Cod Fishing in the Bristol Channel - Charter boat fishing from Minehead | The Fish Locker 

Anybody thinking about fishing from Minehead I can absolutely recommend fishing Mikey on Teddyboy. You will hopefully be seeing more of our fishing with him later in the year. In the meantime stay safe and take care. 😊👍🏻🎣

Please can you put more of your father in law cooking what you catch. You are really an excellent Fisherman and when you take your Catch for him to prepare, it puts your show on another level.

Ahoy, Matey from across the pond. Please bare with me, this post is a little long. It a tale of the "old salts" and the " landlubbers." During my military training at Great Lakes, IL. they had a salmon run festival in Grand Haven, MI. It was about 200 mile by land from where I was stationed. The festival (over watched by the US Coast Guard) was a 2 day event that featured free charter fishing to active duty military and by fee for the general public (civilians or tourist.) And with a Coast Guard facility close by in Grand Haven we wouldn't have to pay for our housing or meals. The only cost was the transportation to the event (yes, a reduced cost for military.) Me and a mate became aware of the event through our Special Services unit and it occurred yearly over many years. Win for us and a chance to get some recreation. Now to set the stage it was 2 day festival that drew a lot of tourism. The charters with various size vessels and were safely embarked and overwatched by our Coast Guard. As each charter Captain would dock and depending upon the craft size they would break us into groups. It was safe, it wasn't shoulder to shoulder more like "Manning the Yards, " or rendering honor coming into home port. All hands on deck. Well it took time to organize and launch the charters and there was a group of 10 or so having a good time. Filling their collective belltes with food and drink and the excitement from that group was very high. Me and my mate had Navy ball caps on and shirts that had stated US Navy and it was easy to see we were military. During the wait we had a chance to talk to the Petty Officer who overseen the embarking. Just general chat about the differences between "blue water" and "shallow" (coastal) Navies. At one point we commented on the amount of people who showed up for the festival. Complimented him on how organized and safe the event was. He even stated that they had a wide deck pontoon boat with seatbelt seating for the handicapped. I joked and told him it was a civilian "flat top." Near the end of the conversation we traded quips and jokes.The Petty Officer motion towards the group of ten and stated "I hope they took there Dramamine ?" I'm not sure if UK is familiar with the name or have the same medication, it's for motion sickness. He said that there was some chop today (not white caps) and I don't have to say anything about heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch and yaw of a vessel. It came time to board, the Captain gave the size of the charter to the Petty Officer and how many the he would like to come on board. The Captain yelled the amount as 12 for boarding, which, I would assume would be how many "Mae West" and gear he had on board. I also assumed it would be 6 port & starboard. The Captain introduced themself along with is crew and that we would be trolling for Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon. He stated that the gear was already rigged and the crew would be setting the lines and would gaff the fish that would be landed. He also stated that the equipment was expensive and not to "mess" with the gear until a fish was hooked. And to leave the rods in the rod holders. He explained on the conditions we would be fishing, perpetual motion (trolling) and light chop. Now the fun started, It took about half hour for us to get to the area to start to fish. Line set 6 on one side and 6 on the other. One in the group got sick, and vomited over the side. With the vomitus floating on the surface and floating past everybody it started a chain reaction right down the line. Man oh man, the smell. Nothing like a half digested lunch floating by you. Then you had the want-to-be anglers who, despite instruction, had a better way of fishing. Did you ever try to fish with tangled up, knotted lines. One of the crew had to bring in three people's lines, the crew member who had to fix it, rolled his eyes and said "well, that a real fur ball!" A total nightmare of these landlubbers not having there "sea legs," I did more helping people up off the deck than fishing. At one point one of them launched half over the railing and lost her camera (prior to cell phones) taking pictures of a salmon being landed. Nothing like the panic of a "man overboard" call. Not to mention every 5 minutes the crew telling the people to keep there life jackets snapped. I landed a nice 6-7 pound Coho, my mate landed 2. We had a big old salmon feast that evening provided by the local Native Indian tribe volunteers.The crew who gaffed my fish thanked me helping and "being a part of the crew." I ask if this nightmare happens often, rolled his eyes and said "every weekend!" He told me half of the money the Captain and crew makes for the season is during the festival. He told me he would take the headache medication (Tylenol) with beer that night. We landed and it took a "New York" second to offboard. I shook the crews hands and wish them "fair winds and following seas." Would I do it again, in a heartbeat. The power of charter is experienced anglers who provide a exceptional trip. The charter is fee based, extra for gear, for cleaning the catch. But you show up and they provide everything from life jackets to the gear. You just show up and they do the heavy lifting. Again, sorry for the long post. Hopefully it puts a smile on my mates from across the pond faces. I bid you "fair winds and following seas." Sorry about the editing...the festival was on Lake Michigan USA.

Nice departure from the usual videos. Thank you...

Just done coarse fishing all my life, thinking about Sea fishing now, been watching your videos and workshop and picked up a lot of information. Thank you.

Great watch thank you john good to see you down my neck of the woods

Nice video. I used to love going out of the Thames estuary uptiding, as long as everyone took care casting we had some great times and some excellent fishing. Going out with the knowledgable John Rawle, on his boat Kingfisher, were my favorite trips. Simple rigs like the one you show were most successful. The water was only a little clearer than what you had there John!

Another informative and different video John.👏👏 Full of useful information🧑‍🎓 and joy to watch.😀😀 Thanks to all for taking us with you and sharing their skills and knowledge.👏👏 Take care and stay safe.😷🙊

Well done John smashing vid again nearly choked on me apple juice when your mate was stood behind eating the yellow bent item thankyou for puttin up and for the effort involved nice one fella.

Enover great day for fishing,Thanks for video 😉🍀👍

Morning John. Our day looks like your day there... !

Always good to see you in action

I've been sat here waiting for this, since lunchtime......

"Always take a banana to a party, Rose...bananas are good...." Love watching your videos. They are so informative and entertaining. I especially enjoy watching the Spago's cooking videos. Watching from central New York.

Brilliant!

Great video john and, some cracking fish caught. especially that first cod. Beat me today. Only whiting and dabs. But two nice big dabs for takers and, a tasty dinner. All caught on salted luds tipped with squid. Tight lines mate

The markings on that cod were absolutely exquisite worthy of a plate in a fish journal as example of Cod (spelling edit we / were)

Lovely quality filming fantastic picture good on you pleasure to watch

Seems I missed this video, John, better late than never though, eh? That was a belter of a cod, never caught one myself, but I know when I do catch one, and I will, it'll be the best fish and chips ever. Spent yesterday evening down on Portreath beach with the Missus and my youngest lad, eating fish and chips and watching the surf come rolling in. Some great skimmer stones to be had, think I near enough cleared the beach of anything remotely flat by the time I'd finished!!! Plump mackerel are on the north shore now. Had a superb session after work on Friday evening. Is there anything better than just caught mackerel on a BBQ, bottle of lager in one hand, rod in t'other, as you watch the sun melt into the Cornish sea? Loving life! 🥰

Thanks for sharing mate, I enjoyed watching as always :) Cheers.

Wow can't believe you were in mine head that my neck of the woods! I grew up fishing the Bristol channel!

Good to see you using some nice gear, talicas are excellent reels

Wow, beautiful catch lad!!

Coooool video

beautiful place to relax with fishing

The clarity of the Bristol channel makes the solent look like the Caribbean lol great video john cheers

You NEED this boat!

Oi that's my channel.. Leave our cod BE..., 🤣🤣.. Respect from Minehead 👍👍..

That current will fix all energy problems once we put some turbines in there:P.

Already had to pause as your charter pulled in it's same size and type of boat I ever fished off caught alsorts, it was my 13th birthday present from my dad and the boat at the time was called the bonny Lad but now it's the Gemini, it's been around for decades and many people had their first fishing 🎣 experience on that boat and later I worked on the Hanna Louise it's now a dive charter but was fishing when I worked on her and seeing and helping people land their first ever fish is almost an unbeatable experience.

Wow great really enjoyed this 😊😊😊

Enjoyed the video thanks for sharing

Pretty big skates, love the coloration on them, very unique

😀watching now

Great vid respect from Ireland 🇮🇪 👏

Another great video John. Cracking looking boat

Great hook presentation on the half mackerel fillet.....I'll be trying that out bud...... Great trip out and on my doorstep...👍

You fighting the tide catching fish. Me fighting snow below zero F cold weather and falling . What's wrong with this picture. 😕. Great video lad .good information as usual. . Keep up the great work for 2023 .

As Kids growing up we go to the fish plant and when the small inshore boats come in we cut out cod tongues, britches, cod heads, or joes, or sound bones, and if the fish was big we cut out the cod cheeks as well and the stomachs and the gills then sell them around the towns for a few dollars. lol lol cheers

Really enjoyed that session. Lovely boat and something fun just using a running ledger on a bit of mixed ground. Always a good pull on the line with a roker in the tide 👍🏻

O.k. you fly me out and I'll buy a ticket!! Lol. That would be cool though.

Welcome to my home town 🙂

Water looks like milk chocolate, Are you guys drifting? Interesting charter fishing, John.

Booked the tickets booked the car parking. Can't wait to have a good chain wag with you. Take care mate 👍

Looks like you had a good time John

Can't believe he took a banana aboard lol 😆

Nooo way he packed a banana 😯

Great video John 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🍌🍌🍌!

25-30 years ago we were pirking mid-channel and I used a banana skin as a muppet for a laugh and caught a cod.

As always awesome content thanks for your time to do this video 📸🐱

Some lovely blonde rays, smoothounds, bass and bull huss where you are. The fishing there is fantastic.

Great video john! Your in my neck ov the woods.just along the coast from me in Weston.always plenty of conger and rays and the cod have been coming out also👍

A great watch, maybe I should try it one day. Great content John.👍

Nice one Boys! Lovely cod!

Grat stuff, you did better than our trip today from Ramsgate, only small dogs and whiting. Enjoyed it all the same, thanks for all the tips

Great video as usual Wayne 👍

Yahooooooo Howay the lads 🔥🔥👍🏻

Magnificent fish, well done 👏

Great looking boat seen lots of his posts on fb plus I love fishing the Bristol Channel

That’s a charter to add to my list , excellent video as always john .

Sure beats the bent safety pin on a string and pole with bread crumbs , I used to catch minnows in our river when I was a kid. But I was just as pleased and excited to catch one!! Love watching how you bait up, and what you catch. Take care and thanks for sharing. Friend from Canada

Mikey is a top skipper and has a great boat. He works hard to find you fish. If you ever think of bringing your own boat over John, we now have a club tractor for launching at BBOSAA.

Nice one John even from a viewers point of view you nailed the video. the fishing is like the water dark and mysterious but at least you caught. crack on

✨bananas✨

I think the Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world. Used to fish out of Illfracombe quite a bit, sometimes even 11/2 lbs of lead wouldn’t hold bottom. Had to move closer inshore to hold bottom again. Know what you mean by the water colour!

3 inches clarity is pretty good for the Bristol Channel. You must have been here on a good day...

That’s a Proper Charter Boat!

Water that cloudy, shock of your if the 1st fish was a barbel 🤣

I love that John, sharing the love like that giving that lobster away, I guess the only problem is deciding which of the 14 people to give it too lol

I can’t believe how strong the run of th me tide is there, it’s like a river

Been fishing around there, mainly on the wrecks. Lots of conger and dog fish. Live just up the coast in Weston. Great vid mate.

The funny thing about the banana. Everytime I don't take one I have a bad day fishing. Every time I do take one the fishing won't pick up until I start to eat it. I've taken other food we me. But a couple of bananas will put fish in the boat.

See you at Boat Life on Thursday

Great atmosphere there John. Fantastic boat. I wouldn't want to pay the running costs though. 👍👍

What’s with bananas John 😂

A really smashing boat, pity that there weren't many fish about though, at least you caught a dogfish so someone was satisfied! I was very surprised that nobody was wearing a life jacket, not that I could see anyway, would have thought that on a charter boat the skipper would have made wearing one a condition of hire. When, way back, I fished off Gorleston (Yarmouth) the skipper used to tell us that this was a condition of his insurance. We didn't have those fancy life jackets back then, just waistcoat buoyancy aids.

👌👌👌👌👌👌

Ah, used to live/work in Minehead - never did get a chance to pop on the charters (mostly because of work).

Great video John pal. Yes lovely looking codling that. Did you fillet it for him.

I wish I could come to Minehead soon. I even heard Butlins was there. Cool catch of the day eh?👍

i need to get on this trip, been waiting a year for my calendar to clear.

Great stuff John, I hope to be fishing from the shore in the next few days near Tobermory weather permitting.

Hi John , bet that was a nice change for you to just sit and fish and not worry about all the boat stuff etc. jaw dropped seeing that banana onboard but instantly turned to laughter as he hooked into a fish 🤣👍🏼. Nice cod from the Bristol chocolate (channel) I’m heading there in may (family hols) rods will be with me 😁. appreciate your efforts mate👍🏼

Nothing like fishing the ground you know. Great content but far better on your own back yard

Awesome video again John awesome looking boat nice codling & other fish. A lot of sharks around at the moment 7 beaches closed last week if u hook a fish out in the boat u r likely going to get sharked & only end up with a head . Banana or not banana that is the question?.Happy catching from AUSTRALIA Nick

The man who caught the first cod is eating a banana 😂.

You could go to nappstraumen in Nordland in Norway and catch the world record for cod currentntly held by a german you can't let that pass can you hahaha😀😀😀👍👍👍

I'd love to see on your channel you taking new or inexperienced people out and helping them to learn. I would volunteer, but I'm a bit camera shy!

Fished for Cod Fish of the shores off the East coast of Canada for thousands of tonnes of Cod fish for 15 years back in the day. Deep sea trawlers. FACT Best eating white fleshed fish IMO. Cheers

I took a banana on a boat i was unaware of the superstition about it. I got slaughtered for it 🤣🤣 unfortunately I can't make the boat life show which is a shame was looking forward to meeting you mate. Great video and some lovely fish caught as well. All the best tight lines 🎣🎣🎣

Looks like a Murray cod from Australia

Last thing we want to hook is Rays....They just stretch ur mono. Hard on your Reels. New Zealand. Ps..... And Eels...Mainly Moray Eeels. Once you start getting those, you catch nothing else really. Maybe the smell on your line.

In BC we call them Skates

John there was an absolutely dangerous level of bad luck 🍌🍌🍌on that boat ! What kind of captain would allow that ? 😂😂😂

Not much colour in today's video John ! Grey Grey Grey everywhere. Two bits of yellow though, your tackle box and the dreaded banana. Did you get anything for the pot ?

I know what you mean about the colour of the water. I used to fly from Glasgow to Cardiff, and the approach over the Bristol channel into Cardiff always made me nervous. I really didn't like the thought of landing in the silt filled water. Irrational, of course, but blue or green water looks kinder 🙂

John you at the NEC for the whole duration in February? We will come down and say hello. After watching your videos I’ve purchase my 1st fishing boat (Wilson flyer 17) still learning all from your invaluable tips and advice. Cheers buddy. Stewart

Nice day on the water with the banana! What were the orange/yellow rod rests strapped on the rail?

Hello John me and my family love your videos, was just telling a friend of mine Steve Booton about the show, are there any sea fishing equipment stands selling tackle, its not very clear on the website, also are you going to be there on the Friday. Thanks, Steve

what is the avarage cost of a boat fishing trip now a days