Going through the motions

It was a beautiful sunny day here today and it would have been a crime not to go fishing really, so I headed up to the North Peninsula.

I arrived just bang on high water and decided on a spot that is pretty consistent and initially started fishing soft plastics OTD. I had one Pollock but it was becoming clear the fish were being very finicky indeed.

I had really hoped to catch some Wrasse but they really didn't seem to want to play ball at all today and after persevering for a while I started to fish metals.

It really seems as though metals have out-fished other lures for me this year, ever since my masterclass in Jigs with Angelo back in Madeira.

I sadly lost my Jazz Vibe bait early on so used the Hart RSF Mebaru Blade for a while, it has been a pretty good lure for me this year, the only complaint I have is the hooks tend to get caught up on the tail a lot especially when it gets hit by a fish. I did catch some Mackerel and Pollock on it before changing to jigs though.

The amount of times the lure got hit but no hookups became frustrating though and I therefore changed to a HTO shore jig rigged with my own assists, the Pollock certainly liked that and I had a fair few.

Thing was I really started to feel a bit bored, it was all a bit "samey samey" so I decided on a move to a gully which usually hold some Wrasse action. I don't know what the deal was today but the Wrasse just didn't want to know, I tried my best Wrasse lures and aside from the very occasional tail pull I could get no committals, just more Pollock.

In the end I just thought "to hell with it" and decided just to focus on the fish that wanted to play. I moved again to a new spot for me, good deep water on the edge of a slight rip.

Again the fish preferring jigs to softs I bagged up on Mackerel and Pollock.

Although the fishing was fun at times, I did feel as though I was just going through the motions a lot too and was kinda glad to go home. I think I need some new challenges in my fishing and also feel I need to fish for Bass a bit more next year, hopefully I will get my transport situation sorted so I can also mix things up a bit species wise. I don't do too badly and I am fortunate to live by the coast, but things have just seemed too repetitive lately.

Anyways something to think on for me.

Tight lines

Sweet vibrations

I popped down to Porthmadog harbour this evening while my Daughter was at Ballet, dang its cold today!

Inappropriately dressed I did not last long at all, I was chilled to the bone and spent more time vaping than I did fishing I think. I did however manage a small Sewin (Sea Trout) before heading off and in my book, any fish that leaps out of the water in a bid to shake the hook is a good fish!

This little Jazz vibe is one cracking little lure, I need more I think!

Tight lines

Light Game Hirame shiz

I haven't fished local marks much this year mainly because I have found an aversion to wading and indeed as I sit here writing this I still have a slightly moist crotch, what is it with waders and not lasting a season?

Well as you may have now guessed I have been on my local beach, which was characteristically slow to start. I had been fishing soft plastic lures in the hope of a Turbot which incidentally do not seem to be as prevalent these days, things were not really happening though. I switched through some lures before putting on my Jazz vibe bait.

My friend Yoji Sato actually uses these to good effect when fish are feeding on crabs among structure, I wondered what I could turn over the sand. Well there wasn't a massive surprise when I started catching Weever ten to the dozen.

I carried on catching these nasty little blighters before moving north and finding a nice rip in the sea.

Using short twitches and lifts before hitting the bed, I got a take. At first I thought "another bloody Weever" before the fish tore off taking some line on the way! Well to my surprise I had a Flounder on and soon banked! 

Its the first time I have caught a Flounder on a metal so I was pleased to say the least and maybe there is some milage for this type of bait when fish are feeding on small crab, after all that is what Flounder tend to like! Then again maybe I should not have been quite so surprised at this capture, for the Japanese use vibes for their Hirame fishing a lot, just not a connection I had made before today.

Food for thought and another piece in the puzzle surrounding fish behaviour maybe?!

Shortly after this surprise capture the Mackerel turned up and I had some fun with those for a short time before heading home. A nice relaxed wee session anyhow.

Tight lines