Fishing - Anybody doing any ?

[4T5]

Serious shortage of Tackle/Bait shops in my manor, Even the old ones that used to be 2 shops in one are now closed down. I don't need many bits so I'll order them online but it's a pain getting some decent fresh bait.
Anybody use an online Bait supplier for Boilies/Other Baits ?

 

[Maccapacca]

Out in an hour, just waiting for this meeting to finish.

 

[Maccapacca]

That's me for a few hours

 

[NickK]

^^ git.

I just had a set of bright orange sand eel lures for the wrecking trip arrive.. sadly I'm not fishing for at least another month..

 

[Maccapacca]

Caught nothing buuuuuuuuut had a massive bite. Bent the rod and half and pulled out a load of line on the clutch. I'm sure it was son of jaws. Got it half way in then lost it bugger.

That was it for the night

 

[NickK]

Possible last minute trip in the next week or so.. depending if there's a drop out or two. Fingers crossed.

I may also need to load up more braid on the warbird . The real can take 250m 25lb mono.. and I have 100m of 50lb braid on there (1/2 spool) at the moment. Don't want to get into the situation of not being able to get to the fish zone when wrecking! So I'll unload the existing line, keep it and load up 250m of new 50b braided.

Any recommendations for braided line? 50Lb green colour. It will have a mono backing and leader attached so just need something reliable.

 

[NickK]

Ok so researching braid choices further..

I have already have Gardner Kinetic braid (normally used for carp and catfish) IIRC and this works (I've used it on a couple of trips) and fills 1/2 the reel spool (including having mono backing).

Looking on the rainforest - there's lots of Chinese braid that reviews indicate that when tested it breaks below the quoted rating and abrades especially when seawater comes into the equation.. so looking through the UK sea angling sites.

Spiderwire Stealth has good reviews for seawater use and a spool gives 300 yards (274m) at 50lb. I'll put a weak link in to stop loosing the braid if it snags the weight or lure.

I'll move the Gardner over to replace the braid on the little reel on the 20b rod - the line on that came with it is faded and I don't know the breaking strain or how much is on there. Although the braid will be 50lb, the leader will still have a weak link in.

Edit: a bit more... about the leader etc so the configurations will be:

50lb rod - 50lb Spiderwire Stealth (moss green, 274m) + 50lb shock leader (enough to attach boom) then 40lb Ultima New Sea Fishing Enigma Snood Mono tracer on french boom, 15lb mono from 60lb shock leader onto weight as a weak link.

20lb rod - 50lb Gardner Kinetic + 60lb shock leader and then 15lb mono tracer for hooks / weight.

There's an interesting comment here about thicker line (i.e. >=30lb) to lures making the lure wiggle rather than the tracer in the tide: http://www.fishingdartmouth.co.uk/wreck_pollack.htm

 

[Maccapacca]

At it again

 

[NickK]

Well the wrecking on monday fell through (it was an outside chance) however Sunday is open with one of our regular skippers. Unsure what we'll be doing but it's getting out either way

Hopefully the new braid will arrive in the next couple of days - it's the main thing I need for any deep water stuff..

This "40lb Ultima New Sea Fishing Enigma Snood" seems interesting stuff - it's like a mono form of fly fishing line. It has a clear centre and a dark skin on the outside. It seems more slippery than normal 25b mono I have and it doesn't seem to have the memory (although it has some).

Never know but the weather looks rather windy over the weekend.. possibly 40mph winds from the sea = large waves. So play it by ear over the next couple of days.. should know later saturday if it's on..


It's also occurred to me that last time out, I had a whole squid on, with a hook only in the body - the head and been taken clean off.. thinking about it after reading more.. it sounds like a bass/cod attack. If I had the hook through the head too then I'd probably have a fish on. Live and learn..

 

[NickK]

Line comparison..

Spool - Spiderwire Stealth Braid 50lb
Large reel - Gardner kinetic braid 50lb, two trips
small reel (horizontal braid) - unknown, unknown breaking strain, or length but pretty frayed and faded.
Clear mono - Gardner shock leader 50lb



Now I have the fun job of playing musical spools..

 

[NickK]

Just back from a trip out
Multiple Smooth hounds (returned)
Little Spotted Ray (photoed & returned)
Black Bream (taken home)
2x Whiting
Polk

Others pulled out large dogfish, rays, even a Garfish..

 

[soundb0y]

Anyone recommend a decent starter carp fishing kit?

We have 3 lakes with log cabins we rent out for fishing breaks and it's getting embarrassing telling everyone who comes I've never even had a go!

 

[kidloco]

Korum do a carp kit for under £100. Comes with everything you need to see if it's for you or Not.

 

[cainer]

Anyone recommend a decent starter carp fishing kit?

We have 3 lakes with log cabins we rent out for fishing breaks and it's getting embarrassing telling everyone who comes I've never even had a go!

i could pop up and and give you a few pointers if you like
ive been using my Carp rods for light sea fishing for several years now though so i think id need to also buy rods n reels first

 

[soundb0y]

Thanks kid will have a look.

Haha if I love it, maybe time for an ocuk fish meet lol.

 

[NickK]

So, after quite a few trips out on the boat I've started to form some opinions - incase people think about starting.

1. Anything inshore, a 12-20 lb rod is ideal. It will bend with a good fish but then you'll need to learn how to work to land the fish. The beauty is that if your rod is sat on in the holder you'll see bobbing of the tip with any fish interest.

2. At 20-30lb rod you will have a deeper/larger fishing option - with cod/pollack on the menu. It will support heavier weights too in stronger currents but you will loose sensitivity if you leave the rod in the holder for inshore fishing. You will feel the fish with braid if you hold it. I can feel the difference when held between a black bream (bang-bang-..), a ray (more muffled wobbling) and dogfish.
20lb rod will be on the verge of being a crane for smaller fish, but will take heavier fish like a ray or tope.

3. 50lb rod you will feel thumping bites of black bream for example but will miss smaller fish nibbling bait or the more sensitive takes. I can feel a black bream take it (in hand) but it doesn't twitch in a holder. Reeling in virtually any inshore fish is like being a crane.. it is a one way battle. I should be wrecking in June.. so I'll be tempted to use the 50lb in true ernest..

 

[NickK]

Thinking of a getting a rod that, from a boat, can cast a wedge + feathers for mackerel spinning - the reel will be one of the standard multipliers (and that have 50lb braid on both). I'm aware this is heavy and will reduce distance, but I want the option depending on the day - wrecking or bottom tope with the 50lb rod, or for a simple day run with the 20lb on the bottom and having the option for doing some upper water for bait fishing at the same time.

So dimensions I'm looking at something round the 9ft 2pcs mark. Would I be better going for a 12-20 lb 9ft rod capable of casting distance or a bass/makerel spinning rod?

My experience is - catching a stickle back on a shakespeare omni rod back as a kid (think 30+ years ago), then lots of fly fishing (lots of experience shore+boat, preference in stiff rod for casting, tying my own flies) then sea fishing on boat only.

Not looking expensive but want a rod that allows the opportunity to get away from the boat, compared to the 20lb shorty one piece ugly stick and the 7'4" 50lb monster. Something possibly like the uglystick lite spinning rod - say 8 or 9 ft.

Just think a third rod will cover the options on the day.. not selling either of the rods I have - love 'em both.

I may take my dad fly fishing to go down memory lane.. he's still got the reels and the graphite rod I loved to use (I prefer stiff action to bendy shenanigans). More sport in my view because if you make a mistake on a stiff rod it leaves no room..

 

[NickK]

So research on a new rod is complete - and I think a Shakespeare Agility Uptide 5-10oz 9'6 will do the job nicely. It would support decent casting, spinning but open up up bait tiding from the boat (given the correct conditions and rig) to get away from the normal downtide rabble and boat scare zone. Given that a lot of trips are shallow/sandy and the odd trip is deep water (i.e. using the heavier rods)
Now I just need to get a job to justify it to the wife

 

[cainer]

^^ my fav rod to use for mackeral fishing off the boat was a 5' kids telescopic rod i bought for a couple of quid,
a 1oz lead would bend the rod tip to the butt.. great fun
the eyes rusted off it in the end

i remember getting a double take on it and it ran so hard the skipper had to reverse the boat so i didnt lose all my line, eventually the larger pray fish fell off and i was left with the head of a 2lb pout on the hook lol,
the skipper said it was either a large tope or a conger that had attacked the pout a few seconds after i hooked it

 

[NickK]

A mate loves to tempt fate with very light gear, all I hear is a massive amount of excitement a rod that is bent almost in two and then a little smooth hound appears! I prefer to pull a fish up with less play means it has a better chance on being returned and less time to tangle lines from a boat.

The next trip should be a proper outing for the 50lb Maximus - in theory it should be drift wrecking, so either lures for cod with rod in hand all the time or 10/0 to 12/0 hooks with whole mackerel attached at anchor but you never know if the conditions will be favourable for it, may end up inshore fishing.. just helps to be able to adapt on the day. However if we're going for conger off anchor I may be tempted to run some mackerel feathers too on the 20lb for the quiet times. The ugly stick has enough power to cope with 4 mackerel without needing to play - they'll end up as bait or for the table.

I figure I do 1 trip in 5 anywhere else but the sandy areas. So I think an untide rod (although over powered for spinning - it will do a set of feathers, a wedge on a boom rig with reasonable casting distance) will be good investment.