Sea Angling for Spearos

[Magpie]

Great stuff Jonny, our grand total was zero! Were out till about 1pm. Did the third come on that same lure?

Yes mate, I've got an "anchor" (it's a dive weight with some wires stuck thourgh it, as featured on the scallop vid!) on a dive reel that runs through the anchor trolley, and a drogue I can deploy thourgh the trolley too if required.

Here's some pics.

[ADM]

Nice one lads, I saw two yaks out there this morning on the way to my parents and wondered if the orange one was you Maggers.

Water looks better west than east.

[atomichaggis]

Originally Posted by Jonny250

Nice fish Atomic, do you use lures in that depth of water when the bait is gone? sorry but i'm pretty ignorant on the angling stuff.

Yeah, pirks, Balance jigs and big shads all catch fish... trouble is snagging in a few hundred metres with heavy duty gear can be costly. Its a bit rough here on the west so bait is the most popular way to go here, at least that way you can stay as still as possible and add a rotten bottom link to your lead and get most of your gear back if you get wedged in the crap.

I'm still drawing a blank on the bass tho been a few caught locally up to a couple of weeks ago, now holidaymakers have taken over the hotspot so i'll have to wait til the brats go back to school.

P.S. Magpie, I found a couple of those plug eels in the discount basket at the tackle shop over here. You tried em yet?

[portinfer]

All good clean fun - tried a range of places and was changing the plug every now and again - tried a rapala sliver on the way across and then a Maria Chase BW around the reefs and finally a rapala J11 floating wiggly little thing inthe shallow shallow areas.

Good to catch you John and hopefully next time we can watch and learn more At the moment I am just chucking a plug out and hoping for the best ! Think that trolling is better but will need to pimp out my yak like Tom has - I liked the torpedo accessories and pot winch !

Really enjoyed it and nice to be without an engine - nice and quiet and the sea was pretty clear out west too.

Really enjoyed it - and cheers for the lift Tom.

[Magpie]

Yes, have used the plugeels, briefly. Because they're bloody awful.

They spin in a wide circle on retrieve, totally unlifelike. Compete waste of money.

[atomichaggis]

Originally Posted by Magpie

Yes, have used the plugeels, briefly. Because they're bloody awful.

They spin in a wide circle on retrieve, totally unlifelike. Compete waste of money.

It does say going more than 2 knots will cause them to spin. I've got a few good catchers that do the same if you go too quick... all short fat wobblers with big diving vanes actually.

[foxfish]

I tell you when that Jonny works out what he is doing he is going to be a deadly fisherman!

[atomichaggis]

Originally Posted by foxfish

I tell you when that Jonny works out what he is doing he is going to be a deadly fisherman!

You mean He doesn't know why he keeps catching these Bass?!?!
Wish I didn't know how to catch them

[Jonny250]

I have to say that i really dont know much at all about dangling, i've just applied the few 'rules' that people have shared with me: blue/silver = bass lure & wiggly tail + feather = better. now you know what i do!
I was pretty sure that Magpie or Portinfer would come back with at least one monster fish, but i guess that'll be saved for next time...

Another 'numpty question... Having soaked my reel the last few times in the kayak (and probably every time in the future...) is there a simple way to take it to bits? i tried doing the 'obvious' removing the spool and taking out all the visible screws, handle, etc but it doesnt come to bits?? it's quite stiff now. I tried googling for a website with piccies but to no avail... any ideas?

[atomichaggis]

What kinda reel you using Jonny? You prolly need to study the diagram that comes with in the box.
For the future tho... Most reels will survive just fine with a rinse in fresh water (not soak), drying off and a light mist or wipe with a WD40 soaked cloth tho finish... all this with drag tightened then loosened afterwards.

[Jonny250]

Thanks atomic, i have a matchtek II RDX40 ?? on one rod and an okuma Zeon ZR40 on the other (whatever that means!!) They were both sold to me as 'match' spinning reels, although i dont really know what 'match' implies - they have served very well before getting dunked! they are fixed spool reels with only small spools.
Main point is that having filled all the bearings etc with sea water i think i need to dismantle them to thoroghly flush and preserve. i couldnt actually turn the handle on the matchtek on Sunday morning, took a few gentle 'persuasions' to get it moving!
an oil-bath seems to have helped (will have to try it on the reel too ).

[atomichaggis]

I don't have much experience with those sort of reels, My only fixed spool reel just needs a drop of oil in a little hole in one side every month or 5 uses and greasing on the external movin bits.
You don't want salt crystals buiding up on bearings tho it can roughen them up real bad in no time even if they are stainless.
If they work ok afterwards then make sure to rinse them each trip from now on... it's the difference between years and months of use. good oiling and greasing on the right bits every so often is good too of course.
When they start siezing up it can be too late. one of My daiwa baitcasters started having an uneven drag and the handle would be tight and the anti reverse would drop for a few turns right out of nowhere so I decided to take it apart and give it a proper servicing... one of the main nuts that hold it together had rusted so bad and gotten all fused it couldn't be taken apart and had to be binned.

[Mr. X]

I saw something on cleaning reels recently. I think it was somebody from Shimano in an on-line video. Might be on the Shimano website or youtube. I usually only rinse my fixed spool reels if they have been splashed with sea water or sand, & then just run them under a cold water tap, wipe them, spray with light spray (WD-40 or silicone) & then wipe that off. The solid skirts give pretty good protection (don't like to see holes in the spool-skirt of fixed-spool reels - daft cosmetics, less protection & another thing for line & hooks to get caught/jammed in).

Jonny, when you say feathers, do you mean treble-hooks dress with feathers? You can buy these easily in the USA, if you have lures that didn't come with them but they are hard to find in the UK - I found one place that had them but they were ridiculously expensive. I have tied a few of my own but would rather find a reasonably priced source of pro-made ones.

Are "plug eels" those Eddystone plugs with the eddstone eel tail? Saw 3 for sale on eBay this weekend, 2 small & 1 large. Was tempted but they were odd colours, not particularly cheap (even discounted) and there was no info. on length (I think there are 3 sizes and the largest is pretty big, 20cm)/weight.

[atomichaggis]

Yup, the eddystone plug with an eel tail stuck on... EDDYSTONE PLUGEEL EELS

[ADM]

I'd recommend and sure magpie will as well. DO NOT take a fixed spool reel apart unless you're an expert as you'll struggle to get it back together. Not like a multi which is dead easy that even I can do it...

They just need a good bath with fresh water from a hose over it all as soon as you can really to flush the salt out before it solidifies.