Trigger Fish

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:21 pm

Got speaking to someone at work today and naturally the conversation turned to fishing. The guy told me that he liked to fish Chesil Beach and regularly caught Trigger Fish. He showed me photographs of these amazing fish. They looked really exotic and as if they would put up a real fight on a fly rod. Has anyone managed to catch a Trigger on fly on the south coast? How can it be done?

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:43 pm

Hi mate,
I think the way to hook them is to get out to them in a small inflatable,wee engine,sinking line.As for flys...a big one?
You can pick up a small rib with a teeny outboard for a days work,thats your rate not mine!
Cheers
Simon

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:27 pm

you wont catch one on a fly at the moment wreck of the adelaide is too deep to fly fish go to your pm and we could have ago on normal tackle

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:20 am

Assuming they come this year (I don't think we saw many last year), they do not take fly and you need tough snoods to avoid them biting through. Essentially they are bottom feeders and partial to shell fish like mussels, limpets and small crabs. If weather is good enough they arrive in mid July and hang around wrecks and rocks where they can find there favourite scoff.

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:00 am

eccles wrote:

they do not take fly

Someone should tell them that then.

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:41 pm

Has anyone actually tried to catch one on the fly?

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:44 pm

Yes...and suceeded, contrary to what our resident 'expert' insists.

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:55 pm

What was the successful technique MJB?

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:30 pm

Not 100% sure, but certainly involved getting down to the fish. I know of UK and Ireland caught fish and they catch them on fluff overseas so it's definatly possible. A couple of friends of mine are having a serious go for them this year from a boat. They've had Bass to 14lb 8oz and big Pollock on the fly from over 100ft depth over wrecks so they have the technique to get the fly down deep sussed and have a couple of known Trigger fish spots so it's just figuring out which flies to use and they're in.

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:06 pm

I'd have thought a crab pattern might get them interested.

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:08 pm

Sounds like quite a challenge MJB and certainly different to chucking fluff at Bass. I wish your mates all the best in their venture. Keep us updated, please.
You are on the right track, bassfly, the guy I was speaking to caught his Triggers on crab. Any wrecks in Chichester Harbour?

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:57 pm

There are a couple of wrecks,i drive one of them and the other one is off of West Witterings.

Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:43 pm

Got to be worth a go later in the summer, even if we oly catch some big Bass, ha ,ha.