Looking back at the recurring theme of foul weather, 2017 was the not best of years for many around the UK, north Wales no different with numerous days cancelled through strong winds. Days afloat however reduced from previous years were quite frequent and filled with some great fishing and laughs for those that sailed with us.
Our report from 2017 takes a pictorial look back over the year and some of the many great days we’ve had afloat.
We started our new season very early in February and rewarded with an array of species including plenty of fine huss and thornbacks.
The first quarter of any year sees most trips venture out to Holyhead Deep for spurdogs, these hard fighting small sharks are great fun to catch.
From 200ft of water and on 12lb class gear, they offer some tremendous early season sport.
Goes without saying we always eat well aboard My Way and often our crews bring along offerings for everyone on the boat.
Quite popular is Asian cuisine with Aloo Methi & a Chicken Curry from regulars Neil and Paul respectively.
In March we reported our continued sponsorship from Pure Fishing (UK) Ltd, the worlds largest tackle company that boasts some of the best and most popular brands around today. PENN, Greys, Shakespeare and ABU Garcia among them.
Already sporting an array of rods and reels from many selected lines spinning rods, light boat rods, Tipsters etc. we were able to delve into the catalogues and stock up more gear for our anglers to use.
Moving into April and the fishing continues to improve. Inshore the wrasse and pollack provide some good days afloat around the breakwater and rock ledges of Anglesey.
One day in April day stands out amongst the many, plenty of fish inshore with pollack to 5lb on the wreck. Setting anchor in the Deeps we planned a good few hours on the spurdogs, everyone catching plenty but Iwan bucking that trend with 3 tope to 30lb his reward
Fishing can be so fickle! Especially when chasing spurdogs, small sharks that roam through areas on the feed. Below 2 photos from Luke Kelly and his crew, a run out to the deeps was rewarded with over 40 spurdogs in a mad and frantic 90 mins, these together with a few huss and customary dogfish.
The following day with a similar tide & conditions, not a sniff! Huss and dogs only, not even a solitary spurdog lost from its pack. Fishing can be so frustrating at times; everything can be planned to perfection, except the one main ingredient, the fish!
We don’t run trips specifically to the wrecks. My Way hasn’t the speed, and I don’t particularly enjoy that fishing for all day! Maybe if I ate more fish I would!
Milnrow Angler report from April 2017
Hard Core hound report from April 2017
We have a couple wrecks in the Deeps that fish fairly well for us from late April each year, a couple hours fishing the last of the ebb tide offers plenty of pollack averaging 6lb, the largest a couple years ago went 12lb.
Then we drop the anchor and have fun with plenty of spurdogs, tope, huss and the odd conger eel.
Plenty inshore and spurdogs further out is how the fishing continues into May before we turn our attention to the influx of quality smoothhounds.
Phil, above, was the first with this lovely 16lber to set us on our smoothie adventures.
Mark Cain smashed his PB last year during the smoothhound challenge with a fantastic hound of 24lb in 2016. He opened his 2017 account on a Weds 03rd May, a couple weeks early from this years event with another mighty fine hound pushing My Ways scales to 20lb 1oz, pictured above
Inshore the fishing picked up with plenty of
Wrasse
Rays
Pollack
And dogfish
During one day afloat in May we were fishing a mark 8 miles out to sea. Not long into our anchor had a small visitor, a passing swallow needing a rest from its long journey north. The bird stayed with us sat up in the bow for half an hour before moving on for the next leg of its epic journey
Occasionally I get to have a fish myself, light tackle and inshore pollack can be great fun.
Our Smoothhound Challenge is a long established event now, running for 5 days towards the end of May each year. Daily prizes up for grabs for the angler with the heaviest smoothhound. 2017 was another great success, with some quality smoothhounds caught and 5 lucky anglers winning a fantastic rod and reel combo from Pure Fishing (UK) Ltd. See the winners here
June and the great fishing continued, Holyhead Deep with some great spurdog fishing, while inshore the drifting and anchor fishing allowing us many different species and sizes.
Mike Thrussell landing this beautiful 10lb 10oz pollack from the back of Holyhead Breakwater.
Another 20lb hound this time to the tope maestro Iwan and a first hound and another 20lber for Zukia.
Late June and Luke was back for another quality day with friends and family – this time recording some nice pollack, tope and plenty of spurdogs including 2 over 21lb in weight.
The smoothhounds just kept coming
However, smoothhound fishing is a waiting game! You may have an hour or two sitting on your baits waiting for a pack to come through. A little bit of fun helps the time pass. Not always about the fishing …
The first half of 2017 was placed with fish and some great times afloat
More photos from Jan to June 2017 [Gallery 198] [Gallery 199] [Gallery 200] [Gallery 201] [Gallery 202] [Gallery 203] [Gallery 204] [Gallery 205] [Gallery 206] [Gallery 207] [Gallery 208] [Gallery 209]
Part two here – July to December