[Dicky Smith]

Had a couple of hours "rockybashing" on the SP's today.

Nothing massive but good fun, this one inhaled a spindleworm.

Gotta find some cheap alternatives, I know fun don't come for free but 4 spindleworms and 3 xorus sayori shads lost today. :rollineyes:

 

[bob jameson]

Nice one Dicky , bet it was chilly afloat ....

SPs nothings cheap today :muttley:

 

[Steve Lewis]

Dicky,

Cracking fish in what looks like some clear water, better than the soup I fished in today :jump:

 

[Nathan Taylor]

nice one mate...not been out for a bit the wifee has me around her little finger at the mo.. off out this weekend on the yak.. :clap:

 

[Mick Ward]

Cold bum Dicky? I know what you mean, wrasse do like expensive lures, I think we need a concerted effort to find a cheap one that they love.

 

[Dicky Smith]

Actually not too cold, thanks to my new drysuit I got for Xmas.

Mind you the 350 paddle strokes to get back up to start another drift helps keep up a sweat!

The home made drogue really slows down the drift nicely though.

 

[Keith White]

Gotta find some cheap alternatives, I know fun don't come for free but 4 spindleworms and 3 xorus sayori shads lost today.

The SP's you mention are awesome but I've not caught a Wrasse on a spindleworm before. I'm assuming you were after Bass ?

I use all the super staple baits like spindleworms, xlayers, hazedongs, etc but...

For Wrasse, you need a cheaper form of attacking them.

However, the hooks on cheap jig heads are crap, most really cheap plastics are
too rubbery or just plain awful.

I use a variety of gary yamamoto and Zoom baits when I know heavy losses are
expected. They are cheaper but good quality.

Nice fish btw and I nearly missed this with it not being in the catch reports.

 

[Dicky Smith]

I got a selection of cheaper plastics from AGM tackle to try over the last couple of days with mixed results.

I got some Assalt worms which have a nice ribbed body like an Xlayer in some lovely luwormy colours. In fact the look more like a lugworm than a lugworm!
Fished these on dropshot, jiggled around mixy ground and kelp beds and they look great-to me! The wrasse ignored them almost totally, just one little attack but no hook up. Same with slug-go super slims, which have been good in the past.
Then I tried a sort of sayori shad lookalike cheapo and bang fish on. Nothing big but that was what they really wanted, fishy lookalikes. Had a couple more before the light levels dropped.

Yesterday I went straight on with the shads and first cast had one of 3 1/2 or so, followed by a couple more. I then moved over to the breakwater where I've has many 6lb+ wrasse from the shore. Certainly a lot of fish there but I was having real problems hooking up and keeping hooked up. Lost a lot of fish including one real clonker. Tried the lug lookalikes but again with no joy.

Conclusions are that for regular hookups I need smaller baits with smaller jigheads, something like 3 1/2 inches and maybe 2/0 hooks.

AGM also have some lurvly storm crayfish plastics, and some prawn plastics which must be worth a go.

At least I only lost about £10 worth this weekend!

Keith, I'll look at what you suggest. Cheers.

 

[Keith White]

Very interesting post Dicky.

This is the issue. If we go small, strength goes with it.
Then, cheaper jig heads just don't cut it. However, for Wrasse, you have
to use a cheaper but still workable jig/plastic combo or sell your soul to be
able to afford to do it.

I've found AGM very helpful and recently aquired a selection of smaller grubs.
Sure, 70% of them aren't yamamoto or megabass standard but...

If you chuck out the crap and carefully select the best stuff (some is great btw)
then the Wrasse will certainly chew down on it. In winter, this is KEY.

Try really soft bait's Dicky and your hook up rate will improve exponentially.
However, rip em out of weed...bait gone
Get a good bite....bait gone
Catch a fish...bait gone

However: I believe that the winter bite demands we use a soft bait that gives
us time to respond and gives the fish more time less rejection time.

 

[Dicky Smith]

I'm really enjoying this new fangled wrassing.

I'm well used to the traditional heavy rod, 30lb line and 4/0 hooks, had many, many 6 and 7lb fish (usually in the Festival thankfully).

But this is way more fun, sure I could just fish crab but where's the challenge or progress in that?

Got a selection of smaller grubs, shads, craws and prawns coming and some strong small jigheads.

If it's too rough for the yak this weekend I'll go from the shore, gotta keep up the research.

Can't wait.