Date: 21-07-2017
Time of day: Evening - night
Location: Chesil-Beach
Mark: Abbotsbury
Low Tide: 11:06(0.73m) 23:38(0.67m)
High Tide: 05:42(3.38m) 18:11(3.61m)
Time fished from: 17:00
Time fished to: 00:00
Weather: Cloudy and very windy.
Sea: Rough murky sea with very large waves at least 6ft high at times.
Method: Ledger (homemade pulley rig) | Ledger (homemade pulley rig)
Bait: Frozen loligo squid | frozen sandeel, frozen mackerel segments
Caught (weight): 1 Undulate Ray (1lbs 0oz, Guessed), 1 Dogfish (1lbs 5oz, Guessed)
The Session: I knew the conditions were rough but I had read online that it might be the chance for a decent bass so I decided to brave the conditions to get more experience. There had been some reports of Undulate Ray being caught and I wanted to catch one so I had some hope I might get lucky. Some other anglers were leaving when I arrived and a couple of others were arriving. The leavers had nothing to report except being almost impossible to cast more than 40 yards. I decided to still give it a go. Once the shelter and tripod were up I got the rods set up with my usual pulley rigs and blast them out hard. They barely went the 40 yards the other anglers said they struggled to get. Still, something must come in close, I told myself. I sat there for quite a few hours leads sometimes holding bottom, but moving around other times with the rod tips being pulled down and dropping back with every movement of the leads. Although I had suspicians that some of the movement was fish it wasn't until just after dark when I decided to strike at one and I was delighted to find that the small pull on the end was a baby Undulate Ray. I could hae packed up then happy that despite the conditions I managed the one species I hoped to catch. I fished on for a while though and shortly later pulled in the obligatory dogfish which was just as welcome as the Ray. I packed up vowing to fish in calmer conditions from then on as my ability just isn't up to it. Though I was also sure I'd be tempted again sometime in future.
Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]:
Set up 1: Rod: Daiwa Seahunter X 14ft 3 piece Fixed spool £64.07 [ > 3 years 6 months ] Reel: Shakespeare Agility Surf 70FD Fixed Spool £39.99 [ > 3 years 6 months ] Line: Maxima Hi-Viz 20lb 550m £15.42 Hook: Sakuma Manta 2/0 30 £5.78 Hooklength: Ultima Memorex 40lb 50m £5.95 Shockleader: Gardner Slinky 60lb 100M £6.99
Set up 2: Rod: Daiwa Seahunter Z 13ft 2 Both £44.99 Working [ > 0 years 5 months ] Reel: Daiwa Crosscast S 5000 Fixed spool £48.99 [ > 2 years 8 months ] Line: Maxima Chameleon 20lb 600m £17.99 Hook: Unbranded Baitholder 4/0 50 £3.99 Hooklength: Ultima Memorex 40lb 50m £5.95 Shockleader: Gardner Slinky 60lb 100M £6.99
.JPG)
.JPG)