08-12-2006, 07:44 AM
Squid survey 0- Squid 1. Hmmm.
Not so good on the first day but we all had little hope of catching anything as the water clarity was similar to that of chocolate and about as thick. The storm force winds are not helping us here, several weeks of South and Southwesterly gales/storms have resulted in the water being turned into a kind of sedimentary soup.
At least everything else worked well, the lights are certainly bright enough. We have hired a generator/lightrig, the type you might see lighting up roadworks, as this represented the most viable, economical and flexible option to providing metal halide light to the fishing vessel. The generator is situated on the stern of the vessel where all the jigging is being done and we are able to change the properties of the shadow by extending or retracting the telescopic lighting pole. Sadly the lights dont give off much heat and so one piece flotation/thermal suits are the order of the day.
Wind speed at Lands end @ 1800 today was 50mph Westerly and that has decreased steadily for three hours,however, the forecast is for the wind to swing into the Northwest (offshore) for a couple of days and it is our hope that the water clarity will improve somewhat, unfortunately Sundays (10th Dec) forecast is set to swing back into the Southwest and blow severe gale 9 to storm 10, after that the longrange forecast gives the wind veering into the NW again.
I am waiting now for the skipper to make a descision on when to go (I hope we can get away on Friday evening).
If at first you dont succeed, try and try again.
Does anyone know if it is worth using baited jags when searching for squid. Does bait attract these animals in the same way it would attract finfish.
jon
Not so good on the first day but we all had little hope of catching anything as the water clarity was similar to that of chocolate and about as thick. The storm force winds are not helping us here, several weeks of South and Southwesterly gales/storms have resulted in the water being turned into a kind of sedimentary soup.
At least everything else worked well, the lights are certainly bright enough. We have hired a generator/lightrig, the type you might see lighting up roadworks, as this represented the most viable, economical and flexible option to providing metal halide light to the fishing vessel. The generator is situated on the stern of the vessel where all the jigging is being done and we are able to change the properties of the shadow by extending or retracting the telescopic lighting pole. Sadly the lights dont give off much heat and so one piece flotation/thermal suits are the order of the day.
Wind speed at Lands end @ 1800 today was 50mph Westerly and that has decreased steadily for three hours,however, the forecast is for the wind to swing into the Northwest (offshore) for a couple of days and it is our hope that the water clarity will improve somewhat, unfortunately Sundays (10th Dec) forecast is set to swing back into the Southwest and blow severe gale 9 to storm 10, after that the longrange forecast gives the wind veering into the NW again.
I am waiting now for the skipper to make a descision on when to go (I hope we can get away on Friday evening).
If at first you dont succeed, try and try again.
Does anyone know if it is worth using baited jags when searching for squid. Does bait attract these animals in the same way it would attract finfish.
jon