Date From: 01/06/2019 20:15:00
Date To: 02/06/2019 00:30:00
Time of day: Night
Location: Ilfracombe
Mark: The pier
Low Tide: 11:20 (1.62m) 23:41 (1.59m) 12:00 (1.33m)
High Tide: 05:20 (8.29m) 17:40 (8.41m) 06:02 (8.62m) 18:20 (8.76m)
Time fished from: 20:15
Time fished to: 00:30
Weather: Cloudy with some wind.
Sea: Very choppy with a swell of around 3 feet
Method: Ledger (homemade pulley rig) | float | Ledger (running ledger)
Bait: Frozen whole large sandeel | frozen mackerel strips | whole frozen mackerel, frozen mackerel head
Caught (weight): 1 Pollock (0lbs 8oz, Guessed), 1 Pollock (0lbs 6oz, Guessed), 1 Pollock (0lbs 2oz, Guessed), 1 Pollock (0lbs 6oz, Guessed), 1 Lobster (1lbs 8oz, Guessed), 1 Edible crab (0lbs 8oz, Guessed), 1 Pollock (0lbs 8oz, Guessed)
Caught:
| Fish | Qty | Lbs | Oz | Bait | Date and Time Caught | Weighed or Guessed | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pollock | 1 | 0 | 8 | mackerel strip | 01-06-2019 21:10 | Guessed | 3 |
| Pollock | 1 | 0 | 6 | mackerel strip | 01-06-2019 21:25 | Guessed | 3 |
| Pollock | 1 | 0 | 2 | mackerel strip | 01-06-2019 21:42 | Guessed | 3 |
| Pollock | 1 | 0 | 6 | mackerel strip | 01-06-2019 21:50 | Guessed | 3 |
| Lobster | 1 | 1 | 8 | squid, sandeel, mackerel | 01-06-2019 23:21 | Guessed | 4 |
| Edible crab | 1 | 0 | 8 | squid, sandeel, mackerel | 01-06-2019 22:10 | Guessed | 4 |
| Pollock | 1 | 0 | 8 | mackerel strip | 01-06-2019 22:27 | Guessed | 3 |
The Session: This was just a short trip to my local pier for the usual species I go for Ray, Conger, Bass, Pollock. When I arrived there were already some anglers there and more arriving when I did so it was a bit of a squeeze. I decided to use just a single distance ledger rod and a conger rod and float rod close in as well as a prawn trap with old squid and sandeel bait in. After not too long I began to get bites on the float which was from the usual sized pollock, they lasted for around 45 minutes before stopping. I decided to check the prawn trap and found just a single Velvet Swimming Crab in it. I was not getting any bites on the ledger rod but the hooks were coming back stripped of bait. After catching one more pollock and another check of the prawn trap producing a couple of prawns I checked the conger rod which was snagged so I had to snap the line and I didn't bother setting it up again. The next check of the prawn trap felt heavy when I was lifign it which was quickly revealed to be because a small lobster had managed to get inside. I've had bigger ones before but it has been in the traps I have with a larger entrance hole. With bites on the float drying up and the ledger rod still shoing no indication of bites but the bait going each time I settled on there not being many fish out there and the spider crabs were taking the bait. My thoughts were confirmed when one became tangled in my line and not long after I decided to pack up. It was disapointing this evening but at least I caught something.
Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]:
Set up 1:
Rod: Daiwa Seahunter X 14ft 3 piece Fixed Spool (£60.00) [ > 1 years 2 months ] Reel: Wychwood Riot Fixed Spool (£39.99) [ > 1 years 0 months ] Line: Maxima Chameleon 20lb (£17.99) 600m Hooks: Sakuma Manta 2/0 (£13.05) 100 Shockleader: Gardner Slinky 60lb (£6.99) 100M Hooklength: Sunset Amnesia 40lb (£4.50) 100m
Set up 2:
Rod: Daiwa seahunter Z 13ft 2 piece MFS (£42.99) [ > 1 years 7 months ] Reel: Lineaeffe Tiger 870 Fixed Spool (£17.00) [ > 0 years 2 months ] Line: Daiwa Sensor 50lb (£6.99) 230m Hooks: Sakuma Circle Extra 8/0 (£8.79) 10 Hooklength: Gardner Slinky 100lb (£7.95) 100m
Set up 3:
Rod: Shakespeare Omni Mackerel 10ft 2 piece Fixed Spool (£17.95) [ > 5 years 0 months ] Reel: Lineaffe Carp 60 Baitrunner Fixed Spool (£12.00) [ > 2 years 11 months ] Line: Maxima Chameleon 20lb (£17.99) 600m Hooks: Sakuma Circle 440 2 (£5.55) 30 Hooklength: Maxima Clear 15lb (£4.00) 100m
Set up 4:
Prawn trap