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  • 12/2009 Fishing Report by Gethyn Owen on My Way 2 (Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey)

    Dec 2009 by Gethyn Owen

    Report on-board My Way 2

    2009 - Review of the year

    After returning My Way to the water in mid March following her winter maintenance period, the fishing could have been best described as un eventful. Fish were around, but nothing too electrifying - dogfish, whiting, coalies, etc with the biggest catch being the reliable bull huss. That said, for the middle of March it is consistent fishing and what Holyhead can deliver on days when just getting afloat and blowing winter cobwebs away is all that is required.
    This time of year most anglers out fishing are simply getting back into the swing of things and anticipating the year ahead. Based on the previous years successes or failures our angling goals are decided upon - so many species to catch, or a tope over 50lb, smoothie over 20lb.

    We all have different targets.

    With the winds settling down for the Easter break it was with nervous anticipation that I planned the fishing trips for the weeks ahead. The weather over the Easter period was certainly a god send to many of us involved within the angling industry. Friends with boats, shops and a few in the wholesale trade all reported brisk business, with many grateful for the fairly settled spell of calm seas and sunshine

    During the first few weeks of April we tend to see more fish moving inshore. This can range from more dogs, bigger huss but also some pollack and coalies. 2009 has followed the same trend, but with exceptionally high catches of good sized pollack.

    Not to double figure standards, but the inshore rocks were reliable enough to deliver pollack averaging the 3lb mark. With some anglers often hooking into a brace, or if lucky 3 at a time. When drifting in 25 to 50 foot of water, close inshore, pollack to 6lb give a great account for themselves on light tackle.

    Rig choices varied for many of the anglers with the bigger fish falling to those prepared to work baits or jellies on flying collar rigs.

    Rough ground marks out in the deeps had been generally slow, few huss, spurs and congers, but a boundless amount of doggies infuriating most anglers with the 180ft haul up from the sea bed. With nothing to lose, a change of tact was required and a search for new ground. There is such a vast amount of sea available to us, there is never any harm in trying out new marks. In reading a chart, and having a run over with the echo sounder - gems can often be found.
    A good nose through the charts in early April and a series of 170ft rocks in and around a 240ft bed seemed like a nice holding point for a variety of species. A few miles off my usual haunts it was going to be an interesting mark to try out. Well, the move proved successful, no spurs sadly, but this mark produced more huss than dogfish with most of the specimens topping double figures with many around the 15lb mark, add these catches to 2 dropped tope (early season for us, so not geared for them), this is mark was without doubt going to be re-visited at a later time in 2009.

    All species have a hold on us for different reasons. Tope and smoothies for example, bait out, ratchet on and wait, adrenalin pumping waiting for the ‘click click’ of the ratchet. Pollack over wrecks – wind up nothing, drop down, wind up again whilst waiting for that short pluck of a pollack teasing your lure – then bang your losing line as the fish makes a bid for freedom.
    Wrasse fishing though can offer you all this adrenalin pumping action and more, basically a much greater chance of success. Most anglers who fish aboard My Way know of my passion for drifting inshore rock marks for wrasse and pollack. With 5 main wrasse species in the UK - ballan, cuckoo, corkwing, goldsinny and rock cook all making regular appearances aboard My Way, 2009 was an exceptional year on the drift.

    Unlike the past couple of years, good fortune fell upon us for most of May and June. Both months were far more settled than the previous couple of years. Light winds saw us set sail on many occasions, searching for a variety of species whether it be on the drift or hard at anchor. One of our main targets during this period is smoothhound.

    Again, 2009 was not to disappoint. Where north Wales has long been associated with some very good catches of smoothhound, My Way certainly sets some standards for consistent numbers of quality smoothhound. With us smashing the WFSA record for smoothhound in 2008 with the capture of a 25lb 6oz starry, hopes were set quite high for 2009. sadly though despite a few hundred double figure hounds and many in the 17 to 19lb bracket we failed to reach the 20lb plus target. However based on the theory of a 2year cycle for hounds we're hoping for a great run in 2010.

    Tope is another big draw for anglers to north Wales. Sadly the last 2 years from Holyhead have been hard work on the tope fishing front. Strong winds coinciding with the neap tides that are required for us to have a successful time tope fishing have all but ruined trips in 2007 and 2008. Fortunately that little piece of good fortune mentioned earlier helped out in 2009. this allowed for many more forays into the deeper water in search of the tope with excellent results. Paul took the helm of My Way late June for our first venture after tope and the crew from the Wirral were rewarded with 25 tope and 15 huss in 2 and a half hrs of hectic action.
    Our last venture for tope came in mid October with a crowd of paramedics from Conwy. With such a stressful job, these guys really wanted a day of rest and plenty of fish. Tope, Rays and huss a plenty certainly was what the doctor ordered. The video below was taken by one of the crew. Line screamed from Jasons reel as he hooked into what appeared to be the best tope of the day. Thus the 5 mins turned into 30mins as Jason took time to play his 40lb shark to the side of My Way.

    2009 also saw 2 surprises landed aboard My Way. Were as not exceptionally large fish, both of them were first captures aboard My Way and also the first heard of in the area. Our first new addition to the species tally came whilst drifting an inshore mark in early June. . Weighing no more than 4 or 5 oz, the Topknot was certainly the fish of the year so far, A first for it’s captor Monty Burns, but also a first ever aboard My Way. A few months later Jon Law hooked into the first of many haddock that came into Holyhead bay. not big by any north sea standard, but another first and much appreciated aboard My Way.

    In October we held another Sponsored fishing day to help raise funds to send a very brave girl on a very special holiday, Cath's Community and Ronald McDonald House Charities . As the anglers turned up at Holyhead Marina, it was clear to see that everyone had made that special effort with fancy dress costumes. What the lovely yacht owners thought of the variety of costumes including Ozzy Osborne, Superman, Vicky Pollard, Jason from Friday 13th A couple Indians, Katie Price and my very own Bet Lynch impression descending on their idyllic pontoon setting we’ll never know.

    My Way species list for 2009 - total 44
    bass, black bream, bull huss, coalfish, codling, conger eel, dab, dogfish, dragonet, gobi -rock & black, gurnard - grey, red & tub, haddock, herring, ling, mackerel, pollack, pouting, plaice, poor cod, , ray - thornback , blonde, spotted, cuckoo, rockling 3b, sandeel, sea scorpion ls &ss, smoothhound - common & starry, spurdog, tadpole fish, tope, topknot , tompot blenny, turbot, whiting, wrasse - ballan cuckoo, corkwing goldsinny & rock cook,

    Thank you to everyone who has supported us through 2009.

    Hope you have a fish filled year ahead and we look forward to seeing you in 2010.

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