LRF Week Report 31st Jan - 03rd Feb 2011

I was keen to try the new Nories rod out, so popped don to Plym for a session in the freezing cold with Matt. We fished around the Barbican/Sutton Harbour area as with previous sessions. Clear skies, bitter cold and 3 hours after high on the ebb.

I was using the new Nories Slow Retrieve rod, and I was keen to try the new Certate 2506. Braid was a bit of overkill, as I am planning to use this reel for the plugging and HRF. Loaded with YGK Gesox WX8 0.8PE, around twice the thickness of my usual LRF line.

Started out fishing with a Ecogear Aqua Straw Tail Grub 2" (red) rigged on a 1.4g size 8 Decoy head. We were into the fish pretty much straight away, trading one for one with Matt. Moved around from high to low structure, managed to sneak out onto a jetty 30m or so out on the water, and fished the inner Harbour areas, amongst the boats, and whilst enjoying a cup of coffee outside a cafe, we still caught.

I tried the Straw Tail Grub out on a 1.5g Texas weedless rig, and also rigged wacky style, with a 1g ball lead and a size 8 carp hook. All sucessful, the most positive takes came from having it rigged wacky. The various structures lent themselves well to trying different techniques, on the drop, slow bumped retrieve, and vertical jigging. All my fish were Pollack, Matt had a poor Cod mixed in with his. Got a few photos, but not all of them, maybe around 20-30 fish between us, the cold made me loose count.

So a good session, learnt a lot again. Very happy with the rod, reel is very nice to use. Also surprised just how good the 'heavier' braid was. May try it again before a back to back test with my regular LRF line. 

01/02/2011 Fished Plymouth with Matt again last night - Similar conditions, more tide but sooooo much warmer! Again, we were straight into the fish. Tackle was the same, Ecogear 2" Straw Tail Aqua Grubs, but this time in a pearl white.

Matt found a good spot, fished from height, casting into the dark shadows of a pier. He was getting good bites and takes each cast, landing the biggest Pollack of the night from there. I managed 2 new species, one being a Giant Goby. The other new species for me was a poor Cod, had a couple over the session.

Common Blenny;

Poor Cod;

Many Pollack;

 

Really looking forward to Thursdays Plym LRF meet, hopefully get some more!  

02/02/2011 I was keen to try the new rod and reel combo out down at the Estuary, so put in a cheeky hour. Fished from high tide for an hour on the drop. Big winds and rain, not the most inviting conditions, but was sheltered down at the Estuary Quay and partially submerged rock spots. Decided to go for a bigger lure as most the Pollack I have had here were bigger than the Harbours, was also hoping to find the Bass again. Fished an Ecogear Aqua Milfle 3" on a weedless size 2 hook, 3g ball lead.

Second cast, good knock and fish on. Followed by a second fish, another pollack the next cast. Just allowing the lure to be taken by the current, twitched, and small lifts. All takes came as the lure rounded the rocky outcrop I was fishing from, into the still water. Finished off the hour with a final Pollack, and called it a day as I was soaked. All 3 fish were around the same size.

03/02/2011 Last night was the now regular Plym LRF meet. Challenging conditions, strong winds in the Harbour area meant that some of the usual spots were hard going. The fish came slow, Matt lead the way taking 4 off the mark. I caught my first after nearly an hour, a Whiting off a pontoon, jigged right on the bottom. Followed up with a couple of Pollack in the more sheltered inner Harbour amongst the boat moorings. Then a new species for me, a Long Spined Bullhead (Sea Scorpion). Looked a decent sized little guy, took on a 2" Straw Tail Grub with a size 8 carp hook, 2g ball lead.

Although the night was slow in comparison to earlier in the week, Plymouth enjoyed a fantastic turnout, with members from Cornwall and Devon in attendance, guessing around 15+ fishing. Mr. Gibley was there, and took a few pictures of the nights action, so a good result in the end, in spite of the strong winds. Looking forward to the next meet and better conditions!