Fresh mackerel are the first priority before the crew can move on to the wrecks, giving the outing a practical sense of progression from the beginning. Rather than jumping directly to the headline catches, the session shows how bait availability, tide movement and drift direction determine what can realistically be targeted at different points in the day. Rob’s goal of catching his first ling provides a simple objective, while Hannah and James turn the trip into a friendly competition as the catches begin accumulating.
The instructional material is particularly useful during the early stages. A tangled string of mackerel becomes an opportunity to explain why maintaining tension helps prevent fish from swimming around one another, and a newly spooled reel demonstrates how loosely loaded braid can compress dramatically once wound under proper tension. Once the boat reaches the first wreck, the explanation of three-way swivels, fluorocarbon leaders, soft plastics and abrasion-resistant rubbing leaders gives viewers enough detail to understand why the tackle has been assembled that way rather than merely watching people drop lures overboard.
Fishing the wreck itself reinforces those lessons through action. The crew are told to reach bottom, lift the lead clear, wind slowly through the water column and continue winding when a pollock bites rather than striking. The catches range from pouting and whiting to pollock and a small John Dory, while a suspected porbeagle shark taking Hannah’s hooked fish adds an unexpected moment. Importantly, the shark identification is presented as an assumption rather than a certainty, which is appropriate given the limited observation.
The handling of the small John Dory is one of the more interesting sequences. After bringing it up from roughly 70 metres, the host improvises a descending setup intended to return it to depth and explains what he hopes the inverted hook will accomplish. The attempt appears to release the fish below the surface, but because the device is improvised and the fish’s eventual condition cannot be confirmed, the segment would benefit from more discussion of established descending methods and the limits of judging a deep-water release from the boat.
Once the tide approaches slack water, the emphasis shifts to ling and the outing becomes considerably more energetic. Live bait, mackerel, pouting and fillets are tried on heavy rigs while the host repeatedly stresses the need for a decisive strike and immediate pressure to keep hooked fish away from the wreck. Rob eventually lands the ling he came for, and the group also encounters a conger before producing larger ling, including one weighed at about 18 pounds. The reactions feel earned because the earlier preparation makes the successful window over slack water understandable rather than presenting the catches as pure luck.
Fish preparation is treated as part of the fishing rather than hidden once the catch reaches the deck. The host discusses bleeding and inspecting harvested fish, points out what he identifies as worms in internal organs, fillets the catch and later uses remaining frames as lobster-pot bait. Some biological and food-safety observations are stated from experience without supporting evidence, so viewers should not treat every health-related interpretation as authoritative guidance. Still, showing the full harvesting process gives the episode more substance than a conventional catch-and-celebrate format.
The final stretch packs in tackle comparisons, tuna trolling and lobster-pot hauling, making the trip feel unusually complete but also somewhat overextended. The breakdown from lighter pollock equipment through heavier ling and conger setups is valuable, especially the explanations of braid strength, leaders, rod action and the need for heavier equipment around wreck structure. Four lobsters provide a satisfying final surprise, though by this stage the amount of gear terminology and repeated fishing instruction may be more detail than casual viewers need. For anglers interested in charter-style wreck fishing, however, that specificity is largely the point.
Pros
- Tide, drift and wreck positioning are explained in a way that connects fishing strategy directly to changing conditions.
- Detailed tackle demonstrations clarify the different rigs, leaders, rods and techniques used for pollock, ling and conger.
- Rob's successful first ling gives the trip a clear objective and a satisfying payoff.
- Pollock, ling, conger, John Dory and lobster encounters provide substantial variety across the outing.
- Fish processing and the reuse of frames for lobster bait show more of the harvesting process than simply displaying the catch.
- The crew's enthusiasm and friendly competition keep lengthy technical sections lively.
Cons
- The improvised John Dory descending method receives limited explanation, and the fish's condition after release cannot be established.
- Biological, parasite and food-safety observations are presented largely from personal experience rather than supported with additional evidence.
- Extensive equipment specifications and repeated technique reminders can slow the pace for viewers who are less interested in technical fishing instruction.
- The late additions of tuna trolling and lobster pots make an already substantial wreck-fishing trip feel somewhat crowded.
A strong combination of practical instruction, changing fishing methods and genuinely rewarding catches makes the outing useful for experienced anglers while remaining accessible enough to follow as an offshore adventure. Some biological claims and the improvised release technique deserve more qualification, but the clear explanations of wreck strategy and tackle give the successful ling and pollock fishing meaningful context.
