Date: 18-06-2016
Time of day: Night
Location: Ilfracombe
Mark: The Pier
Low Tide: 11:27(1.89m) 23:45(1.76m) 12:06(1.66m)
High Tide: 05:25(8.03m) 17:48(8.29m) 06:06(8.29m)
Time fished from: 20:10
Time fished to: 00:50
Weather: Sunny and cloudy. Very little wind. spots of rain at the end of the session.
Sea: Clear and a little choppy with a swell of around 1-2ft
Method: Ledger (Pulley rig with rotten bottom) | Ledger (Pulley rig with rotten bottom) | Float | Prawn trap
Bait: Half frozen extra large sandeel | frozen peeler crab | frozen mackerel strips | frozen mackerel head, frozen peeler crab, frozen dirty squid, limpets, sandeel
Caught (weight): 3 Dogfish (1lbs 8oz, Guessed), 2 Dogfish (2lbs 0oz, Guessed) | 2 Dogfish (1lbs 8oz, Guessed), 1 Dogfish (2lbs 0oz, Guessed) | 2 Pollack (0lbs 5oz, Guessed), 3 Pollack (0lbs 8oz, Guessed), 3 Pollack (1lbs 0oz, Guessed) | 2 Poorcod (0lbs 1oz, Guessed), 2 Shore Rockling (0lbs 3oz, Guessed), 1 3 Bearded Rockling (0lbs 5oz, Guessed)
The Session: I set up along the lower pier, first casting out a ledger rod baited with a half sandeel on 15lb hooklength and cast around 80 yards straight out. I then set up a float rod as I had been told by another angler there had been a few mackerel caught earlier. I cast it just a few yards out while I set up my second ledger rod. It wasn't long before I had a bite on the float rod. It was the first of the pollock. I recast the rod and finished setting up the second ledger rod. I cast it the same distance as the first, but baited with a peeler crab on a 40lb hooklength. After what felt like about half hour I began getting bites on the ledger rods. They were gentle, regular pulls and I hooked a couple but the fish fell off during the retrieve. I landed another couple of pollock on the float rod before I managed to hook and land fish on the ledger rods. Both float and ledger had times where no bites came but otherwise it was a busy night. I lost many fish on the retrieve which I suspected were dogfish, however another angler commented that they lost a fish that was not a dogfish so there could have been other species around. The bites on the ledger rods sometimes began before I put the rod in the rest after casting. Meanwhile the float rod produced occasional bites with the bigger fish coming after dark and the final pollock at around midnight. The crab bait then gave the last and biggest dogfish of the session. The spots of rain that had begun to fall and tiredness caused me to pack up. During the session I cast out a prawn trap containing the usual bits of food but also limpets and sandeels that other anglers gave me as they left. A few retrieves resulted in a couple of poorcod and some rockling.
Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]:
Set up 1: Rod: Daiwa Seahunter X 14ft 3 piece Fixed spool (£64.07) [ > 2 years 1 months ] Reel: Daiwa Crosscast S 5000 Fixed spool (£48.99) [ > 1 years 3 months ] Line: Maxima Hi-Viz 15lb (£12.29) 550m Hooks: Sakuma Circle 440 size 2/0 (£8.26) 30 per pack Hooklength: Shakespeare Omni-X Connect Clear 15lb (£5.49)
Set up 2: Rod: Ron Thompson Evo Surf 15ft 3 piece Fixed Spool (£30.00) [ > 2 years 10 months ] Reel: Mitchell 667FG Fixed spool (£23.90) [ > 2 years 10 months ] Line: Maxima Chameleon 20lb (£17.99) 600m Hooks: Sakuma Manta size 2/0 (£2.35) 10 per pack Hooklength: Ultima Memorex 40lb (5.95) 50m
Set up 3: Rod: Shakespeare Alpha X Travel 11ft telescopic Fixed spool (£16.99) [ > 3 years 0 months ] Reel: Lineaffe SX50 Fixed Spool (£10.00) [ > 3 years 1 months ] Mainline: Maxima Chameleon 20lb 600m (£17.99) Hooks: Sakuma Circle 440 size 2 30 per pack (£5.55) Hooklength: Shakespeare Omni-X Connect Clear 15lb (£5.49) Other1: Fladen Pencil Float 210mm (£2.00)
Set up 4: Other1: Prawn trap Other2: 50m cord