First things first, we did finally get a small break from the Spurdogs, there was a 4-5 week window where they buggered off leaving us to be able to fish in relative peace. On the other hand the gods conspired against me resulting in not a whole lot of fishing getting done but anywhere here how things went August to December 2021. Try and hold back the excitement.
August – the weather was complete and utter crap until the 23rd of the month. From the 25th of July to the 23rd of August the boat never left harbour. I did a couple of shore sessions and whilst sitting on a rock watching a float is what I love to do it doesn’t match for worthy Youtube content so you’ll not see any videos. Plenty of Callig about across all the usual rock marks. I had one crack for the Bass on the west coast beaches but to be honest with the way the wind was it was weed city and not a lot of fun. I’ve seen so many catch reports of so many Bass though, 2021 has to be the best year for Bass around the island yet. The boat in August involved 3 trips on the Bobby B and 1 trip with Casey J charters. So many Tope around and big girls as well, I took a couple of people out that have never fished on a boat before and we were straight into Top 70lb and over, utter chaos and I’ve got a few new scars to show for it, all good fun! The last trips of the summer were aimed at targeting Congers of a new rock mark I was given, total washout, didn’t even catch a dogfish on the big Mackerel baits that were down, first time that has ever happened. Nice Callig though and lots of them.
In September we went away for 10 days just to get a break, of course it just so happened to coincide with some of the best weather we had of the whole summer and whilst cruising the Irish sea getting sun burnt in September is nice I know where I’d rather be. But we all know the weather gods don’t like me. Got back to see the weather had “turned” and so took the only opportunity in September I’d get. Was up at 5am, bait prepped, ready for a proper go for some congers in some deep water hot spots. Well that was the plan. The short version is that Marine Operations wouldn’t let me out of the harbour when the flap gate dropped, they had better things to be doing. Then by the time they could be bothered I’d missed enough of what was a small tide anyway and it wasn’t worth throwing the ropes off. For the record that is the 3rd trip in 2021 that marine operations have cost me. Peel harbour are fine, marine ops less so…it’s a good job I’m not paying over £1500 a year for a berth…oh hang on a minute. Isle of Man government and customer service are not 2 phrases that should ever be used together. The decision was made there and then to give the Ocqueteau a hair cut and lose some of the height. The radar arch and mast means I have to rely on bridge swings to leave harbour. My initial plan was to lose the 3 foot mast and keep the arch, however on seeing that they cost £1200 and up to buy I felt hard of chopping it up. The new plan was a scanstrut low profile mount for the radar and to sell the arch, all the work is done now and the arch is sat here if anybody is interested in buying one (just leave a comment or drop me a message on Facebook), if not it’ll go on e-bay next boaty season. The boat is now a good metre less in height so I should be able to slip under the bridge when the flapgate first drops no bother.
And with the weather gone and the boat needing work that was it for 2021. I took the opportunity in October to get the Mercruiser engine serviced and the radar work done. Nothing ever goes without hassle does it and so it’s dragged on till December but now we’re all good to go. No lie to say that Mercruiser parts on the Isle of Man are a royal pain in the ass. Huge thanks to George at Quayside Engineering for sticking with it and properly going to town to get everything as good as it can be.
Finally then how do I sum up 2021 with the new boat? It’s been really good. The fishing has been great all around the Isle of Man, the Mackerel in particular has been right up there with the best we’ve had in the last 15-20 years. Again the Tope, I’ve never seen so many over 50lb in a single year, personally I’ve caught more Bass than any year as well. Calling 4-8lb, not a problem, although we’ve not since any of the double figures this year and the Cod have also done a bit of a disappearing act again. The there are the Spurdogs, hopefully the commercial lads will be given a license for them at some point, or maybe it was just a one of year? My gut feeling is it’s going to be like this for a while. The new boat has been a huge success despite the teething problems. The Ocqueteau 715 provides a far better fishing platform than the Merry Fisher, it is so planted when at drift and tends to move less at anchor. In any sea state I’d go out in it’s comfortable to the point of always being enjoyable, I can’t say the same about Kirsty II, for the last couple of years my back was taking a serious hammering. With the engine in better nick now and hopefully the chance of getting her a clean ass and lick of paint before next season 2022 should be even better.