Time seems to race past ever more quickly and trips that are on the horizon soon appear in the rear view mirror. I have just booked up for next year’s Looe Basher as it seems to have been christened on our Watts App Group. This fishing excursion to Looe each autumn has become an annual trip with all involved keen to repeat the excursion each year.
An annual trip to Looe in Cornwall is in truth nothing unusual for Pauline and I as the lively fishing town on the South Coast of Cornwall has an enduring appeal that sank into my soul as a child in the 1960’s.
Looe as I have said many times before was where I started my angling journey catching mackerel, garfish and pollock float fishing from the Banjo pier. The blue shark brought back to shark Angling Club of Great Britain weighing scales fascinated me as a child and I hoped to one day venture out onto the high seas where these fierce predators roamed the vast ocean.
The annual Looe Basher is organised by Lee Armishaw of Watersmeet Publications with military precision. I admire and appreciate the effort that is put into arranging such a venture with five boat trips and meals in local pubs all put together to cater for a range of anglers from all walks of life.
Whilst several of the group are in regular contact throughout the year either at the water’s edge or via social media many only meet during this week of the year.
I was joining a reef fishing trip with seven other anglers including Dr Mark Everard, Keith Armishaw, Carl Aldridge, Jeremy Wade, Lesley Smith, Dennis Hart, Peter Evans and A. Gaffney. We were fishing on Murray Colling’s boat Swallow Two, a boat I had wanted to fish on for many years having heard many complimentary comments from other anglers.
I walked over Looe Bridge from West Looe and paused for a look down river as the tide flooded. The sun was rising slowly from the east, its glow illuminating the early morning vista. The bakery was the next stop for a Cornish pasty and an apple doughnut. Healthy eating is not my thing when out on a boat for the day.
The day was set up as a friendly fishing competition between two boats with eight anglers on each boat. The other boat was ‘Sowenna’ skippered by Dan Margetts with whom I have enjoyed several great fishing sessions in the past. There would also be a prize the angler to catch the most species and for who caught the biggest fish.
Fortunately with the good natured friendly group gathered there was no danger of the competitive element spoiling the day!
As we chatted quayside it was hard to believe that a year had passed since we had stood here full of optimism on our previous trip. Top of the agenda was success enjoyed earlier in the week with a very successful tuna trip that had resulted in a full house of tuna. The tuna had certainly given all involved a good workout! Sharking trips had also been successful with several shark tempted despite rough seas driven by a persistent North East breeze.
The two boats steamed out on calm waters past the historic and iconic Banjo pier. As the land faded into the distance behind us, the East wind whipped up white horses. Fortunately a clear blue sky lifted the spirits as sunshine illuminated the turbulent scene as gannets and gulls soared overhead.
We stopped for mackerel on the way to the reefs and brought up shimmering strings of fish for bait. Carl Aldridge was delighted to catch a pilchard to add to his growing species tally for the year. A couple of cuckoo wrasse were also swung aboard.
With enough bait for a few hours fishing we set off once again for the reefs that were around nine miles off-shore.
Anticipation hung in the air the anchor was sent down and the engines cut.
A variety of tactics were employed by the anglers. I sent down a two hook rig consisting of size 4 Sakuma Chinus, baited with small strips of squid. Within seconds of the bait hitting the seabed the rod tip quivered and shook. I wound in a small poor cod to add to my mackerel in the species tally. Next drop down the rod tip rattled and I wound in a plump pouting. Looking around the boat everyone using small hooks or baited feathers were swinging in pouting.
I grabbed my heavier rod and baited a 6/0 Sakuma Kong hook with a fresh pouting head and trailing guts. Jeremy Wade to my left was using similar tactics and hooked a good fish that unfortunately came off. A few moments later I felt a solid tug transmitted through the line. I paid off a yard of line and paused for a few seconds. Tightening the line I felt a solid resistance and reeled quickly lifting the rod at the same time. The rod hooped over and there was a brief moment of give and take. I tightened the drag and heaved the powerful fish away from the rocky sea bed. I gained several yards before the fish tried to reach sanctuary at the seabed. I had every confidence in my tackle and held hard persuading the fish towards the surface.
The fish appeared in the clear water and skipper Murray grabbed the heavy 250lb b.s leader dragging the protesting conger over the gunnels. The eel was estimated at 28lb and was over 6ft long. After a short spell of wrestling I held the conger aloft for a quick picture before sliding the fish back over the side.
I caught a couple more smaller eels and others on the boat caught eels to 20lb with a couple of potentially bigger fish lost. Dennis Hart caught a fine double figure ling.
I switched back to the small baits and caught a succession of pouting and a couple of stunning cuckoo wrasse their colours more akin to fish of the tropics than UK waters.
A flock of birds appeared to the South working over a shoal of bait fish. A huge tuna erupted from the water silhouetted for a second against the bright sky line. One of those memory moments that will be forever etched in the mind’s eye.
As the tide began to pick up Murray suggested we start drifting and fishing with lures. I was determined to try and catch a John Dory and I knew that Murray was the go to skipper in Looe for these spectacular fish. I chose a small sidewinder lure fished on a long flowing trace. The tactic is to lower to the sea bed and then wind up slowly ignoring any taps and waiting for a solid hook up.
At the bow of the boat Murray’s deck hand employed these very tactics and soon hooked a small john dory that was delighted to admire and photograph as Murray held it aloft. Sadly this turned out to be the only john dory caught.
Over the next few hours we caught pouting, whiting, mackerel, horse mackerel(scad) and pollock as we drifted several different reefs. Murray was increasingly frustrated by the slow sport and attributed it to the exceptionally big spring tides that resulted in too fast a drift. Undoubtedly made even worse by the strong north-east wind.
By the time Murray called time after a good eight hours at sea I’m sure some were glad to be heading back to port. It had been a tough day for at least one on board who had suffered the age old curse of sea sickness.
The boat bounced back over the lively sea. Gannets glided and dived into the water. We chatted of fish, fishing and future plans. As we approached Looe Island we entered calmer waters and left behind the turmoil of the open sea.
Looe harbour brought a comforting and familiar vibe. Crab lines from the quayside as young and old relaxed hoisting crabs up the old rocky walls to reside for a while in plastic buckets.
We were greeted eagerly by fellow Looe Basher members as the boat was secured. Some fish were filleted to be taken home. A few images were taken of the happy anglers gathered in warm comradeship content to have shared another adventure out at sea.
The biggest tides of the year – (Below)
