Hello All.

I am an Englishman but not in NY. I'm in Dowell MD.
I love fishing, being ex military I have fished all over the world. It doesn't matter how many fish I catch, if I get one it's a good day. And that one fish is the one that brings me back the next time.

I once spent a cold English May morning surf casting near Skipsea, North Yorkshire UK. The fine rain was in my face and my dog was not too happy about being dragged out of his bed. I was using wrag worm for bait but it appeared I was just ther feeding the crabs. I was almost at the point of giving up and taking my dog back to our caravan when I got a bite. I thought to begin with it was just a BIG crab. But then there was more fight, I'd definately hooked something. I little give and take, but then more take than give. I thought Place?...Skate?.....(UK Flatfish) for breakfast and a big one. Enough for me and George (my dog). I kept looking for it breaking the water and saw every now and then its tail fins flap and make a new white patch in the surf. Nearer and nearer it got. I could almost taste the fish in some fresh bread and butter. Then a quick as the game had begun it was over. The line went slack and I was left with a miniture birds nest at the top of my rod. I walked up the beach a little to untangle the cotton candy effect that was now slowly un-raveling. I looked back at the waters edge expecting just to see just some lead weight and tackle. But there was tackle, my two hook outfit was still there. And there was something on one of the hooks. Not very big and not big enough to give me the bend I had just had in my rod. But, it was enough to get George's attention. But what was it? I reeled it in until it was away from where the waves were breaking and went to take a closer look. At a distance it didn't look like any fish I had caught before! As I got closer I recognised the mouth of a flat fish, the gills of a flat fish and that is where it stopped. I had caught half a fish....and not the good half. It had been severed just aft of its gills probably by a great white or more probably a porbeagle shark.

That half of a fish was enough that day to bring me back down the the sea line two days later. However, this time two Skate (Flat Fish) and no sign of anything catching my catch.

Fav fishing spots: -
East Coast of England always windy but good for flat fish.
Sardinia drop your line in the water and pull out a fish (Not always keepers and not always good eating)
Adriatic all sorts of fish but the best are the octopus, caught with candy wrappers, strips of white polythene bags or just a small frozen crabs (from the rock pools) tied to your line. Really good eating.
Least Fav: -
Canada lots of fish but cold in winter and horse flies in summer.

I have not fished yet in the US. I am working on my project boat. It should be finished just in time to haul it out for the winter.

I am looking forward to fishing in the US and trying the usual mad englishman experimental baits such as English Bacon, un-cooked frozen scollops & prawns, etc. Please let me know if any of you guys use any unusual baits. The last time I checked the Fishing Store (Bait Shop/Tackle Shop....sorry whatever the American translation is) it worked out cheaper to by the fish rather than the bait!

On fishing times I always used the Hunting/Fishing Best Times on my Garmin, with mixed results. Probably more from good luck rather than anything else I find the half tide before high tide is usually the best time to fish. And the east is least west is best I think is an old sailors tale......but I could be wrong!

Have a good one!
Reg