An Idiots guide to Pollack Fishing

[Bass-ic Instinct]

It has recently come to the attention of myself and Andy(F1F3R) that there is little information available on the art of shore pollack fishing on WSF forums. Recently Andy and i have been exchanging information on how to target pollack from the shore, and both of us thought it would be beneficial to other forum users for us to post our information. I nor does Andy profess to be an expert on the matter, however both of us are successful at targeting pollack, and believe that this guide would be a useful resource to anglers new to pollack fishing. Look at Andys report from today and i am sure you will agree that our tactics and techniques catch fish!

The first item i will address is the item of Tackle. I would say that a good pollack angler should have a carp/spinning rod, a bass rod and a light beachcaster in his armoury along with 4000-6000 baitrunner reels and a small multiplyer reel.
Here i will reveal what tackle i use for pollack fishing from the rocks. If you are new to pollack fishing than either a carp/spinning rod or a bass rod matched with a 5000 sized baitrunner reel and 12-15lb monofilament line.

1. Shakespeare Odessa Bass 2-4oz, and a Shimano 6000GTE baitrunner loaded with 30lb Berkley Whiplash braid and a 30lb clear shock leader (spare spool of 15lb clear mono).

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270074.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270072.jpg

2. Daiwa Sensor Z 2.5lb t.c. carp rod, Daiwa Regal X 4050 BRT Baitrunner loaded with 20lb Berkley Whiplash braid and 30lb mono shock leader.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270077.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270071.jpg

3. Century Tip Tornado Lite 3-5oz, Penn 525mag or daiwa SL20SH loaded with 18lb clear mon and 50lb clear shock leader.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270078.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270089.jpg


Details on rigs, lures, venues and tactics will follow soon. Aswell as more exciting catch reports to come in the very near future!

Hope you enjoy future installations of 'An Idiots Guid to Pollack Fishing' by Iain (Bass-ic Instinct) and Andy (F1F3R) .

[GasHed]

I'm no expert on pollack fishing myself, but have been doing quite well recently. I'm sure your setup that you list there works great in different situations, but it must sound very daunting for a beginner. I'd be suggesting as a start to stick to a decent spinning rod and fixed spool reel loaded with 20lb mono with a 1oz drilled ball weight on the line, a swivel, about about 3 feet of 30lb mono, a 4/0 hook with a jelly worm on it.

That's as basic as you can get and within the scope of the tackle that most beginners would have availble to them. I agree though that switching to braid is an advantage over rocks and kelp.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

I was going to explain rigs in detail with diagrams later and go over tackle and tactics. The reason for three different set ups becomes very apparent when you target them from a variety of marks. I am currently doing the Photobucket tutorial so i will add more pictures, diagrams and information at my leisure. Trust me though this will be a very intuitive series and great information for anybody new to tackling pollack.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Tomorrow i will add another sections on lures and how best to rig up for pollack. Thanks to Andy for a superb report today and catching the fish.

[John Mason]

Don't forget those incredible Fladen gold tinsel feathers to size 1 gilded hooks!

Lethal on the marks I fish!

Gonna experiment this year with long-casting heavy Dex's like up to 100g (although they are now doing them to 200g +) - when I lived in Scotland I used similar lures off Skye's Neist point with devastating effect. Even had a Ling around 5lb on one occasion!

I reckon you need two approaches - a carp/spinning rod for close-in/float work, with a long Euro rod to blast out lures into more distant tidal rips. The most enjoyable being the close-in work - but the long rods are quite excellent because, having cast miles & hooked fish, you can control them in the final few yards where most of the snags tend to be...

Cheers - John

[gusmcg]

Thanks for that Bass-ic Instinct, great help. Reading that coupled with F1F3R excellent report has been very educational. Now dying to give it a go and know just the place. Thanks.

[F1F3R]

Great work Iain, im sure others newbi's will benefit from your advise on pollack fishing, i wish there was more helpful info like this.
not only for guides for pollack, but for flatties , bass , conger, etc etc ..

i have added some off my basic rig pictures ( which you will find on my site ) so that you can incorporate them into your guide if it helps any. they certainly worked for me lol.

i hope others do similar basic setups for flatties as thats what im after next and have no idea lol.

cheers again.
Andy.

[lobbit]

best bit of all round(all round not specific ) end tackle that targets pollack coalies saithe pouting
is a set of baited feathers ,given the time of year they double as bait catchers comming in
or even get you a pollack on the retrieve
a bit of mackerel on a couple of jellys works also (not a big lump though )
worth a try

[David N]

I was going to explain rigs in detail with diagrams later and go over tackle and tactics. The reason for three different set ups becomes very apparent when you target them from a variety of marks. I am currently doing the Photobucket tutorial so i will add more pictures, diagrams and information at my leisure. Trust me though this will be a very intuitive series and great information for anybody new to tackling pollack.

I'm looking forward to your series. :)
Here is some info on distribution of the Pollack from the Home page of WSF by Mike Thrussell . http://www.worldseafishing.com/news/150/ARTICLE/1226/2006-06-17.html

[Snatcher]

This is the gear I normally use for pollack fishing.A Greys 10 foot spinning rod and fixed spool loaded with 15lb mono.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/IMG_6558.jpg

I do use spinners and jellyworms on odd occasions but find my own tying of a sandeel much more effective.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Snatcherspollacklures-1.jpg

It has taken me a few years of design trials to come up with these deadly lures :)

If anyone wants a couple of freebies to try out giz a shout. I have a big order to knock out next week so its no big deal to tie up a few more.I fish them behind a drilled bullet with a 2/3 foot trace.

[jimmy_big_shoes]

There were some cheap carp / spinning rods in Lidl about two weeks ago - £15 Each. I was tempted to buy a couple just to keep in the car for just this sort of thing. I wish I had now... The missus talked me out of it. I know that cheap gear isnt always the best, but at fifteen quid a pop if it only lasted a year I'd be laughing!

Still, you lives and learns.

PS thanks to Andy for the rig picture, I'm thinking about a wee session tomorrow, might just try it!

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Nice picture snatcher, i recognise that lighthouse very well. I fish Port Logan a lot for pollack, but generally the other side over Port Gill and Dunnyhinguie is better for pollack, coalies and wrasse on the spinning gear. I will add information on lures and rigs soon, i need to get them out from my garage! Had a good day out at Hartleppol today, so be sure to read my catch report on the Northeast Forums for tips on how to catch dabs.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

There are many lures to use, and to be honest most will catch pollack. The golden rule of choosing the correct lure for pollack is to represent the bait fish they will be feeding on. For example an Abu Krill imitates a small sprat well, the Abu Koster or Toby in copper looks likte a small pollack or poor cod, and the Bridun Launce lure imitates a sandeel very effectively. I find silver/chrome/black/blue/copper/orange/pink are the best colours to use, think like a fish! These are the most natural, but also some of the most visible for a fish to see in clear water. Lure action is also important, lures which create the 'right' movement/vibration will attract fish more than ones which appear un-natural.

Here is a selection of a few lures that i have found successful for pollack fishing.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270084.jpg

The red and black lure is a Blue Fox lure, it is made of resin and weighs 18g. Altough light it casts welland is good for shallower venues where heavier lures sink to deep, especially over kelp.
The next lure is a Kenley Cebar, it is a metal lure which weighs 28g. Casts like a bullet and highly reflective with a trmbling action. Takes mainly smaller pollack and coalies, although has been excellent for mackerel and also accounted for a few bass.
The middle lure is an Abu toby red wolf lure. It weighs 28g and these come in many different colours with aholographic side and a plain metal side. My favourite though is either holographic gold or blue as it represents a small sandeel well with its elongated shape.
Next lure is a 40g Grauvell Killer. Basically a copy of the Abu Toby but much cheaper at around £1.99. Good for casting longer and on deeper venues. It has caught me many pollack, mackerel and bass. Has also accounted for a few fish in the 3-5lb bracket, and lost a few larger ones!
Final lure in this picture is a Ron Thompson plug which i forget the name of. It weighs around 18g and dives 3-6ft in depth. It is good for pollack on shallower marks, or over kelp beds. I have had two fish around the 6lb mark on this actual plug and also managed to catch mackerel and bass on it.

A few pictures of two of my personal favourite lures.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270085.jpg

An Abu Toby red wolf 28g in its packaging. Although not stocked by many tackle shops these are available cheaply on eBay. Please excuse the poor quality photo due to bad lighting and a reflective surface.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270087.jpg

Thought i would quickly include jellyworms aswell. I will detail methods for fishing them later but will just give you the low down on them now. They are generally 4'' - 12'' in length and come in a wide variety of shapes and colours. My favourites are the black and pink firetail lures, i took my P.B. 7lb2oz pollack on one of these and have seen even bigger fish taken on them! Cheap and effective, at around 15p each no pollack angler should be without them. Although they should be stored correctly as to avoid them melting with other plastics.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270088.jpg

Hope that helps a few more people. There is more to come at a later date including more information on lures, rigs and how to actually catch pollack!

[peapod]

Pollack fishing, the greatest thrill to be had from the rocks unless you stumble on a naked mermaid sunbathing. Keep it simple and bear in mind that pollack are sight hunters with the emphasis on hunters, if you have any doubts, just take a look at their eyes, that massive iris only has one function and that is to let in as much light as possible to give this terrific predater the edge.
So how simple is simple? One stepped up carp/bass rod, one fixed spool reel loaded with braid a size 4 hook and a few packets of frozen sandeel and a landing net will get you all the fish you can shake a stick at most of the time. For the other times when there is a racing tide or it's necessary to get a bit of distance, I might use a half to an ounce streamlined lead but I must emphasise that 95% of quality catches of pollack caught from the rock marks are taken literally within 1-2 rod lengths!
Simply thread the hook through the frozen eel and bring the point out about 2 thirds down the body and flick it out, let the current take it, paying out line as it goes, every so often put your finger on the lip of the spool, this will move the eel up in the water and you then let it drop again. Cover the water in front of you until you find the fish, pollack will attack from cover and with speed. When you locate them, you should be able to pull a few out but don't over do it, much better to find another group and then alternate the areas.
Another very prolific pollack angler and I had a competition to see which was the best method, freelined sandeel or the more conventional cast and retrieve with a christmas tree assortment of metal and rubber. The adventure was featured over 4 pages in one of the national mags and showed that the freelined method outscored the cast and retrieve by as much as 3-1. That day we caught and released an estimated 120lb of pollack averaging 4lb with more than a few going bigger, biggest 10lb 4oz.
The argument for simple is best doesn't stop there. There used to be a shore competition in the south west, it only ran for 3 years before the club folded but by using the method described, I was able to take 2 first places and a second (a 20lb conger won that year)
For excitement and plenty of arm aching action, leave the heavy winching gear at home and set off with nothing more than what has been described.
It's a funny old world, it has been my love of pollack fishing that more or less led to my retiring from sea angling. I fished a match a few years ago and brought 76lb of pollack to the scales, my friend scaled 84lb, between us we brought about the downfall of 160lb of quality fish. That day was a mixture of highs and lows. I was thrilled at catching well and coming second, but as the hours went by I began to get more depressed at the thought of the fish loss.
Sorry to get all maudlin on you all, just keep it simple - it works.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Thanks for the information Peapod, perhaps you could provide a few pictures or images from the magazine article? I agree that freelining is another excellent mathod that works well for pollack (this will maybe be covered again later). My intention of this thread is to detail other methods of catching pollack aswell giving a good source information on all forms of pollack fishing. From deeper venues with a stronger tidal pull it can be essential to deep spin for pollack on a 2-5oz beachcaster with either jellies or whipped sandeel. One mark i fish requires a lure to be cast 100 yards so that it can be retrieved over an inshore wreck 60-70 yards out from the shore which lies in 40ft of water. The heavier gear is needed then to put a lure out the required distance and stop the larger fish. Then for float fishing with a 2oz float a bass rod and a baitrunner reel is the correct way to go. This will all be covered in time, all help is much appreciated. I believe Andy is even creating our own website on this, when finished we will provide links and then there will be a fully comprehensive guide to tackeling pollack available on the net for all WSF forum users and others.

[peapod]

[QUOTE=Bass-ic Instinct;626388]Thanks for the information Peapod, perhaps you could provide a few pictures or images from the magazine article?
Glad to oblige

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Thanks thats a great picture peapod of a really nice fish, is that the 10lb4oz fish? I aspire to catch a double figure pollack from the shore, best so far i have had is 7lb2oz although taken a good few 5-6lber's. I dont suppose you have any of the rigs used that could go on this thread to help others, even though its simple some people still get it wrong and the diagram helps them more.

[sallysludgebucket]

There were some cheap carp / spinning rods in Lidl about two weeks ago - £15 Each. I was tempted to buy a couple just to keep in the car for just this sort of thing. I wish I had now... The missus talked me out of it. I know that cheap gear isnt always the best, but at fifteen quid a pop if it only lasted a year I'd be laughing!

Still, you lives and learns.

PS thanks to Andy for the rig picture, I'm thinking about a wee session tomorrow, might just try it!

Dragon carp direct do em for a tenner, bargain that wont make you cry when you scrape it down the rocks :kissing:

Why cant I upload pics anymore, just clicks but nout happens, only works on attatchments ! Mods ?

Pic is a Wye lead, great for bumping the bottom in clean areas as it causes no damage to the line.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

I make something similar using brass loops and heating up lead into a desert spoon, i use them mostly for flatties though.

[Snatcher]

Nice picture snatcher, i recognise that lighthouse very well. I fish Port Logan a lot for pollack, but generally the other side over Port Gill and Dunnyhinguie is better for pollack, coalies and wrasse on the spinning gear. I will add information on lures and rigs soon, i need to get them out from my garage! Had a good day out at Hartleppol today, so be sure to read my catch report on the Northeast Forums for tips on how to catch dabs.

Have a static van in Drummore on the Clash site. Really trying to target bass in Luce Bay this year.Was introduced to bass popping in Luce Bay about 3 year ago by Manxman,who has a holiday/retirement home in Drummore. I find that popping for bass is fairly similar in some respects to dry fly fishing for trout!!!!

Blanked quite a bit last year but eventually managed to winckle out 9 bass.Average size 3lb

My local Drummore bass sensai is Freddie - he is the man by the way and loves the sauce so we are brothers really :drunk:

[Bass-ic Instinct]

My old man has a cottage in Drummore. We go over to fish the rock marks and fish off the boat. I have the method for catching bass sorted at a few venues over there, perhaps if you are over there we should go for a session some time? The best i have had over there so far was around 4lb8oz which i released. I have seen pictures of fish up to double figures, but find i catch more numbers of smaller bass than bigger fish.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Not quite yet, you should be able to catch the odd one on bait at the moment (black lug or peelers). However it will probably be another month untill you can target them on the plug successfully. You will know there in when you wade out and you can see sandeels.

[neil52]

Not quite yet, you should be able to catch the odd one on bait at the moment (black lug or peelers). However it will probably be another month untill you can target them on the plug successfully. You will know there in when you wade out and you can see sandeels.really looking forward to having a go for them never caught one,and dont worry i release all my fish,thanks for you advice

[neil52]

I take the odd small schoolie for the pot now and then. Plenty of pollack about now to catch up there. Theres lots of hints and tips here aswell to help you catch them too.my heaviest pollack was 12lbs out from scrabster ,many moons ago,:)

[Snatcher]

can you stick a tent up at the clash caravan site,and are the bass there at this time of the year:unsure: :)

Yes they take tents on the Clash site.The owners are Martin and Louise.You can get them on 01776 840632. I think they charge £4 a night on the bottom pitch,here is a photo of it

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Clashwhannonlowercampingsite.jpg

There pub on the site also does good bar meals :clap2:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Clash1.jpg

See you over there some time :)

[neil52]

Yes they take tents on the Clash site.The owners are Martin and Louise.You can get them on 01776 840632. I think they charge £4 a night on the bottom pitch,here is a photo of it

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Clashwhannonlowercampingsite.jpg

There pub on the site also does good bar meals :clap2:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Clash1.jpg

See you over there some time :)that is great snatcher,will be there next week 6th may,first night at east tarbert then monday up to the clash till thursday.:clap2: hope this weather holds,thanks for that info mate:)

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Here are some pictures of jellyworms and suggestions on how to rig them up effectively to catch pollack.

This image shows a variety of different sized pollack lures.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P5020121.jpg

The top lure is a 178mm Redgill, as you can see it has been very well used! These are regarded as the all time best pollack lure, and they come in a wide varity of colours and lengths. The two best sizes from the shore are the 90mm and 112mm. All colours work well, but my favourites are the white/silver/green/balck and blue colour combinations to represent bait fish such as small mackerel and sandeel. The black firetail redgills work well (best black/pink) and the natural golden colour represents a small sandeel well.
The next lure down is a Tempest holographic eel. These are 6'' long and the pollack go crazy for them. They cost £3.99 for 10, however Fladen produce a similar range of 4'' and 6'' holographic eels which only cost £2.99 for 10 which are equally effective, a must for any seriour pollack angler.
The small white lure is a Delta Skalliwag sandeel imitation, although small these only cost 25p each and are good for bass aswell as pollack. Black and white are the best colours and are best fished on a slower retrieve than normal.
The other lures are a selection of jellyworms, these all came from the same bulk purchased bag. They come in all lengths from 3'' up to 12'' and all colours. The best are black with a pink tail, although visible colours such as blue/red/orange can work well at different tiems of the day and under certain light conditions. The smaller grub type jellies work well for pollack when you miss takes because the shorter length means that the pollack is more likely to take the hook than to just hit the tail of the jellyworm.

As for rigging jellies there are several different methods, the two i will show you are the simplest and easiest. Coloured lines are used for photographic purposes only.

A running inline lead rig is good for fishing a jellyworm.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P5020119.jpg

Slide a 1 - 3oz drilled bullet or barrel lead onto your mainline, and slide on a 5 or 8mm buffer bead to protect the knot. Next tie on a suitable snood swivel, to this tie a 24'' to 42'' 20lb clear mono trace and tie on a size 2/0 to 4/0 aberdeen hook (kamasan B940M is good). Thread on your jellie and bring the hook through the body and there you are, your completed pollack trace.

The next method is even simpler again! this time just slide on your drilled barrel lead, slide on two or three 8 mm beads tie on your hook and thread your jelly up. A very simplistic set-up, yet highly effective. Painting your barrel lead white or yellow and bainting on an eye can help as then the lead becomes part of the attraction!

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P5020123.jpg

This rig is very fast to tie and good if you are loosing a bit of tackle, but need to get lures back out to the fish quickly.

Another way of rigging a jelly is to tie an american snap swivel such as those made by mustad to the end of your mainline and connecting a leadhead to it. You can either fish the leadhead with a jellyworm attacjed or a live king ragworm. This rig is just as good from the boats as it is from the shore. Just choose the weight of leadhead to suit how far you need to cast or how quickly you want the bait to sink.

A selection of used leadheads, they come in many sizes and colours. Another must have item to take in your pollack fishing bag!

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P5020122.jpg

Thats it, jellyworming really is that simple. Get out and give it a go, take your camera with you and don't forget to post a report of your catch. Oh yes! i really am that confident these rigs will catch pollack.
All the best
Ian

[Bass-ic Instinct]

A waste belt or 'bum-bag' is another must have item for rock hopping. This is the bag i use, it is the Titantex utility belt. It fits all the tackle (floats/leads/rigs/hooks/jellies/etc) i need in, plus has room for bait, and a few cans of coke or larger and more importantly some bait for myself!

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P5020124.jpg

The Titantex one costs £12.99, Fladen make a cheaper one for £7.99 which is very similar. Grauvell make a 'bass bag' which looks ideal, and the lure anglers belt from Imax looks very good although a tad pricy at £22.99. Again a must have item though as it means you will travel light, yet have everything you need.

[neil52]

thats good info mate, hope to put them to good use next week:)

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Your welcome mate. Andy and i are currently constructing a website which has all the information on this thread on to help people.


Heres a link to a page which has all the above pictures on and some more if that helps you better. There will be more to come soon on float fishing, plus some tips on how to fish for pollack. Hopefully we might even get out to fish for pollack if we have time!:)

[billfish]

cheers 4 the info m8t, ive got most of the jelly worms & the Tempest
eels but never targeted pollock b4 but all set this year.
i got 1 last summer from eyemouth on the bottom fishing 4 cod on
fresh crab & mussel, over 7lb. was'nt expecting a pollock 2 take bait mind:)
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/fishbill/6lb-11pollockfromeyemouth15-7-06.jpg
never put up a fight at all just came in like a bag of spuds until it hit the surface
then it took off:)

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Nice fish Bill, my best is a 7lber aswell, that was on a spinning rod a fought like hell though! You do get specimens on the bottom as i have had a few 3-6lb fish fishing for Cod in winter over there with squid, mussel and runnydown, and also had them on mackerel and launce fishing for huss. Not conventional pollack tactics but it takes them, hopefully this helps you mate.

[billfish]

Nice fish Bill, my best is a 7lber aswell, that was on a spinning rod a fought like hell though! You do get specimens on the bottom as i have had a few 3-6lb fish fishing for Cod in winter over there with squid, mussel and runnydown, and also had them on mackerel and launce fishing for huss. Not conventional pollack tactics but it takes them, hopefully this helps you mate.

cheers again m8t:)
taking my spinning gear aswell this time, would love a double.
ive heard that it is mostly on the flood tide that the pollock feed is this rite m8t??

[Bass-ic Instinct]

TBH you will catch pollack at all states of tide. From experience though i have found it best either just before high water or low water. It is at these times smaller bait fish and other prey are most active and when the pollack is in hunting mode. They are opertunists though and if a movinbg bait passes them i think most pollack will attack it, not passing up on the chance of an easy meal. I like to fish over low water though and as the sun is setting as they are more active then. At low water you can get further out over the rock pinnacles covered at high tide and explore more ground for the fish. What you have to remember is that they are predatorial fish, and they patrol likely areas for food taking advantage of ambush points. Hopefully that helps mate, what i will say though is change your retrieve speed and fan your casts to cover more ground. Often if you locate fish there will be more than one in that area.

[blindog]

Good Info bass-is Instinct alot oh spot on advice well done :)

[billfish]

TBH you will catch pollack at all states of tide. From experience though i have found it best either just before high water or low water. It is at these times smaller bait fish and other prey are most active and when the pollack is in hunting mode. They are opertunists though and if a movinbg bait passes them i think most pollack will attack it, not passing up on the chance of an easy meal. I like to fish over low water though and as the sun is setting as they are more active then. At low water you can get further out over the rock pinnacles covered at high tide and explore more ground for the fish. What you have to remember is that they are predatorial fish, and they patrol likely areas for food taking advantage of ambush points. Hopefully that helps mate, what i will say though is change your retrieve speed and fan your casts to cover more ground. Often if you locate fish there will be more than one in that area.

cheers again m8t:) i will b fishing low water anyway because i like my summer reddies & wrasse:clap2:

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Yeah whack the beachcaster out with a big cab bait on a rotten bottem rig and then spin a jelly for pollack or dabble down the edge for Wrasse. In south west Scotladn i like to throw half a mackerel fillet out for a cconger or huss and spin or float fish for pollack. I would say though that it is easier to watch the big rod while float fishing though which is a concideration as you dont want to miss a good take or even worse have your gear dragged in by a decent fish.

[billfish]

will do m8t:)
got a few bubble floats aswell so may give them a go:thumbs:

[Ian Burrett]

cheers again m8t:)
taking my spinning gear aswell this time, would love a double.
ive heard that it is mostly on the flood tide that the pollock feed is this rite m8t??

The area being discussed has many headlands which creates back Eddies. For example between the Mull and Crammag you can get three slack waters on the Ebb tide. just by moving less than a mile. Each mark has its own particular time when the pollack are feeding the best. There is no rule about the flood or ebb fishing the best. Its a matter of putting in the time and finding when the mark fishes best.

The Pollack up to four pounds are there all winter so if your not catching change the method.

Bass Instinct has missed of the best lure for the pollack and that is the fire tail which is a black rubber eel with a red tail. This will consistently outfish all others including the redgill.

[Doppelganger]

all the pollock ive caught, and thats a few, have been caught by letting a 40-60g blue or green lure (natural colours work best in my experience) sink to the bottom and retrieving it slowly in jerks for about 20 yards then letting it sink and repeating the process anything up to 5 or 6 times, depending how far ive cast.

its also good for mackerel, but then so is putting your finger in the water.

[billfish]

The area being discussed has many headlands which creates back Eddies. For example between the Mull and Crammag you can get three slack waters on the Ebb tide. just by moving less than a mile. Each mark has its own particular time when the pollack are feeding the best. There is no rule about the flood or ebb fishing the best. Its a matter of putting in the time and finding when the mark fishes best.

The Pollack up to four pounds are there all winter so if your not catching change the method.

Bass Instinct has missed of the best lure for the pollack and that is the fire tail which is a black rubber eel with a red tail. This will consistently outfish all others including the redgill.

cheers 4 the info lads:)
ive got loads of the black & red firetails so b giving them a shot 2.
a few of the lads last year were getting alot of pollock off the bottom with squid
heads, 4-6lb's

[alimax]

Great thread guys!

I'm heading to Skye next week (honeymoon) but there's a spinning rod going with us as well. Hoping to get down to Neist point if the weather is okay to do some spinning for pollock.

Bought some 'Redgill' lures to try out. Never fished with lures before and having some problems!!!! The eye of the hook on all of them is still inside the rubber - how do you attach it to the mainline? Is it a case of workign the eye out or using a link swivel? Don't want to ruin them before I've landed a monster (as if!!!)

[alimax]

Am I stupid or what............... don't answer that!

pull hook out - feed line in and tie it onto hook - pull hook and line back into rubber..........?

[Davyred]

Am I stupid or what............... don't answer that!

pull hook out - feed line in and tie it onto hook - pull hook and line back into rubber..........?

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

[neil52]

well we used black and pink tail jellies down the mog,to good effect caught about 8 pollack on light 10ft spinning rods, it was good sport on the light gear .
thanks to the guyfulla for giving me some ragworm,used them as well to good effect,:) it was nice to meet you and the lads, will have to renew my old boat rods/reels so that i can go out with ian for some serious tope fishing ,came home on tuesday cos the weather was not to good ,but going out on friday again,

[Pedro the Fisherman]

An incredible thread M8s! Full of interesing and useful info and tips! What a pity it's tucked away in this forum and not where everyone can see it!

[Liz]

Superb thread.This has really helped a total novice like me. Many thanks chaps, I have learned a ton.:)

[Bass-ic Instinct]

It has come to my attention that this thread is in need of an update. I would appreciate it if any mods could kindly take the time to clean the thread up a little and make it a sticky so that it is more accessible to members.
On a personal not well done to Andy (F1F3R) on his new P.B. pollack which went 6lb! Top job mate, you will soon be teaching me about pollack fishing!

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Just had a play with what i believe is about the perfect rock hopping pollack type rod, and best of all it only costs £31! Check out the Shakespeare Salt Flattie, Fuji rings, reel seat and quality soft touch Japanese shrink wrap make it a great tool for the money. Clip on either a small fixed spool such as a Okuma Interceptor IBF50 and that is a pretty sweet pollack fishing combo for around £60.

[BH12neil]

What a brilliant thread, learnt loads so thanks to everybody

[Gaffa]

Great thread and pics guys:)

[F1F3R]

On a personal note well done to Andy (F1F3R) on his new P.B. pollack which went 6lb! Top job mate, you will soon be teaching me about pollack fishing!

cheers Iain,
your info helped alot m8, from spinning basic jelly worms, too float fishing rag.
which are my 2 personal favourites which seem too catch fish regular.

a pic off the 6lber ( and released too grow to a doubler :D )

http://www.ascott1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/guide/6%20lb%20pollack.jpg

( PB UPDATED LATER reply 66 .)

Martyboy and myself are aiming high and trying for a 10lber from the shore. ( wee bet on too lol. )

the fight even from a 6lber was awesome, and addictive so im constantly trying new lures and tactics will keep you posted if or when they work. :D

Andy.

[Ciderman]

Top photoshop job! very funny! :clap3:

[martyboy]

Top photoshop job! very funny! :clap3:

It was needed mate. He looked like some mad psycho before. The fake eyes make that picture look a lot more sensible!!

[F1F3R]

It was needed mate. He looked like some mad psycho before. The fake eyes make that picture look a lot more sensible!!

:crazy:

he aint kidding either :D

[Ciderman]

It was needed mate. He looked like some mad psycho before. The fake eyes make that picture look a lot more sensible!!


:crazy:

he aint kidding either :D

lol, reminded me of the end of "Roger rabbit" :clap3: Hope to get some nice pollack/bass mesell this week down the MOG :clap2:

[martyboy]

The article in the magazine section (lure fishing) of the forum specifically artificials etc etc is a pretty good read for anybody needing some expert info. I've been wondering a bit lately about colours and managed to pic the following paragraph up.

"COLOUR COUNTS
All the patterns come in a wide range of colours and all will take fish at some time. But over the years certain colours have dominated regards fish landed. Black is a must for both shore and boat. It gives the best silhouette and target outline for the fish to hit, even at depth because the fish are hunting from below the sandeel shoals and not amongst them.
Red is next and it's no surprise to find that red is the first colour to lose it's hue when dropped through the depths and appears black, again the outline for attack is there. For trolling and shore spinning, white is excellent and looks like a true sandeel when viewed
by fish in clear, sun reflecting water.
The other colours to carry are the silly ones like fluorescent orange and yellow which tend to pick out the coalfish and also pollack when their feeling contrary.
For shore fishing, white is the best daytime colour and black for night time when the fish hit the lures from deep below against the lighter sky."

For me the black and orange/red tailed jellies have always worked best. But a good second is a blue/silver worm. Im wondering though what is the best colour for clear and for a slightly coloured water? But then again does the depth of the water effect the comparison?

I think im starting to find the lighter coloured lures better in really clear water with the black/orange in water that isnt coloured but just a little hazy.

Any thoughts on this.

[oakley_ten]

Hahahahahaha! Fekking Love It - More!

[Ciderman]

The article in the magazine section (lure fishing) of the forum specifically artificials etc etc is a pretty good read for anybody needing some expert info. I've been wondering a bit lately about colours and managed to pic the following paragraph up.

"COLOUR COUNTS
All the patterns come in a wide range of colours and all will take fish at some time. But over the years certain colours have dominated regards fish landed. Black is a must for both shore and boat. It gives the best silhouette and target outline for the fish to hit, even at depth because the fish are hunting from below the sandeel shoals and not amongst them.
Red is next and it's no surprise to find that red is the first colour to lose it's hue when dropped through the depths and appears black, again the outline for attack is there. For trolling and shore spinning, white is excellent and looks like a true sandeel when viewed
by fish in clear, sun reflecting water.
The other colours to carry are the silly ones like fluorescent orange and yellow which tend to pick out the coalfish and also pollack when their feeling contrary.
For shore fishing, white is the best daytime colour and black for night time when the fish hit the lures from deep below against the lighter sky."

For me the black and orange/red tailed jellies have always worked best. But a good second is a blue/silver worm. Im wondering though what is the best colour for clear and for a slightly coloured water? But then again does the depth of the water effect the comparison?

I think im starting to find the lighter coloured lures better in really clear water with the black/orange in water that isnt coloured but just a little hazy.

Any thoughts on this.

Some good points martyboy. Heres my thoughts, generally speaking colour eyesight developed in fish to enable them to pick out food items against the background colour of their habitat...so colour does have a bearing dependent on what background the fish is viewing the prey items against.

This also explains why most fish are dark on top and light coloured underneath i.e. viewed from above they should merge into the depths, viewed from below they wont offer a strong sillhoutte.

So therefore if you offer a coloured lure that sticks out from the background it is easier for the fish to see i.e. blue/green coloured lures in the refracted blue light underwater would become almost invisible whereas dark coloured lures offer the strongest sillhoutte as black is visible against every light coloured background. Yellow is the most visible colour in murky water. Black and yellow lures offer a striking contrast in murky water too. In a similiar vane it has been proven that fish react better to movement on a vertical plane than on a horizontal plane (this is why jigging is so effective) with the best retrieve being sink and draw.

Also i believe im right in saying that some species of fish can see light wavelengths that we cant. e.g. my daughters goldfish freak if you wave the IR telly remote at the tank! So we cant say with any accuracy if the fish interperet the colours as we see them!

On a sidenote I was amazed at just how good a fishes eyesight can be..I used to fish a very clear trout fishery where the water clarity was so good you could "stalk" the trout, frequently i watched trout zoom from many yards away to intercept a very very small fly.

[mwaters7]

this is a great thread
fancy trying for some pollack in south wales, living in port talbot, does anyone know of any places locally to fish for them(shore) and when are they most likely to be caught in the year, cheers

[Pelamid]

I think highly of this line for pollack fishing. There are days when the pollack are VERY line shy and fluoro is a good tool to have handy. This line is similar spec to that 'orrible Vanish stuff - but Yo-zuri seem to have got it right.

Fished very difficult conditions a couple of times recently (with David Norwich). Both times I am convinced it made the difference between a good catch and very little.

Way up amongst the Scottish mountains - closer to Glencoe than Oban - we had a day of tough fishing and wild weather. Tactics were similar to those used by American freshwater bass fishermen. 8' jig/spin rod, 10lb Yo-zuri and a 1/4oz leadhead - tipped with ragworm.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k63/Pelamid/IronpollackOct07.jpg

Best fish were between 6-7lbs and there were several smaller ones.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k63/Pelamid/Pollack7oct07.jpg

David got his spurdog that he was after as well. On what was for several hours a gale of a wind and nasty sea it was something to still get away with light tackle. The ground there is very rough but no kelp. Some years ago I had a 9lb pollack at this spot on 4lb line. The pollack are often full of STICKLEBACKS - a Storm weighted wiggler about 3" long often works here.

Cheers Dave (SurenuffandyesIdo) - good day out and appreciate your long drive.

[David N]

Yep something in that one I think? Fished 10lb opaque green braid on a monofilament flowing trace baited with rag.
I had very few. VERY FEW! takes and only one decent fish on then off. This was on the same boat fishing over the same ground not that far away from where Pelamid was fishing with his setup.

Not sure if this pic below was the same fish or an other good one for Pelamid? I only added this pic because it shows the custom seat I built specially for his fishing comfort.:kissing:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x9/SurenuffandesIdo/Etivepollack.jpg

So was it the seat that was the critical factor in your success or was it all that Yo-zuri lead head nonsense?:g:

Dave.

[Pelamid]

Yes Dave, that custom seat made all the difference! What might I have caught if it had also been padded?

Here are a couple of lures that have worked for me in the past. Underneath is a photo of a Stickleback similar to those the pollack feed on in this area.


http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k63/Pelamid/Sticklebacklures.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k63/Pelamid/SticklebackWSF.jpg

When you find the pollack so picky and have no live bait (ragworm) - small lures and fluoro line are worth trying.

Dave - I was using the Yo-zuri 15lb line off Dunbar when I had those pollack. I am convinced anyway.

[David N]

Mhh padded? Aye that will be right!

Okay searching Ebay now for that line!

Dave.

[$pinner]

I just wanted to say thanks to all for the very useful info. It's nice to see that there are so many helpful people on the site. I've recently been stupid enough to respond to a post relating to a boat trip on Loch Etive and asked for some info on marks, I was met with a wall of silence. It's funny, you'd think I was going to catch all the fish. Anyway not to dwell on negatives, for the most part I've found this site and the people on it to be very helpful.

Thanks again.:)

[F1F3R]

alot off replies on your thread m8, sounds like you helped alot off others too :clap:

anyway i would like too add...over winter months it may be worth setting up one rod with a pulley pennel rig, 4/0 hooks, or similar with large bait, ive been trying whole mackerel fillet.

wee pic too help beginners. ( i use heavy rig body due too rough ground i fish )
http://www.ascott1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/guide/pennelrig.JPG
simply hook the mackerel fillet, then bind on with some bait elastic.

or another i've tried and worked a running ledger ,single 5/0 hook and again a whole mackerel fillet.

a few weeks back i did and resulted in another Pb pollack at 7lb 10oz.
so gotta be worth a try. :thumbs:

http://www.ascott1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/guide/0111.66.JPG

cheers

[Shropfisher]

Some very good info on this thread, but there is one method that no one has mentioned, simple feathers !! I prefer the Hokki or flashabou type, but from a rock or a boat, a set of feathers and a spinning rod works a treat, I travel a lot and so I carry a travel spinning rod, a few small weights, a handfull of Hokkie feathers ( I like the small size ) and a fixed spool reel, all fit into a small bag in the back of the car, so when I find a likely location, rocks, dock wall etc I can have an hour or so.
If on a boat a decent Dexter as weight is affective as well, Yes eels, worms etc are good and I do use them, but don't forget the basics.

[Pelamid]

Shropfisher is spot on about the feathers. Pollack are often taking tiny sandeels and whitebait.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k63/Pelamid/100-0013_IMG-1.jpg

This pollack was one of several taken on tiny lures tied on size 4 hooks.

[Fisherman333]

As a newbie to targetting pollack, is winter still a good time of the year to use all of the above tactics?

Also, as I'm only fishing from the shore - what's the furthest out I need to get to target the bigger ones?

[F1F3R]

As a newbie to targetting pollack, is winter still a good time of the year to use all of the above tactics?

Also, as I'm only fishing from the shore - what's the furthest out I need to get to target the bigger ones?

as its my first year targetting them ive found for this area between end April and the last 1 i hooked up was in the above F1F3R picture.

however between april - october here is peak times for them , you will still get the odd pollack over winter months which tends too take the cod baits mackerel fillets or whole squid baits and tend too be larger than the summer fish ..why i dunno lol.

also Pollack tend too like cover so will be close in , hunting then head back for the cover off rocks etc.

so all my pollack were caught close in , around 40 yrds max.
hope this helps

Andy

[Snatcher]

Here you are,a pollack I caught this summer 11.25lbs. Caught it on one of my own lures whilst fishing with "Onyermarks Too" just north of Port Logan
:whistling

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/pollack.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Bigpollack1.jpg

:sun:

[Prawnster]

Fantastic thread! As a beginner I've learnt loads from these few pages. Well done to all who've added their experience, it's very much appreciated. Can't wait to put these tips to good use on the rocks.

[shadrapper]

have recently got into flyfishing for pollack off of the rocks. have also been trying for them on the lure. this thread has given me added enthusiasm for catching this wonderful species of fish. keep up the good work lads:clap::clap::thumbs:

[seafish40]

What about float fishing from the shore thats the way we do it in Wales

[AWHM]

The post from "Peapod" talks a lot of sense.

The only terminal tackle you need for Pollack is a hook.

Freelined Mackerel strip also works very well indeed - just watch it slowly sinking, and strike when it disappears!

[Snatcher]

Constructed these boobies on a 4/0 with bass from Luce Bay in mind.

Seeing as how I am retiring over there shortly will have loads of time to try them for pollack on the west side of the mull also.

Did any of you lads pick up on my thread of hooking into tope whilst spinning for mackerel.

I know it is a long shot but a reckon tope on one of these is a possibility!

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/Lure1-1.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/IMG_3762.jpg

Here is one in my "flotation tank"

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/snatcherphoto/IMG_3764.jpg

If it does happen you will be the first to hear about it !!!
:thumbs:

[DaddyP]

Hi Guys

Is this the right Jelly worm for Pollack?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v731/LupoSport/DSC00319.jpg

[Pelamid]

Hi Guys

Is this the right Jelly worm for Pollack?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v731/LupoSport/DSC00319.jpg

That will do nicely, sir!

Sometimes a small 4" one will work best. Rarely need a jelly worm more than 6 or 7". Those colours are often best, but sometimes plain black or all red are better.

Over deep water offshore other colours can also work - fluoro orange, green, yellow, purple all have their day. But in shallow (under about 40feet) red and black are the bankers.

[DaddyP]

Thanks guys,

Its a shame the pics on the first page are down :(

Apart from jig heads how do you go about making the rig to use these jelly worms on?

[1colin]

bump a barrel lead on your main line paddy then put a swivel and about say 3 or 4 ft hook trace to the jelly and spin it like that

[DaddyP]

Sweet Collin thanks for the reply!

[1colin]

no bother dude

[alasdair]

Is a jig head necessary with jelly worms? I'm hoping for a few big pollack in the near future (aren't we all!)

Al

[dunworking]

what happend to the pics. cannot get them on my puter.:sad:

[dunworking]

hy snatcher ,i got the rod can i try some of your flys please.:wub:

[MartynG]

Is a jig head necessary with jelly worms? I'm hoping for a few big pollack in the near future (aren't we all!)

Al
No but it makes casting easier and gives a good action to the worm on the retrieve. I've been using some weighted-body worms but when they get too shredded I'll go back to the jig head (cheaper too) :) Otherwise a drilled bullet before the worm does the job nicely.

[MartynG]

I thought I'd share my cheap and cheerful Pollack flies made from insulating tape and silver plastic (the stuff that many biscuits come sealed in these days).

Cut a short length of insulating tape (I find red works well for pollack, white for cod) and several thin strips of silvered plastic. Stick the silver strips to the tape then wrap the whole thing around a hook shank.

Trim and frill the strips and away you go. You can experiment with almost any material to make the attractors - plastic, wool, tinsel, feathers, etc.

I finish them off with a thin band of heat-shrink tubing near the hook eye and blob white 'eyes' on with tippex or paint but regular use has shown that these aren't really necessary - they just make me feel better :D

You can knock these 'flies' up in seconds and I often make them on the beach or boat as I'm fishing...

http://i27.tinypic.com/11hrqyb.jpg

[qaas]

Excellent Martyn, the best ideas are usually the simplest!

[F1F3R]

as qaas mentioned, these look brilliant MartynG. :clap:

i just made some like the above and knocked a few together in minutes..canni wait too try em out.

cheers.

[Serial Blanker]

very good thread and very informative
Cheers

[mickg2204]

bumbety bump

[FogAllan]

There were some cheap carp / spinning rods in Lidl about two weeks ago - £15 Each. I was tempted to buy a couple just to keep in the car for just this sort of thing. I wish I had now... The missus talked me out of it. I know that cheap gear isnt always the best, but at fifteen quid a pop if it only lasted a year I'd be laughing!

Still, you lives and learns.

PS thanks to Andy for the rig picture, I'm thinking about a wee session tomorrow, might just try it!

Started targetting pollack specifically this year around my local marks (mull of Galloway) using one of these lidl rods, not much backbone but got me hooked after fighting a few 3lb'ers. Caught the near 6lb fish on the left with it so not a bad bit of kit to start with. using an Abu Esprit Bass i bought in at Erics(sport shop) now, much better for the big fighters

[FogAllan]

Hi Guys

Is this the right Jelly worm for Pollack?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v731/LupoSport/DSC00319.jpg

i rarely use anything else, always the first lure on, 2-3ft behind 1-2oz ball lead and threaded on 2/0-4/0 aberdeen. only time i change is if bites drop off then il either move 20yds over the rocks or change to green tailed version or experiment with other colour combos. dexter wedges are a killer also

[Kaysee]

Brilliant Brilliant Thread! Thank you to all of you.

Only got back to fishing last year and have been thinking about atrgeting Pollack as they are beautiful fish. I'm going to take the advice above and see what happens.

Can't wait.

Is Early April too early for West Wales as I'm off there fro a week next week.

I'll ask this on the Wales site too.

[magicdog]

Its a shame the pics on the first page are down :(



I agree...:unsure:

Bass-ic Instinct...is it possible to get the images reinstated for this thread as the thread will be far more understandable with them included again...:victory:

Otherwise a great, informative read...!

:1a:

[MartynG]

as qaas mentioned, these look brilliant MartynG. :clap:

i just made some like the above and knocked a few together in minutes..canni wait too try em out.

cheers.

Did you ever try them out? They're doing the business for me again this season :D

[F1F3R]

Did you ever try them out? They're doing the business for me again this season :D

Hi MartynG,

Aye , i have made up some, :D and hoping too use them real soon ..

water clarity up here hasnt been the best lately, due to the wind directions etc..
however on the days ive been out and condition were favourable i've managed a few pollack including 5 and 6 lber , but these were caught mainly on fancy twin tailed jelly worms, or firetails .

so heres hoping for a wee break in the weather too get out shore Pollacking again, and try out a few other simple lures..cant wait.

Thats good they lures are working in your areas, as mentioned simple ideas usually work the best.

[DaddyP]

When float fishing for pollack with raggies how many worms would you put on the hook?

[F1F3R]

When float fishing for pollack with raggies how many worms would you put on the hook?

hi DaddyP,
as i buy most off my baits, and being scottish :)
i tend too use only 1 or 2 small head hooked rag.
if its descent sized rag then 1 is plenty.

as long as there plenty movement in the rag , the smallest off baits will attract the fish .

my last session on the 11th ,( i had some left over bait ) enough bait too have only a few chucks , so tried a local session , and used single hooked lively small rag , and i managed 3 pollack at around 2 1/2 - 3 lb mark .
( which are all fairly small in comparison to other members like Peapods lunker , Snatchers boat caught pollack , but for my local area they are huge. lol )

1 fish kept for a guy that was chatting to me at time i landed the 3rd pollack.
rest off fish returned.

its basically trail and error , and live and learn from every session.

good luck .

[DaddyP]

Cheers mate, I was out on sat as was using a bait needle and putting 2 on. Manged to catch 8 of them but none big enough for the table.

Happy days will keep on trying tho :D

[Fatladsbro]

Thanks for a very informative thread. I'm going up to Lochcarron next week and am going to try to catch some pollack instead of the dogfish I usually catch there. Just bought jellyworms and sidewinders etc to go with my assortment of plugs and spinners. I'll let you know how I get on.:thumbs:

[Zander]

Thanks for the great thread - opened up a whole variety of options! Will try your tactics from next week in the Gairloch/Laide area and will keep you posted. (Good to know I'll have somebody to blame...;) )

[BigLoada]

Just seen this thread, its excellent! I would love to try for pollack here in Northumberland but what kind of ground is best? We have some good rocky areas here with a lot of heavy kelp. Would I have a chance of catching one in kelp or do they prefer cleaner areas?

Cheers
Dean

[groomyd]

Kelp is classic pollock ground and rocky too!

Pollock hunt by eyesight and hide in the kelp, bolting out at great speed to hit its food or hopefully your lure or bait!

[magicdog]

We have some good rocky areas here with a lot of heavy kelp

Sounds like Pollack heaven to me too...:victory:

[BigLoada]

Thanks for the reply folks, looks like I will have to hunt me some pollack this year:victory:

[Mackembow]

Thanks for the reply folks, looks like I will have to hunt me some pollack this year:victory:
Try Craster or around Dunstanburgh castle.

[Number-1-Rock-Angler]

Excellent thread this,well done Guys.

[BigLoada]

Try Craster or around Dunstanburgh castle.

SOunds good mate. I wonder if there night be some around the rock marks off Hauxley as well. If this stormy weather clears I might get out there and give it a go!

[Saveman]

I've been trying out the firetails and even a few twin-tails but all the pollack I've caught have been on wedges!! :wacko: What am I doing wrong?

[nightspider]

It has recently come to the attention of myself and Andy(F1F3R) that there is little information available on the art of shore pollack fishing on WSF forums. Recently Andy and i have been exchanging information on how to target pollack from the shore, and both of us thought it would be beneficial to other forum users for us to post our information. I nor does Andy profess to be an expert on the matter, however both of us are successful at targeting pollack, and believe that this guide would be a useful resource to anglers new to pollack fishing. Look at Andys report from today and i am sure you will agree that our tactics and techniques catch fish!

The first item i will address is the item of Tackle. I would say that a good pollack angler should have a carp/spinning rod, a bass rod and a light beachcaster in his armoury along with 4000-6000 baitrunner reels and a small multiplyer reel.
Here i will reveal what tackle i use for pollack fishing from the rocks. If you are new to pollack fishing than either a carp/spinning rod or a bass rod matched with a 5000 sized baitrunner reel and 12-15lb monofilament line.

1. Shakespeare Odessa Bass 2-4oz, and a Shimano 6000GTE baitrunner loaded with 30lb Berkley Whiplash braid and a 30lb clear shock leader (spare spool of 15lb clear mono).

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270074.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270072.jpg

2. Daiwa Sensor Z 2.5lb t.c. carp rod, Daiwa Regal X 4050 BRT Baitrunner loaded with 20lb Berkley Whiplash braid and 30lb mono shock leader.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270077.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270071.jpg

3. Century Tip Tornado Lite 3-5oz, Penn 525mag or daiwa SL20SH loaded with 18lb clear mon and 50lb clear shock leader.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270078.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s294/BassicInstinct_2007/P4270089.jpg


Details on rigs, lures, venues and tactics will follow soon. Aswell as more exciting catch reports to come in the very near future!

Hope you enjoy future installations of 'An Idiots Guid to Pollack Fishing' by Iain (Bass-ic Instinct) and Andy (F1F3R) .

:kissing::kissing:

[F1F3R]

shame all your pics are gone Iain,
you gave me alot of tips with this thread. :thumbs:
but now needs updated or replaced.

[jay1989]

Can you catch pollack all year round or only at certain times of the year ?

[dan knight]

guess we are lucky up here on the west of scotland but pollock are the easiest fish to catch even more reliable than mackies
simplest set up which I use every day is spinning rod (whatever suits you) I use a 5ft 6inch abu trigger grip rod with a 500 size abu multiplier on it ( or a decent fixed spool reel) and a 20 gramjig head with a jellyworm on it find some rocks with a reasonable depth of water out from them cast out any disttance from 4 ft to 100ft out. let the jighead sink and then jerk it back to you if there are pollock there you will get a hit on nearly every cast if you dont get a bite they aaint there simple
Dan:fishing:

[tangles]

Only just found this thread, as dont look in here much and found this gem!! Excellent work guys!! :thumbs:

[ptrjakson]

Great tricks it's really working thanks for the idea

[Scanman 2012]

Im going spinning for pollock tomorrow, what line will i need and how should i set up my rig, im using dead frozen sandeel, what hooks will i need ?

[stempleton]

this thread should be a wiki

why hasn't wsf updated the website to include user content like this?

[FNG1]

just back from a few days fishing in millport (rockhoppin) and on my final day i bagged 2 good size pollack (and a nice "wee" ballen wrasse), 1st was around 3-4lb and 2nd was 2-3lb, the set up, my 9ft zeta spinning rod, 15lb mono, 3 small split shot weights, 1 size 4 hook and a slither of mackie mush (that is a mackie slice that been mushed, but with the skin intact), had been bait casting all day and decided to re-arrange my set-up and tactics, put the split shot (just to add a little sink weight) on in place of an 1oz pear weight (cut it off to trim the rig) but located the split shot above the hook and bait (about four inches above) and cast just past the visible slope of a rock ledge, sank perhaps 3-4 feet down the wall and BINGO taken in one, instant catch number 1, it was the same method for catches 2 and 3, don't need to cast far out for a good fish,

[krakoviak]

To catch pollack, i'm using my Shimano Catana rod, with Slosh 30 loaded with 20lb mono + 60lb shockleader on rocky ground. Best cocktail is worm or peeler tipped with cookles. Just leave weight about 5-10cm from bottom of sea. In one 1h session i was having 10-12 of them.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that is the best way to catch them, but i think i might be helpfull for someone else ;)

[Blenny Basher]

Thanks very helpful, I am thinking of targeting pollock myself this year:roll1: