Since my last Hobie blog entry, I have crammed in a lot…
With only a few weeks of 2016 left, I returned to the saltwater with a bang… The annual Poole flounder competition takes place right next to the Hobie Cat centre on the shore of the world’s second largest natural harbour. Although it’s the middle of winter, and usually sub-zero, the competition is always well attended. This year, the fishing was tough, but I somehow managed to win the event…
I even managed to get photo bombed by father Christmas…
Then a return to my local river. An early start gained me the opportunity to experience an incredible sunrise. Simply stunning I think you will agree…
I even managed to catch a couple of fish, including this pike, which took a liking to a hybrid lure from Westin called “Per’tcy the Perch”. More about Percy later.
Then an opportunity which doesn’t happen very often. The chance to fish a lake which has never been fished by kayaks. Good friend and top kayak fisherman Mark Radcliffe invited a select bunch of kayak fishermen along. The weather was still freezing, with temperatures staying below zero Celsius for most of the day. Mark was catching pike after pike, I paddled over to see what was going on. No-one else was catching. The fish were concentrated in a small area, and Mark was using, yes, you’ve guessed it “Percy The Perch”. It didn’t take long to switch to Percy, and then I was joining in the action along with Hobie Fishing team mate David Morris.
Another stunning sunset – I was being spoiled…
A New Year beckoned, and almost as soon as it started, I made a quick dash to the London Boat show, to help out on the Hobie stand. It was a great chance to meet up with the guys from Hobie Europe and the Hobie Cat centre, and my team mate Rob. Titan the robot was at the show, and everyone was fascinated by him.
Then it was back to saltwater. It was bitterly cold. I had lost the feeling in my hands and feet, and was starting to wonder what I was doing bobbing around on the Bristol Channel. This is an area that has the second highest tidal range in the worlds. Its not a place for the feint hearted, and you have to know what you are doing. But the rewards can be excellent. This trip I had an assortment of species, but the highlight was a particularly lively conger eel. This serpent was not happy, and it probably wasn’t the best idea to share the Outback with it.
I was quite relieved when the eel bit through the 100lb trace and exited the kayak backwards. The video was quite entertaining…
Here's a clip from the "Weird and Pretty Cool" files! Hobie UK fishing team member Ian "Dizzyfish" Harris recently pulled in this slippery, squirmy mess of a conger eel. Looks like fun! #kayakfishing #HobieWayofLife
Posted by Hobie Fishing on Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Next, off to a reservoir called Pitsford. It was the last chance to fish there before it closed for the winter. The fishing was tough, but just as the sun started to set, the fish came out to play. I caught some lovely trout, and a nice pike…
For a long time now, I have wanted to organise an international kayak fishing competition in the UK. We have some incredible fishing, and a while back, I found the perfect venue. It was only 10 minutes from London Heathrow airport, and was steeped in angling history. The lake complex was very exclusive, and held several British fish records in the past. I was lucky enough to get the chance to ask a small number of Hobie kayaks along to sample the fishing. We had a great day, at the venue, and Percy the Perch came out to play again…
And so the London International kayak festival was born. The event will take place from 9th – 11th June 2017. All money raised from the £40 entry fee will go to charity. Hobie have agreed to make the event the 1st UK Hobie Worlds Qualifier. The winner will win a place on the Hobie Europe Team to fish the next Hobie Fishing Worlds competition.
I am hoping that we will have kayak fishermen joining us from different parts of the world. Our sponsors have provided us with a superb selection of prizes, and it really is a spectacular venue. Check out LondonInternationalKayak on Facebook.
Until the next time HobieBros…
My name is Ian Harris, but everyone knows me as “Dizzyfish” or just plain old “Dizzy”. I live in a small town near Bristol in England, UK. I have been a fisherman for more years than I care to remember. For the last 10 years, I have been fishing almost exclusively from kayaks. My Hobie Outback and Revolution are my pride and joy. I have been lucky enough to kayak fish all over the world, and have competed in 4 consecutive Hobie Fishing Worlds finals, coming 5th in China in 2015. In 2014 I became the first person to receive the Hobie sportsman award. I won the same award in the World Predator Classic competition in 2016. When I am not fishing, I like to talk or write about fishing.
