[Old Man Dave]

I indulge in a bit of rod fishing. However I nearly always have the thought that I should rather be diving and probably for that reason alone I’ll never be a great angler. Unlike my brother (Foxfish) who is a bit of an expert.

I mainly fish off my boat using fairly crude gear. I tend to use a short rod (more convenient on the boat) with a multiplier reel and 28lbBS braid. At the moment this is all Penn stuff, which I really rate. Rods are Medium Reef 6ft (12lb class) and reel is a level wind 310. End gear is either 5 feathers (sometimes baited) with a 12oz pirk or 6ft flowing trace with 5oz bombs and 3/0 to 5/0 hooks (sometimes pennel rigged). Bait is usually sandeel (occasionally live) or mackerel fillet. I usually fish as does my boatman and other divers between tanks and we catch a variety of fish to 5lb.

I also shore fish but only really 2 ways. I fish with 8 to 11 ft light carbon spinning rods, fixed spool reels and light line (sometimes braid). Some gear is mine but most belongs to my brother. I fish for bass with surface lures but with little success, however I am determined to catch a few, even if it takes me a few more years of trying. So far I have seen many, many landed by fellow “experts” but have only managed to hook and lose one so far. The other shore fishing I do is float fishing for mackerel, garfish and occasionally bass. Am pretty good at this and usually very successful. However don’t go too often as I am not much on catch and release – I like to eat my catch and not too fond of garfish. Do like them for trot bait though.

So on to trots or technically “Long Lines”. Most boat days I dive, rod fish and set 2 x 25 hook trots. I love doing trots, you never know what you’ll catch. Pulling in a trot is just like opening Xmas pressies – you never know. Trots are also very efficient. Often you rod fish for nothing all day right next to your trot, yet when you pull the trot it’s full of fish.

Highlights so far this year have been a 12lb turbot on my trot and a 5lb turbot on my rod. Both were firsts for me, although have caught the odd hundred turbot on the spear. Then there’s mackerel. I just love to catch and eat mackerel. It’s one of the few fish I’ll take my boat out to catch and leave the dive gear at home. Such good fun feathering mackerel. I do try to limit myself to eatable numbers plus a few for trot and rod bait. Some people go mad and catch 4 or 5 hundred but that’s excessive IMHO.

Interesting thread Mr X.

Dave.