 7' 9" 10 to 20 lb test curve Pro boat rod, fitted with a tiny "Accurate" 197 multiplier reel, loaded with 300 yards of Berkley Fireline Crystal Braid 14 lbs BS.

We all caught Plaice, our intended target species, plus some very welcome Whiting and Mackerel, interspersed with an occasional Tub Gurnard.  Here are just a few of today's catch with their delighted captors.  I apologise in advance that I can't remember everyone's names.  Should I plead insanity or just plain old age?  Those who were there know how much I appreciated their good company and dedication.

Mike Concannon proudly holds a quality Plaice caught on Ragworm and Razor Clam on the "Skerries" aboard Dave Harrison's Dartmouth charter boat "Gemini" Friday 25th May 2007 Photo courtesy of Dave Harrison
	A friend from the Cotswolds proudly shows one of several quality Plaice which he caught on the "Skerries" aboard Dave Harrison's Dartmouth charter boat "Gemini" Friday 25th May 2007 Photo courtesy of Mike Concannon
Another  friend from the Cotswolds proudly shows one of several quality Plaice which he caught on the "Skerries" aboard Dave Harrison's Dartmouth charter boat "Gemini" Friday 25th May 2007 Photo courtesy of Mike Concannon
	"Bob" from the Cotswolds proudly shows a brace of quality Plaice which he caught on the "Skerries" aboard Dave Harrison's Dartmouth charter boat "Gemini" Friday 25th May 2007 Photo courtesy of Mike Concannon

Patsy and I would like to thank everyone for their good company and fishing prowess.  A good day was had by all, with everyone catching plenty of Plaice.  I know that I caught 8, up to around 2 lbs in size, which was great fun on a warm day afloat on calm seas.