Winter Boat Fishing for Cod

[John Keane]

Been out on a charter boat in the Mersey after winter cod. Nine of us on a big cat, only 4 codling in the boat but the previous day there had been torrential rain and there must have been a lot of fresh water in the estuary. Plenty of whiting though and some of them into the boat smoker for an additional snack. Most of us were downtiding and tangles were rife so I decided to go into the bow and try out the uptide rod.

Very enjoyable way of fishing with a fixed wire lead and casting well away from the downtiders in the stern. Only downside is that the reel was a big fixed spool and, combined with an 8oz weight and the strong tides of the Mersey, winding in was hard work and I feared for the gearing in the reel. Think I’ll get my own gear with an Abu 7000 multiplier to make the winding a lot easier.

 

[john step]

Nice day out John. Rather you than me though. I only have to look at a boat to start chucking up. I vowed years ago never to venture forth on a sea fishing trip again and have faithfully stuck to that.mg:

 

[seth49]

Used to do a lot of boat fishing with a mate of mine, who had his own boat, till he retired and moved to Scotland, we used to be in a club at Blackpool, it used to be good fishing there about twenty years ago.

Don’t no what it’s like now, but we used to catch plenty then, Tope, smoothound, flat fish, mackerel,dog fish, and thornbacks in summer, as well as my favourite eating fish tub gurnard, in the summer, and cod and whiting in the winter.

Also fished at drigg in Cumbria, we would go up there for the weekend, fish all day, and drink most of the night in the local pub.
Happy days.

 

[John Keane]

Nice day out John. Rather you than me though. I only have to look at a boat to start chucking up. I vowed years ago never to venture forth on a sea fishing trip again and have faithfully stuck to that.mg:

Beauty of the Mersey is that it’s an estuary and the sea state never gets above being as rough as a trip to town on the 79 bus. For forays beyond the bar, and wrecking, sea-sickness tablets Stugeron 15 are the absolute Mutt’s Nuts. I get seasick, but not with those tablets.

 

[John Keane]

‘Twas a very fair day...

 

[liphook]

Is that Discovery you were aboard? I'm in the Blackpool Boat Angling Club but also enjoy the occasional uptiding session on the Mersey charters, particularly with Kevin McKie aboard Size Matters. He's a top bloke and has taught us plenty. My travelling partner had a 9lb cod on our last trip but like you we encountered too much freshwater in the system and general consensus amongst the skippers as we locked in was that the cod had been largely put off the feed by it. Always an enjoyable day out on any boat in my book but then I've got sea legs. In fact it's when I'm back on land that I get a wobble on

 

[Philip]

Crikey I spent some horrendous days & nights on Charter boats in the Channel. Without exception the first trip of the year I was so sick I could literally not even reel my lead up after the first cast.

However subsequant trips a few weeks later and I didnt get sea sick at all ! ...happened a few times. It was almost as if my body became acclimatized to it after the first trip.

I used to sell the Cod and Pollock I caught to the local chip shop back home ! ...it paid for the trip on some occasions.

 

[no-one in particular]

Crikey I spent some horrendous days & nights on Charter boats in the Channel. Without exception the first trip of the year I was so sick I could literally not even reel my lead up after the first cast.

However subsequant trips a few weeks later and I didnt get sea sick at all ! ...happened a few times. It was almost as if my body became acclimatized to it after the first trip.

I used to sell the Cod and Pollock I caught to the local chip shop back home ! ...it paid for the trip on some occasions.

Sea sickness is a funny thing, sometimes a gentle swell can be worse than a rough sea. Always sit away from wherever the diesel fumes are going, always keep your head up looking out at the horizon, not down as this seems to make it worse, don't eat a big breakfast, some toast maybe and take a sea sickness pill first if you can although they don't always work. Its the food going up and down in your stomach that the body can't digest properly and decides to reject it all as alien. Try and be in the middle of the boat, less movement; although this will not make much difference on smaller boats it might just help a little bit: think of a seesaw in a playground.
However, I have plied small boats and worked on cross channel ferries and seen harden seamen get afflicted on occasions and there is just no rhyme or reason for it sometimes. I myself have been afflicted on occasions but observing the above as much as possible should reduce the likelihood to some degree.

 

[John Keane]

Is that Discovery you were aboard? I'm in the Blackpool Boat Angling Club but also enjoy the occasional uptiding session on the Mersey charters, particularly with Kevin McKie aboard Size Matters. He's a top bloke and has taught us plenty. My travelling partner had a 9lb cod on our last trip but like you we encountered too much freshwater in the system and general consensus amongst the skippers as we locked in was that the cod had been largely put off the feed by it. Always an enjoyable day out on any boat in my book but then I've got sea legs. In fact it's when I'm back on land that I get a wobble on

Yep, it’s Gary Flint’s boat Discovery. Gary does a good trip, this time it was Wirral Game Fishers charter, of which I am a member. Was talking to Kev on Size Matters in the lock going out and coming back in. I’ve known Kev since he was a teenager working at Taskers, we both used to fish matches for the now-defunct New Brighton Sea Anglers and we often used to go crabbing for peeler at Port Dinorwic in the Straits and then take a bucketful onto the island and fish the rock marks.

I think once I get my ducks in a row I’ll go out with Kev for a charter in the Mersey next month or Feb and do some uptiding. I think the Mersey boats will be good in the summer for the rays, etc but Size Matters will be down in Plymouth by then.

 

[liphook]

Since that post I've been shore fishing at Otterspool but without success as far as keeper (45cm plus in my book) codling are concerned. I'm planning a trip down to Plymouth this summer having seen some of the incredible catches Kev has made down there. March and April he's heading to Croahb nr Oban to target big skate and potentially porbeagle.
John if you can make it to the Fylde during summer then we can organise a trip out for bass? Last summer was a good year in terms of size and numbers for those that put the effort in at both the Ribble estuary and Morcambe Bay shallow marks

 

[John Keane]

Since that post I've been shore fishing at Otterspool but without success as far as keeper (45cm plus in my book) codling are concerned. I'm planning a trip down to Plymouth this summer having seen some of the incredible catches Kev has made down there. March and April he's heading to Croahb nr Oban to target big skate and potentially porbeagle.
John if you can make it to the Fylde during summer then we can organise a trip out for bass? Last summer was a good year in terms of size and numbers for those that put the effort in at both the Ribble estuary and Morcambe Bay shallow marks

Kev is fully booked for Plymouth in 2019 already and only has 8 days left in 2020! Good skipper, he will no doubt put you onto another good boat if you give him a bell. I don’t shore fish anymore but have had my fair share of matches and pleasure fishing on both sides of the river in the past. Vale Park, Perch Rock and Wallasey Tunnel Vents used to be my favourite marks.

 

[John Keane]

Another trip out for winter cod on the Mersey yesterday on Size Matters which is reputedly, unless anyone knows any different, the largest charter fishing boat in the UK. Skippered by an old mate, Kevin McKie, it has spoiled me for charter boats forever! The fishing wasn’t great but the quality of the boat and skipper more than made up for the lack of cod (4 to 3.5lb right at the death)

A cold but sunny day saw plenty of whiting, dabs at slack water and 4 thornback rays. The rays still being in the river testifies to the mildness of the winter so far.

I fished with my new Daiwa Kenzaki Uptide rod and (also new) Penn Fathom 25N loaded with 50lb Spiderwire Code Red braid. Enjoyed the tackle but a few better fish would have been nice.

 

[liphook]

Certainly plenty of room aboard! It's one hell of a casting platform to fish from and kind of spoils you slightly when it comes to fishing on standard sized charters. Shame the fish didn't turn up in numbers. It's a below par season unfortunately

 

[John Keane]

Out again on Size Matters tomorrow for the last time before Kev takes it up to Oban for the skate fishing. I’ve heard that landing a 200lb skate from deep water is like winching a piano up the side of a skyscraper!

Anyway, the Mighty Mersey tomorrow and the weather looks sublime. Photos to follow, even if they’re only of the Liverpool waterfront!

 

[John Keane]

Started typing up a report but managed to lose the lot, so bollox, I’m not doing it again! Few piccies will have to suffice.

 

[tigger]

Out again on Size Matters tomorrow for the last time before Kev takes it up to Oban for the skate fishing. I’ve heard that landing a 200lb skate from deep water is like winching a piano up the side of a skyscraper!

Anyway, the Mighty Mersey tomorrow and the weather looks sublime. Photos to follow, even if they’re only of the Liverpool waterfront!

I have a 50lb ugly stick which would be great for those skate!

 

[John Keane]

I have a 50lb ugly stick which would be great for those skate!

I think the less said about your 50lb Ugly Stik the better, Ian! mg:

 

[tigger]

I think the less said about your 50lb Ugly Stik the better, Ian! mg:

Lol, it'll frighten sharks that ugly stick :scared: :lol2: