Nathan hits a five and a half pound pollack on the Savage Sandeel Real Pearl
Iain picked up 4 pollack between 2 - 3lb on the Savage Sandeel Green Glow
Marge & Hilda can't resist the sandeels!
Green Glow has caught more fish this week - with a few over 5lb
This pollack was still swallowing a live sandeel when it came to the savage!
Another nice specimen pollack on the savage lure
All 9 pollack caught in the session were returned unharmed.
Another opportunity presented itself to pop out on the RIB and Nathan was keen to re-visit an inshore mark that had produced a BIG hook up the day before, but the beast would not be tamed to the surface.
Things started a little slow, but there was mackerel in the area, so we got the catching started with some feathers.
We then passed over a few drifts to get a good feel for the ground below and Nathan picked up on some ground that looked ideal for Bass.
Very quickly we hit the first fish – not a great scrap, but good fun never the less, using a Super Mix 240 matched with a Shimano Rarenium 4000. The first pollack came in at just over 3lb.
We worked the same spot several times, hitting a pollack just over 6lb that scrapped exceptionally well, taking a nice length of line before coming to the surface.
The Savage Sandeels were taking all the fish, with the bigger pollack favouring the green glow 42g
In total, the 4 hour session produced 4 pollack between 3 – 4lb – 3 pollack between 5 – 8lb 1 coal fish ; 1 whiting and over a dozen mackerel.
There was absolutely no sign of bass over any of the reefs and even hugging the shore line on our way back proved fruitless.
After reviewing the ground, there is every chance we will hit some good bass on this mark, but it wasn’t to be today!
I meet up with Austen Goldsmith and spent the afternoon with him mixing, it up with the Fly , Hard and Soft plastics. We managed to find plenty of pollock falling to the Fly and Soft Plastic, but was a real shock for me to actually get my first ever cod and on a SP (Savage Sand eel) medium size. i had two cod in quick succession ,with the biggest being 6 lb.
We had Roger Mortimore from Total Sea Fishing down for the weekend to come and play on the RHIB’s, and boy did we have some fun.Here are a few photos from the weekend.
It was always going to be a bit of a suck it and see day.
Forecast for Sunday was SE gusting to 22mph . Couldn’t resist though. I launched the RHIB from Challoborough Beach and out to the Eddystone Reef. 35 Minutes later we were on the reef but having to fight a big swell and and strong gusts . Combined with the turn of the tide we were drifting very fast.
A few drifts and nothing showing to the north end of the reef we headed out to south of the reef for one long drift back.
I was using a SP shad I purchased recently from France from AMS Tackle and one of their 40g jigheads. Over the side , hit the bottom, three turns of the reel handle and a very gentle lift and BANG!!!!!.
The only fish from the reef. Plenty of mackerel on the way back in to ensure a BBQ fish supper and the day was done. We did have a follow from a bass when John hooked into a joey mackerel , but John simply ran out of water!! Bummer, still good to see the flash of silver.
Oh you beauty!!
And she went back safely.
Sorry for the delay in posting this one. My laptop died on me and I have now only just got back, up and running.
According to the Met Office inshore waters forecast, last Sunday should have produced North Westerly winds of 16mph gusting to 22mph, 13 degrees C , and cloudy. Given the tides ths sounded like it would be a bumpy ride so I canceled the arranged RHIB outsing with everyone on Saturday evening.
I awoke Sunday 0700hrs morning to clear skies, flat calm sea and not a breath of wind. I checked every hour and decided by 10oohrs to Launch the RHIB. A few phone calls and Toby from the Lure Forum was a yes. John my neighbour at the campsite was another and we were all set to go. Launched the RHIB from the beach a 1200hrs.
Decided the sun was to bright for any real chance of bass so we went in search of pollock .
The first brace of pollock fall to me !
The bottom fish was taken on a white xslayer with 5g jig head. The top fish on a teaser supplied by my good mate and colleague Mat Arnold. Thanks Mat.
Next was John who was a non believer when it came to lures. I am pleased to say John is now an official lure convert and has already about to ditch his broom stick of a boat rod in favour of a light lure/jigging rod, braid and plastic. Good on ya mate. It is always nice to feel the fish you hook!
John, the lure convert.
Next up was Toby. I kinda lost count of the pollock Toby pulled out in about a 20 minute stretch. I did not have time to get my lure wet in between photographs and unhooking fish. Nothing huge but fast and furious.
Lots of fish for Toby.
We could probably have carried on all day with a similar catch rate at this mark so decided to head west to an inshore rock mark in hope of teasing out a bass.
Toby fires a hard plastic into a gulley. But no luck today.
Toby in search of a bass.
More Fish and more fish.
What a sight.
and more…….
Happy John
and more……
Two for the price of one.
and more…..
Happy skipper.
and so it went on.
And then the perfect end to the day, DOLPHINS. Two pods of 6-8 in each pod. We couldn’t get too close as we think there were young in the pod and did not want to spook them. BUT WHAT A SIGHT.
Simply awesome!!!!!
A great day on the water. A big thank you to John and Toby for a safe launch and retrieve.
Will be back soon with reports of bigger fish!!!
