Sea Angling for Spearos

Mr. X · Mar 25, 2009

ADM said:
Lost what would have been my biggest bass on a cotton cordel but he spooled me from 5 yards out when he hit and left me rather frustrated as he threw the hook at long range...

Ouch. Them's pretty big old hooks too. Reminds me, I bought an inexpensive pen-like diamond coated knife sharpener from the local Shambles market, seems to work surprisingly well & it has a groove down it, which I believe is intended for hook sharpening. Silly question: do you sharpen your hooks, if so how? Do you work the outside edge, opposite the bard?

Mr. X · Mar 25, 2009

2 Lures for 2009?

I was going to ask which 2 lures you'd buy for 2009 but decided to create another thread for that bit of fun: http://forums.deeperblue.com/huntin...ques/82344-2-new-lures-2009-a.html#post758284

Magpie · Mar 25, 2009

Do you sharpen hooks? Yes, when they need it
How do you tell if they need it?: Drag the point vertically over your thumbnail, if it slides over and doesn't catch it needs it.
How do you do it: I prefer using a flat stone and drawing the hook over it on three sides to form a tri-point. Doesn't take much, do it until it passes the thumbnail test.

Some new hooks need sharpening some don't. Always check the point after getting snagged.

HTH

ADM · Apr 3, 2009

I wasn't wrong!!
Headed oop north to the spot where I had seen some mullet and possibly bass in the shallows and got the plug out for last light.

Within the first few casts I felt a couple of plucks but that was all. Nearly every cast there was some sort of plucking feeling and I started to wonder if I was bumping off the mullet I could just about make out milling about in the deeper water (tide was a lot lower than when I saw them), when the next cast there was no pluck, just felt like a big lump of weed til the weed shot off like a mullet on speed and the reel started to sing!!

The fight was just like a decent mullet, long fast runs followed by periods of just sitting there under the surface. After about 5 runs I decided it was time to see what it was and coax it in.

Got it close to me and could see it was silver and either bass or mullet. No pollacks this time!! But he went again (just like mullet do). Again I get him back and this time up to me and it's a shiny!! I was up to my waist with waders on at the time so I got the line and started to walk it back up the beach where I could beach him (the top hook on the plug had swung round and was right where I wanted to gill the fish, bottom hook in the mouth).

Lovely healthy looking shiny which went 6-0-0 on the scales. My second biggest on the plug.

Quick text to the fish recorder and I get a barrage of not so polite texts back from the committee who were in a meeting. Told Monty they should have been fishing, was lovely out!!

ADM · Apr 3, 2009

P.S. Mr X... Want to play guess the lure?...

foxfish · Apr 3, 2009

Nice one Andy, keep up the good work.

Mr. X · Apr 3, 2009

Super fish ADM & well deserved.

ADM said:
P.S. Mr X... Want to play guess the lure?...

Oh oh...yes, yes of course. Hmm now let me see. Oh yes, of course...Storm Jointed Thunderstick in Blue Chrome?

ADM · Apr 3, 2009

Nope but you're in the right price bracket. It wasn't one of the posh ones. It is a well favoured lure actually and only the second time I have used it. First time I lost a hooked fish somehow.

ADM · Apr 5, 2009

Well I went out again last night armed with the Maria plug and a proper head torch down to one of my old haunts to give this night plugging a further try...

Why did no-one tell me about this before???????? Because it's brilliant, exhillerating and works I guess!!

Started just on dusk and into full darkness.

To cut a story short I ended up with 3 bass, the best was about 2lb so I must have hit the schoolies but I always soldier on incase the biggie is in there. I eventually gave up as I couldn't feel my feet and my nads had vanished after 1.5 hours up to the waist (wearing neoprene Chest waders) in freezing water. The first 2 fought really hard that I thought one of them might have been in size for the club but alas no, all released to fight another day.

I like this game and will be doing it a lot more. Who needs eels and crabs eh??!!

Mr. X · Apr 6, 2009

ADM said:
Nope but you're in the right price bracket. It wasn't one of the posh ones. It is a well favoured lure actually and only the second time I have used it. First time I lost a hooked fish somehow.

The posh ones was going to be my next guess. Fishing at night:hmm Perhaps something black or dark? Maybe a black/silver Rapala J13 or a popper of some kind, ChugBug or, more likely, the stylish & sleek Yo-zuri Mag Popper?

I think you're right about night time, I'm sure that is an important part of Mike Ladle's success, he knows the best times and concentrates on fishing those times. He says "as the light is changing" but, for example, in the morning that means before & during sun-rise, rather than the end of it. And dusk, of course. Which, perhaps not coincidently, are the most difficult times for me to get/stay at the coast! Mornings, because even if I get up really early, by the time I get there & unpacked its passed. Evening because its dinner time & everybody needs/wants to go home; as I usually say when we pack up, "we should start fishing now!". That said, I've seen plent of bass & mullet about during the day and some of them, sometimes, are hunting & feeding -- at least that's what I tell myself & others as we futilely plug away during the day

Camped out last night. Was surprised how light it was (half moon?) all night.

ADM · Apr 6, 2009

The moon is surprisingly bright at the moment for the stage it is in, watch out for moon shadow if night fishing in the shallows... I haven't told the other half I plan on a trip tonight... Got a few crabs just before (i'm off for easter hols week 1 with the nipper) and have a large crinkly to use up as well as a soft one and a few peelers. BUT, I am still rather keen on the plugs!! Half tide down on a SW wind. Hmmm. Well I know where not to try but don't have a fish on record for those conditions. Best I find one then eh!!

ADM · Apr 8, 2009

So there I am last night fishing hard with perfect crab baits and can't get a bite of any sort whatsoever despite fishing in pools and gullies which I know should have fish in them.

As the tide drops I get the old faithful plugging gear out and have a few chucks. Bang, fih on, or is it, feels like I'm getting continued taps from a fish that can't hook itself?? When I have worked the lure all the way in there's a pollack on it. D'OH, it was hooked, just a lb of pollack is total pollacks in the fight department, I thought it was still plucking at the lure!!

Despondent because at this stage I thought I was going to hit the pollack and had been casting for a while, I cast again (next cast from the pollack) and whallop, massive splash and screaming reels . This is no pollack!!

After a shorter fight than the last bass in comes a plump shiny who went 3-12 on the digi scales :martial

The pic was worse than the last one so i'll keep that to myself!!

ADM · Apr 14, 2009

So I popped out again last night armed with fresh peeler and verm (and of course a couple of plugs). Had a quick plug while the light was fading and into darkness and had 2 bass. A tad small for the club, just under length and weighed at 2-8 and 2-10. Gutted.

Bait fishing ensued as the weed caused me to give up the plugs and had loads of good bites but could I hook up? Like **** I could...

Definitely not all Rat bites so I am gutted. I knew they were there but couldn't hook one...

ADM · Apr 15, 2009

I take it all back... Absolutely nothing wrong with crab for bait

!!!!!

Headed out west tonight for some action over the high with crab and verm baits having seen video evidence of bass out west (cheers Jonny250).

Tad damp and about to give up I notice a wee tap on the rod tip. Picked up the rod from the rest and dropped the tip fast. Held on and felt for movement and when it came hit it hard and struck home!!

I knew it was something good at that moment as the rod compressed to the butt on the strike :blackeye and then it went nuts taking line and screeching about all over the shop. I could hear some healthy sounding splashes in the distance and eventually got it close and liked what I saw

Got him up still quite lively, hand in the gills and lifted it clear. Nice.

Rather excited but remembering my promise after the 8-12 I had last year I knew it was going back alive so care was taken not to let her damage herself. Unhooked the top hook on the pennel. Bottom hook was out of sight down there so left it in place to rust out. Weighed carefully on the digi scales and walked into the sea to release her. Took a good 5 minutes and I was soaked through from being in the drink to my waist but she started to chew on my fingers and I let her go to drift off into the murk.

Thanks to Monty (who wasn't answering his phone so I could take the micky). But I see it as you owing me a fish seeing as you nick all my crabs at lunchtimes...

And here she is. 8lb 4oz of gorgeous silver bar, just before she went back. (Really must practice these self portraits with camera balanced in all sorts of odd places...)

One happy Andy!!

foxfish · Apr 16, 2009

Well done Andy, beautiful fish, it seems you have finished your apprenticeship

ADM · Apr 16, 2009

The recipe to success so far...

1. Go fishing
2. go fishing again
3. and again
4. and again

about 4-5 times a week I have been fishing this month.

Next up: Bait.

I'm not an expert on crab. The above fish is only my second ever weigher for the club on a crab bait despite using hundreds of crabs, the other only weighed 3lb. BUT, top quality, LIVE crab seems to be the way. I'm keeping full records and notes.

Next: Location, location location.

I have fished the same set of marks a lot in the last year or so. You get to know when the fish move through (or at least when you think they do), where the snags are, where the gullies and little ditches and things are etc etc. All fish holding features.

Oh yeah, don't forget to go fishing some more!!

And that's the fishing lesson over with...

Old Man Dave · Apr 16, 2009

Something for you to aspire to Andy. mrfishjersey

Re how much time spent fishing. A long while ago I was friendly with Pete Perrio before he had his shop and when he was a rel fanatic shore bass angler. I remember he told me he used to catch one bass per 5 hours spent angling for them but eventually he got this down to one bass per hour. I was impressed by one per 5 hour!. I reckon on one bass per one to two hours is my seasonal average on the spear. Then again time spent spearing is much more constrained than the time you can potentially angle.

Dave

Mr. X · Apr 16, 2009

Superb fish ADM. Everytime somebody mentions bait now, I flash back to the movie "A River Runs Through It" where they talk about bait fishermen (i.e. not fly fishermen) with distain.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=854fE08Nvog]YouTube - a river runs through it[/ame]

Now, back to guess the lure ... Sidewinder sandeel?!

Mr. X · Apr 18, 2009

I went to the coast yesterday. Originally to spear but constantly changing (and it turned out, incorrect) BBC weather forecasts made me plan for rod angling. In the end though conditions were fine for spearing - except for the distinct lack of fish. My companions fished with rods and, as I was only in for 2 hours, I managed to get a go with a couple of the rods. I tried the Sidewinder weighted sandeel with the little Shimano spinning rod -- it worked and cast well but was really too heavy for the light rod. I tried the same gel lure on a larger rod (Shakespeare Xceed spin sea spinning rod I think, stiffer tip than my Royalty - better suited for sea fishing) - they seemed much better suited. Although was surprised to see that the lure seemed to plop down in the same spot with the 11/12ft rod as with the 6.5ft rod. Was impressed by how real looking and moving the lure was -- can't wait till the sandeels and bass turn up to try it out for real. I feel certain it would catch under conditions like the massive mackeral, sandeel, bass, mullet mega hunt I was lucky to witness one day last year.

Was looking at that website OMD posted along with the picture of the massive rod caught bass, mrfishjersey - I'd love to learn/try more of these gel eels/worn bait, like those shown in the video and on you tube's Bass Professor stick bait. I saw some similar products on US websites a couple of years ago but you don't see the range of products in the shops I've visited (e.g. the tungsten weighted & bent shank hooks designed for these baits) - I dare say they are not essential though. I guess there are so many different products these days that it is hard to do justice to more than a few in a specialist niche (sea fishing is so diverse & specialised, even freshwater fishing is these days) even for stores and regular anglers, let alone the occasional angler like myself. The eel gel baits/stick baits do particularly appeal though -- they just look so life-like in the videos mentioned above (and that weighted eel video at monstertackle.co.uk). Having seen sandeels while diving, and seen bass pursuing them and knowing that bass are quite visually-oriented - they look like they would work to me. :hmm I wonder if a rattle bead & fish oil might help further?

ADM · Apr 20, 2009

I went last night to try (yet another) new lure, shallow diver to 50cm, Duo Terrif DC-12 S27-RS Rainbow Scaled Mullet - Mr Fish Jersey, hey, I have an expensive surface and deep lure, why not one in the middle...

Looks really good in the water and my thoughts were proven as a bass hit it under the rod tip, saw the lure then from the side a bass appeared form no-where and slammed into it. Brilliant to see in the clear water on dusk, just enough light to see it happen. Only problem was the size, just a schoolie.

I had another 2 schoolies on it I guess all of them about 1.5lb, good fun but not big enough to put me in pole position in the club (I need a minimum size fish of 3lb to go top though I am less than 2lb behind).

Switched to crab for low water and first of the flood through some gullies to see if the biggies would come through in search of food but not a touch. Not even a sea rat (rockling). The lack of rats in an area normally teaming with them gave me confidence of their being bass about but I only had frozen (by me) crab which if they were there they weren't interested.

The down side of the night was the nets. Trying a spot I fished a bit a while back successfully which was revealed on another forum and I find a net below low water mark (could see the white bobbers) and saw a bloke in a 4x4 setting two nets higher up the beach while I was fishing. He obviously didn't trust me to leave the nets alone as he staying until I left.

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