New to Sea Fishing, and to the forum ;)

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

Im pretty new to fishing. I used to do lake fishing but didn't really find it that interesting, about 5 times of going, we (me and my dad) stopped going but recently I have got hooked on sea fishing . I just want to post here about my most recent acheivment which is catching about a foot long bass! I have only been sea fishing about 6 times now, and caught that yesterday, along with two lings (we think it may have actually been the same one, as it was basically exactly the same size, looked the same, and had a hole underneath it's eye where i had accidentally hooked it the first time.

Admittedly though, the first catch (the first ling) today was kind of an accident, it was prettty windy and my rod fell over and when i went to cast back out, and it popped up!Oh, and I caught the bass on a regular lugworm! tougue

Just to make it even more ironic! There was a peice of nice tasty frozen squid on the other hook, but it just went for the lugworm lol.

I have a "beach 60 light surf leader 2xl" reel, and a 12 foot rod. I haven't actually caught anything on the frozen squid, although i've heard lots of comments on it being great bait. I think i may be hooking it on wrongly. Any ideas?

Overall I have caught 3 ling, 1 bass, 1 whiting, a hermit crab, some sort of mussel type thing, and something else that i cant remember tougue

.

Anyway, hope to get some good tips and read about others experiences on this forum in the future winking

Thanks, Dobbygolem.

EDIT: Oh, and i used a no. 1 hook.

EDIT2: And this all goes to show, that you don't have to buy the best of the best equipment and rods, and reels, etc. to get good fish. This is my first beginner rod and my first reel too, yet i caught this bass with no real experience.

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

How is margate pier? I've been to ramsgate, and deal, but i've never been to margate. I was just wondering if you normally get any good fish around there... :S

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:53 pm

Hi

Try putting this question in the "Sea Fishing South Coast" forum - might get more response there...

Tim

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

to catch a bass at the mo is a achievement. well done m8.

squid is best fished as a tipping bait or whole on a second rod. it sounds like you just wanna catch any fish so i would suggest that you cut the squid into strips (about 1 cm wide and 5cm long) then just hook one end once with the hook and let it flutter. you can play around withe the size depending on the species you want.

i take it your from thanet? if ever you want a lesson/ session, let me know and i'll see if we can hook up.

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

to catch a bass at the mo is a achievement. well done m8.

Thanks!

it sounds like you just wanna catch any fish

Yup! I find it great just pulling up any fish! Even if its just a baby little thing! tougue

(not done that yet though hehe)

cut the squid into strips (about 1 cm wide and 5cm long) then just hook one end once with the hook and let it flutter. you can play around withe the size depending on the species you want.

YAY! I've been searching the net for that information for ages! tougue

If i just want any fish, will 1cm x 5cm be okay? I'm not using the squid just to get certain big fish, just for an increased chance in catching a fish.

And what part of the squid do i cut into strips? There is a bit that looks like part of a massive tentacle, that was cut off near the tip, and then there is like a mini squid thing attatched to the top of that (where the tentacle was "cut") and if you pull on that bit, it comes out and its like a completely new squid but really tiny (around 5cm height)

I'm guessing i cut the big tentacle thing into strips, but then what do i do with the "mini squid"?

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

that size strip should be good to tip of something like ragworm or lugworm.

as for cutting the squid. there are 3 main parts to it- the head (which has the tenticles attached to it), the body (the biggest part of the squid, that has a thinb skin on it), and the guts/ insides.

the guts are pretty much useless for tipping, so throw it away. cut the head off where it joins the guts, this can be used whole to tip lugworm or you can cut into smaller pieces so you have 2 or 3 tenticles tto tip with (i like using the later method).

as for the body cut from the head end right up the body to the other end. open it up and remove the guts, now you should have a flat and thin piece of squid flesh. you can now cut this into the size of strip that is required. i find it easier and neater if i use scissors rather than a knife.

if you fancy a lesson i'll bring a selection of bait and show you how to use them, prob better when there are a few more fish about and it's a bit walmer.

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

Thanks, that explained alot! happy

But what does tipping mean? Im guessing it is where you put a strong scented bait on the same hook as a different bait to get the fish to come...? :S Just a guess lol

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

not a bad guess.

i would say that a tip is a different bait added to the end of the main bait. usually i fish a juicy worm (lug, blacks, rag ) and then tip with a bait that has a different quality (whites, maddies, fish, squid), these little tips add movement and/ or bright colour to the main bait.

if you're combining 2 or more different baits to get a mixture of scent then i would class this as a cocktail. e.g - half a sandeel and a strip of macky bound with elastic for rays or dogs or a yellowtail lug worm and half a peeler for codling.

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

Ah, well it was a total guess! tougue

So basically if you do that it will give you a bigger chance of catching fish! big grin

. Earlier i cut the squid into strips and what you said, but how do you hook on the head? The strips i know you just put it on the hook one end but with the head do you just hook it straight through one side of the head and out the other? :S

Would like a reply by tomorrow before 11am GMT, as i'm going fishing at ramsgate then winking

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

sorry i couldn't get back to you before now.

a whole head is better mounted on a large hook (about a 3/0) so that the hook point isn't masked. it's really up to you how it goes on, straight between the 2 eyes, from one side to the other should be ok. if you not confident that it will stay on just wrap some fine bait elastic round it.

if your cutting the head up then just nick the thickest part of the tenticle once with the hook. so that it will flutter in the tide.

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

Thanks, but I didnt catch anything :S It wasn't just me, i didn't see anyone catch anything apart from my dad tougue

. He caught a little ling that was thrown back happy

I've made a price of wood with grooves in it, showing the minimum fish sizes for the commonly caught fish around this area. Although i didnt get to use it, I think it will work wonders big grin

I saw that lings have a minimum size of 2'6! Has anyone seen a ling actually get that big?! tougue

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

the size for rockling (which i think is what you're dad caught) is 18 cm. and the size for ling (which are vary rarely caught from the shore in our area) is 72cm.

everyone's waiting for the fish to come back, the bloody easterly/ north easterly winds don't help.

Member Joined: Mar 12, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Margate

Why does an easterly or north easterly wind drive the fish away? Or is it just that it makes it even colder and people want to go out fishing less? tougue

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

it does bring the cold temperatures with the wind, but scotland still fishes well and it's usually cold up there. to be honest i don't know why but the easterlys just kill the fishing dead.

if you can get out after a couple of days after strong on sure winds then the fish move back in to feed on everything the big waves have churned up.