Trying for something else... Wrasse again!

The past week, the weather has been stable and relatively nice with plenty of sunshine. Moreover I have been hearing reports about pollock and bass being caught around the Channel Islands and thus thought that its about time I got the heavier gear out and give it a go...
I only had time for a couple short sessions and adding that they were around low tide, didn't fill me up with high hopes. Nevertheless, I had a session at the north part of the Island, at a place that although seems promising, hasn't provided something special so far. I chose that mark because there are strong currents and mixed bottom as well as some reefs close in. I got my Shimano Beastmaster BX S.T.C (2.40-2.70m, 14-40g) and my bass/pollock lure boxes and started trying some lures that have been successful in the past. I was casting mainly metal jigs, large soft plastics and minnows for a good part of an hour, but with no touch or even a follow... Meanwhile I could see under the rock-ledges I was standing, some wrasse moving around.
 Getting fed up with the heavy stuff, I changed to a 3.5g Illex Texas jighead and mounted a 3'' Big Hammer swimbait and dropped it down near the base of the ledge.. Immediately after touching bottom, I got some taps and after striking lightly, I landed the first wrasse of the session. Not a monster (this area doesn't seem to hold big ones) but a blank-saver. Soon after, I was getting more bites and managed to miss a few of them, but the culprits were landed soon after, being greedy little wrasse!
I was having a lot of fun, but I had to stop and go back to work.

Today I had a chance for another short session, but this time I got my LRF gear and headed to my favourite mark. The spot is very deep with kelp, big gullies and semi submerged reef. It has provided the bigger fish so far. As it was low tide, even this area had low water levels, but I was sure the fish would be hanging out in amongst the kelp and boulder bases. One of my favourite methods and very suited to fishing for relatively passive fish holding near structure, is the dropshot. So I tied a size 1 Owner wide gape offset hook with a palomar, about 50cm from the lead (to be visible just above the kelp). I mounted a Berkley Gulp Bibi worm and casted near the edges of the gully I was facing. I managed to hook a fish second cast but after a short fight it managed to shed the hook.. After not seeing any action from the gully, I moved to another spot where a big rock is constricting the water flow with good depth and kelp. I tried to cast as close to the rock as I could and this paid off with a nice wrasse.

The bites dried up a bit and I changed lure to a Keitech live Impact. I got some interest with a fish taking the lure on the drop but failed to hook it. Soon after I got another wrasse that shed the hook while I was ready to net it! The hooks are too big for my little rod to set them properly me thinks...
 While I was bringing it in, I saw another one follow it from under my feet and immediately after loosing the first one, I let the lure drop. I got a bite but the fish wouldn't commit. At that point I saw some interesting shapes and shadows moving near the surface and thinking it could be bass, I changed lure to an Ecogear paramax on a 3.5g jighead. After a few casts, I got no interest and as the time was nearing to the end of my break, I tried to fool the same wrasse under my feet. I let the lure drop and with a couple twitches up and down got the fish to bite and managed to hook it! I landed it and although small it was really interesting seeing the fish take the lure so close..

Well, tomorrow is my day off and I hope to get some more 'quality time' on the rocks!

Thanks for reading

Dimitrios

Gear used.
Rod: Shimano Beastmaster BX STC, 4pc, 14-40g, 8'-9', Golden Mean Symphonia, 0.6-8g, 8'6''
Reel: Abu Garcia Soron STX 40, Mitchell Mag Pro 1000
Mainline:Berkley Nanofil, 0.12mm, YGK Nitlon DFC fluorocarbon, 3lbs
Rig: Illex Texas Jighead and dropshot.
lure: 3'' Big Hammer Swimbait, 4'' Keitech Live impact, 7cm Berkley Gulp Bibi worm, 3'' Ecogear Paramax.

Red letter day!

Today was my day off and the weather was very agreeable, so without second thought I grabbed the gear and headed out with my brother. We walked towards Little Sark, at the south part of the island to do some exploring/fishing there. On reaching an area I already noted at google earth, I was really getting a good feeling as it seemed it could hold fish. There was a relatively deep and broad gully with some large boulders and plenty of kelp. A true wrasse-mark. The tide was coming in and there was a light breeze. I started by using the wacky rig as I wanted to test it on wrasse for a while and this place/conditions seemed ideal to do this.
I rigged a 4'' Keitech Live Impact on a 3.5g Molix Racing Guard jighead and casted in the middle of the gully. As soon as the lure touched bottom, the bites came and after waiting for a couple seconds so that the fish takes the lure better, I struck and following a short tussle, the first wrasse of the day was in the net. It was only a small one but very welcome.
Following this fish I recast and after some jiggling on the bottom the same thing happened, only this time the take was much more violent and after a hard run, I felt the line go limp as the fish managed to cut it on the rocks.
Big wrasse on LRF gear can mean some lost fish... I retied the same jighead (on doubled line) and kept fishing. I had fish biting everywhere and they were coming thick and fast, providing me with serious adrenaline doses! They weren't monsters, mostly 1-2lbs but on a 0.6-8g rod they gave good fights and even snagged me a couple times. Again I was just waiting and letting them on a loose line until they made a move, this worked most times.

The mark.

 

 

After having a few fish on the Live Impact I decided to change lure to something cheaper as they were on a feeding mood and tearing the soft plastics apart! I put on a 7cm Berkley Gulp Bibi worm, straight hooked on the jighead and worked it slowly with a few twitches and stops. The fish didn't seem to mind and kept coming to be netted by my brother..

 

Working my way along the rocks, I reached the head of the gully, where the water was much deeper.
The wind had also picked up and waves were crushing but it seemed fishable. I scrambled on a boulder and dropped the lure straight down. It took a while to reach bottom, and after some twitches, I felt some bites and then solid resistance with the drag screaming, but again the fish managed to bust me up. I pulled a little one later from that spot and then moved to the adjacent bay.
The water there was much more turbulent but I still managed a nice fish on a texas rigged Reins Curly Curly.

 

 

Overall, this has been the most successful day of fishing Ive had on the island so far. Most of the fish weren't big but since I was fishing with my LRF gear, I couldn't expect much.. A 3lbs line is not enough for the bigger fish in this environment. Moreover I was very impressed at the hook up ratio and general effectiveness of the wacky rig, as I only lost a couple fish (due to striking too early).
I hope I will get some more sessions like this one on my days off...

Thanks for reading and tight lines!


Gear used.
Rod: Golden Mean Symphonia, 0.6-8g, 8'6''
Reel: Mitchell Mag Pro 1000
Mainline: YGK Nitlon DFC fluorocarbon, 3lbs
Rig: mostly wacky with a 3.5g Molix racing guard jighead
lure: 4'' Keitech Live impact, 7cm Berkley Gulp Bibi worm, 4'' Reins Curly Curly.