Date: 06/08/2015
Time of day: Evening
Location: Bossington
Mark: Right hand side of beach
Low Tide: 05:03(1.30m) 17:17(1.80m)
High Tide: 11:27(9.70m) 23:52(9.40m)
Time fished from: 18:25
Time fished to: 22:50
Weather: Sunny and a wind blowing straight towards the shore at the start. The wind died down by 20:30.
Sea: Rough and murky. Short waves, turning stronger with some loud crashes against the stones after dark.
Method: Pulley rig with rotten bottom
Bait: Whole Frozen Peeler Crab, Frozen Calimari Squid pieces.
Caught (weight): 1 Smoothhound (6lbs 13oz, Weighed)
The Session: I walked to the right hand side of the beach until I was just over halfway between the entrance and the rocks at the end. I set up the first rod with a pully rig and 40lb hooklength, and the second with 15lb hooklength. I cast the first rod with a 150g gripper lead and frozen peeler crab bait (that I still had from last year) and cast it out. It went about 60 yards. I tightened up the slack line quickly and kept the rod high and the line tight while I walked back to my beach rest, letting out line steadily. Then I did the same with the other rod that was baited with a 3 inch piece of frozen squid. Both rod tips were bending over as the wind and tide pulled on the line. I had several casts like this with no bites at all. I lost one gripper lead on a cast when (I think) the lead touched the ground as I cast and released it from the clip. As the wind began to die down the waves got a little bigger and longer. This caused a bigger pull on the rods now, and I was considering moving as I thought any fish would feel the resistance and immediately drop the bait. I was sat down on the stones and noticed the crab rod tip bounce back straight. Great, the rotten bottom link had snapped. I stood up, lifted the rod and gave it a firm sideways pull which met with a brief, snag like, resistance before it moved at speed away from me and to the right. I had something quite big. A 4-5 minute fight followed and eventually I saw the fish as a large wave pushed it to the shore. A Smoothound! Now to get it back to my spot. I was excited and shaking from the excitement and I'm not sure I handled it the best I could, but all in all, after unhooking, and weighing the fish I returned it (after 5 attempts) on a big wave and got wet up to the knees. The grippe lead had gone so before I set up again I reeled the other rod in. It was snagged. A walk along the beach a far way freed it and as it came to the shore I noticed a spider crab was on the end. It wasn't hooked, but had two legs stuck in the bend of the hook. I freed this and put it back, then recast both rods. Nothing else happened except I then snagged and lost three weights, and the entire shock leader with one of them. I packed up around 10:50 mostly because the water in my boots had begun to go cold and uncomfortable. I was very happy with the session though and will definitely return - with more weights.
Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]:
Set up 1: Ron Thompson Evo Surf 15ft 3 Fixed Spool £30.00 15/08/2013 Mitchell 667FG Fixed spool £23.90 15/08/2013 Maxima Chameleon 20lbs £17.99 25/01/2014 Sakuma Circle 440 3/0 £9.86 07/07/2014 Ultima snood line 40lb 3.95 25/07/2015
Set up 2: Daiwa Seahunter X 14ft 3 Fixed spool £64.07 21/05/2014 Daiwa Crosscast S 5000 Fixed spool £48.99 13/03/2015 Maxima Hi-Viz 20lb £13.29 25/01/2014 Sakuma Circle 440 2/0 £8.26 21/07/2014 Maxima Clear 15lb £5.00
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