Catch Report - Ilfracombe - 21st June 2021 (14)

Date From: 21/06/2021 18:13:00

Date To: 21/06/2021 22:04:00

Time of day: Evening

Location: Ilfracombe

Mark: The Pier

Tide Times:

Moon Phase:

Weather: Mostly cloudy with some wind in my face.

Sunrise/Sunset:

Sea: Clear and very choppy with a swell of a few feet

Method: Float | LRF

Bait: Live King Ragworm | Live King Ragworm Pieces

Caught:

Session and Lifetime Statistics:

The Session:

I returned to my local pier to fish the float and LRF again. I expected the usual small Wrasse and gobies but still had some hope for a Leopard Spotted Goby. The more I fished LRF the more chance I had, but maybe it was going to be years before I had one.

I began on the steps at the end of the upper pier as the lower pier was still covered in some water, but I just fished with the LRF rod for now. As the water was clear I expected bites within seconds of lowering the bait down the side of the pier but I had none from the steps. When I moved along the pier I first wanted to see if the Blennies were around on the inside and they were, immediately I had one of the larger ones and then after I set up my float rod I turned my attention to the seaward side of the pier for other species.

I had a couple of very light taps that only just registered on the rod tip and I only just felt and I missed them both but the third time down the fish that took the bait this time gave a bigger shake and was easily hooked. At first as it exited the water I thought it was a Rock Goby but as I swung the fish towards me and saw it was a Leopard Spotted Goby I was delighted. It was what I hoped for but it was still a surprise to me to be one of the first fish I caught.

After the Goby I had 3 Blennies on the float so I guess I was fishing very close to the bottom, which I believe was 15 feet or so down at this state of the tide. I set the float shallower at around 10 feet and then continued with the LRF Rod too. Some other anglers began turning up, one I knew and two who were also here yesterday and upon me telling them I had a Leopard Spotted Goby commented how I said the previous day I wanted to catch one.

Something kept taking the bait on the LRF rod but giving extremely quick bites and it took a while before I finally hooked it. It was a nice sized Wrasse for the LRF rod and put a good bend in the rod as well as gave a few moments when I just couldn't reel in. With each cast or two from then on, I moved along the pier a bit to try between the different struts and soon I had another Ballan Wrasse but more red and brown coloured and then I followed it with another that was patterned like the first one, but more boldly coloured.

Things went quiet for over half an hour after that and one of the anglers who had been float fishing and had a few pollock up to now, found they were getting less bites aswell. My float rod was getting none at all and I almost forgot about it as I tried and tried to tempt bites again.

Eventually they began again, though it was sometimes a few minutes after lowering the bait down and it took a few missed ones before I hooked a Rock Goby, which I have found to be the most common goby around this pier. I followed this with a couple more Wrasse, Pollock and another Goby over the next 50 minutes or so and then with darkness falling I decided to pack up.

I would love to catch more Leopard Spotted Gobies but another fish I would like to catch from here is the Clingfish so I will hope for one of those next time.

Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]: