Looking good Dave, know doubt we will do a few joint "into the blue" trips next year, its a different world when you are on marks like the Graveyard thou the fishing can be worse than inshore sometimes, not always a given its rammed with bigger fish, i have been as far as the most eastern wrecks of the graveyard some 39 miles from the pier end and it does test your nerv even with everything backed up on the boat and a 30mile out radio check to Humber C.G, 2 boats always safer than one.
I have never tried any further than a couple mile south of Seaham harbour but will do one day and will defo be up for a few trips to the everest pipe lines as i had one trip there and it was great but never had the weather to get to all the marks i wished to fish along it. I have been upto the farne deeps and did ok but nothing better than off our piers, i dont like rough ground marks but St Marys, Blyth, Newbig and Cresswell still consistant in anything other than a few days after a big stir up.
Most consistant wrecks with out any doubt are within the 7mile range of tyne piers IMO but i get borred fishing same wrecks week in week out and always like hunting out bigger fish, alot of the time i could stay within the 4 mile mark and catch fish but everyone is different and i like the hunt and trying new marks.
With work dropping off and in turn income, making the most of the boat next season just incase.
I find your post highly interesting, R!
When I was reading it, I felt this aura of adventure that tickles if one goes out far or to new areas...I get this feeling.
However...when I thought harder and about the "Why?"....maybe its the hunter thing or the adrenalin kick, because...surely...apart from deeper water, more burnt fuel and more risk if something goes wrong...fishing wise...there is not the slightest reason to go far.
Fish like coastal waters and the river estuaries, because of the feed associated with it. The offshore and deep waters are like deserts and the wrecks might be like an oasis, but mostly dissappointing.
Over are the times also were the inshores are fished out by day fishers...nowadays the 6m+ range harbours the commercial fleet.
I personally think (apart from the adrenalin junky thing) to spice up the boredom of same-wreck-fishing, the answer is to try different things, like uptiding, anchoring on wrecks, target species, trolling, flat fish etc..
I spent a few days out this year exploring new waters and new wrecks, only to clasify them as disappointing and only to finish my day on a group of wrecks in the 5-7 miles range, which I call the Fab 4....and on one of the Fab4, I met you and Eddie not too long ago (and I hear you did well!!)


