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04/2016 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Apr 2016 by Scott Belbin

Its been another busy month here in the thames estuary. Fishing was hard at times earlier in the year due to the low water temperature but after a couple of weeks of warmer weather the fishing has turned a corner and fishing has picked up everywhere. There are good numbers of thorn-back rays showing inshore now and some good fish amongst them too. now they have arrived in force we shouldn’t loose many days to weather as we can find good fishing even in the shelter of our estuary. There are several whiting and dogfish showing with them. There is still the chance of an elusive cod (and they have been all to elusive) and I would be surprised if a few made a showing before summer arrives.
The other day we managed our first offshore trip in a while with some good results. There was a mix of lads aboard with some beginners and some experienced anglers amongst them. There was a bit of breeze to start with but it was quite manageable and good enough to get where we wanted. after a good steam we eventually got anchored and started fishing. We were hoping to see a spurdog or two but they don’t spend much time in our area so its hard to predict when they will appear. As it happens Rolf was bitten off on his first cast which may be frustrating but was a good sign that there may be some about. With the likely hood of catching these fish being slim around here its often hard to convince people to fish heavier snoods but it is usually worth it as the one that bites you off might be your only chance of the day. as it happens today there were several chances and it wasn’t long before our fish spurdog was aboard. In fact at times it was quite busy between them and dogfish and untangling and casting the hire rods out as well as making dodgy tea. By slack water we had a few spurs aboard. The biggest fell to nick at 14.6lbs then Rolf at 12.6lbs and another at 11.7lbs with a few more at 4-8lbs. this mark doesn’t usually produce much on the next tide but as we had seen a few we sat it out just in case. As the tide got going it became clear it wasn’t happening so we made a move to another mark. the tide was just getting under way here but the dogfish were already feeding hard. Stephen had the first notable fish which was a nice roker. After the rolf had a couple of spurdogs and then on the last cast he winkled out the first cod ive seen since the middle of January. A nice fish at 8lbs too and it finished the day off well. We had 11 spurs, a roker, a cod, a pouting and lots of dogfish.
I have a few spaces on offshore trips before the end of the month if you fancy facing the barrage of lesser spotted dogfish that are likely to be there. On the general trips for the next few weeks will be targeting thorn-backs with a chance of cod as well as the first of the smooth-hounds and bass that should show in the coming weeks. for more information, available dates and weekly updates please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
02/2016 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Feb 2016 by Scott Belbin

February wasn’t the easiest of months with a combination of poor weather and at times hit or miss fishing for us but things look to be on the up now. With regards to the weather I always look at it that if its rubbish one day we’ll get it back another day so with that in mind we must be due some good weather soon. With temperatures forecast to rise dramatically in the next few days this should help move things along a bit. we have been out once or twice a week and although the cod have been thin on the ground we have had a few good days on thorn-back rays. they have been a little hit and miss at times due to the cold weather but we have usually found some. The other day we had a good day despite less than perfect conditions. Thankfully we were able to take advantage of one of the many sheltered marks in our area to make things a little more comfortable. The day started off reasonable with a male ray of around 4-5lbs aboard on the second cast. We lost a better fish soon after but had a long wait before our next fish which was a small maid. With the tide running through nicely we should have been seeing more so we put a move in to our next mark. we spent the rest of our day here with rays coming out here and there for the rest of the day. most of the catch was made up of the smaller males although a couple of decent females came out. The biggest of which fell to Arthur and is the biggest so far this year at 17.1lbs. we also saw several whiting although mostly pin whiting as we’ve been seeing the last few weeks and we were overjoyed to catch two dogfish as well. We finished the day off with 23 rays and 7 happy anglers.
Over the coming weeks things should liven up a bit, hopefully the weather will warm up and I’m sure we’ll see a spring run of cod yet. There’s plenty of time for it to happen yet as the best of last years fishing wasn’t until Easter. Even with out the cod there’s plenty to be had with rays ect and hopefully I’ll get offshore to see what’s off there soon too.
Ive got spaces this month and next if your interested please call 07956411528 or visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk for more information, available dates and weekly news updates.
01/2016 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Jan 2016 by Scott Belbin

Im sorry its been so long since my last report on here but as ever ive been very busy with the boats as well as ashore so something had to give. I have kept my website and facebook page up to date though. Those of you that read my weekly reports will have a fair idea that its been hard work for the cod around here recently. This is down to many factors including bait fish distracting them, drop in water temp and lack of fish in the first place. Ive no doubt they will be back at some point in the near future though and the mild turn in the weather will help if it stays. Thankfully we have still been able to get out and find a few fish though with good numbers of thorn-back rays about until last week. Since the population of thorn-backs has increased locally we have regularly seen them 12 months of the year. January and February have also become a good time to catch some of the biggest females too with our biggest of the year coming out this time last year. The whiting and dogfish have been showing too although the cold snap has pushed life a bit further afield for the time being. If we get the tides and weather we will be heading offshore again. The weather put a stop to any offshore trips for over two months but we have managed two trips off there so far this year. There hasn’t always been lots of what we want off there but we did find a couple of decent fish in the last hour of the last trip to make the effort worth while. After the usual barrage of dogfish and whiting and a few rays we hadn’t seen anything special until Lawrence hooked a decent fish. it got us in a bit of a muddle around some other lines but we quickly untangled the and soon had it in the net. It was a lovely bass of 9.8lbs which wasn’t quite what we expected but very welcome. It was a great fish to see and made a change from the carp he usually fishes for. With the end of the day fast approaching I managed to hook into a decent fish myself which went really well having several good runs on light tackle. When it surfaced martin netted it for me. It was a nice spurdog which went 15.7lbs and a great addition to the days catch. We normally only see spurdogs on these offshore trips so it made the effort a little more worth while.
Over the coming weeks I would expect to see the cod come back on the feed and if it stays warm I would hope the thornbacks will be in numbers too. there will be the ever present dogfish and whiting too. if we get offshore who knows what will show up but I would bet lesser spotted dogfish will feature in high numbers as ever. For more information, available dates and weekly fishing updates please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
11/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Nov 2015 by Scott Belbin

Sorry my November report is a little late but although we may not have been quite as busy afloat the last few weeks due to the weather I have still been rushed off my feet on the shore in between our trips. As you may have gathered the cod fishing has slowed down a bit inshore and the weather hasn’t allowed us to get offshore much lately either. This hasn’t stopped us getting out though and as usual the blackwater estuary has kept us busy and provided plenty of shelter along with a good days fishing. Personally I like the mild weather, it usually helps most of our fish hang around a bit and at the moment its keeping the dogfish and thorn-backs around in good numbers. I think as is often the case there will be several factors in the cod catches dropping off. I think the main one will be the large numbers of bait fish that have arrived. There’s certainly lots of herring there and maybe one of two sprats. On the last trip they looked well spread out and broken up but this is to be expected after the wind we’ve had over the last few weeks. as I mentioned this hasn’t stopped us getting out even in some of the worst winds. One note able weekend was when we were joined by the lads from the England boat team. The weekend had been organised by Rolf it and being fairly local himself was keen to show off the sheltered fishing we had on offer. This weekend turned out to be perfect for us as we wouldn’t have got anywhere else but the estuary. The lads had been split up in to two teams, on day 1 one would team fish on my boat and the other on dads on day 2 half of each team would swap boats. Day one was wet and windy but we got to where we wanted to fish and had lots of fish aboard the boats. With the points system the lads were using numbers was the key and we weren’t disappointed with plenty of treble shots of whiting, dogfish codling and the odd ray. Day two was dry but very windy so we ended up seeking shelter even further up the blackwater. The whiting didn’t let us down and we saw several dogfish, a few dabs and thorn-backs along with a tub gurnard. As the tide got up there was no respite from the strong winds but the lads fished on and were rewarded with more treble shots of fish. after the weekend the feedback from the lads was good and I hope we did our area justice in some undesirable conditions. It was really interesting for myself and dad to see how the lads fished and we may have picked up some different methods along the way.
Over the coming weeks I have a few spaces available on either offshore or general trips and I am obviously taking bookings for next year too. the numbers of cod may have dipped but they are still a good stamp and if we can find them the rays are filling the gap a bit. last trip we had 17 and 3 cod along with plenty of whiting and dogfish.
For more information, weekly updates and available dates please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or phone 07956411528 in the mean time have a good Christmas.
10/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Oct 2015 by Scott Belbin

October has flown by with lots of trip chasing all sorts of fish. the weather may have been a pain for some but we have been very fortunate to have some great fishing in the blackwater estuary to fall back on when its too rough to get else where. To be honest sometimes the fishing was better in the estuary than it was further off with fish more concentrated. As ever there has been no shortage of whiting and dogfish about and depending where we fished it was usually one or the other (if not both) keeping us busy and robing our baits. In places the numbers of thornbacks has been steady with the average stamp slightly smaller this time of year going from maids to 8lbs or so. The stamp of cod on the other had is great at the moment with many on the 3-7lbs range even in the estuary. The numbers of fish are going up steadily now with the best numbers turning up later in the season last year. There are still a few summer fish here and there and we even found a few smooth-hounds the other day. the biggest fell to one lucky anglers (me) at 13.5lbs . this is by far the latest ive seen a double figure hound and ive no doubt is related to the relatively high water temp. over the coming weeks we should see more codling coming out and if were lucky might find one or two of the better fish as well. Ive got a few spaces before the end of the year and have put all of my dates for next year on my page. For more information, available dates and a weekly update please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
09/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Sep 2015 by Scott Belbin

September has come and gone very quickly for me. This may have been aided by a short break away but mostly as I was busy as ever. We started off with roker making up the majority of our catches. These varied from little maids (as is common this time of year) up to double figures. As well as these we had several smooth-hounds and the odd bass mixed in. we also saw several codling showing which is no surprise given the smattering of them we have seen throughout the summer. As the month went on the numbers smooth-hounds and bass decreased quickly which signals the end of summer for us. Luckily the weather is still very much like summer at the moment and despite this the numbers of cod have been picking up nicely. the stamp of fish is great at the moment with many fish in the 3-7lbs range and this is likely to increase as the season goes on. Fish are still pretty spread out but if you are lucky enough to get on them 10-20 a day is common. This makes for some good fishing along with the roker and hordes of whiting and dogfish that are about. Its likely that as these monster tides back off we will see some better numbers of cod and these will build over the coming month and as we get further into the season. As you will gather from most of the reports we expect to see some decent fish this year so watch this space. For more information, available dates and a weekly update please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
08/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Aug 2015 by Scott Belbin

August has been a good month to us although it may have been wet and windy at times we have managed to get out and as ever the fishing has been great. Our inshore trips have produced a nice variety of fish with many winter species such as cod and whiting showing already which is a good sign for the coming season. We have had a few tub gurnard mixed in which have been showing more frequently over the last 12 months than they have for several years. The smooth-hounds have been here all along and we had another run of big fish as is traditional around this time of year for us. We had several good trips and saw plenty of double figure fish. However one evening trip stands out as the best trip for them. As we had a couple of late arrivals and due to tides and having to steam a fair distance we could only manage just over 3.5hrs fishing as it was just a 7 hour trip but luckily it was a busy 3.5 hours. Things started slowly with one or two hounds coming aboard or being lost. As the tide started running it went with two or three big hounds coming in at a time. These fish fight well enough anyway but in the shallow waters around here I would say they are unbeatable very often jumping, rolling on the surface and dragging our anglers on a lap of the boat. The best fish of the evening fell to hiroshi just as darkness fell. It was clearly a decent fish with a lot of weight behind it and after the obligatory lap of honour around the boat she gave me a shot with the net. Once in the boat and photographed we weighed her in at 23.5lbs which was not only a PB for Hiroshi but for the boat too. needless to say we were all pleased for him. We had several more fish before heading home for the night. I couldn’t tell you an exact number of what we had but I stopped marking them down at over 40 and I know we had several more after that so with at least 50 decent hounds for the night along with the odd small bass and whiting it had been good.
On the offshore trips we’ve been concentrating on bass which haven’t been bad although maybe not as good as previous years. We have always found a few fish and some nice ones too. these too fight very well in the shallow clear water where they can be caught on nice light gear too. sizes vary from trip to trip but most have been 2-5lbs so far.
As I mentioned earlier there have been the odd codling showing for a while now and they are pushing closer in shore too. they could well show up in numbers on one of the next sets of tides as they move in for the autumn run along with the rays.
Over the next month we should see a mixed bag as the summer species and winter species overlap for a while. Anything could be on the cards and most will show on squid bait although worm can help for some species. For more information, available dates and weekly updates please visit my website www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
07/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Jul 2015 by Scott Belbin

July has been another good month even if they weather was a little questionable at times. We have had the odd bass trip and tope trip offshore but have spent most of our time in pursuit of the smooth-hounds. these have been around in good numbers so far this year and with some decent fish showing too. this month has seen mainly small ones with a few bigger fish mixed in at times in the 8-10lbs range along with several double figure fish. these fish will be our main target on our general trips over the next month or so. We have seen a few bass on our general trips too and did our first bass trip last week and had a few nice fish for our efforts. the biggest was only around 4lbs but Fred took my advise and bought a spinning rod along which made a lot more enjoyable. Some times bass can be a little underwhelming on an uptide rod in coloured water or dragging a load of weight behind them. The bonus to this fishing is we can get away with really light gear an appreciate the fish so much more. If the weather permits we should be able to do several more of these trips over the next couple of months. There have still been one or two rays showing on most trips. These add a bit of variety to the mix of fish we’re catching and the males are great eating fish. these are likely to build in numbers over the next month or so although they can be a bit smaller at this time of year. We have seen plenty of other bits and bobs too with whiting, pouting and dogfish often showing in with our main catches. We found a few stray codling the other day which were nice to see. we had several sizable fish with the biggest going around 4.8lbs. After a good winter season like last year there are often a few fish hanging around in certain places or if you like turning up early for the coming season. This could be more likely as several are turning up on the general ground fishing. This should be a good sign and with conditions as they have been the codling could well turn up early this season with any luck. With a bit of settled weather the water went clear last week which resulted in a fair spread of mackerel showing. Ive no doubt the wind over the past few days will have broken them up and ruined water clarity but hopefully if we get another settled spell they will get back on the feed over the coming weeks.
For more information, weekly reports and available dates please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
06/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

Jun 2015 by Scott Belbin

June as ever has been a busy month aboard the ‘GALLOPER’. Its one of my favourite months as the fishing can be so varied. There are lots of species available to us at this time of year depending on conditions and we started with a few big hounds.
Last month had finished with the arrival of these big fish and the fishing continued into this month with a few days of great fishing. We saw lots of double figure fish and in my opinion these are hard to beat for fight. We often catch them in just a few feet of water where they fight like fury. They can’t go down so they have no choice but to tear off in all directions as well as swimming straight back at the boat and often lapping the boat before we get them in. as you can see from the picture we were busy at times with these three big girls coming aboard at the same time. all three were returned alive shortly after this shot as are all smooth-hounds aboard the 'GALLOPER'.
its not all big fish though and we have spent several days catching good numbers of the smaller hounds which are just as much fun on light tackle. These have been about in good numbers with our best day so far at well over 60 of them.
There have still been a few thorn-backs about too which are nice to catch along with the odd male being kept for the pot. The numbers of rays aren’t the same as in the spring but we can still get a good few mixed in with the other fish. With days of 20 plus not uncommon in places though they tend to move further off.
We haven’t had any days specifically on the bass yet but we have seen a few numbers of smaller fish at times along with several better fish mixed in with our other trips. Please remember that the size limit for bass has now gone up to 42cm along with the bag limit of 3 fish kept per angler although you can catch and release as many as you like. This applies to all recreational anglers unless they have a commercial licence to sell fish.
The unsettled weather at the start of the month has kept the water fairly coloured with several east to north easterlies stirring the water up. This has made mackerel hard to find so far. This has hampered our efforts for tope fishing. There are still several whiting about in places so they have been substituted along with some frozen mackerel. We have had a few goes along with picking one or two up on general trips. There’s been no monsters aboard the ‘GALLOPER’ yet this year but we have been bust up by one or two better fish and seen several smaller pack tope too. we will be having another go next month and hopefully this settled weather will help us with fresh bait. If the weather allows we will also have a go for bass too. general trips over the coming weeks could see anything but our main targets will be rays, hounds and bass. For more information, available dates and weekly updates please visit www.essex seafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528
05/2015 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

May 2015 by Scott Belbin

May was yet another busy month aboard the ‘Galloper’. The weather wasn’t always fantastic but we managed to get all of our trips in making the most of the shelter the area around west Mersea has to offer. Even on the days when the weather was a disappointment the sport made up for it with the varied and productive fishing we have to offer at this time of year. Our main target species through out may were the thornback rays. these are around in great numbers due to successful management over the past few years which is great to see. They average 4-8lbs with double figure fish common place now a days and with average days of 20-40 on the boat they are great to have around. Our best trip last month was 68 to toms party who were a group of hire rods who were very pleased with their day. these fish are often over looked in favour of cod or bass but on light gear, in our shallow waters without too much tide they can put up a great scrap along with the odd male being kept for a tasty feed. We have seen a few bass mixed in on trips and a couple of trips with a few more numbers of them. These fish will show through out the summer in various numbers and never fail to put a smile on an anglers face. There are still the odd cod showing here and there as the last stragglers often hang around after a good season. Many of these are nice fish too with lots of trips picking up one or two fish around the 3-4lbs mark still. The smooth-hounds have been around for a while now but have come on the feed a bit more over the last couple of weeks. we’ve seen some lovely fish coming out with several doubles mixed in. these handsome sport fish are all returned but put up a fantastic fight particularly when hooked in very shallow water. It was nice to see one of our regulars beat his PB the other day and catch a new record for the ‘Galloper’. Joe has fished with us since a very young age and smashed his old PB of 16lbs with a lovely fish of 21lbs! this was a big fish too as she had no pubs in her at the time I would have loved to have seen her come aboard in full pup. We had an early try for tope the other day with no joy but things are a little behind what we have become accustomed to over the last few years. We will have a go again at the first chance we get and I’m sure we’ll find something with a few mackerel starting to show to provide us with fresh bait.
I keep my website up to date with weekly reports, availability and prices. So for more information please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk or call 07956411528

I have spaces on various trips over the coming weeks including a few this Sunday with the weather looking nice too so please contact me if you want to get out. Or check my calendar and last minute bookings.