Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

SEA FISHING

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over several years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff).

28 April 2007

Pollack on the fly.

I enjoy a spot of fly fishing and I notice that last year we had the first pollack on fly gear at the beginning of May. Anyway, I couldn't resist a go so last week I roused myself at four fifteen and set off for the coast armed with a spinning rod and a fly rod.

It was still more or less dark when I got to the shoreline and there was a fine drizzle in the air. Even though the tide was out the rain had wetted the rocks and made them treacherously slippy with their coating of plastic-like red algae. I slipped and slithered along until I could find a reasonably firm stance for my wellies and I began to spin.

My spinning lure was an ABU Tormentor, just in case of an early mackerel, and on my very first cast I had an encouraging knock. Over the next ten minutes I missed a couple more bites and decided that they must be small pollack. Out came the fly rod armed with my favourite small white rubber eel (with their waggy tails they are so much more effective than flies made of feather and fibre). On the previous evening I had 'redone' all my eels with the use of superglue on the hookshank instead of my usual fiddly whipping, my pal Ben suggested this technique and he was spot on - they are all as firm as rocks. Nothing for a few retrieves then, suddenly, just as I was about to lift off for another cast, a fish hurtled up from under the ledge I was standing on and hooked itself on the fly. The pollack made several spirited attempts to plunge back down to the safety of the kelp but it wasn't very big and I soon had it on the rocks for a picture. Another ten minutes with no further action induced me to have another go with the spinning gear but now it was getting light and the fish seemed to have gone. Anyway, it was nice to land one on the fly and I'll have another go soon.

If you haven't signed the bass petition yet, please go to Saltwater page 168 and do it now.

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

In the gloom.

Now you see it!.