Owen Mallia of Outlaw
Owen Mallia of Outlaw
Fishing with Outlaw Charters, Dartmouth
Dartmouth Charter Angling boat operator Owen Mallia has been fishing since he could walk and earned pocket money during his school holidays working on Cornish mackerel fishing boats.
At the age of 22, Owen was crabbing and netting from his own boat in Brixham, and progressed to skippering and owning trawling and scalloping boats.
He now operates an angling charter business from his 33ft vessel Outlaw. He’s also the Dartmouth Lifeboat deputy launch authority and a member of the local Rotary club.
One of Owen’s most popular trips is to the Skerries Bank in Start Bay.
‘The Skerries Bank is a very good fishery and it’s right on our doorstep,’ Owen said.
‘It’s a natural sandbank that’s good for plaice and, at the right times of the year, you can catch mackerel, bass, turbot, brill and various species of ray’.
‘If you travel towards Start Point there’s also a tidal race which provides rough water fishing which can also be good too, because the turbulent water is more oxygenated and the bass seem to hunt for food in that environment at certain times’.
Owen caters for anglers of all abilities - from those with plenty of experience to complete novices and families. He said: ‘During the school holiday time I get quite active with kids and families and Start Bay is ideal for them and novices alike’.
‘Quite often I have an absolute beginner on board who ends up catching a really big fish. As fishing is not something they usually get to do, there’s probably an element of beginner’s luck but it is really rewarding to see their expression and it really makes their and my day!’
‘This is the fourth year I’ve operated out of Dartmouth and I’ve never had a blank day where we’ve not caught any fish. If someone tells me they want to catch a plaice then the Skerries Banks are where I’ll take them’.
‘On certain weekends in the summer, I have seen as many as 40 Charter and private boats fishing on the Skerries; it’s a very popular fishery.
‘Anglers who are slightly more experienced know that Start Bay is an attractive destination and that there is a good chance of doing well there. I have anglers who come down from Wales and Yorkshire every year to fish there.
‘It’s a natural habitat for a lot of species. Start Bay is also littered with first and second world-war wrecks which provide a natural haven for fish too.
‘The most comparable alternative is probably the Shambles Bank off Portland Bill, which is slightly shorter and narrower than the Skerries Bank’.
For more information about Outlaw Charters visit www.outlawcharters.co.uk or phone Owen on 07891 498023.