Home | Blogs and Opinion | Mike's Diary Archive 2005 | Specialist tackle and stingray tactics

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Specialist tackle and stingray tactics

Mike Thrussell 15 September, 2005 04:30:00

I recently got a lesson on lures by a mate who's a keen salmon fisherman. He doesn't sea fish much, but when we get together he loves a crack on the pollack and bass.

I tried a variety of chrome spinners and kept switching patterns, but was just getting the odd school bass. He was hitting schoolies each and every cast. Nothing to do with where he fishing either, we were only a few yards apart. The difference was obviously his lure. He was fishing his favourite salmon Flying Condom type lure and the bass just loved it!

It was obvious what was happening. Not only was the revolving spoon reflecting light, but it had the vibration too, as well as the colour of the tubing over the body to draw those fish in. Not being too shy I was quick to beg a C off him and started bagging up myself, just to prove the point.

flyingc.jpg
Flying C Lures
I've tried the Flying C before and done well with them in differing circumstances off the boats for reef bass and pollack, but the ones I seem able to find tend to be made too light for the long range shore situations my fishing requires. Half ounce ones on the light 6lb gear we were using you could get out maybe 40-yards or so, but for deep water pollack and long range bass I need 2oz C's. Consequently I'd never really exploited them to their full potential. I'd say the same to some degree about another fish killer the Mepps spoons. Great spinners but too light for most sea situations.

That changed when I made up some C's with longer bodies to take more lead and improve their casting range. These heavier lures have proved reliable takers of pollack from the rock ledges, as well as finding some better quality bass casting in to a patch of rough ground the tide floods over as it enters an estuary. The C's have also accounted for coalies, mackerel and scad off the rock ledges.

I now always carry a few Flying C's in my lure box. Without a doubt, a revolving spoon lure is one of the most reliable fish takers we have. Get a few in stock yourself or you'll be missing out!

TIPS AND TRICKS
Maggots are good late August and September bait for mullet. Weed left high and dry on the high tide line sees flies lay their eggs in it as it rots down. As the tide comes in, especially during the rising spring tides, once the maggots have hatched many get washed back in to the water creating natural groundbait.

The maggots can be collected by hand easily enough and produce fish very close on light float tackle or bubble floats, though shop bought maggots are just as good.

CAST CLOSE ESTUARY TACTICS

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Casting in an estuary mouth
Fish are often closer than the average angler casts during late summer, especially in estuaries. Most of the food that gets displaced is washed towards the shoreline, but fish like bass and flounders deliberately choose to run within a few yards of the shore where the tide is less and they need to expend minimal energy to feed. A cast of just a few yards is enough to take big fish.

Warm water can also be a factor. Flounder and turbot love to edge along the advancing tide line just after the sun has gone down. The suns rays will have warmed the sand and as the sea works over the sand and gravel it in turn adds a little warmth to the water. You also see that sand fleas are jumping right at the edge of the tide line and some get washed in to be eaten by the fish.

On estuary banks that are covered with weed and boulders, you still see anglers casting out in to the open channels. The way to continue catching fish is to take off the lead and freeline crab baits right underneath the rod tip in to the bank side weed. This will be full of crabs, small eels and butterfish that the bass feed on and this is the patrol route the bass will work.

Something else to try is to get on the end of a breakwater, just as the tide is starting to flood in. Fish a sandeel with a couple of light shot positioned about 18-inches up from the bait back in to the tide allowing line to spill from the reel. Keep just enough tension on the line to maintain some contact with it. The sandeel tumbles in the tide and looks exactly what it, a dead fish being washed down tide. Bass, sat in the tide just a few yards from the breakwater, hit it as soon as they see it, but the first you're of is when the bass is swimming off with the bait and line comes tight. A strip of mackerel cut thin from the white belly can work just as well.

Fishing like this is ideal if you've only got the one rod while on holiday, such as a light spinning rod, carp type rod, or just a telescopic if luggage room is limited. A fixed spool reel is best and line need only be 10lbs. Add a few hooks and you're off and fishing and with a good chance of a decent fish.