menai straights xmas eve

[moniar]

Had a superb short session this afternoon with another local kayaker in the Menai Straights, after several weeks of not being able to get out.

Weather was superb, company was superb, and the fishing was mega superb. Whiting and (all time new species for me) herring on every drop on the drift. Filled our boots with non stop action ;D Must have caught over 200 herring each, with most being shaken off the hooks and returned. Kept a good few for the pot and freezer, and look forward to trying out a few recipies with them.

Boy do I love living on this island ;D

Here are a few pics, without giving too much away about the mark:

[ZEBRA]

get yourelf a smoker steve abu used to do a really good one i think malc has them. herrings are great smoked they look a good size too well done to you both looks a great session .

[JIMBOB]

Looks like you will be having fish for christmas dinner, well done guys.

[THURSOMAN]

Well done to you moniar ! Never caught a herring in my life and never tasted them either.
They look fantastic!

Moniar are you pulling your kayak along using your paddle leash?
I suppose that prevents you from having to bend down so much instead of the usual way.

Good on ya 200+ fish!!!!
Great fun I bet.

Chris

[shark]

looks like a fishing trip coming on well done with all those fish the smoker's are great

[moniar]

Thursoman - yes my friend was using his paddle strap to pull his scupper pro through the mud. I just used the standard end toggle on my prowler 13, although I could have used my anchor trolley as its rigged up to double up as a towing line as per the anglers afloat project prowler advice.

[BUDDY]

Good report monair.
Nice to see someone getting out never mind getting into fish. Good pics. Never cought herring myself.
Without giving too much away, were you fishing the big hole?
We planned to fish this earlier in the year when we stayed over but the weather was horrendous making it a definate no go.
Steve

[moniar]

We drifted over one of the big holes in the channel - it was a small tide and we fished over low water and up an hour. Just a slowish drift back up to gallows - so managed two drops per drift.

[moniar]

Hi Mal - think I've got that cold now - rotten with it yesterday and today so glad I got out on xmas eve. Got to take advantage of this calm weather! Most of the fish went back, shaken off the hooks. The whiting caught had small herring fry in their mouths and the herring kept for the pot had the same small fry in their guts. With hindsight we should have launched from the other side, and we shoudl have had the trolleys with us as it was a longish tandem carry of the yaks when we landed back on the spit and carried them over the shingle banks to avoid the mud. Trouble is you need to fish there over low water on a smallish tide to take advantage of the weaker current flow for the drift fishing. Had the dry suit in the shower with me when I got back home :-)

[BUDDY]

Dec 26, 2008 13:20:14 GMT -1 @hatter3 said:

Hi Steve (buddy)
We were out there about 4 week ago and were in to the herrings.
Answer to your question there is 4 deep holes in that area and they all hold herring but 3 of them are in the main channel so you do have to be prepared to move out of the way if a big boat should come along.
You need well in excess of 150foot of anchor rope if you are going to anchor up but I find it best to fish them the channel on the drift on very small tide or coming up to slack water
Hope this helps you

Hi Kevin.
Thanks for the info. Glad to see you are still around. Hope you had a good christmas. See you in the new year.
Steve

[grahamw]

Fantastic. Herring must be one of the best tasting fish ever. Good for bait too - caught a nice thornback on small herring chunk about a month ago at Cleveleys near Blackpool and loads of whiting.