Early morning surprise!

Today I was starting work at 12:00 and so I decided to visit my mark in Loch Linnhe for an early morning session.
At the mark, I started with my go-to presentation these days, the Duel Salty bait rigged with a slim soft plastic. Today I chose a Keitech sexy Impact instead of the usual Gulp as I'm running low on them and also I wanted to see if there would be a significant difference.
I started casting around and working the jig near the bottom at the beginning of the retrieve while ending with a steady wind close in. I got a small pollock and some bites from smaller fish.
I then made a cast parallel to the rocks and let the lure sink in a semi-controlled line. After touching bottom, I gave it a twitch and felt a take. I struck and I had a fish on! It fought unusually, with rapid head-shakes and on bringing it up I saw it was a small ling! My second one from this mark and curiously, took the lure shortly after touching bottom as the previous one...
After the ling, I continued fishing but it was high tide and things slowed down. I decided to move to the rocky point on the other side and try for the pollock there.
On the point and first cast I lose my lure! Moreover, I had forgotten most of my jigheads and jigs in the car and as the time was running I decided to fish with what I had in my bag...
 I found a 10cm Savagear slug on a 10g jighead and started casting and working the lure back. I got a few pollock and a codling but nothing spectacular before wrapping up.

A true predator!

The usual suspects..

Obviously, some more Salty Baits and lures are on their long journey from Japan now and cant wait to get my hands on them! Until then I'll be using the usual stuff...

Tight Lines!

Gear used.
Rod: Majorcraft KG Evolution,KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g
Reel: Shimano Stradic ci4 2500f
Mainline: Daiwa Tournament 8 Accudepth braid 10lbs
leader: YGK Nitlon DFC fluorocarbon, 8lbs.
lures: Duel Salty Bait 10g with Keitech Sexy Impact trailer.

Weird night game.

The title of this post refers to the behaviour of the fish I encountered yesterday night. I finished earlier from work and I went up to my Loch Etive mark while there was still light. I intended to use some blade baits until nightfall but there was little current as it was approaching high tide and after a few casts I decided to change lure. I tried a spinner and caught a small pollock but it wasn't until I put on a 2.8" Keitech Sexy Impact on a 3g jighead that things started to liven up. I got a couple fish OTD and in the retrieve before nightfall. It is new moon this week and the sky was very dark, but I persisted with my presentation to see what could be had as I was curious if fish would attack in such dark conditions and deep water on a small finesse bait.
I then witnessed the unusual behaviour I mentioned where the fish would hit the bait OTD or a few seconds after touchdown but not really on the retrieve. The lure would hit bottom and I would usually get a nimble bite straight on but if not and I started the retrieve either straight or with pauses and jerks not much would happen. The fish didn't seem to attack the bait but more like picking it off the bottom.
I hadn't encounter that behaviour before and I was surprised with how light some of these bites where. A couple times it felt like a very gentle and steady pull but I didn't manage to hook the fish so I'm not sure if it was the pollock. After a few fish I wanted to try some 3" Berkley Gulp Alive Shrimp that I recently purchased. I mounted the shrimp on a 3.5g football jig trying to show a larger profile without adding weight as the fish seemed fixed on very light lures. After a few casts it became apparent that the fish preferred the smaller/light presentation but I persevered hoping that something else or a larger fish would go for my lure and after a couple bites from small fish I felt a single tap and set the hook on a nice fish. It fought nicely making three powerful runs before I managed to land it. A nice pollock of 55cm. I then released the fish but it was tired and needed some reviving so I bend stepping on a rock to straighten the fish and then slipped right into the water! And of course the fish swam straight away...Typical..

Plenty of this size caught on a 2.8" Keitech Sexy Impact and 3gr jighead.

The Berkley Gulp Alive Shrimp on a jig.

.. It worked fine!

He really wanted it.

After getting soaked I kept fishing but didn't get any more bites so I called it a night.. I did hear some splashes though that I have to check out if they were from fish...

Thanks for reading and tight lines!

Gear used.
Rod: Major Craft KG Evolution KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g
Reel:Shimano Stradic ci4 2500f.
Mainline: Seaguar Kanzen braid 10lbs.
Rig: jighead, jig
lure: Berkley gulp Alive shrimp, Keitech Sexy Impact