BAG 'EM ON A BUBBLE
Bubble flats are popular for tackling harbour mullet, garfish, mackerel and bass throughout the summer months, and are a top seller in seaside tackle shops, but there is a right and wrong way to set up a bubble float, and many anglers get it wrong limiting the effectiveness of this versatile float.

On windy days, and when you want to add water to the bubble float for long range casting, slide a size 5mm bead up the main line followed by a small size 6 link swivel by the free eye, then another size 5mm bead and finally tie a size 8 swivel to the end of the main line. Use 14lb Drennan Powergum to form a sliding stop knot above the running link swivel and top bead. This can then be adjusted for added depth easily. Some anglers dispense with the lower bead, but using light main line it can see the bubble float attachment ring pull over the knot and might cause the knot to break, so I use a buffer bead.

At long range, use the highly coloured yellow or orange bubble floats for better visibility. Fill the floats between half and three quarters full to sit them low in the water and give enough casting weight. This minimises wind drag on the float and keeps the bait behaving more naturally.

On days with little or no wind and for fishing pretty much underneath the rod tip this alternative rigging method can be used. Slide a 5mm bead on to the main line, then the bubble float by one of the attachment rings. Add another bead, and tie on a size 6 swivel to take the hook trace. Again use Drennan 14lb Powergum to form a stop knot.

For close range fishing for mullet, and when using sandeel baits for bass, I prefer to use a clear coloured float. Again it can pay to add water to sit the float low in the surface film, especially for mullet, but an empty buoyant float is often better for bass as it gives the sandeel more life when viewed from the bass' perspective.

The hook trace, if mackerel and garfish are the target needs to be 8 lbs. For bass and pollack, go to 10 or 12lbs clear Fluoro carbon. Mullet are weird, sometimes taking baits on hooks tied direct to 8lb plus line. Other days you'll be struggling to get takes on 3lb line. You can use shot on the trace to get the bait down quicker in the water, but it's often more effective to let the bait sink naturally to depth, especially in slack water situations with minimal tide movement.

TIPS AND TRICKS
Certain situations like using Redgill artificial eels over wrecks and reefs, or drift fishing with baits can sometimes require a longer boom than those available in the shops, but you can easily make one.

John Roberts rigid rig tube used by carp fisherman comes in 20-inch lengths with a 1/8th outside diameter. Take a standard Zip Slider boom and drill the hole passing through the centre of the boom out with a 1/8th drill to take the tubing. Shove the tubing in as far as it will go. Make sure you get the hole in line and not at an angle when drilling. This should be a tightish fit, but you can add a little Araldite or superglue to the outside of the tubing that will pass through the hole for added security before pushing the tubing in. These make the perfect boom at this length.

INSHORE REEF HUSS TACTICS

Huss move on to the inshore reef round during late May and June, and tend to be bigger fish than those found on cleaner mixed ground. This applies to both deep water reefs and those in much shallower water with huss happy to swim and feed in depths of just 10-feet.

They are wanderers and will work over most of the reef area during a tide. They tend to be on more open less rugged ground over slack water, but move in to areas of bigger boulders and rock ledges during the full force of the flood looking for feature that will deflect the tide a little and make finding food easier.

This wanderlust indicates that using a big additional scent trail to draw the fish towards the hook baits will be more effective than simply ledgering plain baits out on their own. Groundbait dispensers like the Fatal Attractor are excellent, or even just putting a small sack with mashed up fish bits in down on a line with some lead attached will dramatically increase your chances.

Huss are scavengers as well as predators, so will home in on most baits, but mackerel fillets, whole large sandeel, small whiting or poor cod flappers and squid all work well. What you need to do though is change the baits fairly frequently, especially if there is a good tide pulling through as the baits will wash out quickly.

Unless in deep water and fast tides where a fair amount of lead is needed to stay in contact with the seabed dictating you need 30lb class tackle, then go for sport using a light 2-6oz uptide rod and a reel holding 15lb line. Huss run well in to double figures, and though not blessed with massive power, they will use their weight in the tide to make short runs and hang tight to the bottom.

The best rig is a simple running ledger with sliding Link ledger Bead carrying the weight, stopped by a rubber buffer bead and a size 8 swivel. Make the hook trace about 30-inches long and from 40lb line to combat the small rough teeth of the huss. Good hooks are Mustad Viking Uptide size 6/0 or Varivas Big Mouth's.