Topic: I caught my first fish!

[Paulines7]

A year or so ago my OH and I decided to take up fishing as our grandson had bought himself a rod.  Despite a few trips to the coast though, we were unable to catch anything at all; not even a small fish.

Last week though we were in Cornwall on holiday and were determined to end our bad luck.  We went onto the quay at Mevagissey and found many anglers there, all catching mackerel.  With four of us fishing it wasn't long before we started to get bites.  We kept the largest ones and threw back the smaller ones.

When we got back to the caravan with our catch, we found we had 31 mackerel.  We gave a few to our neighbours, put some in the freezer and cooked ten for our evening meal.  We had some with Moroccan spices and the others were cooked with lemon and herbs.  They were delicious. 

The following afternoon we went to Charlestown and fished from the quay there.  Another good result.  I even got a "full house" twice with four mackerel taking the tinsel hooks at the same time.  We are home now and some of the frozen fish is defrosting for our evening meal tonight.  I can't wait to go fishing again and hopefully catch something different next time.  For me there is nothing like fresh fish caught straight from the sea and eaten an hour or so later.

Here are my grandchildren and I sorting our first days catch:

[ACE]

You might be a bit disappointed eating them after them being frozen. It might just be me but if they are not eaten on the day I only use the rest for bait.  Sometimes  we make a pate out of them with a touch of horse radish and that will freeze and keep for a while.

But congratulations on your first catch, your had better learn to hold your arms out sideways so you can tell people about the size of the one that got away. Good on you for putting the little ones back.

I have a rod tackled up for mackerel in the car and if I take the dogs for a walk along the esplanade I will have half an hour of feathering for my tea. Nothing beats the taste of freshly caught fish.

[Paulines7]

You might be a bit disappointed eating them after them being frozen.

You are quite right, ACE.  The ones we had last night were nowhere near as tasty as the fresh ones.  They will not be wasted though as I our two cats can finish them up. 

[galina]

So pleased for you!  MMM mackerel - love it!  Enjoy!   

[Froglegs]

I was in Beer in Devon a few weeks back, on the beach enjoying my book when a bloody German family up wind of me, lit about half a dozen a them disposable BBQ's and started to smoke me and everybody else down wind of them when they started cooking the mackerel they'd just caught,love the smell a fish when it's cooking..............BUT!! not when I'm enjoying the sun,sea and my book! Some folk have no consideration 

[gazza1960]

Terrific news that you enjoyed your hols and finally caught some fresh fish.!!!!

The picture is great  !!!!!!!!!!!! "Nanny in charge  ""  !!!!!!!!!!

I also went to chesil yesterday...........................

After hearing of Coddies making a show along Ferrybridge I decided on an early start so got where I wanted to go around 4am so I had 2 odd hours of darkness.
I couldn't source any Peeler so dug 2lb ish of Blow Lug and as me back was
still feeling it I didn't end up walking as far as I would have liked with
my Humpalumpa loaded with kit.

Have to say though since the last winter storms the climb up and over the shingle bank isn't as bad as I recall.!!!!!..Its just the walk along soft stones
that's the killer.



Blasted 2 x size 1,s Pompy Loop rig as far as loaded with fresh Blow
Unfortunately the proper cod had other ideas so had to make do
with Poorcod nicking my Blow lug bait.



As first light arrived,so did these,any other day id of been pleased to catch fresh mackies,but today I couldn't cast without these hitting the rigs on the drop,caught untold of em,so mackerel for Supper...quick brain wave saw me rummaging through my box for a Dvice a change of rig and that slight
delay in the bait being released on landing seemed to stop the mackies
attacking the baits and the chopped worms I put in the Dvice maybe fed off the mackerel....who knows........yer ok.....they still snaffled my rigs on the deck but at least I was fishing again on the bottom.



My day began really with the arrival of these bad boys, this PB Bream is now my BIGGEST from Chesil...2lb 3oz !!!!!!!!...ok so my intended cod baits were interrupted by the mackerel ....now.....the Bream had arrived
and I was getting them one a bung, lots of small ones but some plump 1lb plussers too  !!!!!!!!



Fish baits produced some Red Gurnards too  !!!!!! my first of the species for the season.



My base along the shingle bank was happily on its own until an invasion of
18.....yes 18 Chinese family arrived as my new neighbours,I guess the 17 miles of beach wasn't big enough so they had to start feathering on my bloody doorstep,although it was funny watching them drooling when I was
gutting my Bream ...still they were happy catching and frying their catch
which had me drooling,should of done a trade !!!!



HW came and went with shoals of Mackeral and Scad exploding on the surface I added  a few more mackies to take home for the freezer and caught this PB Scad of 30cm which is my BIGGEST of the species.

The ebb didn't see anything else and my walk along the beach for a nag with other anglers didn't show any reports of Cod anywhere so called it a day at 2pm.............

 

Anyway,my best Bream to date from Chesil Beach.



Took a few home for the table.

Gotta be by best day on any beach this year,at least 20 bream of varying sizes and some bonus mackerel and Gurnards.........and 2 PB,s

well chuffed.......OK...the coddies can wait till another day !!!!!

Gazza

[Paulines7]

Well done Gazza; quite a catch you have there.  I bet you enjoyed your supper.

The picture is great  !!!!!!!!!!!! "Nanny in charge  ""  !!!!!!!!!!

Well, I had them both preparing the fish though Anya was not so keen on gutting them.  She didn't seem to mind slitting their stomachs and cutting their heads off though! 

[GREGME]

yes good for you eat them quick, one of the most wonderful sights is watching mackerel chasing whitebait so they jump onto the beach. The rule in my house is that I have to gut and clean them on the beach in seawater. Its also worth learning to butterfly fillet them.

gorgeous black breams v jealous.

[ACE]

Bream. Such a tasty fish. When I started fishing years ago I hooked a huge Gilthead bream. I did not know what it was and thought the shiny bit on it's head was the outcome of an attack from another fish. As the rule was gut them before you bring them home, I cleaned it out over the side of the boat.

Talking to the other anglers at the dock I found out it was a gilthead and even though it was gutted was still heavier than the English rod caught record at the time. They would not accept it for the record as it was not whole, but in those days angling magazines would give you all sorts of fishing equipment for a record catch with a  story and photo. Lost out big time but it still made a nice meal.

Hmmn nice evening, tides are right. Might just stroll down the beach for a couple of hours.