Gone Fishing

Developing our crew is as core to us at Young’s as the beer that put us here, and with this in mind we rewarded our team of Chefs with a series of fishing trips to the jaw dropping Poole harbour.

A rather respectable 8.30am and it’s time to board the Mistress Linda. As Skipper Phil navigates us through the seductive waters of Pool Harbour, first mate Clive ensures everything on deck is shipshape. Clive is 68 years old and has been fishing in Poole waters since the age of 16 – (I’ll let you do the maths) but it’s safe to say if anyone knows anything about fish, then Clive will be our man.

Baited,

we waited

and

waited

Marquess of Anglesey, Chef Laura is the first to get a bite, assisted by Skipper Phil we reel in the catch but excitement soon drifts as our catch is not listed as sustainable and we throw him back in.

How attainable is sustainable? Sourcing sustainably caught fish from day boats is something that Young’s has been working with for a while. A regular menu feature, our Skippers Catch is caught on day boats similar to the one we’re spending the day on, delivered straight to the market and then direct to pub.

It’s a while before we catch anymore but it soon becomes evident why. To the left of the boat appears a pod of dolphins, incredibly lucky and an unforgettable experience, they stay with us for a good 5 minutes before fading into the distance in search of their own fish to eat.

Throughout the afternoon we catch about another 10 fish – the split is about 50/50 in terms of ones we can keep and ones we throw back, which is a glimpse into the graft and uncertainty that Fisherman can face on a daily basis.

Worryingly with 3 fish between 9 of us lunch looks like it may be over before it even starts.

Fortunately for us skipper Phil came prepared and we’re not we’re not left hungry. The rest of day we continue to fish and enjoy one of the hottest summers on record, with our team of chefs learning all about the provenance of the food that we deliver from the kitchen.

Find out how you can join our team and develop your skills here.