90 points to beat - that's the target!

[Vagabond]

We fly out to Australia tonight, and return in January - so that's our lot for this year's species hunt.

We had optimistically hoped to reach 100 points, but two ray-seeking boat trips and our Isle of Man boat trips after gurnard and ling were all blown off, and apart from sole, the beach trips have yielded no flatties.

So we have to settle for 90, and have had a lot of fun on the way - seeking ruffe was just one of the unexpectedly difficult challenges - and one or two good fish, like the 9 lb brown trout and the 3 lb perch, turned up on the way - and not forgetting Certhia's skate, although we have both had several bigger ones in the past.

So - the best of luck to the rusty nuts (only three fish behind) and to the rest of you.

Although we have enjoyed the last couple of years hunting species, we will not be entering next year, as we have a species hunt agenda of our own to follow.

My present list of UK species stands at 86, and an obvious target is 100 species - things like grass carp, bitterling, char and ten-spined sticklebak from fresh water, and some fancy rays, red mullet, porbeagle shark and common topknot are just a few fish I have yet to catch.

Certhia has a few species to add also - her brief encounter with a porbeagle this year has fired her ambitions.

We will still continue to post accounts of our trips, starting with the barramundi of the Ord River estuary - but the full report and pics will probably have to wait until we are back home.

Good fishing, a merry yuletide, and a prosperous New Year to y'all.


Ninety to beat - Go, go go!!

[mithrandir]

Hope you have a great time in Aus.

So now with 6 weeks to go and a target of 90 to beat what should we go for?

Realistically I think Zander is the only freshwater species I can get this time of year, and that is not an easy task with not being able to travel far, so I need to find some unusual, easy to catch shore species, anyone got any good ideas?

Mike

[maghouse]

Well done for this year - some really nice fish caught and some unusual ones, interesting how 1 or 2 common ones are missing from your list, but like our scores - we missed a couple of regular common species as well !

Anyway - have a great trip you pair ......

As a matter of interest for us wild fish catchers ...... the scores (as far as I can tell) stand at the following :

Rustynuts 50.5 points
Old Voles 45 points
Codfathers 44 points

I am sure we can pick up 2 or 3 more species so will be very interesting to see who tops the 'Sea league at the end .....

[mithrandir]

Depends on your definition of wild?

Canals and rivers that contain non "stocked" fish are wild

using that definition rusty nuts have 47 species, hence 70.5 points.

And 2 more that have been caught in those circumstances but because they were after the "stocked" catches had already been entered are not listed.

We also have 35 sea species, so I make that 52.5 points

[pingu]

thats a great target and well done
have a great trip and see your reports again in 2008


dave

[maghouse]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

Depends on your definition of wild?

Canals and rivers that contain non "stocked" fish are wild

using that definition rusty nuts have 47 species, hence 70.5 points.

And 2 more that have been caught in those circumstances but because they were after the "stocked" catches had already been entered are not listed.

We also have 35 sea species, so I make that 52.5 points

Wild = sea ... in my little world

Sorry Mike, I did not realise you had so many sea fish - I only looked at the top 3 so many apologies - you're the team to beat then

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Must say I have really enjoyed your posts on the spieces hunt with some cracking photos. Have a wondful time is Aus. and great fishing

[Norfolkboy]

Hope you both have a great time.

Look forward to reading more of your reports and well done on the species you've had this year.

[Twiddler]

Have a wonderful time in Aus.....and I pay my respect to the 'Old Voles'.....a great team to have had on board on our little friendly species hunt.

Hope to read more about you fishing adventures in the future, as I always enjoyed reading your report.

[Banana Steve]

Good luck in Aus, and enjoy the fishing