After having booked a year ahead, it was disappointing to be faced with storms for our shark pilgrimage to Looe.
Our planned first day out fishing wrecks was blown off with winds too strong for even the catamaran Mystique II skippered by Dave Bond. However, an opening appeared the following day with the bad weather arriving at around 4pm so we scheduled an early start of 6am from the quay to get in a full days shark fishing after blues.
We travelled about 15 miles out we stopped to initially catch the fresh bait, ideally mackerel, so we sent down the feathers and the mackerel and whiting came thick and fast, so much so that I stopped fishing after half an hour having caught enoigh for the bait and also to make chumto attract the shark. This was thrown over the side in two string bags. we watched as the slick created a calming effect on the surface and were delighted to see storm peterels dancing on the surface as the picked off morcels of chum, they appeared to be able to walk on water.
With sufficient baits, out wnet the five shark rods (one each for me, my son Lee, Colin and Gareth Yapp and Mark Everard who had never
shark fished before). After about an hour we had our first run for Colin, then the best of the day for Gareth which was a 30-odd pounder. They were beautiful fish, almost a cobalt blue with big pectoral fins.
I
I caught the next, the smallest of the day which probably wouldn't have made 10lbs, then it went quiet for a while, long enough for mark to catch a nice garfish. lee had the next shark just into double figures and then it went quiet. We were all willing Mark to get his fish, but as the session drew to a close Gutted the fish to take home for food when suddenly the last rod tore off and Mark got his fish, another nice one of around 30lbs
Our skipper, Dave Bond managed to get us one each making it a really enjoyable day all around, The other boat with the rest of the gathering - Reg, Nick, Peter and Dave also had five shark.
There were other highlights; for us it was three playful dolphins alongside the boat. For the other boat it was a giant bluefin tuna which cleared the water amongst the bait and estimated at 3-400 lbs chasing garfish, the consensus amongst the anglers was that it was as big as a boat!!
The next day proved a bit rougher and only four shark were caught across five anglers, Dave being the unfortunate one. However, the highlight of the day was this hundred pound fish caught by Wayne Thomas
Another great day out in good company. Thanks to Mark for the pictures