[Bonjoy]

Any you guys eating those Rays?  I recall Skate being disgusting.

From what I’ve read it’s one of those fish (the other notable example being Dover Sole) which benefits from being slightly less fresh. Odd as it may seem it’s best to leave it in the fridge for maybe two days before eating.

[slackline]

Did you ask if scallops were hand dived?? Although there is no way to prove they are. it's always good to ask.

I'm completely ignorant of the different methods of obtaining scallops, but now I know (presumably hand-dived is less destructive to their environment and ensures they aren't over-harvested?).

Either way it was damn nice and I'd reiterate that its well worth visiting for anyone going to Whitby (apparently Rick Stein's favourite Fish restaurant if you're arsed about such celebrity endorsements).  We had to queue (but not for long) as did those before (obviously!) and after us...

[SA Chris]

Yup, it's not so much the over-harvesting as the destruction of the seabed environment by dredge trawling and the waste catch as a result.

Had some hand-dived scallops from the back of the fish van when we were on North Uist. Pan fried in butter over a campfire, just incredible.

[BB]

My brother has been out in Thailand and visited a fishery on Koh Samui. A couple of photos came through today:

A 55lb Mekong Catfish



A 35lb redtail Catfish - God only knows what the monkey mask is all about!

[Monolith]

My rod has been dusted off of late. Had a couple of sessions trying my luck in the murky depths of the Bristol Channel, but no joy yet. What bait have you been using Tom? I've been trying mackerel harvested from the Devon seas, but haven't had a single bite yet. Any other ideas?

I managed to catch a grey mullet off Berry Head by foul hooking it and pulling it in backwards. Didn't think much to its eating credentials though.

Also, there's a (light-hearted by his standards) article by George Monbiot. Got me psyched. Anyone got a kayak going cheap?

Simone, I can't say I've ever had any luck with Mackerel slivers outside of catching winter whiting and cod or as part of a cocktail. I'd do a bit of species hunting ont tinterweb and see what you're after. Peeler crab is by far and away the best most fragrant bait you can use at any time. It's a little awkward to present on the hook at first but you'll find photographic instructions on the web.

We've been using calamari squid and sandeel cocktails of late.

http://www.zen18975.zen.co.uk/  is someone's site for Bristol Channel shore fishing. A good place to start I reckon. Let's know how you get on!

From what I’ve read it’s one of those fish (the other notable example being Dover Sole) which benefits from being slightly less fresh. Odd as it may seem it’s best to leave it in the fridge for maybe two days before eating.

I've heard similar Bonjoy. I recall Bruno (Lorenzo's uncle and seafood restaurateur par exellence) recommending that Octopus be soaked in fresh water for several days prior to preparation. With his homemade houmous it was probably the nicest piece of seafood I've ever eaten.

Nice pictures BB! What bizarre looking creatures!

[Monolith]

I read that article Si. Would be very keen to come visit and Kayak fish the south coast. Oh and I can tell you from experience that being stung by a weever is tantamount to mutilating your genitals.

[fatneck]

Fresh mackerel will catch just about anything that swims in my experience, frozen mackerel is probably best as part of a cocktail as Tom said. Frozen squid is such a handy bait, always having some in the freezer especially for cod. Brizzle Channel had a poor cod season last year (as did the whole of the west coast) but that often means that the following year will be a bumper year. Fingers crossed hey!

Si, thanks so much for the link to the guardian article, I somehow contrived to miss it last week! Kayak fishing is something I've always wanted to try, there's been a guy catching smoothhound and rays from our local beach using one and it looks like such fun!

There's been a few whiting showing this week so I'm hopefull that the cod will be here soon!

[fatneck]

And Tom, Weever stings aint that bad! I've had two and whilst it hurts, one soon recovers...

[lagerstarfish]

I can tell you from experience that being stung by a weever is tantamount to mutilating your genitals.

Fuck yeah.
I stood on one in Brid when I was a kid and couldn't believe the pain, but fatneck is right, it soon goes away. Not as bad as when I picked up a Portuguese man-of-war by the stinger.

[Monolith]

The pain lasted the afternoon and evening with my arm totally swollen. It did of course subside soon after...

Would hate to feel what a greater weever sting feels like!

[Houdini]

Similar to being bitten on the foot by Jasper.

[SA Chris]

As I have yet to wet a line this year I am posting vicariously on behalf of my big bro' who lives in Townsville OZ.



100lb giant trevally. Note cricket bat in backround for smacking lively fish on the head.

[tomtom]

I've only been fishing two times..... anyway, first time was mackeraling... second time was in Oz, on a tourist fishing trip thingy out of Darwin.. No Barramundi that day, but I did catch an Angel Fish (apparently..)..
20 people on the boat, and I was the only person to catch anything.. and to make things worse I was the only Pom 



Was quite a struggle and tasted great...

[lagerstarfish]

A short film we made this September

[Monolith]

Very sweet!

[Johnny Brown]

Genius! Musical credits?

[Houdini]

Good to see that Come The Apocalypse Lagers Jr is ready, willing and able to help feed the tribe.

[lagerstarfish]

Genius! Musical credits?

First track was "Love You" by Free Design (have the album if anyone wants more.... Jasper?)

Second track was a version of the Finnish song "Ievan Polkka" by Loituma. It's the song that Anei did a short version of for the Ready Brek advert

[lagerstarfish]

Very sweet!

I decided not to include the not so sweet bits where she beats the trout to death and then pulls their guts out.
She wants me to edit a how-to-gut-trout video of her; I think she must be trying to impress a boy.

[willackers]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1659044&l=b5680a3958&id=599646006

One from a couple of years ago, a PB, 25lb mirror on floating bread.

[simes]

After yesterdays excitement stalking trout, Lagers Jr got me out of bed at 7am for some more urban adventuring. The result was her biggest trout so far.

Is that The Don?

[Will Hunt]

Hope she caught it upstream of Blackburn Meadows, Corus and the Rother!

http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/wiybyController?x=357683.0&y=355134.0&scale=1&layerGroups=default&ep=map&textonly=off&lang=_e&topic=wfd_rivers

[Paul B]

Effluent from BBM is treated to higher standard than that expected of water delivered to your tap so I can't see why it would matter. Unless the overflow was in action then its just plain nasty.

[lagerstarfish]

Is that The Don?

Sheaf

[Dolly]

Do you just turn up there (looks like its behind the works) and start fishing ?
Or do you need a permit or summat ?
I'm in complete ignorance about this so sorry if that's a really daft question