Wrasse Bash 09-05-2011

Massive swells and high winds down in West Cornwall - Decided if I was gonna fish, needed to find shelter. Headed off to a spot I have tried once or twice, East side of the Lizard, near Helford. Short walk found sheltered, windless conditions, lovely sunshine and flat conditions, as I was just inside the mouth.

Fished my Nories Seabass Program 5-12g with a 2506 Certate with 0.8PE. Texas rigged Nories SP's. One big difference today, I was experimenting with a fish formular, 'Mega Strike' from Mr.Fish smeared onto the lures. The result was promising, every bite led to a positive hook up, some coming from a slow retrieve, where if the lure was missed first time, the fish kept at it till hooked. Deadstick took most fish, good strong connections. Pretty sure the Mega Strike was helping out. Even the really small fish were hooking up on a 3/0 and 4.5" lure.

Forgot my camera, so it's a few VGA quality snaps from the crappy phone. Took 8 fish in total, but there was a lot of exploring done. Some fish were taken in areas that I would not usually consider, some sandy bottom stretches with occasional rock and weed. Gonna be back there tomorrow with Ben, for some double team action, maybe sniff out one or two of the large Bass I saw crusing around under feet

HRF New Grounds 03-05-2011

Very short session earlier today - Wanted to try some new grounds right on my doorstep at home. It's an area I have been told Wrasse inhabit in numbers by friends who spear fish there. Requires calm, lower water, and a good note of the tides, as it's a real cut off spot.

Spent a good hour walking around, and maybe only cast a handful of times. First retrieve amongst the deep weed filled gullies saw a fish following, followed by a take but no connection. Played the lure off a short cast back to the same area, and connected, bringing in a small Wrasse.

Next gully over, couple of casts later, deadstick amongst the weed, connected with a much bigger fish. Small battle getting him out of the weed, and landed. This one measured at 46cm and 3lb9oz.

Both fish were caught on Andy Marquis home made lures, Texas with a 3/0. Rod was my Nories RockFish Bottom Light (7-15g) with a Certate 2506 & 0.8PE. Fishing was cut short - I did not realise I had a bad wind knot whilst playing the bigger Wrasse, plus the leader snapped as I hand lined it from the water (really considering a pair of Bogas!). Although I was tucked up under a cliff, the wind was nearing gale force, and I decided that it would be best to come back and explore further on a better day weather wise. Pic below shows the wind whipping the sand across the beach surface;

Will deffo be heading back on foot again, but weather permitting, will be using a Kayak borrowed from the local surf club to get in amongst the gullies without fear of cut offs. 

Pollack Bashing - LRF Metals 28-04-2011

Headed out, armed with the Nories Slow Retrieve LRF rod and a selection of small vibe metals. Headed to a spot close to Penzance, the water was the clearest I have ever seen, unreal visibility into water approx. 6-15' deep. Could see all the bottom details, where the weed and submerged rocks were, any interesting features etc...

Lures were cycled through regularly, using a micro sized Tict clip made things quick and easy. Used the Ecogear VX35 & VX40, Ecogear ZX30 & ZX40 and the Jackson Cymo, all various colours, light and dark, reflective and matt. Caught well on all the lures, started off with a really fat Launce, then 18 Pollack. Couple of pics;

One thing that is apparent, the small trebles and single hooks do lead to a lot of foul hooking, some ugly sights, but all fish were released to swim away strongly. Fished the lures in both a sink and draw style, to a constant slow retrieve. Was a really fun session, and will be adding to my small metals and vibe collection for future action.

HRF Soft Plastic Additions

Few more recently aquired, new colours in the Ladyfish;

Nories 3.5" Lady Fish Stain Wakasagi

Nories 3.5" Lady Fish Natural Wakasagi

Nories 4.5" Firimp Smoke

Nories 4" Power Balance Blue Gill Dark Smoke Black Fleck

Nories 4" Fat Flat Dark Smoke

Jackson 3" Delicious Shiner Wakasagi

Jackson 3" Delicious Shiner Green Pumpkin

Jackson 3" Delicious Shiner Neon Crawler

Have been catching well on them all recently, available from Ben @ http://www.artoffishing.co.uk/

HRF West Kenrow 27-04-2011

Fished down in West Cornwall today - Conditions were sunny and clear water, variable winds and no swell. Fished from low through high and on the drop, neap tides.

Wanted to cover a lot of ground, so moved regularly (trying the Power Fishing). Was into the fish straight away, with Wrasse being the flavour of the day. I was fishing with a Nories RockFish Bottom Light (7-15g) with a Daiwa Certate 2506 loaed with 0.8PE. Lures were various Nories SP's (3.5" Ladyfish in new colours, 4.5" Frimp and 4" Power Balance). All rigged Texas with various sinkers, weedless hooks skinned.

Biggest Wrasse was 43cm, 2lb 10oz, all were pretty small, but still fun to catch. Strangely only had the one Pollack, in grounds where they are usually in numbers. All the fish came from the flooding tide. As soon as high came, all the fish switched off, and did not have a bite on the high or ebb. Have often fished this mark well on all tides, but today it was like a switch was flicked.

So a total of 8 Wrasse and 1 Pollack - Really liking the new colours I have picked up in the Nories lure range, seem to be producing well on their first outing. Hopefully gonna visit some Bass ground tomorrow, see if I can find a few.

3 Species & Sunburn 20-04-2011

Fished today East of Salcombe, at a deep water rough ground mark, thick with patches of weed. Fished from low on the push, spring tides, 3' surging swell and brilliant sunshine.

I was using the Nories Seabass Program 7'2 (5-12g) with a Certate 2506 loaded with YGK Gesox 0.8PE. Used various soft plastic lures, from 3" up to 4" all rigged Texas style and also a few fish caught on a small vibe metal.

The Pollack were really aggressive today. First Pollack breached the surface as I lifted the lure out of the water to cast again after a retrieve, hooking itself whilst out of the water, before taking a strong run back under. First few Pollack were all decent size, around 2lb in weight. Total number of Pollack caught today was 18.

Had 4 Wrasse as well, nothing big, but good takes. Lost another at the waters edge. Think the Pollack were intercepting the lures before the Wrasse could get a chance!

And finally my surprise third species - Taken at mid range near the bottom. The fight was different, and spirited as I reeled it in, and was not till I had it out of the water I realised I had caught my first Mackrel of the year, nice size as well. Wouldn't stop moving, managed to shake it off the hook into the water after the pic.

So a good session, 23 fish in total. Bad points were me sliding down a wet weedy gulley on my hands, feet and bum for about 10m, stopping just shy of a dunking! Luckily I had put my rod down to climb up a rock face. Few cuts and bruises but ok. Managed to get a good builders tan on my forearms, which are now glowing red! 

LRF - Daylight Wrasse & Pollack 09-04-2011

Has been a while since I have had a chance to get out for some fishing action. Have been away on residential courses with work, still anther week to go. Managed to sneek a couple of days in West Cornwall, and popped out with the light gear to see what I have been missing.

Fishing at a deep water rough ground mark, tackle of choice was my Nories Slow Retrieve (0.9-5g) with a 2506 Certate, 0.8PE braid, with a 3" Jackson Delicious Shiner rigged Texas with a short shank size 6 Carp hook, pulled into the body of the lure with the point sitting exposed. 

Sunny weather, but a building wind, fished in a sheltered spot, with 2' swell running. From the first cast, was into the fish straight away - Started off with Pollack, taking the lure aggressively. Then after half an hour, it was as if the Wrasse woke up, and started to catch them in numbers. Total for the session was 13 Pollack of various sizes, and 7 Wrasse, the biggest being 41cm and 2lb 9oz. All taken on the same lure, rigged the same way;

One thing I found interesting was even in rough ground, an area where I usually loose a handful of lures to snags, I did not loose one rigged the way it was. It's a small lure and hook, with not much weight, but with the shank of the hook sat within the body of the lure, approx. 1cm from the nose, I wondered if the soft front to the lure allowed for more 'give' when hitting into potential snags. The hook bend and point were proud of the lure body, but no losses from snagging up.

The Wrasse were taking it pretty much slow twich and deadstick. The Pollack were very active, taking it deadstick, on the drop, and most aggressively when on a slow straight retrieve. The Jackson Delicious Shiner was killing it. Went through a few due to the hook pulling through in the fight, but an awesome little lure. Have just put in an orer for a few more packets to stock up!

So another highly enjoyable session with the light gear, can see myself fishing this set up a lot more, when the conditions are not too rough. Great sport, yet no where near at it's limit.