Been having some serious winds up here and also snow, but this hasn't stopped me from making a couple outings.. Especially considering that now might be the best time for prespawn fish that are heavy carrying eggs.
My first session last week was only a short one but very well timed. Got a break in the wind and coupled with the small tide and slowing swell, I hit fish straight away!
Noticed lots of bird activity and started with a pearl Super Xlayer but after that becoming a magnet for piles of plump coalfish I decided to switch to a chartreuse (milky water from swells) Delalande Fire Eel (13cm, 20g) that brought bites from better pollock.
Throughout the session I was pestered by a persistent seal that attacked my coalies and after hooking up to something heavy, felt it it running so hard that I was convinced it was the seal again... Instead, I saw a nice pollock coming up and quickly put her in the net.
A nice fish of near 70cm and the best prize for such late winter outings...
A video of the day.
The next session took place yesterday, the tide state wasn't ideal and the wind was intensifying by the minute. Moreover the bird activity was reduced comparing to last week but nevertheless I put on a 40g slow jig and started casting out. I noticed that I was getting hits near bottom but at different areas and from smaller fish. something that shows the fish weren't concentrated in one area.
Started landing a steady stream of coalies and small pollock with the metal but it was harder to find the larger fish with it.
It appeared that the pollock were hard on the bottom and required slower tactics. Thus I used Xlayers and Sluggos on 20-30g wobbling and darting jigheads. The better fish started to show (again from a large area) but that damn seal didn't leave me one single fish to land! Utterly frustrating..
Another presentation that seemed to get better fish was a long heavy dropshot with a 28g sinker and #4 Offset. I would rig curly tail lures and my intent wasn't in working them static as a normal DS but actually dragging them slowly over the bottom. As I was very high over the water, it would mean that the lure was maintaining a more or less even swimming path near the bottom. Slight accelerations and pauses would usually get the bites.
Again though the seal thwarted all my efforts to land a fish and I decided to give up instead of keep feeding her!
Hoping to get some settled conditions again soon and that seal to bugger off... lol
Gear used.
Rod: MajorCraft Solpara SPS-1002LSJ, 3.05m. max 50g
Reel: Shimano SW Biomaster 4000XG
Mainline: Duel X wire X8 PE1.5
Leader: Daiwa Tournament FC fluorocarbon 20lbs and 25lbs
Lures: Delalande Fire Eel (13cm, 20g)
My first session last week was only a short one but very well timed. Got a break in the wind and coupled with the small tide and slowing swell, I hit fish straight away!
Noticed lots of bird activity and started with a pearl Super Xlayer but after that becoming a magnet for piles of plump coalfish I decided to switch to a chartreuse (milky water from swells) Delalande Fire Eel (13cm, 20g) that brought bites from better pollock.
 |
| They love white (and large!) lures... |
 |
| Very well conditioned pollock. |
Throughout the session I was pestered by a persistent seal that attacked my coalies and after hooking up to something heavy, felt it it running so hard that I was convinced it was the seal again... Instead, I saw a nice pollock coming up and quickly put her in the net.
A nice fish of near 70cm and the best prize for such late winter outings...
 |
| Bruiser! |
The next session took place yesterday, the tide state wasn't ideal and the wind was intensifying by the minute. Moreover the bird activity was reduced comparing to last week but nevertheless I put on a 40g slow jig and started casting out. I noticed that I was getting hits near bottom but at different areas and from smaller fish. something that shows the fish weren't concentrated in one area.
Started landing a steady stream of coalies and small pollock with the metal but it was harder to find the larger fish with it.
 |
| Beautiful and aggressive.. |
It appeared that the pollock were hard on the bottom and required slower tactics. Thus I used Xlayers and Sluggos on 20-30g wobbling and darting jigheads. The better fish started to show (again from a large area) but that damn seal didn't leave me one single fish to land! Utterly frustrating..
Another presentation that seemed to get better fish was a long heavy dropshot with a 28g sinker and #4 Offset. I would rig curly tail lures and my intent wasn't in working them static as a normal DS but actually dragging them slowly over the bottom. As I was very high over the water, it would mean that the lure was maintaining a more or less even swimming path near the bottom. Slight accelerations and pauses would usually get the bites.
 | |
| Long DS on heavy lead with a Gulp Nereis. |
Hoping to get some settled conditions again soon and that seal to bugger off... lol
Gear used.
Rod: MajorCraft Solpara SPS-1002LSJ, 3.05m. max 50g
Reel: Shimano SW Biomaster 4000XG
Mainline: Duel X wire X8 PE1.5
Leader: Daiwa Tournament FC fluorocarbon 20lbs and 25lbs
Lures: Delalande Fire Eel (13cm, 20g)
Good to see you out again, nice adaptation at the end there ;0)
ReplyDeleteIt's good to be back (when catching like that!).
DeleteAye did the trick. .
Tight lines pal