Sea fishing

The forum to discuss anything related to these other styles of catching fish
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Alan_dalton
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Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Finally pretty much sorted. Over the last few years my pike fishing results have really gone down hill to the point where I catch very few these days. Time for a new challenge. I have got myself a Orkney coastliner, sticking a 20hp Honda on it and a small auxillary petrol outboard. Got flares and a ship to shore radio. Ordered 2 uptide rods and reels and 2 rods and reels suitable for downtiding and various rigs etc? Anything else I might need? I'm a complete sea fishing novice! I live a Peterborough so not far from the wash. Really want a bash at the tope. Are there any books that are a must read that anyone can recommend?
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Duncan Holmes »

Alan_dalton wrote: Thu Jul 12 2018 09:31 -
Finally pretty much sorted. Over the last few years my pike fishing results have really gone down hill to the point where I catch very few these days. Time for a new challenge. I have got myself a Orkney coastliner, sticking a 20hp Honda on it and a small auxillary petrol outboard. Got flares and a ship to shore radio. Ordered 2 uptide rods and reels and 2 rods and reels suitable for downtiding and various rigs etc? Anything else I might need? I'm a complete sea fishing novice! I live a Peterborough so not far from the wash. Really want a bash at the tope. Are there any books that are a must read that anyone can recommend?
I have limited sea boat angling experience, but spent hundreds of hours out in the North Sea when diving, at it is not a very forgiving place.

Learn the tides Alan and the effect of the wind, easy to get caught out when the tide turns against the wind and it lifts. Any doubts about the weather then head for home, or leave the boat roped up at the mooring and go to the café.

Any big boat is very unlikely to see you and if they do unlikely to take avoiding action so keep a look out at all times and be prepared to cut anchor if you need, on that theme always make sure you have a spare anchor and plenty of rope. Those big wind farm Cats are deceptively fast, I have seen them appear from nowhere, pass me and disappear in to the distance while we were doing 18 knots :eek:

Think about anchor retrieval and make sure that you can never end up with the rope around the prop.

Have you got your VHF licence? if not at least learn the protocol and always do a radio check with Humber coastguard before you leave safe water. Register your departure, eta, people on board and your safe return with the coastguard.

If you are fishing from anchor on your own, chuck out a trail line or wear a harness, if you go overboard you will be away from the boat in seconds with no hope of swimming against the tide, your flares and radio are no good on the boat if you go over the side.

Get one of these https://www.force4.co.uk/mcmurdo-s10-ai ... eacon.html and keep it on you at all times if you are solo. These are awesome bits of kit and will guide any boat using AIS system right on to your shoulder if the worst happens. I have been adrift in the water in thick mist for 45 mins before the boat could leave station and get me, this saved me from a very anxious wait or worse.

The saltwater will eat in to anything and everything, how ever hard you try the salt will always win but do everything you can in terms of washing down, maintenance, etc.

World of Sea Fishing Forum is a great resource.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

As always Duncan, thanks :thumbs:
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by chris_parry »

Great advice from Duncan .
I've lost count of the number of times I've sat on the slipway eating my sandwiches and going back home without even launching the boat, because the weather looked dodgy.

Alan, you're going to love tope fishing especially when your reels start screaming as your line comes off the spool so fast, its a blur :afraid:
There are days when you catch so many, you can easily run out of bait.

Probably, your biggest problem is catching enough fresh bait as there are times when the shoals of mackerel simply refuse to turn up. I would recommend you take a box of frozen squid, a couple of packets of joeys or whole lamprey with you, just to get you fishing if there is no fresh bait around. Also take a mackerel fillet cut into small squares with a scissors, for whiting bait.

After dropping anchor, your very first job is to set up a mackerel rod with a string of feathers and a 10 ounce lead. Lower the rig over the side and place the rod in a rod rest. There is no need to jig the rod by hand, the wave action on the boat with be enough. The 10 ounce lead may sound excessive but it keeps the string in a straight line, when there are a load of mackerel hanging on the end. If you use a lighter lead, you will literally reel in a ball of mackerel and a horrible tangle.

Your second job is set up your tope rod with a frozen bait. Nothing wrong with frozen bait. You will get a run very soon if there are any tope around.

Your third job is to lower a whiting rig with three size 8 hooks, baited with small mackerel squares, over the back of the boat.

Whiting and mackerel are great baits fished whole. If you start to run low on bait, half mackerel is good too.

Good luck :thumbs:
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Thanks Chris!
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Re: Sea fishing2

Post by Alan_dalton »

Not planning on going out on my own!
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by chris_parry »

Alan_dalton wrote: Thu Jul 12 2018 20:32 -
Thanks Chris!
Alan, Let me have your address by PM and I will send you a whiting rig and tope rig to get you started.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alex Fox »

Some good advice already Alan ... World sea fishing is the only other forum I go on , its very good

Obviously decent life jackets and as has been mentioned ... always go with someone

If the weather is not totally right ... always cancel , so start to use xc weather etc

Anchor retrieval is seriously important ... watch the youtube vids on the Alderney Ring used with a large floating buoy , and have your boat partner watching the rope isn't near the prop at any point during retrieval ... also use a good quality rope that doesn't float like that blue crap

As for the fishing ... that's the easy bit , just go and enjoy it as you will learn more as you go ... oh and use decent fresh bait
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

:thumbs: Thanks Alex!
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Jellybait »

your anchor will have to be the right type with some chain as alot of areas you will be fishing for tope will have a good run of tide ,and a tip is to tie a bag of rubby dubby to your anchor to increase your chances
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Jellybait wrote: Wed Jul 18 2018 08:17 -
your anchor will have to be the right type with some chain as alot of areas you will be fishing for tope will have a good run of tide ,and a tip is to tie a bag of rubby dubby to your anchor to increase your chances

Was planning on using an onion sack for that???
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

:pale: Been on the phone to my mate today who is an outboard dealer, he advised me to not fish the wash as I'm a novice to sea fishing and he reckons it's one of the most dangerous places for boating!!!
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by chris_parry »

Definitely a good idea to find a boat partner who has had some experience at boating on the Wash and obtain some charts.

What I would recommend is that when you decide to go, choose a day with small tides and little or no easterly winds, just to help build up your confidence.

For example at some places on the Wash today, high tide is 7.3 metres but its falling all this week to 5.7 metres on Monday. The tides start rising again next Tuesday so you may want to go this Sunday or Monday when the tide is smallest.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Cheers Chris, won't be this weekend still have to some more jobs on boat and still need to get outboard fitted. My mates lending me a book for the skippers coarse so I'm going to read that and start looking at tide info.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Jellybait »

Alan_dalton wrote: Wed Jul 18 2018 13:18 -
Jellybait wrote: Wed Jul 18 2018 08:17 -
your anchor will have to be the right type with some chain as alot of areas you will be fishing for tope will have a good run of tide ,and a tip is to tie a bag of rubby dubby to your anchor to increase your chances

Was planning on using an onion sack for that???
spot on
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Duncan Holmes »

Alan_dalton wrote: Wed Jul 18 2018 21:20 -
Cheers Chris, won't be this weekend still have to some more jobs on boat and still need to get outboard fitted. My mates lending me a book for the skippers coarse so I'm going to read that and start looking at tide info.
Might be worth lookign at doing RYA Powerboat 2, I did the course a few years ago when I was looking at progressing up to Advanced powerboat. I didnt go any further in the end as I quit diving, but the course was really good.

Despite having a lot of experience inland and costal, I learnt quite a bit from the course, and was a good confidence boost to have an instructor assess your skills. There is the option to add coastal skills to the basic certificate.

I did mine with these guys, http://www.norfolketc.co.uk/power/
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Duncan Holmes wrote: Thu Jul 19 2018 09:29 -
Alan_dalton wrote: Wed Jul 18 2018 21:20 -
Cheers Chris, won't be this weekend still have to some more jobs on boat and still need to get outboard fitted. My mates lending me a book for the skippers coarse so I'm going to read that and start looking at tide info.
Might be worth lookign at doing RYA Powerboat 2, I did the course a few years ago when I was looking at progressing up to Advanced powerboat. I didnt go any further in the end as I quit diving, but the course was really good.

Despite having a lot of experience inland and costal, I learnt quite a bit from the course, and was a good confidence boost to have an instructor assess your skills. There is the option to add coastal skills to the basic certificate.

I did mine with these guys, http://www.norfolketc.co.uk/power/
I was a level 2 powerboat instructer for 5 years, but haven't got any experience whatsoever with costal waters, might investigate the costal skills course, i think my level 2 should still be valid. Cheers Duncan
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Been busy making leads!
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by phil.c »

Try sending Paul Belston (User name 'cod') a pm.

I know he does a bit of sea fishing from a boat in that area. :thumbs:
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by chrisdonna »

Alan,
Chris Parry is right about a partner - not only for the Wash but any sea fishing from a boat.
Launching can be a sod if fishing alone with the extra wave activity on the slip but a partner is also essential when fishing for tope.
If you manage to get a even a small tope the extra pair of hands is useful especially if you are getting on a bit and not as strong as you used to be (like me). If you get from a forty up then a partner is essential as they thrash about uncontrollably.
A few months ago I went off North Wales with a friend and around 10.00 (for no reason) a mist came down and we lost sight of the shore (7 miles out). It was still around at 18.00 and if we didn`t have a good Chart Plotter (GPS) we would have been in trouble, so I upgraded mine on arriving home to make sure I can get in no matter what the conditions.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Dave Horton »

chrisdonna wrote: Mon Aug 13 2018 09:30 -
Alan,
Chris Parry is right about a partner - not only for the Wash but any sea fishing from a boat.
Launching can be a sod if fishing alone with the extra wave activity on the slip but a partner is also essential when fishing for tope.
If you manage to get a even a small tope the extra pair of hands is useful especially if you are getting on a bit and not as strong as you used to be (like me). If you get from a forty up then a partner is essential as they thrash about uncontrollably.
A few months ago I went off North Wales with a friend and around 10.00 (for no reason) a mist came down and we lost sight of the shore (7 miles out). It was still around at 18.00 and if we didn`t have a good Chart Plotter (GPS) we would have been in trouble, so I upgraded mine on arriving home to make sure I can get in no matter what the conditions.
Regards,
Chris Donovan
Jesus but don't they play up, Chris!

I can imagine that mist scenario being VERY scary too!

(I don't think I'd ever go to sea alone face)
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

chrisdonna wrote: Mon Aug 13 2018 09:30 -
Alan,
Chris Parry is right about a partner - not only for the Wash but any sea fishing from a boat.
Launching can be a sod if fishing alone with the extra wave activity on the slip but a partner is also essential when fishing for tope.
If you manage to get a even a small tope the extra pair of hands is useful especially if you are getting on a bit and not as strong as you used to be (like me). If you get from a forty up then a partner is essential as they thrash about uncontrollably.
A few months ago I went off North Wales with a friend and around 10.00 (for no reason) a mist came down and we lost sight of the shore (7 miles out). It was still around at 18.00 and if we didn`t have a good Chart Plotter (GPS) we would have been in trouble, so I upgraded mine on arriving home to make sure I can get in no matter what the conditions.
Regards,
Chris Donovan
Cheers Chris,won't be going out alone, im a complete novice with sea fishing so wont be taking any chance, I bet that was quite daunting especially as you wouldn't of been able to see other vessels! I have purchased the navionics card so should be able to navigate back if conditions deterioate and also fitted a proper boat compass just in case. Reckon I will have to try next year as boat isn't fully kitted out yet. At least it will give me more time to read up and sea fishing and get the boat set up right!
Last edited by Alan_dalton on Mon Aug 13 2018 20:58, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Bob Watson »

There'll be no shortage of takers if you put the word out that you want an experienced boat partner!
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Bob Watson wrote: Mon Aug 13 2018 19:17 -
There'll be no shortage of takers if you put the word out that you want an experienced boat partner!
My good friend has done plenty of fishing from charter boats so will put me right with tactics + a couple of anglers off here have been very helpful via pm.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by brendan taaffe »

Dave Horton wrote: Mon Aug 13 2018 17:41 -
chrisdonna wrote: Mon Aug 13 2018 09:30 -
Alan,
Chris Parry is right about a partner - not only for the Wash but any sea fishing from a boat.
Launching can be a sod if fishing alone with the extra wave activity on the slip but a partner is also essential when fishing for tope.
If you manage to get a even a small tope the extra pair of hands is useful especially if you are getting on a bit and not as strong as you used to be (like me). If you get from a forty up then a partner is essential as they thrash about uncontrollably.
A few months ago I went off North Wales with a friend and around 10.00 (for no reason) a mist came down and we lost sight of the shore (7 miles out). It was still around at 18.00 and if we didn`t have a good Chart Plotter (GPS) we would have been in trouble, so I upgraded mine on arriving home to make sure I can get in no matter what the conditions.
Regards,
Chris Donovan
Jesus but don't they play up, Chris!

I can imagine that mist scenario being VERY scary too!

(I don't think I'd ever go to sea alone face)

Seafishing is a whole different ball game with tides, swell, wind and other boats. I've launched on big loughs in fog and ended up miles away from where I thought I was! At sea you just can't take those chances as you could inland.
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Cod »

Alan,

There are so many things to consider! My top three tips would be.

1, show the sea the greatest respect, there are a lot of wrecks out there.
2, fish in a chater boat first, to find out if you get sea sick. If you do get sick, forget about being in charges of a small fishing boat.
3, never go out to sea with out a GPS Plotter and backup compass and charts.

Regards Paul B
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

Cod wrote: Tue Aug 14 2018 19:18 -
Alan,

There are so many things to consider! My top three tips would be.

1, show the sea the greatest respect, there are a lot of wrecks out there.
2, fish in a chater boat first, to find out if you get sea sick. If you do get sick, forget about being in charges of a small fishing boat.
3, never go out to sea with out a GPS Plotter and backup compass and charts.

Regards Paul B
Cheers Paul
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by J.Hammond1 »

http://www.boat-angling.co.uk/book-angl ... and-print/


Very good free guide to boat angling at sea
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Alan_dalton »

:thumbs:
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Re: Sea fishing

Post by Antony »

Alan did you manage to get out on the wash with your boat and if you did,did you manage to catch a tope ?
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