first smoothhound

keana · #1 08-31-2006, 08:07 AM

It seems that my fishing trips are not without incident and this one was no different. The weather man got it wrong again. I was dropping my boat into the water at 06.30 on Saturday morning just as Kaptin Kod was lifting his out after an all-nighter. After establishing that not many fish were caught over night, I set off disheartened (I was up at 5am) for the 6.30am lock. Through the lock and headed off to the Ranny. The wind was northwesterly about force 4-5 and according to the weather forcast was decreasing to 2-3. High tide was a neap at 07.45 and I dropped anchor in the ranny bay. Caught a couple of doggies and as the tide started to ebb noticed that the wind had started to drop and lavernock point wasnt that rough. So I decided to head for Sully island and I rounded lavernock point about 08.45. A bit lumpy but manageable as I knew the wind would drop later on my way back. I Went about 200mtrs past the Island and dropped anchor just in sully bay and just on the edge of the current. This is where I anchored and it looks nice tucked in here with Sully Island just ahead

Caught a couple of strap conger then gave Plugger a wave as he passed me heading down channel. About 3 hours on the ebb now and I baited up with a cocktail of squid, crab ,mackerel and rag and cast it uptide about 20 yds or so. I was just baiting up my downtider and the tip of my uptider took a dive towards the sea with my ratchet screeming. Into the net came this 7lb Starry smoothhound (my first ever), and who would have thought it in the murkey waters off the island. A bit of an adreneline rush was on now and coudnt wait to get another bait in the water. Until I realised that the wind hadnt decreased at all, in fact it had increased. When I looked over towards lavernock point I could see a swell which looked to be about 6-8ft with white tops to them. Now I had a decision to make. Would I stay put and Wait for the tide to turn again in about three hours time and hope the wind decreased or go for it now in case it got worse.....I decided to go for it. Pulled in the anchor as Plugger was just approaching, presumably found it difficult in the conditions as well. Well I got to the point and throttled back and just sat there for a while looking at this white-water-rafting course ahead of me. I took a course which would take me in a wide arc around the point into some deeper water. I noticed that plugger went even wider. It wasnt so much the size of the waves I wa worried about, it was that there were waves from all directions. Anyway bit the bullet and went ahead about 5 knots or slower, steadily increasing and decreasing speed as conditions allowed. Then I found myself perched on top of this swell with my bow stuck out in mid air. With that the bow came crashing down and surfed down this wave straight into the wave in front of it. My bow dug into the wave and sent a torrent of water into my windscreen and over my head. As I ducked down to take cover from an inevitable soaking, anouther wave caught my stern side on. I was now being taken sideways with this great big roll of white surf pushing me along port side with the top of my starboard gunwale about 1" from going under. At this point I fell over in the boat but managed to keep hold of the helm and steer out of it. Unfortunately, I didnt have any more trousers with me, but I could put up with the pong until I got back to the club.....Phew. Not nice but back safely again. Meanwhile plugger had negotiated the rapids in his slightly bigger craft and headed out to the Mid -cardiff. Not me, I`m off back to terra firma......Nice smoothhound though.
Went out with my son then on Tuesday and had two bites all day and no fish. Didnt venture round the point though. I`ll save that for another day. I`m using too many of my nine lives.

Charter Skipper · #2 08-31-2006, 08:26 AM

Well done on the Smoothie !!!..........

Sounds like you caught the "rannie" at it s evil best !,can be quite fun thro there at times........especially around the low water ,when theres a bit of a blow

fishypaul · #3 08-31-2006, 09:07 AM

well done keana,a nice smoothie,
sounds a frightening experience though

Kaptin Kod · #4 08-31-2006, 09:30 AM

Thought that was you, bit tired to get out and have a chat though, my mate did tell you it was windy out there though

. Sounds like a lucky escape, in these small boats you really need to push the boat as hard as you can to stop the boat being caught by the various directions of the waves,any let up and it has you. If in doubt we always find heading out towards the navigation buoy helps as the tide slackens out there in the deep water. Nice hound and obviously you had a better time than us.

Next time I see you I'll have a chat, providing I manage to get some sleep first.

KK

keana · #5 08-31-2006, 09:37 AM

Thanks for putting the picture up Mike. For some reason I could only get the link on the thread and not the actual pic.

I`ll chat to you next time KK. I figured that if I drove the boat fast it would just race down the waves and crash deeper into the next one. We live and learn EH?

Kaptin Kod · #6 08-31-2006, 10:05 AM

didn't mean floor it but just enougth to keep the boat straightish. was talking to Clive in Gary evans a few weeks ago and he was saying to be carefull as it happens alot with small boats when its rougth.

keana · #7 08-31-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaptin Kod

didn't mean floor it but just enougth to keep the boat straightish. was talking to Clive in Gary evans a few weeks ago and he was saying to be carefull as it happens alot with small boats when its rougth.

I was doing a max of 5 knots through that stuff and still going under the wave in front. Maybe thats par for the course and I should be looking for waves coming over the bow in order to stay straight....I think i`ll just pick the tides more carefully next time.

BaggieRich · #8 08-31-2006, 11:59 AM

Nice fish keana. Glad to hear you got back safely as well mate.

Not being great on boats myself, I can only imagine what the return trip was like.

Cheers,

Rich

pingu · #9 08-31-2006, 02:37 PM

sounds a bit too "interesting" on the trip
well done on the smoothy

plugger · #10 08-31-2006, 05:41 PM

hi keana,
nice fish, noticed you were having atorrid time of it, tried to get you on the radio but had no responce so we held back a bit to see you get through the ranny. we were doing about 11 knots and it seemed to keep us reasonably straight but it was hard work untill we got through the ranny.i actually saw the wave hit you from both ends. wedidnt stay out much longer after that.
anyway nice fish, catch you again.

plugger

peter

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