Weekly round up #3 : LRF a versatile week!

Sunday and I headed to the coast again and this time I was looking for Bass. It was good to be back on the reef and although I didn't catch any bass I saw one or two so I will concentrate a bit on them soon. Truth be told that after a couple of hours working the reef I turned my attention to delights of the rock pools and spent a fun hour or so winkling blennys and long spined sea scorpions out of them before moving off to hook up with Ritchie for a harbour session.This predictably turned into another rampant sea trout frenzy with loads of trout falling for Xesta After Burners as well as Ice jigs. What was especially weird was that we were vertically jigging the mini metals in a style normally reserved for coalfish, the trout seemed to love this style of retrieve as much as the coalies! It was silly fishing but fun none the less, I can't help wondering where the coalfish are as they are normally the predominant species.

Another week another load of wee sea trout!

Tiny but pretty, this one fell to a vertically jigged Ice jig

It's been a year since I last spooled up my reel with line and my Pontoon Exteer PE.1 braid was needing to be replaced. Now I am aware that technically PE.1 braid is a bit heavy for LRF purists but due to having no money I had bought a spool as it was the lowest diameter, quality braid that I could get for £10! I have decided this year to go lighter when I can so when I saw that Art of Fishing had some new braid in from Duel I was really keen to get some to try. I have always been a sucker for Duel and Yo Zuri products and I associate the brand with usable high quality products. I do admit to being a Duel fanboy though!
After a brief discussion with Ben I settled on some Duel Hardcore x4 PE0.6 as the breaking strain was the same as my previous line but nearly half the diameter! Now I generally don't believe the stated breaking strain on most braids as they very rarely live up to their claims when used in the field. All I was interested in was if the new line was as strong as my old line.

New Line,Duel Hardcore X4

When it arrived a couple of days later I was straight into it for a comparison test. I took a meter section of each line and tied a figure of 8 loop on each end of the line. I then attached one end to a set of scales and pulled on the other till the line snapped. A primitive and brutal test but both lines broke at the same breaking strain despite the new line being nearly half the diameter, perfect.

The colour is Milky Green and is certainly way more visible than my previous dark grey line, whilst still being on the subtle side of hi vis lines. The feel of the braid is comparable to other high end Japanese braid being very soft and smooth .

when I came to use it it was brilliant, the lower diameter added yards to the cast when it came to using 1gram jig heads. It was smooth and tough and even though I put it through various snags , trees and fish it performed faultlessly and I didn't have to adapt my fishing style to cope with the lower diameter as it was just as strong as my old PE.1 line.

In short, I love it!

As well as re stocking various dropshot weights and hooks I also bought a packet of Xesta 1.6" Stick Star lures as they look custom made for trout and they came in my favourite colour,pink/pearl glitter (LPBS).

I nipped down to the river to try them out and mounted on a 1gram #8 Xesta Slow Down Star head they were dynamite! Within a couple of hours I had landed two good trout both going 27cms  and lost a couple of others. The fish really hammered the lures and despite getting two fish, a few trees and numerous rocks the soft lure was still in tact. They really are surprisingly durable for something so soft.

Trout dynamite, Xesta Stick Star 1.6" lure mounted on a 1g #8 Xesta Slow Down Star Head

Wild urban brown trout , brilliant!

I love catching them!

Trout number 2 was a real leopard spotted one,both fish were 27cms.

A couple of days later I headed off to the perch loch with Skippy (my boat) and first mate Ritchie Bewsey. Having bought our Permits we launched into the loch eagerly wishing to see one of the stripey denizens of the deep. It was hard fishing ,using our light rock fishing gear we concentrated around the normal haunts but there was hardly any perch activity. There were however plenty of brownies and Ritchie soon succumbed to temptation and rigged up a Xesta After Burner having replaced the hook with a #8 fly ( forgive me I can't remember the pattern!).

A few casts later and he hooked and landed the first fish of the session a beautifully golden wild brown trout which was released after a couple of pictures. 

Ritchie shows off what tipping a metal jig with a fly can produce, what a magnificently golden trout!

I stuck to diligently dropshotting for perch and I took the boat into various bays and weed beds to try to find them. Ritchie found them before me and manged a couple of nice perch on a soft lure/jighead approach. Eventually I manged to hook a good fish on dropshotted Lake Fork Live Baby Shad, looked about a pound but I will never know as I bumped it off the hook whilst trying to land it!

It was disappointing but I was truly heartened to see the perch back feeding in the loch and figured I would find some more feeding. It wasn't until the last half hour when I found them and managed 3 perch all falling to the lake fork with the biggest going maybe 0.75lbs.

This was the biggest of the 3 perch I had, I am just so relieved to see them active in the loch again!

So there you have it a fairly fun week with all fishing done on my LRF gear and I hope it shows how versatile this style of fishing can be as well as how much fun it is.

I have also made a video compilation of the weeks fishing, I hope you enjoy watching.

It can be viewed in 1080p.

Tackle used

Rod: GraphiteLeader Corto EX 7'9" 0.5-8gram Tubular tipped.

Reel: Shimano Technium 3000

Line: Duel Hardcore x4 PE 0.6

Leader: 6lb Greylon Fluorocarbon

Tight Lines!
Jake

2014 Ready, Steady, Blenny!

Mid way through January time off work and a break in the weather finally coincided and after weeks of no fishing I grabbed the opportunity with both rods. I gave Ritchie a ring and arranged to meet to up as he was equally keen to get out.

I blatted down the A1 full of hope and excitement, it had been ages since I was able to fish and I couldn't wait to get to the sea. I knew conditions weren't ideal for the mark with a neap tide but the surf forecast had at least said the sea would be flat.

On arrival I feverishly scrabbled my Bass and LRF gear together and set off down to the shore.

As I got closer It became apparent that the surf forecast was wrong as there was a huge rolling swell smashing over the reef. This, coupled with the horrible grey cloudy water, meant that I was on a loser from the off. I fished all around the normal areas but after 2 or 3 hours of nothing I switched my attentions to the gulleys and rockpools with predictable results.

Blennys, blennys and more blennys.

Up close blennys can be quite colourful

Gulp Sandworm and a #8 Shirasu jighead caught blenny...

after blenny...

Roar!

Ritchie too had also succumbed to the temptation and enjoyed teasing the little blighters into attack mode. We messed about for another 1/2 hour before calling it a day and we trudged rather disconsolately back to the car.

The blennys provided some much needed light relief and they seem to be my traditional first fish of the year, although I was really hoping for something silver and spiky. Still its good to be back out and I hope that the next time I hit the mark I can combine a better tide with some better weather and find those bass again.

Tight Lines

Jake

LRF : Bass.

After my last foray for sea bass turned into more of a wrasse hunt, I needed to get back and see if I could find some bass. My time off coincided with a lovely warm day and a rising tide, so rods and tackle were quickly stowed in the car and off I went! On arrival I went with my go to bass lures, Lunker City Slug-Go and Ribster mounted on a 10g #2/0 football jighead, I chopped and changed between them for a couple of hours but there was no interest. I had been seeing lots of very small sandeels about so I decided to reach for my beloved LRF gear and quickly rigged up a little 5g Maria Mucho Lucir metal jig. I began to cast and jig it back in and on the very first cast I saw two schoolies chasing after it before turning away at my feet! Filled with hope I recast and jigged it back towards me where upon it was seized by a small bass which after a thrash about was quickly landed.

This was a better sized fish than my last bass and went just over 38cm on the lure forum ruler.

Small metal trumps soft plastic.

A couple of pics and back the fish went, leaving me to recast and see if I could tempt any of its bigger shoal mates. The change to a smaller lure had certainly paid off and a further couple of small bass were caught and released before the shoal moved off. Things had been quiet for about an hour when I saw two bass literally right below my feet working along the ledge I was standing on. With no cast required I just dropped the lure down a rod length out and gave a couple of jigs. I watched the jig flutter down and saw a silver flash as a bass grabbed the lure hooking itself in the process! The rod hooped over as the fiesty little bass tried to make a run for it but it was quickly and rather unceremoniously hoisted up to my waiting hands. It was again a small bass only about 35cm but fun none the less on the light gear! With the fish quickly released I carried on casting the jig about but the only action I received was foul hooking a load of sandeels! There must have been a big thick shoal about 30m out and when ever the lure came into that area it came back with a sandeel attached!

After an hour or so of no bass I decided to rig up a dropshot rig to see if the corkwing wrasse were about. A #8 hook, 8lb leader and a 5g weight were all that was required and I eagerly cast out and began to hop and shake it back towards me. After a couple of casts I started getting little nibbles, I paused and allowed the lure to drop down gently and when the fish pulled the rod tip over I struck. The fish turned out to be a rather angry little blenny who gave me a couple of nips after it was unhooked! I carried on for another half an hour winkling out a couple more blennys but seeing as there were no wrasse about I decided to call it a day and head back.

Blennies, you got to love them or Hutch won't be happy!

Although it was fun to catch some bass and some cheeky blennies, I was a bit disappointed there were not any wrasse about as believe it or not I prefer the fight of a wrasse to a bass! Still it's early in the season so I can only hope for more wrasse to arrive soon.

Tight lines, Schogsky.

No fluke, it's flattie time!

Last weekend I hooked up with Callum Conner at an east coast bass mark. The plan was to fish the rising tide in hope of bass. After a few hours of nothing though we decided to turn our attention to the blennys in order to avoid the blank! Oh well can't win them all!

Blennys provided a plan B when there were no bass around.

A couple of days later I had a job delivering some antiques to Berwick so with Scott along helping me do the job we decided to drop in at St Abbs on the way back to Edinburgh. Scott as always was organised as he had quickly rigged up a 7g IMA Gun and scampered off to fish, leaving me flailing in the back of the van with bags of tackle! I grabbed about 20 kilos of gear and lumbered off after him and after unloading said bags I went with the same 7g IMA Gun. The plan was to use our LRF gear in the hope of finding the big coalies which have started coming into the shore areas again. I jigged the small metal lure about for five minutes or so before I decided to set up a dropshot rig. The rig is my standard, #8 offset worm hook tied via a palomar knot halfway down a four foot fluorocarbon leader and roughly 18 inches below that a 7g dropshot weight is clipped on. I rigged a tail section of natural gulp sandworm and began to cast about retrieving the lure by hopping it along the bottom with lots of little twitches. As I searched around with my dropshot rig Scott was cycling through various lures with still no sign of coalies.

After about twenty minutes a big grey seal rose up where we were fishing, this may well have explained the absence of coalies! Time was running out again and we were preparing ourselves for blanking when I saw a dark shape following my lure before bolting off when it saw us. The fish was either a pollock or a coalfish and gave us that bit of hope that we may  avoid the blank yet! Scott had found a miniature coalie which was attacking his isome/jighead rig but it was probably too small to take the lure properly. It was at this point our mate Ritchie Bewsey gave us a call and wondered if we wanted to try a new mark that had been throwing up some jumbo coalies. I couldn't make it but Scott could so it was hastily arranged that Ritchie would come down to St Abbs and pick him up.

After this was done I only had time for a couple more casts before I had to leave to get back to Edinburgh. I made a long cast then began the slow shaky retrieve. The lure had traveled about twenty feet when I felt a soft plucking at the lure, I lowered the rod tip a bit, pluck, pluck and strike and fish on! It stayed deep and started racing towards me putting a good bend in the rod as I tried to raise it from the sea bed. I knew it was a flattie and this was soon confirmed when it rose up through the water and we caught sight of our first flounder this year. A nice size fish indeed which needed Scott to climb down the ladder, grab the fish, then climb back one handed while holding the flounder!

1lb 4oz and first flounder this year, hence the cheesy grin!

Cracking fish from a cracking spot, I love St Abbs!

It was a fine St Abbs flounder in great condition and after a couple of photos I released it, watching as it sped away back to its sandy lair. Time was up and I had to go, so I said cheerio to Scott and left him to recce the new mark with Ritchie. I really enjoy catching flounders on lures and I have been awaiting their return. It was amazing that there return has been heralded by such a fine fish, hopefully I can catch a few more soon!

Tight lines, Schogsky.

Anglesey : High spirits and LRF ghosts.

On Friday I had a job delivering antiques to North Wales and as always my fishing gear was first into the van! I had permission from the family to stay a couple of nights and so I hastily arranged to meet up with Ross Johnson who would put up with me and hopefully put me onto some fish! I had also hoped to meet up with fellow The Lure Forum member Lee Goddard, but unfortunately  Lee couldn't get any time off so that plan was scuppered before it started. After a six hour drive I unloaded the van and was free to start my time off in Wales. I have fished a bit in Anglesey before and was really looking forward to exploring it again with my lure gear. I met Ross after he had finished work and rather than do a night session we decided it would be much more civilised to have some dinner and chill with a few ciders, so we could be focused and ready for fishing on Saturday. A few turned into lots and I awoke feeling rather wretched, however after trip to the cafe to grab breakfast I felt human enough to head to my first port of call, Lyn Y Gors fishery. The plan would be to have a fish there for three or four hours then head north to the coast to hit a mini species mark at high tide.

I went into the excellent tackle shop and checked it would be OK to dropshot for perch, they were fine with this and suggested I try the pleasure lake and the reed lake. I managed to escape without entirely emptying my wallet, merely  buying some new sunglasses, and headed to the pleasure lake first. I have fished the lakes a fair bit in the past using various coarse tactics and indeed I hold the venue record for crucian carp (2lb 12oz, from the reed lake), however I have never lure fished there. I would be using my standard LRF gear 7'10" Graphiteleader Corto EX rod, Shimano Technium 3000SFC reel, 6lb Sunline Super PE. I tied a dropshot rig comprising of a four foot length of 8lb flurocarbon leader, two foot down I attached a #12 Decoy offset worm hook, with the barbs crushed, via a palomar knot and 5g dropshot weight which could be positioned from 1inch to two feet away from the hook.

Conditions were ideal for me but not ideal for perch being bright and sunny with not a drop of wind. I rigged up a two inch tail section of Gulp! Sandworm in natural colour and began to cast about the lake but it wasn't until I had reached some overhanging trees hat I had some interest. As the lure came past the tree there was a couple of bites but I couldn't connect with the culprit. Then as I was surveying the tree I noticed several large white shapes milling about under the branches, ghost carp! I cast again and brought the lure past where they were, hopping the lure across the bottom and pausing in front of them. I shook the rod tip with a little slack line which allows the worm to jerk and wriggle before lowering the rod tip and letting the lure float down to the bottom. Sure enough a couple of the carp came over to investigate and one picked up the lure, I struck and pulled it out of its mouth! This spooked them and the shoal disappeared, but it was very interesting that they were trying to take the lure.

I carried on making my way around the lake, exploring around trees and overhangs with the lure. I got halfway round the lake when I noticed a large ghost carp, with his head down and tail up grubbing about right by my feet. With shaking hands I dropped the rig right in front of him, straight away he came over to investigate and just sucked the lure into his mouth! A flick of the wrist set the hook and the fish powered off towards the floating islands making the reel sing and the rod arch over in a powerful curve. He felt heavy but the rod was quickly sapping his strength, he turned and started coming back towards me, trying to get into the tree roots beside me. A bit of side strain turned him and soon he was swimming in ever decreasing circles and before long he was at my feet. I didn't have my net with me so I gently cradled the fishes belly and lifted him out before laying him on some nice soft,damp reeds to unhook. It was a real chunk of a fish and I estimated it to be  between seven and eight pounds and probably the heaviest fish landed on my Corto Ex to date. I quickly unhooked it and grabbed a few photos before slipping him back, getting a face full of water from his tail as he powered off.

What a result! A fine ghost carp on the lure.

Even carp can't resist Gulp! Sandworm.

I estimated it at between 7 and 8lbs, as you can see he's a real chunk!

Love it, probably my biggest Ghost carp to date and on a lure too!

I felt elated. I had thought there was an outside chance of a carp but really I thought the possibility of them being interested in lures was tiny, hence no mat or net! I was also pretty impressed with the control I had over the fish with my ultra light rod. Once it goes into a good curve , it really drains the fish without yanking its mouth off and the rod soaks up the runs so it doesn't take that much line even off a fairly lightly set drag. I started to work my way back towards the reed lake as I wanted a crack at the perch in there but soon again I ran into another shoal of carp grubbing about in the margins. I made a couple of casts  and they came over to investigate the lure but they were just nudging the line before turning away unimpressed. I then decided to ditch the weight and just cast the weightless tail of gulp, this worked a charm and as I watched the lure slowly sink through the water then I saw a carp rise up and engulf it! I struck and quickly turned it to run away from the shoal before playing it in the open water. After a nice tussle he was soon landed, another nice ghostie about a couple of pounds.

I managed to grab a couple of shots of the second carp as he made his way to my hand.

Another carp falls to my lure, this time a ghost mirror around the 2lb mark.

I slipped him back and had chance to repeat the same process catching another chunky ghost of about 5lbs before I headed over to Reed Lake. I really only had about 10 minutes on there before I had to leave as it was approaching high tide so I headed back to tell the staff about my exploits before heading north to the coast.

My third carp of the session put a great bend in my LRF rod.

I unhooked this guy without landing him, and put him at about the 5lb mark.

Reed lake was so calm it was like casting into the sky.

After a short drive and a lot of climbing about I reached the mark. The plan here would be to try and target a tompot blenny as well as try and pick up some early wrasse. I stuck with the same dropshot rig I had been using at the fishery and soon enough I had landed a common blenny, then another ,then another! In total I had fifteen common blennys and not one tompot between them, Doh! I wasn't too disappointed though as a nice little ballan wrasse and a few corkwings also made an appearance and after a winter of not seeing any wrasse it was great to catch some again! Pretty soon the tide began to drop and the light began to fade signalling the end of the action, so I packed up and made my way back to the van.

Hooray! My first Ballan of 2013 and probably my smallest ever.

The first corkwing of 2013, a brightly coloured male and quite a chunk too!

I have really missed wrasse over the winter, so it was great to catch them again.

The last fish of my Anglesey adventure, a nice female corkwing wrasse.

I drove back to meet Ross, who had just started to recover from the previous nights' exploits and we headed to grab a take away. We scoffed the food then grabbed our beachcasters and set off to the north west coast to try for conger and bull huss. Night fishing is always very atmospheric and was even more so for me as we climbed around on the rocks in the dark. We weaved our way over dark deep gullies and down slippy glass like weed covered rocks to the mark. We were fishing fairly at close range targeting the rock ledges and gullies with mackerel baits. Ross was first in with a nice huss which he allowed to self release at his feet. I had a couple of dropped runs but Ross's fish was to be the only one we saw before we had to call it a night and head back.

What a day! I was really chuffed I had manged to pack so much fishing into such a short space of time and I was still buzzing about the carp all the way back to Edinburgh! All in all it was another great trip to Anglesey and made much more fun because of Ross' great hospitality. I now owe Ross a fishing trip up here so when he gets a chance I really want to show him our north west coast, who knows what we can turn up there!

Tight lines, Schogsky.

NB : Whilst I am experienced in catching and handling carp I would never advocate fishing for them without a landing net or a unhooking mat.