Dale

Dale 26/09/2010

Headed to Dale for 1pm as the wind looked like it had dropped and we fancied trying to fish over the wreck of the Dakotian. Managed to get the fish finder working again but spent ages trying to find the wreck! Spoke to a couple of fishermen in a small boat and asked them about the wreck and they hadn't been able to find it either! There is a large buoy with Dakotian written down the middle, so that seemed like a good clue!! The wreck is actually 100 metres north west of the buoy and there are some other marker buoys nearby so once we located it all was well. Didn't catch a thing myself, but Phil caught a gurnard and two dogfish! No mackerel about either. Wind was also quite strong coming from the west and wasn't pleasant. Nice to get out though.

St Brides - Mackerel, Codling & Smoothhound!

St Brides 25/07/2010

Went out about 12.30 to catch the incoming tide. Looked a bit windy to start with but wasn't too bad once we were on the water. Mackerel were still patchy coming in, but all were a good size. Ended up with about 15 nice mackerel. Also caught a codling in about the same place as I have before. Phil caught a smoothhound on feathers!

St Brides - Mackerel & Pollack

St Brides 12/07/2010

Weather suddenly calmed down, the sun came out, the wind dropped, so I packed up work early and headed for St Brides in the late afternoon. Sea was a bit choppier than expected and must have been from the recent storms and winds. Caught nothing for a couple of hours - ranged from the rocks to out by the bouys. Nearing high tide started to catch mackerel around the rocks along with the shore fishermen and another kayak. Got a good size pollack, and the mackerel were mostly large.

Stackpole - Mackerel, Gurnard

Stackpole Quay 25/06/2010

Went out for the day and the weather was nice and Karen & Phil etc were there as well. Caught some mackerel but only now and again. Hit the odd shoal then very quiet for a time. Got a little gurnard as well!

[YAK] Stackpole (Mackerel)

Stackpole Quay 18/06/2010
Time: 9.00pm to 1.00pm.
Tide: HW-3 to HW+1. Neap, flood tide.
Weather: Broken sun and a 14mph north wind
Sea: Choppy from the wind with strong currents
Tackle & Bait: Usual mackerel kit and tried some bottom fishing when tied to a buoy.
Fishing: Really poor show on the mackerel - only got 3! Seems to still be a bit too cold for them in any numbers. Surprised not to any pollack near the rocks.
Comments: Went around Stackpole Head and the currents there are very powerful, expecially with the off shore wind as well. Wouldn't recommend the head, especially not on spring tides. Picture is of Stackpole Head.

[Yak] Cleddau (Bass)

Cleddau 24/05/2010
Time: 9.00am to 2.00pm.
Tide: LW to HW. Flood tide.
Weather: Clear, sunny & warm
Sea: Calm
Tackle & Bait: Jointed Rapala.
Fishing: 6 Bass.
Comments: Finally got out on the Cleddau a few hundred yards from my new house! And finally got to use the jointed rapala lure I bought a few years ago and never caught a thing on before. Lure worked wonders - both trolling it behind the yak when moving and catching bass in the shallows. The estuary was teaming with fish and as the yak is very quiet I was practically running into the bass as they basked on the surface. The advantage of the yak over a small boat is that it can get right into the shallow creeks where the fish love to feed. One bass was about 3.5 pounds, another a bit smaller. The rest where too small to keep. The estuary makes a refreshing change to the open sea where the mackeral are still not in and catching bass is a very hit and miss thing.

 

[Yak] Dale (Mackerel)

Dale 25/04/2010
Time: 11.00am to 3.30pm.
Tide: LW+1 to LW+5. Flood tide.
Weather: Cold & windy
Sea: Choppy out of the bay
Tackle & Bait: Feathers.
Fishing: One mackerel, and Phil caught dogfish.
Comments: After 3 weeks of sunshine today was the first cold, wet and windy day we've had, but went out anyway as we'd arranged it already. Was just an early venture out to see what was biting. Caught one mackerel over what I assume to be a wreck as there were divers around the area. Thought the pollock might be taking lures but nothing around. It was very cold and getting worse as the day went on. Nice to get out on the water though after the winter and hopefully the weather will improve quickly.

[Yak] Dale (Dogfish)

Dale 18/10/2009
Time: 8.00am to 12.30pm.
Tide: HW+1 to HW+5. Spring, ebb tide.
Weather: Calm in bay, breezy outside.
Sea: Getting choppy out of the bay
Tackle & Bait: Feathers and whole mackerel
Fishing: Rubbish! No mackerel, just dogfish.
Comments: Ebb tide not so good for fishing me thinks. There were no mackeral about which was surprising as I thought they'd be around still. Stupidly I sent a large bait down to the bottom and the inevitable greedy dogfish (pic) turned up for it. Gave the dogfish to Phil for his dinner :) Nice day out though. Andy (top pic) joined us with his new pedal boat (Hobie Kayak). Tried fishing close in to the rocks and also out in the haven but nothing doing. Dale is a nice place to launch from as there is a car park and you can go straight across the road onto the beach. There's a jetty further up as well.

[Yak] St Brides (Gurnard, Mackerel, Pollack)

St Brides 26/09/2009
Time: 9.00pm to 1.00pm.
Tide: HW-3 to HW+1. Neap, flood tide.
Weather: Overcast, light wind
Sea: Started a little choppy then got worse later.
Tackle & Bait: Usual. Used a broken boat rod with 2 rings as it was short. It was a bit too short though, so may look to get another kayak rod for next year.
Fishing: Mackerel still about, but slow at times.
Comments: Phil came along and immediately caught a pollack and then 2 codling (top photo). We went around Nab Head area for mackerel and pollack and then headed across to Wooltack Point and Martin's Haven where there were plenty of mackerel. Caught a gurnard as well while trolling but put it back as it was a bit small. Went into a cave just behind Wooltack Point and found 3 seal pups at the back on some shingle with the adults in the front (bottom pic of me heading into the cave!). I didn't go in just had a quick look and retreated. Sea was getting a bit rough as we came back round the head. Overall a great day out on the yak.

[Yak] St Brides (Mackerel, Pollack)

St Brides 19/09/2009
Time: 8.00am to 5.00pm.
Tide: HW+1 to LW+3. Spring tides.
Weather: Overcast in the morning then sunny later. Slight breeze.
Sea: Choppier than expected in the morning then calming later.
Tackle & Bait: Usual lures.
Fishing: Good mackerel catched early on but went quiet later.
Comments: Another great day out at the end of the season. I went out in the morning on the ebb tide and caught around 15 mackerel of good size, along with a small pollack that I threw back. Had a break at lunchtime back at St Brides and Karen & Phil came along just after so I stayed in the afternoon. The tides were running strong and in the afternoon we went around the headland and drifted back - only did the one run as we were getting tired. Caught a few mackerel and pollack each and I landed a nice 3lb pollack that nearly pulled the yak over when it hit!

[Yak] St Brides (Mackerel, Pollack)

St Brides 12/09/2009
Time: 8.00am to 4.00pm.
Tide: HW-4 to HW+3. Neap tide.
Weather: Sunny, light breeze.
Sea: Choppy
Tackle & Bait: Usual feathers & lures
Fishing: Good
Comments: Water was surprisingly choppy for the calm weather. Plenty of mackerel about and the odd pollack off the rocks. Went out from St Brides and headed across to Martin's Haven and Wooltack Point. Hit some good mackerel near the point and off the haven. Went back towards Musselwick Sands hoping to land there for lunch as the tide was in and had cut the beach off. But it was full of people who had stayed there and had kayaks as well so I carried on up the coast and landed on some rocks that were sheltered. Really nice day out and the first for a while as the weather has been really bad again.

[Yak] St Brides (Mackerel, Pollack)

St Brides 30/05/2009
Time: 8.00am to 11.00am.
Tide: LW+1 to LW+4. Neap tide.
Weather: Clear
Sea: Slight swell
Tackle & Bait: Usual feathers & lures
Fishing: Poor
Comments: Going out now with just feathers and various lures as I prefer fishing on the move. Gone off sitting at anchor waiting for dogfish to nick the bait!! It's nice to move around between areas, going out a mile or so and then heading back in to explore the rocks and coves. Pity the fish didn't have the same idea. Picked up a small pollack and a one off mackerel. Very tasty for lunch though!

[Yak] Manorbier (7 Pollack)

Manorbier 24/05/2009
Time: 1.00pm to 6.00pm.
Tide: LW+1 to HW. Neap, flood tide.
Weather: Clear, warm, no wind
Sea: calm
Tackle & Bait: feathers & lures
Fishing: Pollack only.
Comments: Expected some mackerel to be in but no one was catching any. Some good size pollack around the headlands.

[Yak] St Brides (Mackerel, Pollack, Bass, Codling)

St Brides 13/07/2008
Time: 8.00am to 4.00pm.
Tide: LW-1 to HW+1. Neap, flood tide.
Weather: Calm, breeze picking up later.
Sea: Calm to start, slightly choppy later.
Tackle & Bait: Mostly lures. Briefly tried fish baits a few times but nothing.
Fishing: Slow. A lack of mackerel shoals. Bass and a surprise codling.
Comments: Lovely day out again. Sea was calm but became a little choppy later on. Towards HW the drift became quite fast and strong around Nab Head. There was a lack of mackeral shoals and I only picked up a few singles. Odd because the same places at the same tide had bags of them only a month ago. May be something to do with the rough weather recently. Nice to see bass running around. I broke a rod due to a snag - the 8 pound boat rod which was useless anyway as it wasn't stiff enough. Had a lot of small pollack but put them all back as they are not good eating unless a decent size. Stopped at Musselwick Beach for lunch and a break.

[Yak] St Brides (Mackerel, Pollack)

St Brides 07/06/2008
Time: 6.00pm to 10.00pm.
Tide: HW-4 to HW. Spring, flood tide.
Weather: Clear, mild NW wind.
Sea: Calm/moderate
Tackle & Bait: Feathers & lures
Fishing: Lots of good size mackerel and pollack around the rocks.
Comments: Headed back out around Nab Head then across to Stack Rocks. Came back along the rocks but it was getting late and nearly dark so didn't have time to fish the rocks for long.

[Yak] St Brides (38 Mackerel, 8 Pollack, 2 Codling)

St Brides 30/05/2008St Brides
Time: 9.00am to 5.00pm.
Tide: LW to HW+2. Neap, flood tide.
Weather: No wind, patchy sun, warm.
Sea: Calm.
Tackle & Bait: Feathers and various lures.
Fishing: Plenty of good size mackerel about in the right places, especially around Nab Head. Pollack on the feathers, shads, worms, and squid lures. Cod caught on a squid lure and also on feathers. Tried some bottom fishing with mackerel bait but had no bites.
Comments: Very good fishing opposite Nab Head with Mackerel caught all along the stretch to Mussellwick Bay. Stopped for a bit at a small cove that would have been part of Mussellwick Bay when the tide is out.

[Yak] Stackpole (Mackerel)

Stackpole 14/05/2008
Time: 6.00pm to 8.00pm.
Tide: LW-3 to LW-1. Neap, spring, ebb, flood tide.
Weather: Clear.
Sea: Slight swell 2-3ft
Tackle & Bait: Feathers & lures
Fishing: Lots of mackerel
Comments: Mid week evening trip to Stackpole. Ebb tide so I wasn't sure what the fishing would be like. Went out 100yrds, put out the feathers with the intention of trolling them about and they were taken straight away by mackerel. Seemed to be concentrated opposite the key itself with not so many elsewhere. Headed over towards Stackpole Head but the fishing slowed down.

[Yak] Newport (4 Dogfish, 1 Pollack)

Newport 11/05/2008
Time: 12.00pm to 8.00pm.
Tide: HW-1 to LW+1. Neap, ebb tide.
Weather: Very good - clear & calm
Sea: Calm
Tackle & Bait: Feathers, lures & mackerel bait
Fishing: Slow. No mackerel around.
Comments: The mackerel haven't shown up yet on the north Pembs coast so the fishing was slow. Lovely day and the sea was very calm so I went around the headland towards Moylegrove and fished along the rocks and also further out. Stopped at a small cove for a break.

Stackpole (10 Dogfish, 12 Whiting)

Stackpole 23/04/2008
Time: 7.00pm to 10.30pm.
Tide: HW-2 to HW+1. Neap, spring, ebb, flood tide.
Weather: Dry, light SW wind
Sea: Calm
Tackle & Bait: Mackerel strips & live whiting
Fishing: Busy with dogs & whiting
Comments: Went to the ledges near the key at first and found them occupied so headed across Barafundle to Latice Windows. Spoke to 2 lads fishing on the first ledges and they had a bag of Mackerel. Fishing was busy with the usual dogfish and whiting. Tried live baiting the whiting but the dog fish just ate those as well! Took the spinning rod and tried feathers but didn't hit any mackerel.

Nolton Rocks

Nolton Rocks 19/04/2008
Time: 5.00pm to 8.00pm.
Tide: HW-2 to HW+1. Spring tide.
Weather: Rain, overcast, east winds
Sea: Calm - east wind keeping it down
Tackle & Bait: Mackerel
Fishing: Blank
Comments: Nothing at all biting. Not even dogfish or crabs. Tried feathers just in case the odd mackerel where about but nothing. Very quiet time of year!