Sea Angling for Spearos

[Mr. X]

I'm impressed! How big is that lure (a popper?), it looks huge. You guys are amazing - and in just half an hour! (I suppose a lifetime of experience, knowing where, when & how helps too ). Hat's off!

I also got some information on local freshwater fishing. Most of the local clubs are v. small & offer only coarse fishing but are relatively cheap, if you fish there regularly. However, it turns out there is a club that costs a lot more but has rights to lots of rivers & streams, including a fair bit of game fishing. It would be great value if I were a keen fly fisher (I'm not ... maybe one day), need to investigate the lure fishing angle further. As somebody already pointed out, I am not overly keen on eating trout (probably because the stuff in the shops is farmed) - although I do occasionally eat it. It's hard to beat fresh sea food (although our pheasant & teal in cider sauce Sunday dinner today was amazing! As a concession to health, we no longer add cream to the sauce - but it tastes just as good without it).

My neighbour is a keen flyfisherman & has access to fishing nearby. However, at the New Years bash I found out we have at least 4 keen flyfishers living in the village - although two of them generally travel e.g. up North, to Scotland, to E. europe or further afield to fish. One of them is planning to try fly fishing in the sea for bass (he previously flyfished for bonefish abroad).

[Mr. X]

Anybody remember this?


http://www.ronco.com/rco_prodinfo.as...=&active=ascry


Video: Pocket Fisherman - Truveo Video Search

We used to laugh at the Ronco Popeil Pocket Fisherman ads but it occurs to me that something like this (cheap, v. small, compact rod & reel) might be handy as a supplement to the trolled hand-line for kayak fishing. I was surprised but happy to see that this is still available -- I was just looking for an old archive shot.

[Old Man Dave]

Got another bass on the surface plug/popper today. Tide and wind direction were favourable for my secret spot. Nipped off work early and was down on the rocks for a first cast about 4pm. Not ideal conditions but within the very strict parameters the fish seem to need at this spot. Bloody cold though.

Tried a smaller popper first and after 15 minutes or so got a take at range. Didn't see it hit but everything went tight. It put up a good fight and I thought it was a good fish. It went deep close in and nearly hung up on the bottom but when it eventually surfaced at my feet it was only a smallish fish but was foul hooked in the back. maybe the front treble had come out its mouth or maybe it missed on the strike and the rear treble caught it in the dorsal fin. At about 2.5lb it was well size but I was feeling generous so this was catch and release.

Sorry no pic as my phone only lets me speak to people and nout else.

Fished on 'til 5pm but had some technical problems with me reel handle and the biggest birds nest west of an Andien Condors house. So called it a day and off to tea.

Good fun .

Dave

[harpune1]

hi all, cant say much about uk bass, but in general they like crabs, squid and baitfish (try small living mullets!)
also caught some bass with wobblers, red/white seems to be a good combination.

dont know how the shore is where u are but if you have access to an area with lots of rock and moving deeper water u should also try using a float with some natural bait, it will be moved by the waves guaranteeing a good bait presentation! bass normally like this!!

to miles: shimano stella is also the most expensive reel i know
i would advise shimano stradic for spinning, balzer (dont know if u will get in the uk) has good good priced products.

hope i could help a bit

[harpune1]

hi all, cant say much about uk bass, but in general they like crabs, squid and baitfish (try small living mullets!)
also caught some bass with wobblers, red/white seems to be a good combination.

dont know how the shore is where u are but if you have access to an area with lots of rock and moving deeper water u should also try using a float with some natural bait, it will be moved by the waves guaranteeing a good bait presentation! bass normally like this!!

to miles: shimano stella is also the most expensive reel i know
i would advise shimano stradic for spinning, balzer (dont know if u will get in the uk) has good good priced products.

hope i could help a bit

[Mr. X]

BASS BACK!!!
Looks like Mike Ladle & friends have managed to catch a few Bass already down in Dorset: Mike Ladle's Fishing Diary

LINE
My new reel had too much braid on which showed up as knots after a few test casts. So I have taken all the line off, shortened the thick mono-backing & re-load the braid back on the spool. There was room left, so I added leader of 10lb mono. I was hoping braid would allow me to use just one line but we'll see how it works out.

ROD
I find my 10ft Shakespeare Royalty spinning rod is very "tip heavy" (although feather light). Is this normal with carbon rods? Not a big deal but I find it a little inconvenient & annoying. With old reel mounts, I would simply move the reel down the handle to help restore some balance - but these modern fuji clamp mounts mean you are stuck with the factory position (which would be fine if they were well placed). The problem is significant with my BIG reel but even worse with the small one. I'm wondering if a shorter rod (7.5-9ft) might suit me better. Anybody tried Veal's Mike Ladle rods?

Harpune1, yes, I am coming to the conclusion that a Stradic GTM 4000 ("Like Mike's") might be the best bet next time round.

[jwells1989]

i got a new spinning rod from tempest last year, ony nine foot but it is very light and is rated to cast up to 3 ounces but i have not cast that, think its a bit over rated on casting weight but casts upto 2 ounces nicely had a fair few bass and pollack on it last year.

heard those mike ladle spinning rods are supposed to be very good.

[Old Man Dave]

Threw a surface popper plug out for an hour yesterday. Perfect conditions but not a touch. That's my fourth session this year. Score so far; 2 bass landed, 1 returned and 1 kept, 2 more hooked but threw the hooks, 2 strikes with fish breaking the surface but not hooked and 1 guillimot released. However that was from the first 2 sessions. The last 2 sessions have been total blanks. Water looked clearer yesterday. Hmmm... gonna polish my spear tonight .

Dave

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Old Man Dave

... and 1 guillimot released...

guillimot?! The weather was so good today, I think the season is upon us early this year.

[Magpie]

Guillemot:

You often see them mooching about, had one follow a plug once but never hooked one!

[Old Man Dave]

Mine grabbed the plug just sub surface 20 yards out and gave a strange underwater fight before spitting the plug just as i lifted it out. Quite pleased it was okay and i didn't have to handle it. Have caught seaguls and cornerants (shags) but this was my first guillimot.

Dave

[stuckinsurrey]

Whilst carp fishing I have had the misfortune to have caught a variety of tufted ducks and coots, all of which used to dive on our carefully placed baits - really annoying when you've spent half the morning trying to cast a bait into a hole in the weed at 90 yards. My friend did catch a coipu in the middle of the night, when we were in France. Not easy to get the hook out of either!

[deep thinker]

I like to keep things simple when it comes to line fishing, Ive got a 4m okuma graphite rod with a penn reel, which Ive had for ages. Went to a club away weekend this one past and seein that the sea wasnt very diveable on our first few days there decided to cast out some red bait and see what comes from it. On my first cast I picked up a nice sized fish but unfortunately never landed it cause the lead got stuck behind a reef and after that had 3 breakoffs so went back to the camp site to wait for diveable waters. Sunday it arrived, went out to sea and got 2 parrot fish above 1.4kgs, a red roman of about 1.8kgs, a bream of 1.2kgs and the highlight of my spearing career thus far a garrick of 3.8kgs . Think Ill stick to spearing till the winter is in full swing...

[Pav]

CHEAP FISHING TACKLE AGAIN... LIDL

Lidl Online

You can't beat Lidls annual fishing tackle sale!

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Pav

CHEAP FISHING TACKLE AGAIN... LIDL
Lidl Online
You can't beat Lidls annual fishing tackle sale!

Good man! I missed that. Some different products this year too. Those handlines look interesting, I've seen something similar selling for 2-3x the price in seaside stores.