Who Is Up For The Challenge!!

[Guern211]

The annual Specimen Hunt competition is coming around again fast! The main aim is to catch the most "specimen" species and if it's a tie then its gets based on a % of the records species. To win you need to be looking at landing 8-9 species of fish and then there is prizes for each species of fish and team, visitors etc. Sounds easy I hear you say!!

Well to catch a specimen it must be over a set target weight based on the local record and if not on the list over a 1lb so you can't just go out catching in rock pools! For example I think last year was 20lb for conger as a minimum weight. You can fish all three weekends or just one and fishing is permitted 24hours roving where ever you like as long as your on the shore!

Weekends are:
september-22nd-24th
october-27th-29th
november-10th-12th

I've entered about 10 times now I think and I have yet to actually enter a qualifying fish (I never seem to catch qualifying fish in the competition just after or before!)


I am not affiliated with the club or competition I just like the challenge (although I fail miserably). Catches for the time of year that should allow you to enter a "specimen" would be Bass, Black Bream, Gilthead Bream, Red Bream, Couches Bream, Mackeral, Conger, Sole, Mullet (various), Gurnards, Wrasse, pollack, pout, scad and red mullet.

Interested... drop a line on here or PM and I'll see If I can get the competition entry forms to you! It would be good to see a visiting angler get in the results to give the locals a scare and it couldn't be easier now if you have never been to Guernsey as Fishing Guernsey's marked out a load marks on the web you just got to catch them then! and the locals are pretty friendly if you need a helpful guide!

[FishingGuernsey]

Yep. I'm always up for that. Guiding all of the first weekend but I guess I will justhave to fish as well!!

Think we might have a Fishing Guernsey team as well this year!!

Andy

[Guern211]

Competition starts friday anyone apart from FishingGuernsey and myself entering?

Weathers looks good for stirring the waters up to start the comp so my targets for the first round are (weight is minimum to enter):
Black Bream 2lb+
Bass 5lb+
Sole 2lb+
Pollack 4lb+
Wrasse 4lb8oz+
Red Mullet 1lb+

[FishingGuernsey]

About the sae as what am after. Could you text me your number? Forgot to get it off you last night. Just so I can brag that mine was bigger than yours... :bleh:

[Guern211]

Friday night went and got a large bag of fish 'n' chips and went straight to pembroke to find some sole. Karen and I started fishing off the concrete siding until BBMS turned up (and then got lost in the dark) and we moved up a bit. BBMS made it into the battery with his bro and Karen and I fished from rocks a little furhter down. Karen and I lost tackle but never had a nible of the worms (always came back whole). BBMS was getting nibbles but no takers.

Anyway the tide had dropped enough to get to Big Bill. BBMS and I set off and Karen headed home. Couple of other anglers started racing us to the spot and clumsy me slipped on rocks and gave my knee a right bashing (still hurts now). So we made it to Big Bill and things improved. BBMS caught a small rockling which was hurled straight back as live bait and I caught the smallest black bream ever (about 3inches long!). We had a few bites on crab but that was all so after having some relaxing around buried in crevices we deceided enoughs enough as we were just getting cold and moved on to a "secret spot".

Well we made it to the secret spot that BBMS had fished before. BBMS managed a catch of a larger rockling which looked around the 1lb mark. I don't know if BBMS weighed it but it went back. That was it for a while until daylight. I had lost some tackle so I geared that rod up for spinning with a black and red shad. Cast it around in all directions and then it was taken by a something that had been trained by the americans in shock and awe tactics. Anyways a little scr*p later (wish I hadn't left my light spinning rod in the car!) I had pulled in a good sized bass. Not wanting to drop my prize in the gullies I called BBMS over with a bag and then we weighed the little beauty.....4'b 14oz soooo close! I would have taken it to the weigh in to check but we couldn't get off the rock till 11am!

BBMS and I carried on teasing the rockies out I found the little ones and I pulled one in of about a 1lb and BBMS had a couple the biggest of about 3lb.

[Guern211]

http://www.thisisguernsey.co.uk/code/showsportarticle.pl?ArticleID=015480

Newspaper report on the competition

[Guern211]

ROUND 2 starts tomorrow!

Further details can be found here on Friday.
http://thisisguernsey.co.uk/sport/index.html

[Guern211]

As I don't bother with the home computers here's the work report:

Well as you know all started with a bag of fish 'n' chips of the east arm waiting for a bite. Now't not even a bite. Couple of lost hooks to crabs and lost bait. What a waste of time!

Went home planning to go out again in a couple of hours but being so depressed from the east arm I had four hours kip and went out at 4a.m. instead and thought I'd try the east coast again and went to Divette.

Divette
Plenty of people fishing as you could see lights flashing away from Fermain down. First two casts lost their hooks to crabs and the first hour was wasted feeding ####### crabs again! Day light was just starting to show and my first bite of the competition puts a bend in my rod to land a small bream of about 1 1/2lb which I kept for lunch. Nothing much came after that so I started putting just squid on instead of a rag and pow 1/2lb bream and one of about 2 inches long both went back. Followed on from this with a rockie of about 2 1/2 pound which swallowed the hook. He seemed strong so I put him back and he swam off quite happily sadly though he came back as a floater about half hour later. I was fiddling now with a surface popper and don't notice my squid bait get snaffled by a 2 1/2lb pollack my daughters second favourite to bass so it kept for the pot as well! Anyways it's getting to about 9:30/10am and I'm joined by another angler who not fishing the comp. First cast catches a bream of about 1/2lb followed by a 5lbish (he didn't land it) rockie *&%*"&! One more rockie came up of about 1/2lb so I started packing up as all the bites had died off and I wanted to get some fresh bait. I had just packed up and bang the angler next to me pulls in two more bream of about 1lb to 1lb half. Walk back up for Divette damned near killed me being so unfit. Anyway lovely morning and first ever trip to Divette fish count 4 bream, 2 rockies and 1 pollack.

Went out got some fresh bait and went home for lunch aiming to start again for the low tide at my "special BBMS mark".

"Special BBMS mark"
Well got there for about 3:30pm and met Mark Fletcher snr who was down their wrassing. Cast in with large ragworm baits on 6/o hooks and waited for a little bit. Started getting bites on one rod and expecting a rockie I let it develop and chatted to Mark for a bit. Mark noticed a decent bite on so I went to check and found something was nodding away on the end so I started pulling it in! Can't see a damn thing coming in but it feels heavy and gives a tug now and then. As it approches near my feet I'm looking for a rockie to come floating up but can't see anything. To my surprise a sudden flash of sliver breaks the water and a smile on my face to see the biggest bream (2.10.7) I've ever caught looking back at me . Managed to land it and feeling over the moon at getting a qualifier in fire my rod back out to the same spot. Fishing's slow and Mark moves a little further over to a better spot for wrasse. Nothing else shows and Marks had enough and leaves. I move to slight further out to cast to this sandy spot I can see and empty to spool of both rods. Instant bites and resulting bend in the rod looks like a good fish. What seems like half hour later having pulled all the line back on I find a 2 1/2lb rockies comes in and is swiftly returned returned swiftly. Still feeling on a high from the bream I cast short now for bass and after half an hour I am repaid for my patience with a definate bass bite and a flash of silver on the surface as I'm pulling something with a bit of fight in. I land a plump looking bass of about 2lb and after a little bit of conscience nagging I put it back. Then the rain started, the bites stopped and I got soaked to the skin and left. "Special spot fish count" 1 bass, 1 rockie, 1 qualifying bream!

Went home to dry off and have some supper while I waited for things to dry up. Things were getting late so opted for the weigh in instead and followed Magpies advice and got their for nine thirty.

Weigh in:
Weighed in my bream of 2.10.7 and got my name on the board for round 2 as the heaviest BB. (checked sunday am and still their after the first weigh in). and then went down to the Lighthouse to try my luck for a couple of hours.

Lighthouse:
Blowing a gale and not nice in my wet jacket with a broken zipper. Saw a nice 2lb+ red mullet come in and met peter who we had "raced" to big bill in the last round. I managed one small foul hooked bream and then left as I was cold just after midnight and thought I'd go bassing at dawn. Fish count 1 Bream.

Got home and went to sleep on the sofa having set the alarm but I woke myself up shouting something in my sleep (weirdo!) so I thought sod this and went to bed finishing off my fishing for weekend as I had guest arounds on sunday.

Went to the weigh in to see if my bream would survive the last weigh in but some bloke called wiggy came with 4 bream and I new my chances were scuppered when the scales hit 2.14.14 for him! I saw Dave there and weigh in the latest species I would have said hello but you were having difficulties with your Golden Grey/Grey Mullet Identification so I left you alone! Will say hello for the next round now I know what you look like!

Congratulations Dave still in the lead.

News for the forum is

The Dogs Pollacks are in 11th place with 40%
FOB are 12th place with 36%!

Roll on round three.

Total fish count for the weekend
3 Rockies
6 Bream
1 Bass
1 Pollack.

[Grant]

Keep going guys- the fish are there!

[Guern211]

Cheers Grant

I'm going for a bass next round surprisingly no one has entered one in either rounds so far!

[FishingGuernsey]

That's the way then Guern. A Bass would put our team on the top of a species!!

Had a few pointers of where Bass have been showing from high til two after up North but worth a go in several places. Problem again for me next round is the times of the tides. Still want a rockie as i don't think the biggest is that big.

I'm guiding next weekend (4th) for Bass on the plugs so will let you know how that goes. You never know!!

[Guern211]

I think I might go for a couple of dawn sessions to check out my new bass spots!

[Grant]

You could always try plugging at night? My friend had an 8lber the other night, but wrong island for you boys!

Have to say it was the largest bass I have ever seen first hand.

[FishingGuernsey]

What sort of plugs are you using in the dark Grant? Poppers i assume? Wasn't a full moon so must be the noise?

[ChezzieM]

i would love to come over. but the cost has doubled from weymouth in the last 6 months.

[Guern211]

Didn't know that Chesilmaster thanks it sucks big time the cost of getting off this rock!

I think you can get package deals to come over that are much cheaper than booking direct. I remember booking through a uk travel agent for a third of the price of travelling direct but that was because they sold an event ticket with it (well said they did!).

[sallysludgebucket]

i would love to come over. but the cost has doubled from weymouth in the last 6 months.

Join the Disabled Drivers Association ( its been merged and I cant remember the new name, but google it and it appears ) then you benefit from reduced sailings ! :kissing:

[Guern211]

So we will be seeing you soon then Sally?

[Guern211]

http://www.thisisguernsey.co.uk/code/showsportarticle.pl?ArticleID=015631

Press Report

[Guern211]

Last Round This Weekend!

[FishingGuernsey]

Tis that. All ready (sort of).

1. made rigs including proper Conger ones (8/0 + 5/0 pennel on wire...).
2. Dug worms (me poor back...)
3. Dug Verm (:showoff:)
4. Recovered crab pot with about 20 crabs (need to drop it again)
5. Got frozen frills, squid and cuttle
6. Thought about catching some fresh squid
7. Then thought about buying some fresh squid
8. Thought about buying my secret bait from last round but can't find any.
9. Removed maggots from bag after last time out (been ill and couldn't do it sooner)
10. Cleaned buckets so new occupants may live for more than 5 minutes

Think that's it for now...

[Guern211]

I've got 2lb of rag on order (back already hurts so I'm not going to damage it further!). I'm going to the lighthouse straight from the sign to try for Red Mullet, LSD and Pout so I'll have to pick up some mackie, sandeel and hopefully while were there we can pick up a fresh squid while the tides rising?

Going to collect my crabs from the secret spot I'm going to at low tide! Less hassle and loads of them. The baby ones come scuttling out like baby spiders in spring!