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Trip to Guernsey aboard "Blue
Waters" - July 2007 |
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Regular visitors to this web site will already know the pleasure I get from visiting the Channel Island waters to sample their superb fishing. I was delighted to receive an invitation to accompany Norman Berry aboard Geordie Dickson’s 38 foot, Plymouth based “Lochin” charter boat, “Blue Waters”. We were to fish Guernsey waters from Friday 13th (I naturally wondered if this might be an omen?) until Sunday 15th July. Norman and I were up bright and early to meet Geordie at the slipway pontoon in Queen Anne’s Battery Marina at Plymouth at 6.30 am prompt. Geordie welcomed us aboard with his usual hearty insults. We loaded our gear to chiding about the volume of tackle we had taken with us. On board we met the rest of our party, a diverse though spirited group of guys, Alan Farnell, an Engineer, from Plymouth; Mike Heatherington a retired Fishmonger from Gosport; Colin Marsh from Yardley Wood, Birmingham; Father and Son, Jim and Nick Molloy, from Banbury; and Plastering Contractor and Healer, Ron Beeston, from Stoke. Geordie is an “Old Hand” with vast knowledge that you cannot simply buy, or download from the Internet. He casually told me that he first fished the Channel Islands in 1978. His most active season was 3 years later, when he Skippered 57 trips to the Channel Island waters. He has returned every successive Summer, with a variety of fast charter boats. With her pair of 440 horse Yanmar Diesel Engines throbbing sweetly, “Blue Waters” powered out into the English Channel beyond Plymouth Breakwater. I love the excitement engendered by each new sea angling adventure, it certainly raises your adrenalin levels. Geordie intimated that we would be stopping to fish a mid-Channel mark en route to the Islands. He told the anglers to get ready their heavy tackle, 50 lb class rods with “Killer Gear” consisting of heavy “Pirks”, surmounted by a pair of “Redgill” lures, one black and another orange. Geordie planned a full assault on big mid-Channel Summer Cod with the heavy artillery. After that, we “Soft Southern Anglers” were to be allowed to try to catch some, using our “Shads”, fished on lighter tackle, which is the sporting style of angling that Norman and I much prefer.
After a smooth cruise at speed, during which we all got to know one another better, we fished with very similar success using both methods. Everyone caught Pollack and Cod. The forecast windy conditions did not turn out to be as severe as they had been predicted, so we were very tired but happy when we eventually came alongside in St Peterport, Guernsey. We had booked accommodation at the Ambassador Hotel, Route de Sausmarez, St Martin’s, Guernsey, GY4 6SQ. Telephone 01481 238356 or Email: reservations@ambassador.guernsey.net Web Site: www.ambassador.guernsey.net The Hotel is located, just a short Taxi ride, about a couple of miles out of the centre of St. Peterport, towards the Airport. I must be getting more mature, I’m happy to sacrifice the wild nightlife in the Town, for a comfortable bed in such pleasant surroundings, accompanied by a hearty welcome, good food and an occasional drop of satisfying cool drink. We were greeted in reception by the Proprietors, Robert and Sarah Steen, who made us feel most welcome. A double occupancy room with two single beds cost around £44 per person per night for B&B. Robert has a penchant for gleaming Harley Davidson motor cycles, but that’s another story. We booked in and Norman and I headed off to our room, where we showered in the en-suite bathroom, then changed into fresh clothes. We made our way to the Hotel bar, which leads onto an outdoor patio, close to the private swimming pool for the use of guests, where we enjoyed a pint, with a couple of the other anglers from our boat. We ate in the Hotel restaurant, where we ordered a rib eye steak, washed down with a bottle of red wine, and then to bed. Breakfast was available from 7.0 am. Next morning we enjoyed a hearty cooked full English breakfast to sustain us through the day. Robert also supplied us with packed sandwiches and cans of fizzy pop for lunch. I thoroughly recommend the Ambassador Hotel to you. I really do look forward to staying there again, even if I am not on a fishing trip. Robert kindly drove us down to the Cambridge Steps, near the Sark Ferry Terminal, where Geordie picked us up alongside the quay at 8.0 am. He suggested that we should try to catch some Bass, then drift the Shingle Banks in search of those famous big Flat Fish and finally pursue Black Bream. However, conditions and circumstances dictated that we started our day fishing a patch of rough ground where we quickly caught some particularly fine Black Bream on frozen “Scallop Frill” baits bought from the Chandlers and tackle Shop alongside the harbour. The “Scallop Frill” is the inedible muscle and stomach pouch from the inside of a Scallop shell, which is discarded when the delicious portion of the shellfish is removed for human consumption. We fished them on two hook paternoster rigs tied on 30 lb monofilament line with short droppers, each terminating in a size 6 hook. I used some simple rigs which I had previously tied with strong sharp hooks, coated in Teflon, intended for fresh water fishing for Barbel. They worked just fine, particularly when baited with frozen baby Squid, which Norman had bought from his local Tackle shop prior to our sortie. Everyone caught Black Bream, which provide such a feisty thumping scrap on light tackle. Many were returned alive to grow, breed and fight again another day.
We then moved and changed to our “flying collar Portland rigs”, baited with live Mackerel, first in search of Bass. Then after another set of different gear with a running ledger and heavier flowing trace, drifting after Turbot and Brill. We were thwarted in our efforts because we were unable to contact the usual supplier of live Sandeels and so instead, were obliged to use fillets of Mackerel which can be excellent bait, but not on that particular day.
Colin Marsh caught a particularly pretty
Red Gurnard and Norman caught two more, but that was about the sum of
our ledgering. The tide died and with little breeze, our drift became
untenable as the boat swung on the gentle flow.
Geordie decreed that we should return to
find more sport amongst the Black Bream, which we did. I was very
pleased to catch the best Black Bream of the day, a fish in excess of 3
lbs 8 ozs, amongst my next 11 fish in this short session.
I used a new 3 metre long three piece Mitchell 12 lb class rod, which was fitted with 15 Fuji “Concept” eyes, especially designed for Braid lines. I complemented this with an Accurate B270 multiplier reel filled with 20 lb Berkley “Crystal” braid line, which I also used for Bass fishing. It was a perfectly balanced and responsive setup. Norman borrowed my 7 lb class, but otherwise identical rod, fitted with a tiny Accurate B197 multiplier reel, holding 300 yards of 14 lb Fireline “Crystal” braid. He was clearly enthusiastic about the quality of sport we experienced on this light tackle. I returned every Bream I caught, bar one, during the afternoon session. On Monday morning we were on board “Blue Waters” bright and early, before 7 am. We took a pre-booked taxi to the harbour as it was far too early to impose ourselves on our hosts for transport. Robert had arranged the provision of packed meals in place of breakfast, which were much appreciated. Geordie gunned the throttles and all too soon, we were on our homeward journey. We fished a mid-Channel mark where we all caught quality Cod. They were not huge fish, in the main between 8 and 14 lbs, but they gave a spirited account of themselves on pliant rods fitted with multiplier reels and either braid or monofilament lines. All but two of the anglers elected to fish “Shads” and thoroughly enjoyed the sport the fish gave us on this gear. Norman, Colin and I all fished the new “Shakespeare Salt Sporting Braid”, 8 foot, 20 – 30 lb class rod, which is also fitted with 12 Fuji “Concept” eyes and provided a particularly supple light ‘through’ action, ideal for this style of fishing. The additional eyes ensure the line runs cleanly through, without touching the rod blank, when it is bent under full load.
Anglers on board
Geordie Dickson’s Plymouth charter boat “Blue Waters”
Left to right, Mike
Heatherington, Ron Beeston, Nick Molloy, Jim Molloy, Colin Marsh Sunday 15th July 2007 Photo courtesy of Mike Concannon We arrived back in Plymouth in the early evening, tired but happy anglers. Thanks Geordie and to all the chaps whose company we thoroughly enjoyed on this latest sea angling excursion. (c) Mike Concannon - Fishing Dartmouth 18th July 2007 |
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