Latest Fishing Reports: Galloper

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  • 23/08/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    23 Aug 2023 by Scott Belbin

    Sorry my reports have been a little irregular lately but I have been so busy aboard the Galloper and often out of signal range. The weather is great at the moment and the fishing has been pretty hectic at times. We continue to catch great numbers of smooth-hounds and often a really nice stamp too. Often fish of 8-10lb with a few doubles mixed in too. At times it's been a bit chaotic to be honest. The other day Tony's group had 30 odd by 9.45am. These better fish will only be here in numbers for one more set of tides or so before they go so don't miss out.
    Neil had a nice bass of nearly 4lb amongst them too. The lads fancied a few more bass so we had a quick move and spent the rest of the day on them. We finished with over 30 and the lads easily caught their quota of two each with plenty of sport too. Not a bad day between 4 anglers. The bass are building on the offshore banks and I look forward to many more trips on them between now and the end of November.
    Other species such as rays, dogfish and whiting are increasing I. Numbers too ahead of their autumn run.
    I have individual spaces and possibility of full boat bookings over the coming weeks and months if you want to get out.
    Remember it is often worth giving me a shout if you are cancelled else where and still wish to get out, as we have lots of sheltered fishing available and a big catamaran which makes it even more comfortable.
    Spaces as follows
    24/08- Clacton air show 2 spaces @ £60pp
    30/08- full boat available from £490
    31/08-8 spaces @ £60pp
    01/09-8 spaces @ £60pp
    08/09-offshore trip 5 spaces @ £100pp
    15/09-8 spaces @ £60pp
    Not all dates advertised, other spaces available for full boat bookings upon request
    For regular updates, availability and more information please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk find us on social media or call Scott on 07956411528

  • 19/08/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    19 Aug 2023 by Scott Belbin

    There continues to be some cracking bass coming out at the moment. On both our offshore and general trips. I am looking forward to spending more time on them between now and the end of November. I have spaces this Tuesday (22nd) with suitable tides for offshore bass or general trip. The weather looks great too please contact me on 07956411528 to book individual spaces or full boat bookings.

  • 16/08/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    16 Aug 2023 by Scott Belbin

    Hopefully you can enjoy some of the summer weather we are currently having. It certainly makes a nice change to the very unsettled summer so far.
    Thankfully we haven't had to cancel much at all. The fishing has been very good, we benifit from using a big catamaran and have lots of sheltered marks available to fish.
    There have been some quality fish around too. There are lots of schoolie bass inshore this time of year. Often we have seen 50 or more in just a short session on feathers and lures. These have produced some sizable bass along with some very decent fish. We had several trips where fish of 5, 6 or even 7.8lb showed. These are cracking fish to catch anywhere let alone the estuaries! Along with the bass we have seen some smooth-hounds and rays. The rays have surprised us by their numbers considering the time of year. This is probably a result of the cooler weather we have been experiencing as the dogfish have moved back in already too. Fishing these inshore marks also produces other lesser seen species such as eels and Dover sole. As I often say, I enjoy the challenge of finding a few decent fish when conditions are against us in areas I might not otherwise fish. It's also very rewarding to see the experience pay off with good results on what could be a hard day. Fair play to all of the anglers who have joined us. Even in some grim conditions they tried their hardest and caught me some fish. The right attitude makes all the difference as always.
    Hopefully we get some more settled weather like over the coming months but even if we don't I am sure we will be catching fish.
    I have spaces over the coming weeks so get in touch if you want to join us please.
    Next spaces on
    18/08- 4hr trip from midday £35pp
    22/08-whole boat available for inshore or offshore trip
    24/08- clacton air show 4 spaces @ £60pp
    25/08- Clacton air show 3 spaces @ £60pp
    26/08- general trip 4 spaces @ £60pp
    28/08- general trip 1 space @ £60pp
    01/09- 8 spaces @ £60pp
    Please call 07956411528 to book

  • 07/08/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    7 Aug 2023 by Scott Belbin

    With our main tope season now behind us I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at this years efforts. as ever there was no shortage of effort from the lads and we managed to get out and fish for them on just about every suitable tide. the weather tried its best to curtail our efforts but with the right people on board, fishing the right area and luck on our side we managed to get all of our trips in. of course having a big catamaran like Galloper helps with this too and she certainly earned her keep again this year.
    As always with this kind of fishing it can bit hit and miss. After all we are targeting one specific species which just so happens to be an apex predator therefore is less numerous than other species lower down the food chain. That said we had tope on all but one trip and when we didn’t have tope we managed other quality fish such as decent bass, hounds or other species.
    The Thames estuary is renowned for big tope and although we may not see record breakers each year the average stamp is still good. Most trips we saw fish between 35-45lb with several below this and one or two above this size. The biggest of the year fell to Martin at 47lbs and our best day I my opinion was 6 tope between 35-45lb and several more lost or missed. The most we had was over 20 just 2 days later but not a ‘decent’ fish came to the boat.
    From any reports I have seen it looks like once again very few boats even bothered for tope locally. To be honest I only see the occasional private boat or very occasional charter boat targeting them around here now. one or two are caught as bycatch while fishing for other species but seemingly little interest or effort goes in. presumably that would put us as the tope tope boat locally but unfortunately by default rather than competition. This is not just lack of interest from skippers but more often lack of interest from anglers. so as ever I am grateful to the lads who invest their time and money with me. I am particular about how I like to target these fish and tend to vet the anglers that come toping with me. As I mentioned earlier these fish can be hit and miss so I was to stack the odds in our favour. With the lads that do join me I have faith that we will make the most of any chances that come our way. If you would like to join us tope fishing next year please get in touch and get a few trips in for other species first. There’s nothing worse than seeing an angler who’s not been out for a year loose the best fish of the day because he’s a bit rusty! These fish will find any weak point in you or your tackle but once hooked they are never forgotten.
    Special mentions to some of my regular tope anglers like both Barry’s, Wayne and Ian Hewett for your continued efforts. great to see you get some decent fish again this year though some were harder earned than others. Also to some of the newer additions to tope angling who caught their first big fish like Kevin and Martin. Once again thanks to all of you for your efforts and giving me an excuse to go hunting big fish.
    With our tope season finished most of our offshore trips from now to the end of November will be targeting bass in various places using various methods depending on conditions. From shallow water with worm and surface lures to deep water using lives and lures. Its nearly all light tackle and some of the best bass fishing you will find anywhere. this is better suited to beginners than my other offshore trips so you can hire tackle too. Please get in touch to be added to my mailing list or arrange individual or boat bookings.
    Our general trips are still fishing well too despite the unsettled weather. I will post a report on our latest catches soon.
    I have individual spaces and possibility of full boat bookings over the coming weeks and months if you want to get out.
    Remember it is often worth giving me a shout if you are cancelled else where and still wish to get out, as we have lots of sheltered fishing available and a big catamaran which makes it even more comfortable.
    Spaces as follows
    09/08-full boat available from £490 or offshore trip available
    14/08-full boat available from £490
    15/08- full boat available from £490
    16/08- full boat available from £490
    17/08- full boat available from £490
    18/08-half day trip from £250 or full day trip both starting from midday
    22/08- full boat available from £490 or offshore trip available
    Not all dates advertised, other spaces available for full boat bookings upon request
    For regular updates, availability and more information please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk find us on social media or call Scott on 07956411528

  • 25/07/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    25 Jul 2023 by Scott Belbin

    As I'm sure you have noticed the weather has been quite unsettled of late. It's not what we have come to expect from summer the last few years. To be honest this weather can be better for the fishing than blasing heat and endless calm weather. Fortunately we have remained busy and haven't had to cancel a single trip aboard Galloper. We have used the shelter of the river blackwater and surrounding areas to our advantage. Luckily the fishing has been great with lots of small bass inshore as well as some keepers. At times there have been some cracking smooth-hounds as well which really pull our strings. It's been nice to see a few eels making an appearance too. These much moligned fish used to be a pain when I was younger before being overfished. We have had some nice Dover sole too along with several other odds and sods. Thornback ray numbers might be down on a few years ago but they have been making up our catches too. They come in all sizes though from postage stamp to double figure fish. I often say that I enjoy the challenge of finding a few fish in adverse conditions. it means that I fish marks that I fish marks I would otherwise Steam straight past on calmer days. It also means we are fishing in stingray territory which again I would usually be fishing outside of. I fish these marks in constant anticipation that the next fish could be a stinger. With a run of windy trips it was inevitable that we would get one and Alex was the lucky angler who caught our latest one. It's nice to have seen several this year already and hopefully there's more to come.
    I have several days with full boat bookings and individual spaces available over the coming weeks so please get in touch if you want to join us.
    Please bear in mind that I am often working out of signal range or could be on deck helping people when you call but I will get back to you asap.
    Next spaces are as follows
    02/08-3 spaces @ £60pp
    03/08-boat available from £499
    04/08-boat available from £490
    05/08-offshore trip 1 space @ £100pp
    07/08-offshore bass @ £100pp
    08/08-boat available for offshore trips
    09/08-boat available for offshore trips
    10/08-land of no fish 4 spaces @ £110pp
    11/08-land of no fish 7 spaces @ £110pp
    Other dates in August on my calendar
    Please call 07956411528

  • 18/07/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    18 Jul 2023 by Scott Belbin

    The Bass fishing aboard the Galloper continues to be very good. There are great numbers showing as we have come to expect over the last few years. there have been a few big fish showing amongst them too. We have seen several in the 6-8lbs over the last few weeks and with that stamp of fish around it was inevitable we would break into double figures sooner or later. That honour fell to Galloper regular and crewman Alex Canham. The fish was caught uptiding on bait and went 11.2lbs. this is currently the biggest so far this year aboard Galloper beating Mark’s fish from the spring which fell just shy of the double figures. Of course there is still plenty of time for this to be beaten.
    We are seeing bass on most trips now in a variety of numbers and sizes depending on where we are and conditions on the day. our general trips have been producing some very good numbers of bass lately as well as the usual hounds, rays and other species. However your best chance of seeing numbers of decent bass is to join us for an offshore bass trip. When conditions suit we will be doing a lot of light tackle bass fishing on lures over the coming weeks and months. These early season trips can produce some of the biggest numbers and hectic action catching big numbers of bass on light tackle. Often surface lures or shallower diving plugs can produce some great sports. If not working lures, jigs and soft plastics deeper can be effective. As ever the good old hokkia feathers are a cheap and effective way to catch them too.
    If they aren’t playing ball on the lures then bait can provide some hectic action and pick up some big fish. as we are often fishing in shallow water we can still enjoy fishing with light tackle and occasionally pick up a few other species too.
    On our last offshore bass trip we had a variety of anglers with different levels of experience and everybody caught great numbers of fish. at the rate they were coming aboard I would hazard a guess at over 200 bass but to be honest its impossible to keep count with action like that. I am just arranging an offshore bass trip for next Monday (24th) and I currently have spaces. If you cant make this then please get in touch to be added to the list for the next run of offshore trips.
    Of course the general fishing continues to produce lots of fish and some nice variety.
    I have individual spaces and possibility of full boat bookings over the coming weeks and months if you want to get out.
    Remember it is often worth giving me a shout if you are cancelled else where and still wish to get out, as we have lots of sheltered fishing available and a big catamaran which makes it even more comfortable.
    Spaces as follows
    24/07-offshore bass trip 6 spaces @ £100pp plus worm bait
    31/07- full boat available from £490
    02/08-23-3 spaces @ £60pp
    03/08- full boat available from £490
    04/08- full boat available from £490
    13/08- 4 spaces @ £60pp
    Not all dates advertised, other spaces available for full boat bookings upon request
    For regular updates, availability and more information please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk find us on social media or call Scott on 07956411528

  • 11/07/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    11 Jul 2023 by Scott Belbin

    Another nice little stingray aboard Galloper from brightlingsea Essex the other day. Despite a blustery summer day we had lots of smooth-hounds with several double figure fish, several sizable bass, some small tope and an eel for our efforts. Next spaces are tomorrow 13/07 and Monday 17/07 @ £60pp please call 07956411528 for more information

  • 10/07/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    10 Jul 2023 by Scott Belbin


    As ever, the lads from the Suffolk police had a busy trip the other day despite forecasts of unsavoury weather. I gave the lads the choice between going a little further with a greater chance of bass or more comfort. They chose the comfortable option and it certainly was comfortable all day. the lads run a match on most trips which encourages them to fish hard and they certainly do that. There were steady numbers of hounds coming aboard with several around the low double figure mark we totalled a respectable 37 for the day. In between these we saw lots of small tope, some just weeks old and others of a few pounds in weight. Just because it was comfortable it didn’t rule out bass of course and they still managed a few nice table sized fish throughout the day. a couple of roker came out including a nice low double figure fish for Guy. Dogfish are still there but the rise in water temperature means they are far less numerous inshore at the moment. A couple of silver eels showed during the day too. I’m not sure who decided that measuring fish was a good idea but I sat that one out! Andy had a beautiful tub gurnard which brightened up a grey day. Tony suggested it was the one he caught last trip but I like to think more than one are left in the sea. As I hauled the anchor Stuart finished the day with a dover sole which are also great to see.
    I have individual spaces and possibility of full boat bookings over the coming weeks and months if you want to get out.
    Remember it is often worth giving me a shout if you are cancelled else where and still wish to get out, as we have lots of sheltered fishing available and a big catamaran which makes it even more comfortable.
    Spaces as follows
    12/07-possible offshore trip
    13/07-7 spaces @ £60pp
    17/07-5 spaces @ £60pp
    18/07-full boat available from £490
    21/07-full boat available from £490
    24/07-offshore bass trip 8 spaces @ £100pp plus worm bait
    31/07- full boat available from £490
    Not all dates advertised, other spaces available for full boat bookings upon request
    For regular updates, availability and more information please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk find us on social media or call Scott on 07956411528

  • 07/07/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    7 Jul 2023 by Scott Belbin

    It's great to see the young guns out here catching fish and enjoying themselves. Harry and Max were very excited to catch lots of smooth-hounds and bass the other day. Their enthusiasm and energy kept us all entertained for the day. It's often the case that the youngsters pick up the basics faster than older begginers and the boys were no exception to this. I look forward to seeing them again next time. As always anglers of all ages and abilities are welcome aboard Galloper from brightlingsea Essex. Don't forget we can often get out when others can't so it's worth giving me a call if you are cancelled else where. We have spaces coming up midweek and limited availability weekends over the next few weeks.
    Next spaces on
    11/07, 12/07 and 13/07 please call 07956411528 for more information

  • 05/07/2023 Fishing Report by Scott Belbin

    5 Jul 2023 by Scott Belbin

    For those who don’t already know I have been operating the Galloper from Brightlingsea, Essex for the last 6 weeks or so. I think West Mersea and myself had outgrown each other and eventually I was forced to leave as the various private mooring providers used the size of the Galloper as an excuse not to accommodate me. I wont go too far into the negatives of West Mersea but in stead concentrate on the positives of Brightlingsea.
    After running 30 odd trips from there over the last few weeks I can honestly say it is a breath of fresh air operating from a professionally run harbour for a change. There’s plenty of room to manoeuvre and plenty of water to get in and out at all states of the tide. the many advantages have been pointed out by those who are fishing with me too. As I can get Galloper alongside the pontoon at all states of the tide you can now easily step straight on and off of the boat through the side entry door. No more messing around in overcrowded and precarious tenders for you. the pay and display car park is £7 per day so £1.50 cheaper und doesn’t flood on spring tides like coast rd car park at Mersea. there is also I lot of free roadside parking in the surrounding area in the summer and even more in the winter as the parking restrictions are only April to October saving you even more money. The roads to Brightlingsea are generally better than those to Mersea with various reports from our anglers saying either 5 minutes longer or much shorter journeys depending on where they have travelled from. Even those who have travelled from Mersea to join us report 30-40 minutes depending on traffic. The public transport is better connected too with railway stations in nearby Alresford making it easier for those of you without a car. People often used to worry about the strood flooding and stopping them getting on and off of Mersea island so they wont need to worry about that any more either.
    It has surprised me just how much time difference it has made on the boat too. We are spending 15-20 minutes less steaming on the boat each way so you are gained extra fishing time each trip too.
    It has surprised me just how many people have continued to travel from Mersea to fish with us but I suppose there aren’t many options there any more. For those of you who do still wish to fish from Mersea then I have of course been directing everybody to Dads boat Razorbill 3. He is now once again by far the busiest charter skipper in Mersea at 70 years of age. You certainly wont beat him for experience as he’s one of the longest served in the country now. you can get in touch with him on 07850234077 . alternatively you can join us in our current port of Brightlingsea aboard the Galloper.
    I have individual spaces and possibility of full boat bookings over the coming weeks and months if you want to get out.
    Remember it is often worth giving me a shout if you are cancelled else where and still wish to get out, as we have lots of sheltered fishing available and a big catamaran which makes it even more comfortable.
    Spaces as follows
    06/07 full boat available from £490
    07/07 full boat available from £490
    11/07-possible offshore trip
    12/07-possible offshore trip
    13/07-possible offshore trip
    17/07-5 spaces @ £60pp
    18/07-full boat available from £490
    21/07-full boat available from £490
    Not all dates advertised, other spaces available for full boat bookings upon request
    For regular updates, availability and more information please visit www.essexseafishing.co.uk find us on social media or call Scott on 07956411528

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