[Peter B]

Hi,

I'm a new member and have a 22ft wooden fishing boat down here on the far south coast of Cornwall. Apart from rod fishing from the boat I also work half a dozen lobster pots for a bit of fun, and do very well with them. I wondered if there are any other boat owner members of the site doing a bit of potting - I'd love to compare notes if there is........

Cheers
Peter B

 

[Big.D]

Hi Peter, I used to run a small potter about 12 years ago, only had 40 creels, but used to make a good bit o beer money out of it must admit I do miss the old girl (boat, not the wife)..... dont miss jumping over the side in the middle of the river Forth with a rope round me in a 100ft of water to clear the prop when I ran over the dan line at the beggining of April though......

still it was a good experiance

 

[Drew]

Hi Peter B,

Welcome to the Forum, bet you miss these Lobsters?

Cheers

Drew

 

[Arctechnic]

Hi Peter,
Welcome to WSF.
I fish off my father in laws little boat out of Bridlington and we have a couple of pots we drop down. We have done alright for ourselves in the past. Some very nice crabs and lobsters. Trouble is, I always seem to get the job of hauling them up but I also get the chefs job so usually end up with my fair share. Don't you find they taste much nicer when you have caught them yourself?
My four year old daughter says " I don't like lobsters but I like the chicken that's in them."

 

[flattiefanatic]

Hey bigdunny. Interesting to know someone on the forth that does a bit of potting. Just curious, but what sort of things do you creel fisherman find in the pots as a bycatch?

 

[Davy Holt]

Ross,

In the prawn creels I put out I've had, Scorpions, Tadpole fish, Plaice, whiting, Cod, LSD & Congers also all sorts of little shrimps crabs etc... and very few prawns

 

[flattiefanatic]

LOL Davy. I remember a couple of years ago, the chap up at Loch Fyne who has boats for hire telling me that the pots were coming up with some decent codling stuck in them. Mind you, I think that was 2003, when Loch Fyne was fishing really well. BTW, do you need any sort of license if you're potting for 'personal use'?
Just to add, had some time to kill on Saturday while waiting for the train at Oban, so me and the old man had a look at the shellfish bars etc. and we saw some edible crabs still in the creels,one word- MONSTERS. Wouldnt fancy getting in the way of their claws LOL.

 

[Peter B]

Hi everyone,

It's great to see one or two other 'hobby' boat fishermen doing a bit of potting. It's great fun and the rewards are fantastic. With regard to licences, flattiefantic, no, you don't need one to catch shell fish but you are strictly limited to what you can land if you're not licenced, and if you get caught breaking the rules you'll be bankrupted by the fine and probably loose your boat!! Down here the Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee allows unlicenced boats like mine to land any two shell fish in one trip, ie, two lobster, two crabs, one lob one crab. They must be over regulation size and I'm not allowed to sell the catch. This morning I went out and hauled my pots, (only 6 of 'em in three strings of two) and had two lobsters of one and a half kilos and one kilo and three crabs - I put the crabs back and landed the lobbies. As for other things in the pots, I've had all sorts - conger and five gilled shark being the regulars.

Anyway, thanks for the response to the post fellas, like I say, it's nice to know there's someone else enjoying the benefits of a bit of potting. There's nothing better after a day out on the rod than to go to the pots on your way home and add those 'blueies' to your catch......

Cheers, and tight lines

 

[pzwill]

Nice to see that there are still some recreational potters around. Shellfish is the family business, so im very interested to hear any news about how the fishing is going. Thinking of buying a boat in the future, to do a bit of potting out of newlyn. At the moment have a few shrimp pots in the harbour for bait, always get a few suprises, once had a 6lb conger!

will

 

[Peter B]

Hi Will,

I'm just round the bay from you, as you'll have seen. There's a cracking good boat for sale in Newlyn at the moment - went to have a look at her myself the other day. She's a 22 footer, wooden, built like a brick outhouse, Spencer Carter solo pot hauler, fully licenced with shellfish entitlement and all the gear included. I won't mention the price here, probably not pc, but it's a fair one for the boat, licence and gear. Her registration number is PZ1184, you may want to have a look yourself.

Cheers for now

 

[Big.D]

Hi flattie,

I think up here in Scotland you are allowed to fish 10 creels for your own personel use ? you are not allowed to sell any of you catch if you are unlicenced.

That was the reason I gave up doing it 12 odd year ago, to sell them at the local market the council brought in a local bylaw that all potters had to have a licence.
fair stopped all the part timers like me from earning a bit o beer money.

I used to catch Tadpole fish some good Cod to 5lb the odd Ling and occasional Conger


Davey ? whats the score with the regs up here m8, I am well out of touch with it all now.