Finding the culprit...

As I mentioned on my previous post, I had problems with fish cutting the thin fluorocarbon mainlines I use and at the time I thought they were bigger pollock.
Trying to get to the bottom of this I visited the loch again a couple days later for a session with my medium rock fishing gear and much stronger rigs. More over I was starting to doubt that these fish were pollock as Ive caught plenty of good sized ones after long fights with the lure lost in their mouths while the line held... Something else was going on and I had to find out what...
The day was horrible with strong wind and constant rain, quite heavy at times, but I knew the fish would be there. I started fishing with a 4" Berkley Sandeel on a texas jighead and on the first cast something picked it OTD and shoot off taking some drag.. Moments later it was off cutting the line.. I could not believe my bad luck and tied an articulated jighead with a 3" Berkley Gulp Baitfish (was using 7lbs line) after some more casts I got a poor cod, then a pollock and then lost another fish that bit the line clean.. I was clueless and really frustrated..
In addition to the lost fish the weather turned even more sour and I was already soaked through.. I persevered but after a small coalfish I had to go home as I was gonna get frostbite or something!
Back home I thought about all the fish I lost and their behaviour etc in order to get all the pieces together and figure out the best approach.

Plenty caught like this yet the line held..

The coalfish was no consolation...

The lost fish seemed quite large, prefer larger baits with strong smell and bite better when there is some wind. My thoughts were that I'm dealing either with some larger codling or Spurdogs (?!).
Knowing that both these species prefer to feed at night, I decided on a night session.
Yesterday I got the opportunity as I finished relatively early from work and headed up the loch. I reached my mark and the conditions seemed good with little wind and the tide slowly starting to ebb. I put on a light wire trace made from my favourite Knot 2 Kinky and a 5g articulated jighead with a 3" Ecogear Aqua Bug Ants as these lures have a particularly strong scent. I started making long casts and working the lure on the bottom with short flicks and twitches to mimic a fleeing prawn or crayfish. After some casts I got the first bite but I reacted too quickly and didn't hook the fish. This happened a couple more times before the bites drying up and then I changed to the Berkley Gulp Baitfish. The pack I had was fluorescent and with a charge from my head torch I cast it into the depths. A few casts later and I got a subtle bite. I let it develop and feeling weight on the rod tip I struck and set the hook. I got good resistance and the fish was taking drag but it wasn't like the crash dives of pollock, slower fight and with some head shakes. The fish came up and it proved to be a much better codling than the ones I get during the day. Around the 4lbs mark with a huge mouth! I thumb-held it to let it go back and then saw blood on my thumb from its teeth so I'm pretty sure that this is the culprit of the cut lines.. I continued fishing a bit longer and after losing what felt like another codling I got a small pollock and decided to call it a night..

The main rig used.

Fatty!

Big mouth!

What became apparent is that most of the little fish are not active at night ant the bigger ones come out. This makes for a more boring fishing without all the little bites but also more rewarding in terms of fish size. These fish seem to clearly prefer smelly lures and a slower presentation bumping the bottom. Both the Ecogear aqua and Berkley Gulp draw bites and the fish seem to be happy munching them for a while so I'll try and give them more time before strikes next time. Again a little glow in the lure draws the fish but scent seems more important at night.
I was quite pleased with the result of my first night session up here and I'm sure there will be many to follow with hopefully even more predators of the night.

Thanks for reading!


Gear used.
Rod: Major Craft KG Evolution KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g
Reel:Shimano Stradic ci4 2500f.
Mainline: Seaguar Kanzen braid 10lbs.
Rig: K2K trace articulated jighead
lure: Berkley gulps mostly.

The articulated jighead.

One type of rigging/presentation that Ive been using more and more lately is the articulated jighead combined with an offset hook and slim paddle tail lure. I have come to realise that along with weighted hooks for slim sluggo/ribster lures, these two presentations are very suitable for targeting both wrasse and bass successfully without having to specialise the presentation too much according to species. As this would be impractical in the short amount of time I have available along with the gear at hand...
Thus Ive had some really nice wrasse lately, in the early morning sessions while targeting bass. When the bass don't play ball I just start working the lure slower and near the bottom and big wrasse are usually up for it.. At times I had really aggressive takes when the fish attacked near vertically taking the lure subsurface! The jigheads Ive been using the most are from the company Delalande at 10gr and the lures have been the Sakura Majikeel Shadtail and modified Savagear Sandeels.

As I had some large Savagear Sandeels spare since I don't use the heavy gear as much, I decided to modify them so that I could use them with articulated jigheads, albeit in smaller weights. To achieve this I just make lots of incisions to the lure (makes it loose) as shown in the pics and also cut a small part off the front part, to make it a bit smaller and closer to the profile of the sandeels Ive seen here. (around 12cm).

The cuts.

The finished lure.

The weather has started to get more unstable and it seems to have affected the bass, as I haven't encountered them on the last two sessions. Moreover the fry has also moved from my usual mark and I'm thinking to try a couple different marks in the coming week as it is going to be my last week on this Island and I want to go with a bang! I don't think I will manage to target any bream as the time is short and I intent to focus on wrasse and bass even more.
 The night fishing shows no sign of slowing thankfully, with Scad coming in ridiculous numbers. Again, when the right pattern is found the results are instant. I have noticed that around high tide the fish push sandeels up to the surface under the harbour lights, while as the tide ebbs, they prefer to hunt near the bottom. I have used a 1.8g Tict Dart jighead combined with a 2" Sakura AJ Worm to great effect, working it near the bottom with a medium-slow retrieve and jerks letting the lure flutter down and pause it. I usually get hit as the lure falls or when I move it again. Moreover 3" Gary Yamamoto swimming senkos have worked well, especially with a heavier jighead when fish were active near the surface.

 

The following week I will try and devote as much time as possible to fishing but even if I don't catch  any big ones I think it wont matter as Ive had a very good season this summer and thoroughly enjoyed the fishing here. More over I'm really looking forward to fishing on my holidays for different species and back in freshwater too!

Tight lines and thanks for reading! 

Gear used.

Rod: Major Craft KG Evolution KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g and Golden Mean Symphonia, 8.6", 0.6-8g
Reel: Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500f and Mitchell Mag Pro 1000
Mainline: Spiderwire Ultracast Fluorobraid 10lbs, YGK nitlon DFC fluoro leader 10lb and Toray Bottom Attacker Fluorocarbon, 3lbs
Lures: various