Holiday Sea fishing!!

[scrogger]

Ok I have only ever fished freshwater coarse fishing. I have a few telescopic rods etc nothing expensive or flash so here is my question.

How easy is it to to fish of a beach or a craggy rocky promentary?

Im thinking Mackeral id love to be able to catch one and then prep it and cook it at the beack on an open fire would be good to get the kids involved.

So what do I need? Or would I be wasting my time with the gear I have got?

cheers

Andy

 

[Grooveski]

If there's mackeral around they won't care what rod you're using.

Half the trick is finding the right weight for your rod. I only have one, a 6' boat affair that's about 30lb. It likes a 3oz weight which is a big lump of lead but with any less there's no whip and casting is less relaxed.

Mackies like moving water(apparently) so headlands are good as they sometimes get you within casting distance of the sandbank drop-offs where the tide flows stronger than in bays.

Don't cast feathers into seaweed. Half a dozen snags at the same time is a pain.
....and if you are using a big weight watch it doesn't get caught between rocks.

 

[Prawnster]

2 or 3oz weights will be fine for the relatively light coarse tackle you've got. It's difficult to catch fish from a beach in daylight unless you're looking for bass (which is a whole different story) or you can cast 80 yards plus. The fish come in closer at night.

Deep water off the rocks is your best bet. Again, better at night but you'll still catch in the day. Mackerel are either there or they're not. You'll know if they are there because you'll be catching them by the bucket load. They'll go for anything shiny and moving. If you can go for a walk and read the signs, look for bird activity. The gulls and gannets will be hoping to pick off the small fry/baitfish that the mackerel are harassing.

If there are no mackerel about, target Pollack. Delicious and can get to a good size. They are a predator fish that lurk at the bottom and strike from underneath. Jelly worm lures, dexter wedges, spinners, shads etc all work well for pollack. A strip of fresh mackerel also does the trick. The trick is to get the bait/lure down deep and work it back up slowly, jerking it about a bit.

Your gear is fine for this kind of thing. When you want to specifically target the likes of cod, bass, conger, rays or huss then you'll need more specialist tackle.

Cheers
Sean

 

[DavidJT]

I'll second Groovski's and Prawnster's comments.
In addition, for beach casting (from gently sloping sandy beaches) you would need quite specialist big rods and gear to cast long distance.
With your gear I'd stick to spinning from the rocks. Make sure the lure is waited for your rod. For type of lure, I'd personally recommend something like a "Toby" style or "Toby Flash". Could also try "Viking Herring" style, or a wobbler like a "Tormentor Coast".
Depending on tide, best time of day would be early and late in the day for this kind of fishing. Depending on location and time of year, if lucky you could be landing a Sea Bass, Sea Trout, Garfish, or Mackerel or two.
One of the most important things in my view, and worth spending extra money on, is your line. A cheap line will have lots of "memory" i.e. will form loops / spirals when off the reel. This can result in you getting lots of tangles, especially if it's windy. A braided line, will result in fewer tangles and hence less frustration! Also they have almost no stretch in them, so you can feel exactly what's happening at the other end. Cheap lures will catch plenty of fish, but a cheap line can be a pain in the a***.
Have a look at Woodsmoke's excellent Bushcraft fishing thread, and hopefully future installments!
Hope you enjoy the fishing!

 

[scrogger]

Cheers guys ...:You_Rock_

Ill pop into town today to get tome better line and put it onto the reel this afternoon, will also buy a few lures. Even if I dont catch anything will still be fun to try.

Ill take a few pics if I catch something.

lol the preparing it will be fun although Swmbo is a tained chef/cook its a few years since she has done it.

Andy

 

[Intertidal]

Plenty good advice already.
Spinning for mackerel is a good idea and probably best off a headland in a good tide. If its rocky with gullies, try spinning deeper down for pollack (use a jellyworm) or perhaps try float fishing with a natural bait like prawn, fish strip, or worms (lug or rag) for wrasse & pollack.
Don't be afraid to move around, try different areas, gullies. If its not productive in 20 mins, move on. Try different depths too.
Sorry, I can't give specific advice, but these are generic skills you can employ at any rocky site.

If I'm off for a days rock fishing here in Cornwall, I usually take 3 rods (but perhaps only use one) - a 12ft beachcaster and multiplier which is useful for thumping a big bait out a long way and also (with 60lb shockleader) useful for 'winching' fish up a cliff. Then I also have a bass rod an 11ft lightweight beachcaster and multiplier which can be used for float fishing, ledgering and even spinning with a heavy lure. If I had to take only one rod, that would be it. Finally there is my 9ft spinning rod and fixed spool reel - for spinning and light ledgering.
Take plenty tackle and be prepared to lose some if fishing a rocky area.
Have fun.

Intertidal

 

[Bushwhacker]

I've never read such piffle before.

Intertidal is the only person who's written something that makes sense, go with his advice.

A 2-3 oz lead with coarse tackle will resuly in snapped lines, rods and, worse still, an unsuspecting bystander with a lump of lead embedded in their head.

Casting from a beach with a 6' boat rod and 3 oz lead is not going to work either. You should match your gear to your quarry and to the conditions you're fishing in. A boat rod is called a boat rod because that is what it was designed for. Beachcasters are for casting from a beach (does what it says on the tin).

 

[Grooveski]

Got anything constructive to add?

Funnily enough the reason I only have a 6' boat rod is that 90% of the time I fish from a boat.
On the odd occasion that I end up somewhere too choppy to put out in the canoe I've popped on a big weight, lobbed it out off the rocks and(wonders never cease) have caught fish.
Unsuspecting bystanders are thin on the ground in the middle of nowhere.
...and the only line I ever had to cut I recovered at low tide. Thanks for your concern though.

 

[Prawnster]

I've never read such piffle before.

Intertidal is the only person who's written something that makes sense, go with his advice.

A 2-3 oz lead with coarse tackle will resuly in snapped lines, rods and, worse still, an unsuspecting bystander with a lump of lead embedded in their head.

Casting from a beach with a 6' boat rod and 3 oz lead is not going to work either. You should match your gear to your quarry and to the conditions you're fishing in. A boat rod is called a boat rod because that is what it was designed for. Beachcasters are for casting from a beach (does what it says on the tin).

Instead of being so obnoxious and accusing people of writing piffle why not ask why they wrote it?

2-3oz leads are just fine for fishing off the rocks at close range because you don't need to lump it as far as you can. A gentle lob will get the bait where you want it.

As for boat rods only being for boats, why do you say that? A rod is a rod. You attach reel and line and you fish. My nephew has caught cod from a dock wall with a ten foot boat rod. We picked that rod because it was the best one for his size that would cast 6oz leads and also because the tackle dealer recommended it.

Fishing doesn't have to be rocket science. Far better to concentrate on watercraft, understanding how weather conditions and tide affect the fishing and adapting your tactics to the likely species available than to worry about if you have the specific rod to catch a specific fish. You can put people off fishing with that approach.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Back to the original question.

How flimsy are the coarse rods you have? Beach and rock fishing calls for something a bit beefier.



Rock fishing:
*Always check the tides and wear appropriate footwear, plenty of people die each year by getting cut off from the land by the tide or by slipping into the water on seaweed covered rock.
I certainly wouldn't recommend a beginner to rock fish at night.

A 2lb+ test curve carp rod would be fine, as would a heavy spinning rod.

I'm sure you're conversant with how to set up rigs and I'd aim to use a sliding float and fish a strip of mackerel on a long shanked, forged hook between the sizes of 4 - 1/0.
Set the distance between hook and float stopper to about 6ft to begin with (this may need adjusting dependant on the depth where the fish are. If you haven't caught anything after an hour, try adjusting it higher or lower, this will also depend on the height of the tide).
Use a fairly long hook trace too, this will give a more natural bait presentation. This method will not only cater for mackerel, but will cover a wide variety of species - Bass, Pollack, Wrasse (throw the Wrasse back mid you - terrible eating!)

Spinning and feathering can also be done from the rocks. When feathering, this is where you need to fling out a decent distance. Sometimes with an insufficiient rod, the mackerel can be tantalisingly out of reach. This when you wish you had a beachcaster.

You could also try a crab line or prawn net.



Beach fishing:
*Always use shockleader. For a 4oz weight I'd say use a 50lb test strain nylon two and a half times the length of the rod. This prevents 'crack-offs' whereby the line snaps under the strain of casting and could potentially fatally injure someone. Much to my annoyance I see people fishing on crowded beaches and not adopting this approach.

Several methods can be adopted but, if you're after mackies, feathering is the best way to go.
As said previously a 2lb+ TC carp rod 11ft+ (or better still a beachcaster 12ft+) capable of casting a 3 - 4ox weight is ideal.
A string of feathers, no need to be greedy here no more than 6 on a string.
Punch them out to the horizon. When the feathers hit the water, close the bail arm on the reel and count how many seconds it takes for the weight to hit bottom. Keep the line tight and the rod tip will spring back when this happens.
Start your retrieve by tightening up and swinging the rod in a big arc to your side (keeping the rod between your legs helps) and reeling in the slack quickly, whilst bring the rod tip back round to face the sea again. Repeat.

If your having no success, and this is where counting the feathers down to the bottom helps, try varying the times it takes to sink. If it takes 20 seconds to sink to the bottom, let it fall for 10 seconds. Try varying depths and speeds of retrieve until you find the fish.
This can be neccessary when fish are thin on the ground. If it's a feeding frenzy, just slap the feathers over the top of them and pull 'em through.

Upon catching the mackerel.
Unfortunately, every year I see numpty grockles pulling out dozens and dozens of fish. Why do they need that many? Twenty is enough for anyone and remember that you have to gut them all.
I also see these people rip the fish from the hooks and chuck them down in a pile on the beach in the baking sun. Mackerel are a pelagic species (same as tuna) and spoil very quickly. The act of chucking them on the beach to die also creates stress for the fish and when they go into shock, they produce toxins in the blood which again taints the flesh.

Best method is to remove them from the hook, hold them facing away from you and placing 2 fingers in the top of the mouth and snapping their heads back (the top of the head should touch its back). You point them facing away because sometimes you'll get break the main vein and get a squirt of blood coming out, you don't want that all over your clothes.
Bring an ice box with you and chuck them in there until you've finished fishing. That way you'll have the nicest tasting fish possible.

Hope that's a bit more constructive for you.

 

[scrogger]

Thanks once again guys , like I said this is probably more aimed at having a bit of fun with the chance of catching something thrown in. I only would want to catch 2 or 3 fish as this is all we would likely munch cooked over an open fire on the beach.

I really only need the basics but undersatand there is much more to it Bushwacker, my rods are the sort of Telescopic rod you might find in Lidl or Aldi so not fab quality. But my reel is a Mitchell quite and old on but well cared for . its currently loaded with 15lb line that was put on about 4 weeks ago.

I have a selection of hooks , floats, ledger weights. but nothing particularly aimed at sea fishing. I just want to spend a couple of hours with my Son give him the basics and to be safe and enjoy it. Catching something for tea is a bonus!!

Thanks once again guys .

Andy

 

[Bushwhacker]

I'd say try a bit of float fishing off a pier using the method as described. It's a lot safer, especially if you're taking your son, and the very nature of the pier means that you don't need to cast far.
As for end tackle, you only need a sliding cigar float, swivle, rubber band as a float stop, ball weight and hook. A tackle shop will sell the complete kit for a couple of quid.
When buying bait don't use the frozen rubbish in tackle shops, get a fresh mackerel from the fishmonger.

 

[Prawnster]

Good advice from Bushwhacker if a bit technical.

I get a lot of success with bubble floats. You half fill it with water so it will cast out and you just clip a length of line with a hook on. Prawn, worm, mackerel strip, they'll catch a number of different species. Quick and easy.

Have fun Scrogger, you'll learn more by having a go and asking advice at a tackle shop. It isn't as difficult as some would have you believe.

 

[stuart f]

Ok I have only ever fished freshwater coarse fishing. I have a few telescopic rods etc nothing expensive or flash so here is my question.

How easy is it to to fish of a beach or a craggy rocky promentary?

Im thinking Mackeral id love to be able to catch one and then prep it and cook it at the beack on an open fire would be good to get the kids involved.

So what do I need? Or would I be wasting my time with the gear I have got?

cheers

Andy

Hi Andy,all of the above is good advice but i think that with your set up its still fairly easy to catch fish,i notice no one mentions flatties ie Dabs,Flounder.I think your best bet would be to fish a beach,with the rods you have.I have fished using only a small spinning rod and got on fine catching Dabs etc. Now heres the point yes i agree with the shock leader and all that for safety but in my experience you don't need heavy tackle if your just casting into the surf line where the flatties are. My set up like i say is just a spinning rod,the main point i would say is you rig set up,i have tried multiple hook rigs but being tossed about in the surf you get tangles,so what i would suggest is the simple ledger rig set up i use.
http://www.fishnorthdevon.com/images/fishing/ledger_no_1_rig.jpg

I use the above rig with a long shank hook like an Aberdeen No1 which aids unhooking the fish,as the flatties tend to suck in your bait in rather than biting,so they tend to get hooked deeper,thats where a long shank pays off. The bait i use is either Ragworm or Lugworm,which most tackle dealers at the seaside sell.The way i use the bait is to cut the worm into short segments and hook through the middle of the segment so that the two cut ends of the bait are horizontal to your line,this allows more worm juices to leach out giving a greater scent trail for the flatties to hone in on.

The secret is to let the bait have movement,the fish prefer the bait moving rather than hard on the bottom,thus eliminating the use of great big weights.When casting aim to get you bait out behind the third or forth breaker wave,i must emphasize you dont need to cast to the horizon,the fish are there in the surf line hunting for any food the tide washes out.

Stick with simple methods and you'll still catch fish.

And please note i also use beach casters,shock leaders etal for big seas winter fishing, but for summer fishing i have had more than my fair share of fish using the above method,and i haven't killed anyone with rogue sinkers .

Anyway i hope this helps.
Any more questions just give me a shout.
Cheers Stuart.

Ps Dabs taste lovely

 

[Peterlee_Paddler]

Without me wading through the above replies, one thing I might suggest is to ask the local fishermen on the day what is catching and what baits/methods are they using?
As good a fisherman as I was years ago, local knowledge counts for much. They have built it up over many seasons and will save you time 'wasted' as a non-local.
It used to work for me

Cheers.

 

[Prawnster]

Yes the locals can put you right on the fish. Saves a lot of wasted time and effort.

Another thing, if you are feathering for mackerel and you get a few hooked, don't try and winch them up with your rod. Mackerel are powerful fish and will be thrashing everywhere, get them in close, put your rod down and handball the line in. I've seen rods heavier than yours snap under the strain of trying to lift a full house of macky up on to the rocks.

 

[scrogger]

Cheers guys IF I catch anything I will post the pics. I'll not hold my breath though.

 

[butephoto]

Get some mackerel feathers (cut it in two if it's around 6 or 7) or a set of hokkais or similar rig and attach a spinner or dexter wedge to the end instead of a weight. That gives you an extra attraction and mackerel on the end if you hit the shoal. Best off rocks or pier into deep water. Use a jigging motion - lift up with the rod without winding then lower the rod whilst winding to take up the line you've just pulled. Repeat. This makes the feathers/hokkais jerk in the water.