[anglerben]

Better weather this morning, periods of sun, light breeze, shower stopped play at 2pm

30 Sand Smelt size 12 hook, tiny gar strip on size 12, float fishing.

A local was busy feeding the cormorant which explains why the ****** thing is hanging around, should be shot,


and the cormorant.

 

[Goateeblank]

Well done. Top fishing.

 

[anglerben]

31 Silver Eel Weymouth Harbour ragworm on a size 6 hook.

It tied itself up to make it easy for me to photograph

32. Goldsinney Wrasse. Weymouth Stone Pier, ragworm on size 6 hook.

 

[Goateeblank]

Good result in poor conditions!

 

[anglerben]

33. Baillon's Wrasse. Swanage Pier.

I'm sure many of these are thrown back as 'just another Corkwing'

Spot the difference, the Baillon's has noticeably red fins, a spot/splodge of black on the rear part of the dorsal fin and the scale pattern is different. These two were caught in the same spot, were the same size and are both in their adult form. The Baillon's may not have the red fins when tiny. Some have the black spot on the 'wrist' that is often present on the Corkwing just to confuse you more.

 

[Goateeblank]

Aaaagggh have I chucked one back?! Well done again. Top angling.

 

[anglerben]

A day on Swanage pier, not a single bite fishing float on two rods in 6 hours of fishing.

Jigged some size 16 sabikis when some bait-fish shoals turned up at high tide, plenty of takes including -

34 Greater Sand Eel or Launce.

35 Lesser Sand Eel

there were also some Sand Smelt and tiny pollack swimming with them.

 

[Goateeblank]

Long session, but two new species, cant be bad.

 

[anglerben]

Long session, but two new species, cant be bad.

I'm waiting for you to try to weigh one of those sand eel for your comp, 2 or 3 g, about 0.1 ounce

 

[Goateeblank]

I would give it a go. Try it with a small weight, then the weight on its own, split the difference, but using my kitchen scales that I forgot last time!

 

[anglerben]

A session with size 16 Sabikis on Swanage Pier ( nothing else happening with float fishing ) Shoals of baitfish which were mixed sand smelt, sand eel, launce and these which I thought were sprats but inspection of one at home and checking it with Dr Henderson's book I see that as it has the dorsal fin starting before the pectoral fins it is in fact, a Herring. Juvenile fish are difficult to identify without reference guides.

No. 36 Herring.

 

[anglerben]

No 37 Mackerel. Ilfracombe Harbour,

at last.

 

[anglerben]

38. Allis Shad, Swanage Pier

Assumed to be an Allis Shad as it was about 48cm, " fish of 45cm commonly observed" and up to 60cm whereas the Twaite is commonly 35 cm and up to 50cm

edit. caught another today, forgot last time to photograph a feature of the Allis Shad, the indentation on the top lip, see photo below.

 

[anglerben]

39 Tub Gurnard Steamer Point, mackerel strip on size 2 hook

One bite, one fish in 4.5 hours fishing, that's between three of us fishing two rods each, four others nearby caught just one small fish as I as leaving.
On the bright side, there was very little weed and it was a fine calm evening..

 

[anglerben]

40. Black Bream. Boscombe Pier. Mackerel strip on size 6 hook

Many hours, one bite one fish again but when that one fish is one needed for the list luck is on your side.

 

[anglerben]

Another session, this morning, of four hours plus for one bite and one fish, one fish I needed to catch.
I wonder what the odds of doing that three times in a row ?

41. Gilthead Bream. Preston Beach. Ragworm on a size 6 hook.

Nice morning to be out, I even met some considerate dog owners which is always a bonus.

 

[anglerben]

A trip to Boscombe Pier to catch a Red Mullet which have been coming in there in some numbers.

First cast, No 42 Red Mullet Salted Rag on size 6 hook.

next was a sole and then a black bream, all within ten minutes.

... then nothing for two hours and more.

 

[anglerben]

43 Scad, Boscombe Pier, size 8 sabikis baited with squid strips.

also caught a mackerel, some small plaice and small black bream.

 

[anglerben]

Preston Beach again, surely must be a small smoothhound there, pout, silver eel, sole and, yes there was ;at last,

44 Smoothhound, Ragworm on size 6 hook.

 

[anglerben]

45 Pilchard or Sardine Swanage Pier Size 16 Sabikis

The radiating lines on the gill cover identify it as a pilchard, now called a sardine..

About 4 hours jigging to get three of these and dozens of sand smelt, no mackerel caught float fishing but quite a few gar to restock the bait freezer.