After having a previous trip this year called off due
to high winds, we were keeping our fingers crosses that this second trip,
chartering the Jessica Hettie out of Clovelly would go ahead.
We woke to see a beautiful day, clear blue skies and
no wind, the perfect day for the trip. These are relaxed trips where the group
interaction is as important as the fishing but this turned out to be one of my
best days sea fishing.
We started off just outside Clovelly harbour fishing
for mackerel without success but Clive, the skipper brought some from the
previous day so we wasted no time and headed for Hartland where we fished for
bass. I had one about 3lb, Matthew had one a shade bigger, Reg had one a
similar size to mine but topped it off with this beauty.
Then, when the tide changed we went down to Welcombe
and for four hours fishing off a reef and caught fish steadily all day. I was
trying an idea I had for smaller species with a 6' spinning rod, 8lb line and a
size 8 hook and was immediately into the smoothhound followed by nice bream,
pouting, mackerel, scad.
Reg fished heavier and had a 2 tope, one pictured
below and huss.
Graham was fishing lighter for bream and after
catching a tope had a bream on his small baits. Matthew had the best Pollock of
around 6lb and Colin, the newest addition to the party, again fishing with
light tackle had this huss, and bream.
We must have
taken well into three figures by the end of the day and 11 different species.
We even saw porpoise and seal. What a day with a good group of friends. Fishing
doesn't get any better than this, and highlights what North
Devon can offer.
