[Gary A]

Hi guys, just a quickie. Over the weekend, at a couple of different venues, I was deadsticking a soft plastic sandeel and giving it the odd shake/lift every couple of minutes. Both times I had some good strong bites which I allowed to continue for a few seconds before striking.

The question is, did I strike too early (or late)?, or could it be because the hook on the jighead was maybe too large (2/0). The sandeel came back with large toothy scrapes by the hook point, so I presume it was wrasse.

Thanks for any replies

Gary

 

[Ritchie Campion]

Hey Gary. That seems to happen a fair bit with wrasse mate. I've had X-layers biten in half when dead sticking for wrasse! Trick is keeping a tight line and once you've felt that first tap get ready and on the second, strike. I think though (i'm no expert) but wrasse aren't always attacking your softies to feed. So you wont hook up every time...

 

[Keith White]

I've had alot of triple bites as in ....

1 (attacks lure, normally the tail end)

2 (Turns it )

3 ( Rejection )

We try to strike on 2 but it doesn't always work.

On Sunday, Paul B identified that the Wrasse were giving bold, strong, single strikes at the lure. That requires being so 'in the zone' it's unreal.

Glad you are trying this stuff Gary and yes, likely Wrasse. You might get a good un so hold on eh.

 

[Callum]

ive been using 1/0 hooks if that helps gary i wouldnt like to say yours were too big though!

 

[Mark Sleep]

Could do with a long shank narrow gape strong hook on a jighead really. Long shank to get the hook point a good way down the body of the bait to hopefully hook a few more of those hits, but the narrow gape so as to not just go OTT for the Wrasse etc, which do actually have pretty small mouths.

 

[Ritchie Campion]

stingers? I put a little hook in the tail end of my x-layers with a bait needle (sssssshhhhhhhhhhhh) attached to the main jig head hook!

 

[Ben Field]

has it made a decent difference Ritchie? I haven't tested them yet so can't say too much but I have some very decent looking stinger 'type' rigs.

 

[Ritchie Campion]

Well I've had nothing MASSIVE yet but I've defiantly been hooking up double the amount mate. Whats your rig like?

 

[Mark Sleep]

I tried a stinger the other day, and I didnt get a bite... I had the line going from the weighted hook to a small size 8 in the tail. After having had no action at all, and thinking about how effective xlayers normally are, I worried myself that the stinger and the line could interrupt potential spot-on vibrations put out by the ribs of the xlayer, so changed back to standard.

 

[Ben Field]

Cool to hear!

Haha, I'll show you when they're tested and I know if they work or not ;-)

 

[Callum]

hmm stingers for wrass? i rigged up an xlayer with a stinger but i diddnt use it out of fear of not being able to get the bugger out of its gob! what happens if the stinger and the main hook gets swallowed? do we really need stingers? i think a longer shank for the slayers is enough. do we need to hook up any more then we do? i personally think thats what makes it exiting and fun the fact you dont always hook up and you got to stay on the ball, but thats just what i think at the moment i allways change my mind!

 

[Ben Field]

With flying stingers you'll be able to get a disgorger (coarse style - depending on hook size) in its mouth for safe unhooking. Easy.

I'll be out later testing a couple of rigs. I'm after bass but will try use the wrasse rigs just to see how they are in the water.

Know what you mean about sticking with what you've got though and trying to fully figure it out - rather than just doing something that you know will make it easier. :laserswords:

 

[Gary A]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm sure they were probably wrasse and all the lure damage was alongside the hook, not sure a stinger would have helped there.

I'll keep trying.

Gary

 

[Callum]

agreed! yeah a flying stinger will work no doubt but if im being really honest i just cant be arsed messing about with the disgorger lol sometimes you got no choice though

 

[Ben Field]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm sure they were probably wrasse and all the lure damage was alongside the hook, not sure a stinger would have helped there.

I'll keep trying.

Gary

Rig it on 4 sets of trebles next time gary? Hehe.

Callum, I don't reckon a standard flying stinger will work actually. They're ideal for moving baits but with a static bait (as for Wrasse), not so much. Hopefully later will be successful and I'll be able to show you what I'm thinking.

 

[Callum]

yeah i diddnt think about the bait being static! good point ben

 

[Keith White]

flying stingers won't work deadstick.

 

[Gary A]

I had a quick trip with Karen to Gorey last night (1hr) after we'd dropped Martin at youth club. I tried casting out and straight retrieving a gulp sandeel (as the ground below is very rocky) with no takes.So thought I'd try deadstick, and sure enough there were bites straight away. Near the end of our session, as my sandeel was just about to contact bottom, it was taken by a pollock of about 1lb. Incedentally, there was a mackeral caught right next to me by a lad on feathers (pretty early for Gorey).

 

[Keith White]

Gary:

Stuff falling naturally to the bottom has to be one of, if not the best presentation for many fish.
I'm glad your starting to work on it.