Just to prove we do get colourful fish sometimes...

[dizzyfish]

Normally, you would not associate the UK with unusual/exotic/colourful fish - but we do get occasional exotic visitors to our shores, brought here on the warm(ish!) Gulf stream currents.

One such visitor is the Gilthead bream - it is more commonly found in southern Europe - the Mediterranean and Spain, but very occasionally we get them in our estuaries in the UK. I have been trying to catch one from the kayak for over 4 years; its become an obsession... this year, I was determined to be one of the very few people in the UK to catch one... Last week, I ended my search in style...

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/dizzyfish_uk/fishing%20trips/Cornwall%20gilt%20trip%20Apr%2012/IMGP0417.jpg

Not bad for my first Gilt, and just check out the dentures on these things... awesome....

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/dizzyfish_uk/fishing%20trips/Cornwall%20gilt%20trip%20Apr%2012/P4150470.jpg


The same weekend, I wanted to catch probably the most colourful fish in the UK; the Cuckoo Wrasse. These fish are almost tropical in their colouration. I managed to catch a few, and what they lack in size, they more than make up for in appearance...

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/dizzyfish_uk/fishing%20trips/Cornwall%20gilt%20trip%20Apr%2012/IMGP1950.jpg

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/dizzyfish_uk/fishing%20trips/Cornwall%20gilt%20trip%20Apr%2012/P4160522.jpg

It was one of the most memorable and enjoyable weekend's kayak fishing I have ever experienced in the UK - all made possible by a couple of friends who told me the most important thing in kayak fishing... "Where and when" !

A video short of the cuckoo wrasse...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOzmu3WgFKU

The colours on those things are fabulous.
More info on the blog...

http://dizzybigfish.co.uk/kayak-fishing-for-gilthead-bream-and-cuckoo-wrasse/

I have also recently written a FREE guide to kayak fishing which I am giving away via the link below. Time to give something back to the sport which has given me so much. Feel free to download a copy and let me know what you think (its aimed at beginners, but I have had lots of great complements from experienced yak fishermen who learnt a few new tricks)...

http://dizzybigfish.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/GuideAdvert425pxLR.jpg (http://dizzybigfish.co.uk/free-guide-to-kayak-fishing/)

http://dizzybigfish.co.uk/free-guide-to-kayak-fishing/

[mtnbykr2]

Thanks for the report Dizzy, as always very interesting to see your posts from the otherside of the big pond, congrats on your catch looks like patience paid off, the Wrasse look like Christmas wrasse we used to have one in our saltwater aquarium...we have wrasse here but not that colorful.
Thanks for the guide, and the interesting report as usual, BTW how many Go pros do you have on you at any givin time? I have a hard enough time with one...lol

[GR6RR]

sweet stuff! the last one looks like an over grown cichlid of some sort.... thanks for sharing.

[dizzyfish]

Thanks for the report Dizzy, as always very interesting to see your posts from the otherside of the big pond, congrats on your catch looks like patience paid off, the Wrasse look like Christmas wrasse we used to have one in our saltwater aquarium...we have wrasse here but not that colorful.
Thanks for the guide, and the interesting report as usual, BTW how many Go pros do you have on you at any givin time? I have a hard enough time with one...lol


I did those trips on the 9 foot mini-X - great fun - just the 2 Go Pros and a camera, but when I am after the bigger stuff on the Trident 15, I run 3 Go Pros and 2 stills cameras - it can get a bit hectic !

[kobra]

Congrats on your first Gilthead bream and those Cuckoo Wrasse. Such beautiful fish. Thanks for the great report.

[ful-rac]

Love reading your repots dizz! Its fun to see what kayakers catch in other countries. Hey where did you catch that thing you got some numbers for me......?:D congrats on the bream and cuckoo:luxhello:

[dizzyfish]

Thanks guys - There are only a handful of places where you catch the gilthead bream, and they are only there for a very shoprt period of time. We have a big problem with netters in the UK, and the Gilthead bream are prized for eating, so they do get hammered by the netters. I had to be very careful about the photos I posted, in case people worked out where I was. I had a video of the gilthead bream, but I could not post it becuase the netters would work out where I was.

I guess you guys don't have that problem ?