Date: 19/07/2015
Time of day: Afternoon - evening
Location: Ilfracombe
Mark: Capstone
Low Tide: 02:28(1.30m) 14:39(1.30m)
High Tide: 08:52(8.70m) 21:05(8.70m)
Time fished from: 16:30
Time fished to: 20:10
Weather: Sunny with a steady wind from left to right, but dying down to no wind at around 18:30. Very good visibility.
Sea: Murky and choppy but a small swell at the start, clearing a bit later on but a larger swell of up to 4 foot causing rolling waves to crash and spray up to 8ft.
Method: Float | Prawn trap | Feathering
Bait: strips of old mackerel, pieces of old squid | old mackerel chunks, old squid | 4 hook hokkai rig
Caught (weight): 1 Garfish (0lbs 6oz, Guessed)
The Session: This session was about an impromptu experiment to see how old bait can be before fish don't touch it any more (when I suddenly realised I hadn't put my bait away after my session 4 days ago). When I began by setting up a mackerel feathing rod with 40lb shock leader and a 3oz weight and then set up and began fishing with a float set up. Using kind advice I changed my setup a bit. The bait was a small strip of mackerel belly which had turned a bit yellow. I cast around 25 yards at a depth of 6ft and sat down.Within 5 minutes the float gracefully slid under and as I stood up something told me this wasn;t a pollock. I had connected with my first Garfish - and got it to the bank - just. It fell off the hook and I had to scramble to pick it up so I could get a photo of it which didn't turn out too great). I put it back safely and that was that really, no more bites, I threw out the prawn trap and had nothing in that and used the mackerel rod for a good number of casts but nothing on that either. Still pleased with my first of another species though I didn't mind at all, and the warm, sunny end to the session was pleasant enough to sit back and relax in.
Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]:
Set up 1: Rod: Shakespeare Alpha X Travel 11ft 1 Fixed spool (£16.99) [ > 2 years ] Reel: Lineaffe SX50 Fixed Spool (£10.00) [ > 2 years ] Mainline: Maxima Chameleon 20lbs (£18.00 per 600m) Float: Fladen 210mm pencil float (~£1.99) Hooklength: Maxima chameleon 10lb (~£3.95 per 100m) Hooks: Mustad size 6 Aberdeen hooks (~£2.95 for 10)
Set up 2: Rod: Shakespeare Omni Mackerel 10ft Fixed spool (£16.95) [ > 1 year ] Reel: Leeda Icon 5000 Fixed spool (£35.18) [ > 1 year ] Mainline: Maxima Chameleon 20lbs (£18.00 per 600m) Float: Drennan Greased Weasel 40lb Grey shock leader (£3.95 per 50m) Rig: 4 hook Hokkai Rig (Pink heads) Weight: 3oz pear lead
Set up 3: Prawn trap 50m cord
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