Sea Angling for Spearos

[ADM]

I use a 2-10g rod for LRF/ultralight but that's quite heavy really. Some guys are using 0.5-5g with 4lb braid. Makes the small slim pickings more fun to keep you amused through the harder months. Not that the gear can't handle the odd larger fish.

Short rods are my preference because you have more control over the lure. Easier to flick it here and there between boulders.

re HRF. I wrote this (pdf doc) a while back now and I have changed what i am doing a bit and tend to fish for wrasse a lot more, super fun on lures and light rods. All catch and release of course. But the info is still good for an intro I guess.

 

[devondave]

Buy Making Wooden Fishing Lures from Axminster, fast delivery for the UK

Guys, have you seen this book?
Or made any lures from wood?

I don't know if it's any good, just saw it and thought I'd post it.
I remember using wooden Devon Minnows to catch sea trout as a kid.

 

[Pav]

Caught my first Cod last night!
I don't do a lot of fishing baits from the shore. 2hrs before high water had the Cod. Lug, Frozen Crab, wrapped in squid.

 

[ADM]

Well done. What size was it? Did you get a photo? Cod are like hens teeth down this way but if the winter goes cold it might be worth a shot.

 

[Mr. X]

... Lug, Frozen Crab, wrapped in squid.

You're spoiling them Pav - that sounds more like a recipe for Jamie Olivers 30minute cook book than bait (just had a super yummy meal from that last night). Congrats

 

[Pav]

I estimate it was about 2 1/2lb - so in your terms not a Cod and rather a Codling but it remains a Cod in my book until I catch something bigger. No photo which I kinda regret now as I don't know how long it will be until I catch another.

Going to have another crack this week.

 

[Mr. X]

Well done. What size was it? Did you get a photo? Cod are like hens teeth down this way but if the winter goes cold it might be worth a shot.

There's an interesting article on cod fishing in the multi-volume angling "encyclopedia" that a colleague gave me. There is a large colour sketch of a particular location (Framlington Head?) in Yorkshire. The anglers are shown using specialist huge long rods with large reels fitted at the butt of the rod, on the rock platform, under the cliffs - presumably they have to cast out quite far.

[I visited a nearby seaside resort/harbour and planned to check out the area for spearing but we don't get up that way now, as our contacts there moved south - pity in some ways but the drive was gruelling.]

 

[foxfish]

I noticed Apnea have these for sale https://www.apnea.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1220

 

[Pav]

When do you "strike" or "set the hook"?
I've never really been in fishing with baits anchored to the bottom with a grip lead, but getting into this (whilst its so cold).
However I'm struggling to know when to pick up the rod. I get the tap tap taps on the end of the rod, so def. fish taking bait, but often miss the fish.

Once your rod is tip is flicking on the rod stand when do you pick it up and what next. Gentle pull, or a strike as on the Sky big game fishing programs

I'm fishing in the estuary with a tide running. Codling and whiting, but I expect later in the year I will still carry on when the viz is poor for the bass.

Currently afraid to pick up the rod so could do with some pointers. I am assuming fish don't just hook themselves.

 

[Pav]

oh and you should have seen my 4yr old daughter after digging bait this morning rofl

Peppa Pig would have been proud!

 

[foxfish]

I can refer you too an article that sea fishing mag once featured...
A man stood one end of a football pitch with a chemically sharpened hook resting on his thumb, another man stood the other end holding a 12 beach rod. Second man stuck hard & fast - first man still stood there with hook resting on his thumb!
The line was 15lb mono, this would not happen with braid but the point is striking is pretty pointless if you are tacked up correctly.
Use as heavy a lead as you can cast & a short hook length from the lead to very sharp hook = self hooked fish.

 

[Mr. X]

Great illustration Foxfish. We used to strike when coarse fishing with v. light floats on the cut as children - the fish were very wary and felt out the food with their mouths, or so it seemed, but the amount of 4lb line out was never very much. I haven't tried ledgering in the sea yet but it didn't seem to make much sense striking with the fixed-line paternoster/flapper style rigs I've used because it would just lift the heavy weight off the bottom (or perhap not even that, maybe just drag it), any effect on the hook would be relatively small -- or as Foxfish has illustrated, negligible.

 

[bobdonny]

I caught this fella in 5m swells and 50mph gusts headon...
I gave up shortly after. Don't think I'll fish in that weather again

 

[ADM]

I caught this fella in 5m swells and 50mph gusts headon...
I gave up shortly after. Don't think I'll fish in that weather again

He looks a bit on the thin side!! :blackeye

I had this guy yesterday:

 

[bobdonny]

Saw that... very nice.
Is that a plug or a carrot you caught him on

 

[robdigital]

Nice fish ADM, i must get it into my head to make more of an effort to lure fish through the winter - the rewards are obviously there to be had for those who make the effort

 

[ADM]

It's a home designed soft plastic. I mould and pour my own. Rather cheaper than "some" brands!!

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

oh dear, well done ADM ruin it for the rest of us! the secrets out now! Some secrets were never meant to last...... the correct vedge in the right conditions can be deadly for a variety of species. I personally favour a good sized Touchon, or a yaya, but if its rough and conditions are murky a good sized "purple dragon" a real high density lower viz carrot absoloutely kills.

 

[atomichaggis]

Hello all, I haven't been so active lately I noticed but I've been right here all the while and fishing.
2010 brought a few new species in Norwegian waters as well as a few good old ones, so a compressed post of all my reports for 2010 goes a little like this...

Believe I kicked 10' off with baby haddock and obligatory hagfish

as springtime drew in there were plenty of seatrout, flounder, dabs and gurnard.

 

[atomichaggis]

summer was good, long warm nights and plenty of fishin. Was some good haddock, and a pile of new species including thorny skate, longhorned sculpin, herring, butterfish, bluemouth, tadpole fish as well as a real nice seatrout and new halibut pb