Spring Spearfishing for big flatfish (Isle of Anglesey)

Spearfishing for Plaice and Flounder off Anglesey, North Wales. Equalled my PB Plaice from last year (55cm) and took several other excellent fish
Also saw numerous dover sole and turbot, and shot Bass to 68cm (7lb). Thornback Rays and also Blonde Rays were present in good numbers at the deeper marks
North Wales Spearfishing is outstanding, some of the very best in the UK, with numerous large Bass, Flatfish and Pollock, and fewy few divers venturing away from the popular marks in Devon and Cornwall
Equipment;
Gun - Salvimar Metal 85cm, single 16mm bang
Wetsuit - 8mm Polosub
Underwater footage - GoPro Hero4
Land footage - Sony A3600

[@lauritzlund-iversen2703]

Banger video! Here in Norway the most effective way to hunt flatfish is to scan as much area as possible. So mostly svimming on the surface where you can see the bottom. Got a 6,5kg turbot and a couple of Dover sole last weekend. Spring and summer are the best seasons for flatfish!

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

That’s an absolute beast of a Turbot!! What sort of seabed do you find most Turbot over, is it sand or gravel? Have only seen 5, ever, they’re rare here in Wales

[@discovering_scotland]

Lovely fish there mate 👏

[@KayPea]

Have a lot of respect for leaving the ray. I've seen a few channels where the focus seems to be shoot the most fish from the most species. I took a ray in my early days of spearfishing. Pretty sure I had to soak the flesh for a while and clean off a fair bit of slime. Didn't really seem that sporting on reflection. I have mixed feelings on spearfishing now but I really enjoy seeing your tracking and have a lot of respect for the skill and craft here. I tend to be out more with a GoPro than a gun now, but it does come out from time to time...

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

I believe Ray numbers are not currently very good, the same with Plaice actually Whilst Plaice are typically hard to spot and therefore hard to hunt (many Spearos have never shot one), most consider it unsporting to shoot species such as Rays and Wrasse!

[@KayPea]

@@jackmetcalfe8542 Yeah, for sure. I am older and a lot more careful now! Have seen a few plaice over the years, beautiful fish under the water, quite often surprisingly vibrant orange spots. Got some nice video. I find it interesting what is acceptable to take depending on one's perspective. I have been on deep sea fishing trips and seen folks really pleased to take a ray. I have friends who beach-cast and wouldn't take a bass over 4 or maybe 5lb as that is in the realm of the big breeders. I have seen and left crawfish, but the commercial fishermen are tangle netting these en masse locally. Anyway, will stop myself climbing down this rabbit hole. Nice video, keep up the good work. 😁

[@davyboy555]

Thanks for these videos, really enjoy

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Cheers mate glad to hear that!

[@Mikejolly2807]

Nice video to watch at work whilst it's quiet loved the crawling in the quik sand made me chuckle. Cracking haul of fish !

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

😂 glad you enjoyed it, I didn’t!

[@nicknixon2859]

Amazing video again. Loved being immersed in the underwater world

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

You’d have loved the taste of those Plaice

[@catchcookeat]

Thanks for sharing, nice flatfish and seabass.

[@kookvision9295]

Very informative 👍

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Thank you!

[@UKSpearo]

The way you are finding all these flatties I'm sure you'll get that sole in no time mate! Cracking video and those are some lovely fish you got! 💪

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Seen about 20 now, all undersized. They’re pretty rare this far north, I only know of one other spearo who’s shot one here You’re spoilt with the range of species you have off Cornwall!

[@ryane8881]

Great fish and vid Jack! 👏

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Thanks!

[@eglwysfawr4076]

Im enjoying watching your videos. Subbed from Neath.

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Glad to hear that mate! Cheers for the sub

[@SuperColdcut]

Get on mate, just came across your channel. You have it dialed bey! I'd love to know good marks up that way for a venture away from the Guz area. Cracking work 🤙🏻💪🏻🔱

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Any of the points off the North Llyn will produce fish, they sit in the pocket of slack water just off the main tidal stream Find the strongest possible currents and you’ll be on the fish

[@JackAcid]

Ive been meaning to ask what size gun you're using around the coast here. I use a 75mm which ive found ideal for flattie hunting. Butni wonder if a slightly bigger gun would be ideal for both bass and flatties?

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

I've got an 85cm gun however would say a 70cm would likely be more appropriate Miss out on far more fish due to not being able to track the weapon effectively than being out of range Especially as most of the decent fish off N Wales are in extreme shallow water and shot point blank

[@JackAcid]

The EXACT same thing happened to me this weekend at the SAME spot! I think these flatties are on roids; they're so fat across the back! I bagged my first Plaice, then speared a three pound flounder! He was an absolute beast of a fish! But I blunted my spear after him, and couldn't believe it when my spear bounced off the next target! I'm from that area, but now make the trip from Cardiff !

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

A 3lb Flounder is a monster! Have seen a lot recently, I don't often take them any more as I prefer eating Plaice, but there's some huge Flounder about now Were you spearing by the church? The mark is so well known that I don't mind giving it away!

[@JackAcid]

Haha! Yes I do go there, but in this instance it was the same bay just north of there as you went in the video. That flounder was outrageously tasty roasted with garlic butter and chips! Best flattie to date. Going again in a few weeks!

[@frazerherald7061]

Hi jack --supersonic vid ---what torch do u use for nightdives---ps keep up the excellant work

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Good to hear you liked it! I use a Picasso torch, have found it to be very robust, I use my kit very roughly so need the toughest possible stuff

[@johnnevison1337]

Still need to check these off my list! I was up Anglesey last weekend, hopefully we'll bump into each other one day mate

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

All flatfish species are present off Anglesey, I just need to find an in-size dover sole now

[@johnnevison1337]

@@jackmetcalfe8542 Didn’t notice half the flatties till you’d speared them so I think that’s my main issue haha! Good luck with your sole searching

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

@@johnnevison1337 have a look at the ‘7 reasons why things are seen’. Something we were taught early on in training in the Marines and very beneficial for spearfishing, both with spotting fish and also using cover, sun angles etc when you hunt

[@Kakkijonnes]

Nice video! Cut the spine of the fish and they die instantly without suffering👍 If you want your fish to appear whole you can do it with a stab in the center of the neck (below the gills) and leave the head on.

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Good tip, thank you!

[@nuffseed596]

nice plaice there bud. lots of spider crab down Cornwall way right now, do u get them up your way? stalking bass in the shallows is my fav, especially through lace weed, had three donkeys this week 😊

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Yes lots up here too, tasty but a hassle to cook! All the big ones seem to not approach when diving in Aspetto, they’re so cautious

[@noqualms4578]

Great video Jack! what knife are you using?

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

It’s a knife I bought in Indonesia, £10 there and would be about £90 here! Don’t even know the brand

[@fol3564]

Ever spear any Dabs? My favourite fish

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

Not yet, have heard they're more common off Scotland

[@joelfildes5544]

Night dives without a gun…n that…

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

If you saw a 20lb Turbot you’d blast it though I bet 😂

[@joelfildes5544]

@@jackmetcalfe8542 it’s bizarre how they banned night spearoing,it was an EU edict AFTER we had ‘left’ the EU…and HOW is it not sustainable? Really,how many people are in the sea at night around the UK ?…it’s like a different place at night,magical and a lot less boring than Avatar 2 !

[@jackmetcalfe8542]

@@joelfildes5544 completely agree. I do some pretty brutal night sessions, often diving 10-12m in pitch blackness, and it’s freezing cold in the air. However it’s the best way to recce flatfish marks I believe it was banned as loads of spearos in the Med were rinsing the reefs. When I was in Indonesia there were virtually zero fish about - as loads of commercial spearos shoot at night Too cold here and not enough divers to impact the fish though

[@joelfildes5544]

@@jackmetcalfe8542 ironically it also feels safer at night as there are no boats/jetski’s dickin about…although once,my torch went bad at Porth Oer,and it took a while to realise which way the beach was as a storm had also whipped up in minutes…good fun,but not at the time !..