Garfish on ultralight shore jigging.

My favourite fish to catch on the LRF gear currently is no other than the aggressive and spectacularly fighting garfish. I have had some nice catches and the fight they give can be tremendous.
I have been using small casting jigs of 5-8g rigged with an added assist hook as well as the treble. I have had better hook-ups and less fish lost this way, as the hard part on targeting this species is its ability to shed the hook.
I tend to find them in greater numbers over mixed ground with strong currents and plenty of bait fish. The best results have come around high tide and especially at mid-day. They seem to hunt all the way from bottom to surface and thus a retrieve that gets the lure moving up and down throughout the water column seems best. Nonetheless, when they are active they wont miss the jig wherever it is!

Tight lines!

Gear used.
Rods: Golden Mean Symphonia, 8,6", 0.6-8g
Reel: Mitchell Mag Pro 1000,
Mainline: Toray Bottom Attacker fluorocarbon, 3lbs
lures: various metal jigs and mini pilkers.

New reel christened..

For some time now I have been wanting to get a proper sized reel for my medium rockfishing tactics and rod. So far I couldn't justify buying a new one as the little Mitchell has done very well for years.. Lately though it started to show signs of strain and since I'm going on holidays soon, I didn't want to risk being left without a reel. Thus I bought myself a Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500f that really makes a nice combo with my Major Craft KG Evolution.
Wanting to try it as soon as possible, I decided on an early session for bass the next day.  The braid I filled it with, was the Spiderwire fluorobraid at 10lbs test,
I headed to my spot at around 06:00 and started out with a Sakura Magikeel shad tail on a 10g Delalande articulated leadhead. After getting some strikes without hookups I was getting a bit frustrated but persisted as the tide and time were still good.
 At some point I casted over very shallow water and speeding the lure up in order not to get snagged I saw a bass accelerating behind the lure and smash it in front of my feet!
 After a short fight I got the fish out and was really pleased managing to christen my new toy in the best way..

Later I got a smaller one on a Lunker City Swimming Ribster and a nice wrasse.

In the evening I went down to the harbour and after a few casts I got some nice squid and the usual night suspects.

Overall the reel seems very good  with a really even line lay, smooth drag and no wind knots on strong casts. Of course only time will tell if it was a good purchase but first impressions are good..
The fishing is really improving lately with most species being very active and obliging, The larger wrasse have become harder to catch as they seem to be definitely affected by the high temperatures and prefer to feed early in the day now, but I hope to get a good one before leaving the island. Moreover I have heard reports of black bream catches and I would really like to have a go at them with lures in the following weeks.

Tight lines!


Gear Used.
Rod: Major Craft KG Evolution KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g
Reel: Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500f
Mainline: Spiderwire Ultracast Fluorobraid 10lbs, YGK nitlon DFC fluoro leader 10lb
Lures: 4" Lunker City Swimming Ribster, 12cm Sakura Majikeel Shad Tail (soft)

Squid are here.

I got some nice squid yesterday after realising they are finally here the day before. I was fishing with my usual LRF gear and getting weird bites near the bottom. After lifting the lure out of the water, there was a triangular part missing and I knew straight away the culprit. I was cursing my luck for not getting the squid jigs with me as I couldn't hook even a single one long enough to lift it up the harbour wall. Of course it was the only night I decided to leave the net home as well!
Yesterday though I was prepared for them with various squid jigs and the net..
I started fishing while the tide was coming in and got a nice squid straight away. It was stronger than expected and even managed to pull some line as I didn't have the drag set hard. Several more followed even when I changed to different jigs. Colour/make was unimportant. What seemed to make a difference was size, as the larger ones got caught on the larger jigs, and depth, with all coming from near the bottom. Even when they followed, a few more twitches usually saw them hooked and brought up.

The best way to kill them fast is the karate press behind the head..

I also put some softplastics on as the fish were having a party and got the usual suspects.

A different and very fun session that also gave me a good dinner next day as I love squid!

Tight lines!

Dimitrios

Gear used.
Rod: Major Craft KG Evolution KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g
Reel: Mitchell Mag Pro 1000
Mainline: Berkley Nanofil 0.10mm, YGK nitlon DFC fluoro leader 10lb
Lures: various mainly sizes #3 and #2.5

Early morning bass.

For days now I have been wanting to do some early morning sessions for bass, but work took its toll on me and I just couldn't be bothered getting out of bed! Today though it was a different story...
I woke up around 06:30 and grabbed the gear that I had prepped from last night. After a short walk I reached the mark as the tide was coming in.
The mark is a point with two gullies around it, very close to a channel between the main island and a smaller one. There are very strong currents in the channel and this place is kind of a 'refuge' for smaller fish.
I started fishing with a Sakura  Majikeel Shad Tail 12.5cm on a 10g Delalande articulated leadhead with a #2/0 Maruto Offset hook. After letting the lure touch bottom on a tight line I got the first familiar bite of the day and the first feisty wrasse was straight on,,, Getting the fish out I got a quick snap and let it go back.. After a few more casts I got the same thing again and another wrasse came up.. This fish was strangely familiar and after checking the photos later, it was actually the same fish!

I didn't just flip it over!

After a while I wanted to move to the other gully, but just as I was getting the lure out of the water a bass attacked and almost gave me a heart attack! A bad habit of this fish to hit when you least expect it... Of course I didn't hook the fish and after persisting more without any more action, I moved to the other gully. The tide had risen considerably and now covered a large boulder that is a very prominent feature in the middle of the gully. I flicked the lure right up to it and let it fall on a tight line. As the lure was nearing the bottom, it was taken.. I snapped the rod upwards and the fish woke-up. As soon as it started fighting, I knew it wasn't a wrasse. The fish was moving out of the gully and fighting at midwater taking considerable line. The fight lasted a good few minutes but eventually managed to bring the fish in and was left admiring her beauty.. I estimated the fish at around 3-4lbs and let her go after a few photos. Persisting in the same gully and after some more casts, while I was retrieving the
lure from the bottom I saw four fish circling it and in a second the larger one snapped the lure... A very good fight ensued but again the fish was landed safely and now I was over the moon! This was a larger specimen and absolutely stunning.. I took a couple photos and she was back in the sea, where her mates were waiting for her... After the second fish I tried some different lures and got some follows, but it was clear that the fish had been spooked. Thus feeling very happy chappy I went back home for a quick nap before work!

the first one.

the second.

Going back home.

the lure of the day.

A very successful short session that I hope to repeat soon. The fish are there and feed at very strict times/patterns as they do back in the Mediterranean, although with a marked preference for daylight hunting.

Tight Lines


Gear used.

Rod: Major Craft KG Evolution KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g
Reel: Mitchell Mag Pro 1000
Mainline: Berkley Nanofil 0.10mm, YGK nitlon DFC fluoro leader 10lbs
Rig: Delalande articulated leadhead 10g, 2/0 Maruto Worm 19 weedless hooks
Lures: Sakura Majikeel Shad Tail 12.5cm Soft version.

Catch report.

Due to various distractions and lack of time this week, I still haven't put a serious wrasse session through. I have kept myself entertained with rockpooling and the very productive night fishing that is getting a bit predictable though!
A very early session at a mark nearby saw me getting a couple of bass follows but unfortunately no takers and got me thinking to repeat this, but alas work is getting in the way again..
Below are some recent photos of my results.

Blennies are true predators!

Ive found the big ones!

I have found some nice large rockpools in the south of the Island where gobies get to big sizes and the fishing is very entertaining as you can sight-fish for them.. I have even managed to get some wrasse from these rockpools! Of course the Power Isome is the go-to lure in these situations.

Mackerel at night!

In the night, the scad have been prolific and I have started experimenting more with hardbaits to make things more interesting. The can be surprisingly picky and at times will only hit one type over the others. More often than not this lure was the Ecogear SX 40 LC that has been very effective when the fish feed near the surface but not topwater. So far it has caught me the most fish as well as the most species with scad pollock and even mackerel attacking it at night! Mind you the harbour is lighted.. Another successful hardbait is the sinking Gaga Goon 55ss MR by Pontoon 21 that can be effective when the fish get a little deeper as you can countdown it.
I have attempted to fish hard on the bottom with the Power Isome, in order to get something different but it is really difficult to avoid the scad as they are hunting in all depths!

 Gear used.
Rods: Golden Mean Symphonia, 8,6", 0.6-8g
Reel: Mitchell Mag Pro 1000,
Mainline: Toray Bottom Attacker fluorocarbon, 3lbs
lures: Marukyu Power Isome, Ecogear paramax 2", Mebaru Bushi long 3", Berkley Gulp Fish fry 2",
Lunker City hydroTail worms 4", Ecogear SX 40 LC, Pontoon 21 Gaga Goon 55SS MR.