MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE: CATCHUP III
APRIL / MAY:
We Have Moved Base from Brighton Marina for better access to far better fishing grounds, wrecks and facilities. We are now operating from Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, which boasts far better facilities such as easy free car parking, better moorings and more important less traveling time to the best wrecks in the Channel area. Being so close to Beachy head, only 10 minutes away, makes it more accessible to the top Bass fishing marks quickly, unlike the long haul from Brighton in past years. There are over 4 times as many wrecks within a 30 mile radius than at Brighton and with the average depth being some 10 to 15m shallower mid channel, makes the fishing at anchor more easy and enjoyable. A detailed map of our new location is shown on the Maps page.
At last some better weather for us all, we are actually starting to get out a few days a week now. The summer season fishing is now starting with the first Mackerel shoals moving up the Channel. This always signals the change from winter fishing to summer, with the Bass shoals following close behind, it should be an interesting new summer season out of Eastbourne.
The wrecks up until this week have still been producing some huge quality Cod for the lads when we can get out, the biggest this month so far taken by Dave Boston from S.E London. The personal best fish for Dave weighed in at 31lb 8oz, (pic below) and took a large shad lure to a flowing trace over a wreck 29 miles off Eastbourne. Other fine 20lb fish seem quite common and with the Cod returning from spawning later this month we should see some spectacular sport later this summer.
We are taking 20lb plus Cod every Day, and strangely all are coming to plastic lures like redgills and shads, not as you would normally imagine with the larger fish normally taking a pirk fished hard on the bottom, but feeding habits can change and with tons of Sprat in the water out deep, these larger fish are up in the water with the smaller ones chasing baitfish.
The Bass have started showing out off the back wrecks behind the Soveriegn Tower, and we are taking some nice fish to 10lbs even drifting the banks with Mackerel coloured redgills in only 80ft of water. When we are lucky and the fish are balled up we are also taking plenty of smaller fish on a set of 3 hockeye lures fished above a small pirk and worked on the bottom uptide of the wreck, a very productive method when they are pigging out on whitebait or Sprat. In fact we stopped just for 50 minutes on Friday last on the way in to drift a wreck 10 miles off Beachy and took over 40 Bass to 8lb, not bad for an hours work, and some really fine table fish for the lads to tuck into.
Conger fishing will start this month also, and I am confident that this summer will see at least one or more fish over the 100lb barrier. The wrecks Off Eastbourne are now heaving with big Eels again after being left alone for some years, and we lost two last November which were up in the ton region, so watch this space for a special fish.
FISHING IN FLORIDA
My mate Tony Allen who used to run a great charter business from Plymouth on his Lochin 38 "Electric Blue" has now been operating in the Florida sunshine from John's Pass, near Clearwater Florida. He has been operating for a while now and is getting some incredible catches for his customers in Florida.
Pictured below is Tony's New super fast Game boat: " Electric Blue" a superbly fitted out 37 footer with all facilities. I can thoroughly recommend that if you like to go fishing in exotic climes, then Tony is your man. So if you are in Florida on Holiday, then call Tony up and get out for a day or two, you will love it.
Contact Tony Allen at his great web site: www.electricbluefishing.com its well worth a visit!
NEWSFLASH: Tony has just smashed the Dock record for "WAHOO" with this huge 89lb specimen.
Tony Allen pictured here with the Record Wahoo!
Visit Our Links Page on the main index page for some great links to Penn etc!
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WATCH OUT FOR THE SALE BROCHURE IN JUNE ISSUE SEA ANGLER and TOTAL SEA FISHING!
CATCHERS GALLERY APRIL/MAY:
Daves 31lb 8oz Whopper Chris Roots 20lb 8oz Cod Steve Norbury's 27lb 8oz Cod
Alans 24lb Super Cod Tony Marshalls 21lb 2oz Cod
Some of the better fish taken on board Catchup III recently