April 2005

Tuesday 26th April 2005

BERRY HEAD
By Bob Hewitt

OK, so I read the report about the mackerel literally leaping ashore at Berry Head, so I though, 'what the hell,' and headed for the quarry. Monday morning, 10, o'clock 'ish found me and a colleague fishing from the platform. 11 o'clock, we moved to the far end. 12 o'clock, somewhere in the middle. Baits tried were mackerel strip, sandeel's, lug, feathers, all on float or light ledger. Catch for the morning? Nil, zero, etc. I reckon all the fish that were there yesterday were on some form of an aquatic away day and all had to be somewhere else first thing Monday. It's either that or I really am a cr*p fisherman...

[Admin note: Thank you for making me laugh over your last paragraph :) I get days like that and I guess it happens to us all]

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Monday 25th April 2005

BERRY HEAD
By Michael (CHUBB) Ballard

Went to berry head in the fog on sunday at about 3pm, as we were walking down, we passed people leaving with buckets of fish, each telling us there were tonnes of mackerel, and there was!!!! not the small early season things but BIG ones, after about half an hour, i had five that were at 1lb each!

Good sport on light gear with best results coming from 5 large hokais fished deep with a bass rod and light weight!!!
left at about 7pm after it had been raining for hours.

The peaks in fish were pitted with periods of inactivity but when they were there, THEY WERE THERE!!!

Please Click here to report any news you have about the shore fishing catches in Torbay & Devon!

Thursday 21st April 2005

ADMIN MESSAGE
By Simon Day

I'd like to personally give a huge thank you to everyone who helps keep this site going by submitting reports. I haven't been fishing for a couple of months because of ill health and a new baby daughter. Also in the next two weeks I'll be moving so without these updates this site would be very quiet. Please keep them coming in if you can as your reports and your name get seen by hundreds of visitors each week!

HOPES NOSE
By David Fenwick

Mackerel are now about off the NE point and just inside all the ..... pots, my 14 year old son caught 23, mid-tide, in a couple of hours on 'silver' feathers; all were caught near or on the bottom using a 2.5 ounce weight. Sadly he beat his dad hands down as they were just too far out to be caught on the fly. The odd mackerel was also caught on float tackle. Don't kids have all the luck. [admin note: always hehe]

Please Click here to report any news you have about the shore fishing catches in Torbay & Devon!

Sunday 17th April 2005

BERRY HEAD
By Michael CHUBB Ballard

Went to Berry Head at 6pm saturday, spinning for mackerel, there were some people feathering catching some small mackies and they said that some other guy had caught about thirty on the morning tide. anyway, spun for about an hour with one good 1lb 1oz mackerel. floated ragworm just off the bottom as he sun set and picked up a small wrasse and some smallish pollock, one dogfish after dark.

WARNING!
STARFISH ARE OUT IN PLAGUE PROPORTIONS AND ATTACH THEMSELVES TO ANY BAIT ON THE BOTTOM!!!!!!!!
(i even picked up a starfish on a spinner, try and explain that one!!!!)

SECOND MORTGAGES NEEDED AGAIN

Darren Herridge emailed me to let me know the car park charges have gone back to summer rates so where possible avoid as summer rates here are crazy prices!

Please Click here to report any news you have about the shore fishing catches in Torbay & Devon!

Thursday 14th April 2005

FISHING ROUNDUP
By Simon Day

Mackerel have started to arrive in the bay. Although not in great numbers yet they are being caught fairly frequently at hopes nose, Princess pier and Brixham Breakwater.

Mullet have also started appearing in the bay and in some places they are in large numbers but from what I've heard they are not feeding very well at the moment.

Some nice sized wrasse are being caught around the bay and in particular in the hopes nose and the Meadfoot Beach areas.

All in all it looks like the summer fish are starting to arrive and the blanking sessions so many of us have had over the last few months seem to be coming to an end.

SOME SAD NEWS
By Glenn Bowden

Hello,
I know you wouldn't know me but you may have known my Dad, Dave Bowden. He unfortunately passed away on Monday 11th April after a short illness.
He was a regular fisherman around Torbay where he lived all of his life, especially down Princess Pier and Haldon Pier where he was always after that 'double figure' Bass!
The funeral service, or Celebration of his life, will be held at Torquay Crematorium on Thursday 21st April and 12noon.
There are to be no flowers or mourning dress but other details about the donations etc will be in Friday nights Herald Express.

Please Click here to report any news you have about the shore fishing catches in Torbay & Devon!

Friday 8th April 2005

HOPES NOSE
By Graham Honeywill

8th april 0600 to 0830 at Hopes Nose.

Very windy and very cold, however I did get a couple of fair sized mackerel, using a dexter wedge. Managed to dodge the cuttlefish pots though :)


Please Click here to report any news you have about the shore fishing catches in Torbay & Devon!

Monday 4th April 2005
By Simon Day

Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been in bed suffering probably the worse case of flu I've ever had. I can actually move now so what's the first thing I do? update this site of course :)

MEADFOOT BEACH
By Julian Harcombe

Well we went to Thunderhole today,2/4/5. And we caught..... nothing ! Fished from 07.15 to 12.00.Tried feathers lures squid sandeel mackerel jellyworms.The lot really.We both had 2 rods on the go, 1 bottom and 1 float/spinning ect. Didn't take worm with us.Not sure if it would have helped ?
Although what started off as a sea breeze became much more as the time went on. Quite a strong south easterly I think .A big swell and some waves just getting onto top of rock platform. Couldn't even find shelter around the corner from point.

HOPES NOSE
By Darren "Plod" Herridge

Fished Hopes nose on the mornings of 31/03 and 01/04 on the left hand side. High tide was at about 10.30ish.
First thing to report is that there are a string of cuttlefish pots about 70 yards offshore, which accounted for 6 sets of my terminal tackle.
However, using peeler crab, I did manage to land a nice dogfish around high tide, and as soon as my bait had hit the bottom I got another storming bite, that ripped the rod from the rest.
Try as I might I couldn't prevent the fish from going where it wanted, and after storming backwards and forwards a couple of times, it headed for the rocky ledge, where my 18lb main line touched the rocks and ping!.......It snapped. It was suggested that the way it fought, it was more than likely a bass.

Please Click here to report any news you have about the shore fishing catches in Torbay & Devon!