The sharks don't want to play, but a Garfish makes my day!

With two days sharking planned it would surely mean aching arms, plenty of shark rash and the scent of chum heavy in the air, the fishing gods had other plans though! First of the two sorties was back down to Penzance aboard Bite Adventures with Chippy, and I was feeling just a tad confident having never blanked on a shark trip down there. The trip was one of the three shark trips I have booked with chippy this year with the other two being September and October. Unfortunately I had a few drop out for various reasons and I needed to find some other anglers at short notice or end up with an expensive solo day, having experienced a day of 78 sharks previously I didn't fancy that on my own. Fortunately Chippy posted the spaces on his facebook page and I quickly got a crew together, Josh, Ash, Phil and Graham gave us five on the day a good number for a normal Penzance trip. Josh and Ash were travelling down from Kent through the night, I agreed to meet them at Okehampton services and drive the rest of the journey down to Penzance. Phil from Birmingham and Graham from Manchester made their way down the day before and stayed in Penzance meaning they should have been better rested. The day arrived and I was up at 4am to meet the guys at the services at 4.45am, when I arrived they looked like a pair of zombies having only cat napped for an hour, when they got their cool box from the car, I actually thought they had brought their own boat down, such was the size of it. The two young guys looked like they could handle a 100 shark day, and thats not surprising, with Josh being a personal trainer, I remember when I looked like that, not! What great company these two were, when they weren't tag sleeping that is, and its always nice to meet and fish with new people.

We made the journey down in good time and arrived harbour side at 6.15am, Phil and Graham joined us shortly after, and we were on our way by 6.45am. The stop off for bait was hard work with just a handful of joey mackerel and scad being all we could muster, it may have to be whiting from the shark grounds if we get through the bait we had. Bite Adventures then pushed out through Penzance Bay and out into the swollen Atlantic sea, it was a pretty rough ride out, no doubt similar to the experience clothing has, within a washing machine on a long wash, needless to say Chippy couldn't get as far out as he wanted to go.

We arrived at the shark ground refreshed and ready to go, well all except Graham, who had taken a tumble on the way out, poor old chap, not the best way to start a days sharking.The chum bags were soon in the water and a wonderful slick instantly spread out smoothing out even the bigger waves, the shark floats quickly followed and it was now the waiting game. Phil was up first and a small shark was plucking frantically at the bait causing the float to bob up and down rapidly, Chippy stated "you could do with this one Steve, for your challenge as I think its a small Porbeagle". Sure enough Phil hooked the little sea Rottweiler, and it was quickly unhooked at the side of the boat, unfortunately it was so lightly hooked it couldn't have been brought in for the photograph that Phil really wanted. Graham who had been keen to catch some whiting, to exchange for beer back at his accommodation, was getting plenty of fish every drop, he was then hit by something while reeling in his latest string of fish. Sure enough upon inspection the biggest of the group of whiting had a nice bite mark that appeared to be made by a small blue shark. I think he may have been bitten off by sharks a few times during the day as several of his rigs seem to disappear suddenly!

Then Ash was away on his rod, and having not had a shark since the age of eight was getting the run around from this hyper active blue shark, after a good battle a nice shark was unhooked, photographed and sent on its way.

By now I had decided to try to target the next species on my list, the Garfish, chippy gave me some pointers on methods to target them, the sea was a little bit choppy for them but they should still be attracted by the chum trail. Despite fishing for them all day, I had one solitary little bite, which could have been down to a small mackerel nibbling as it sped past. Normally they have some pretty awesome garfish fishing down there, and I really needed to get the garfish during these two days, so I could move on to something else. Another shark interrupted proceedings and Josh got to flex his muscles for a little bit making short work of a feisty little blue shark, once again quick photo and the shark was on its way.

The sharking by normal standards for this neck of the woods was slow and we couldn't really see a reason for it, good drift, plenty of chum and clear water, everything required for plenty of action but even hot spots can have warm days. The weather was starting to look angrier as rain clouds formed just to our west, we could be getting a soaking shortly.

Graham then had a shark which once again fought really well, and at least when they turned up they gave a great account of themselves, this fish was quickly released at the side of the boat.

I had the next fish, which had taken the bait on the 12lb to 20lb class kit, and this blank saver was most enjoyable on this lighter outfit, the fish was unhooked at the side of the boat and shot off, clearly still full of beans.

Finally Phil had yet another baby porbeagle, this time however the little guy was brought on board, so Phil could give it a quick cuddle, these little powerhouses need to be held tight, as they have the dentures to inflict a nasty wound. Incredible to think that in a few years this fish could be 9 feet and 500lbs a true British apex predator.

That should have been the end of that, but right at the end of the day, three thin lipped mullet arrived around the chum bags, picking off particles that oozed through the mesh. I quickly ran over with my LRF rod to take a look and ultimately try and catch one for the challenge, in doing so I lent against my rod on the gunnel, crack! that was rod number three broken this year. Chippy pointed out that the weight marked on the rod was in grams not stones! I was pretty attached to that little rod having landed several mini species with it, but there was no doubt that was the end of it, not a great finish to a tough day. To really rub it in Chippy was out the next day landing 41 Sharks and getting garfish on the mackerel feathers, fishing is like the sea plenty of highs and lows!

The second trip included within this blog is a trip out from Looe aboard Force 10 skippered by Pete Davis, the crew today was friends John, Roger and Nigel whom I've fished with on several occasions. The morning was sunny but fresher than I had expected, but that was something we really needed for a good drift, the journey out was full with a excited group of anglers and a somewhat shattered me, having not got back from yesterdays trip till 10pm.

We were soon in position with the chum bags once again omitting their pungent shark aphrodisiac and as per normal the choppy sea was made flat for the full width of the trail. We trotted our rods out, into our selected positions, and sat back for a bit of a chin wag and a few tall fishing stories. Eager to get the garfish, I had messaged Roger the previous night asking him to bring his garfish rod as I had broke mine, he had happily obliged, and I was now keen to have a go. I asked Pete if he had seen gars lately, unfortunately he informed me that, on only one day this season had garfish shown up, not the news I wanted to hear. Despite this I wanted to persevere and decided to fish a small weight on the swivel in the hope the bait would be raised through the water column as the boat drifted finding the right layer for the garfish. Before I could get the rod in the water Roger had a take on his rod which was close to the boat, another hard scrap ensued before Pete pulled in, a nice skinny male blue shark.

The fish was soon shown the door and we could all once again return to the sharking lottery in the hope it would be our rod that went next, I however had other plans, and got the garfish rod out, hoping one or two had by now arrived in the slick. The thin strip of mackerel belly fluttered slowly down through the chum trail until it was no longer visible, I then closed the bail arm allowing the rig to rise as the boat drifted. I held the 8lb braid in my fingers feeling for the slightest pluck on the bait and sure enough it came, but no plucks a full on yank as the gar hit the bait on the run. I tightened down causing the silver missile to explode out of the water like a miniature marlin, line poured from the tiny reel and a mini battle unfolded, with the garfish fighting every inch of the way in. So important was the fish that we actually opened the rear door to bring it aboard, rather than risk the light line parting on the gars serrated beak. The garfish is a wonderful looking creature, built for bursts of speed with all the power towards the rear like a pike, their long bills capable of piercing flesh in an instant. They are covered in tiny green scales that in the sun create a pure bar of silver, big eyes allow for spotting their prey, normally smaller fish. With the garfish landed that was species 58 in the bag, a great relief.

The garfish kept me busy for quite a while being addictive and after a couple of fish the size of the first, I hooked a real beauty, the garfish must have jumped a dozen times and repeatedly took yards of line from the reel in screaming runs. I knew it was a good fish as I had seen several times, and John carefully lifted it into the boat, the fish was a new personal best, I didn't weigh it but it was a meter long and thick as my wrist.

The next garfish though ,would need to be shark bait, there were so many out there that the sharks would certainly love to snack on them, plus I've done well with them as bait in the past. It didn't take long to get one for bait but before I could use it, Johns rod was screaming as a shark made off with his bait.

The fish was another feisty male and gave him a good bit of fun before getting quickly released, I had managed to sneak my rod in and re-bait with the garfish while Johns fish was being released. I had just put the rod back into the rest and walked away when it tore off, they clearly appreciated the garfish delicacy, another great scrap and the first female shark of the day was landed. I decided to grab a quick picture as the fish was calm and we were fast with the unhooking.

That just left Nigel to make it a fish for all four of our rods, and as luck would have it the very next take was on his rod, and he battled a nice little shark for a quick release at the side.

We were all hoping for another quick run of fish and Johns rod was soon off again as a small fish crashed the party, the last action was once again on Johns rod but the fish rolled up the trace and went through the leader to spoil our 100% average. The wind had started to increase with the turn of the tide and it was all to soon time to head for home, I was however feeling pretty happy with how the day had gone, everyone got a fish and I got a personal best garfish. We steamed homewards and but by the time we reached the radar buoy the sky had become somewhat angry, and white horse's quickly developed.

Once we had finally escaped the claws of the approaching squall, we could see blue sky's over Looe and Pete stopped in the calmer water to hoist the flags, to display the sharks caught.

Thanks to Chippy on Bite Adventures and Pete Davis on Force 10 for a couple of enjoyable days in pretty testing conditions, I think I am a bit of shark Jonah this season, but as long as I can catch something then every trips a good one. Really enjoyed the company of Josh, Ash, Phil, Graham, John, Roger, and Nigel over the last few days, great banter. Things are going to get a bit trickier now, as I target more difficult species, and Saturday night sick boy and I are getting the beachcasters out, thanks to some advice from a darn good chap.