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ok, yea, borrowed that title from a famous song. No apologies...
so, on to business.
We were out at St Catherines again.
Mark Sleep armed with new bling, Kevin, Tom Phillips, Andy P, Darren G, Gary Aubert and myself arrived at various times around the high water. Conditions where a complete reverse wind wise as that had swung SSW F3 and being high up, made line contact on light gear harder. Water was still, gin clear to start.
Kevin patterned the fish first. He was out of the artificial light and like myself was getting taps but not takers.
It wasn't long before he was in.
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Kev with that stupid smirk that say's " I patterned these fish before you " Arrgghh..
New mission:
Wipe grin from face.
![]()
Just one of 5 nice fish for Kev. He has some pics I believe of the others. Kev went deep but small. He eventually had to cut down a tiny xlayer but he split the tail (fluke style) for just a fraction more action. He patterned the fish in suspension mid water at 12-15ft using a light head and smaller plastic that helped the Pollack commit. Asked whether he was patterning Eel grass or stones...he just laughed.
Fight !!!
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Tom Phillips got creative too, he fished a 1.6g SSG carolina rig with 4lb fluorocarbon leader and this butchered muppet leg. 3 fish later, I guess he made the right choice.
I was still fishless ? I was getting bites, I tried 2g thru 7g, various sp's, loads of short takes, no fish.
I moved down the wall to target the slipway and water at a reasonable, foot level where line control was much better. Armed with a 1g carolina 3ft to the Yamashita Worm Bake II i started to target the slipway lip at 30 degree's parallel to the wall. There is a shadow created here that forms a great ambush point and, the swell rolls up the slip creating wash, turbulence and of course, more cover. Casting parallel keeps the Yamashita sp in the ZONE for longer.
1g: too light, 2 g, too heavy, 3ft leader: too long, getting washed around....
Nuts, I was on for a blankety blank.
Gary A, Mark S and Darren G where also feeling the pain of failure but to be honest, the fishing was HARD and Kevs smile started to wane as he too, stopped getting bites...
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Finally !, 1 of 3 for me. I switched to 26" weight to bait leader, AA split shot, longer 3lb fluorocarbon overall leader of 9ft and patterned the edge of the slip over the stones between 15 degree's and 30 degree's, perpendicularto the swell but parallel to the ledge, the shadow and the just ticking the lower stone structure.
I called for Gary, ran him though the pattern and method, made a few casts for him, passed him my rod and rig...
He did great, fished like a champion.
![]()
Gary Aubert with a nice Pollack on LRF gear and the Yamashita sp using the cormoran ULX 1-10g rod.
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Close up. Well done m8. Garry actually had a couple of bites and I think he was taken aback by the sensitivity of LRF gear. He certainly had fun playing the fish.
Ok, so I was now confirming the pattern. It wasn't just me, it was indeed the pattern that was finding the fish.
I called Mark down..
![]()
Mark has a bit more experience of lighter braids so I quickly demonstrated the pattern and the method, cast, point rod at target, bail off, sweep rod back, engage bail, let sp sink. pull rod back slowly at 90 deg, feel the weight of the shot. slide it back down and perhaps give it a shake....Bam ! fish on...
I passed the rod to Mark, he had a bit of fun, landed the fish and we slid it back.
The rod was again cast, Mark emulated the method perfectly. Within a few casts...
He had the fish above. Excellent and everyone now had had a decent sized Pollack on the light gear.
That my friends is 'teamwork'.
![]()
Mark sporting the yamashita and of course, the Pollack which it and Mark 'lured' into taking.
Well done guys...
Next trip, Wed night.
so, on to business.
We were out at St Catherines again.
Mark Sleep armed with new bling, Kevin, Tom Phillips, Andy P, Darren G, Gary Aubert and myself arrived at various times around the high water. Conditions where a complete reverse wind wise as that had swung SSW F3 and being high up, made line contact on light gear harder. Water was still, gin clear to start.
Kevin patterned the fish first. He was out of the artificial light and like myself was getting taps but not takers.
It wasn't long before he was in.
Kev with that stupid smirk that say's " I patterned these fish before you " Arrgghh..
New mission:
Wipe grin from face.
Just one of 5 nice fish for Kev. He has some pics I believe of the others. Kev went deep but small. He eventually had to cut down a tiny xlayer but he split the tail (fluke style) for just a fraction more action. He patterned the fish in suspension mid water at 12-15ft using a light head and smaller plastic that helped the Pollack commit. Asked whether he was patterning Eel grass or stones...he just laughed.
Fight !!!
Tom Phillips got creative too, he fished a 1.6g SSG carolina rig with 4lb fluorocarbon leader and this butchered muppet leg. 3 fish later, I guess he made the right choice.
I was still fishless ? I was getting bites, I tried 2g thru 7g, various sp's, loads of short takes, no fish.
I moved down the wall to target the slipway and water at a reasonable, foot level where line control was much better. Armed with a 1g carolina 3ft to the Yamashita Worm Bake II i started to target the slipway lip at 30 degree's parallel to the wall. There is a shadow created here that forms a great ambush point and, the swell rolls up the slip creating wash, turbulence and of course, more cover. Casting parallel keeps the Yamashita sp in the ZONE for longer.
1g: too light, 2 g, too heavy, 3ft leader: too long, getting washed around....
Nuts, I was on for a blankety blank.
Gary A, Mark S and Darren G where also feeling the pain of failure but to be honest, the fishing was HARD and Kevs smile started to wane as he too, stopped getting bites...
Finally !, 1 of 3 for me. I switched to 26" weight to bait leader, AA split shot, longer 3lb fluorocarbon overall leader of 9ft and patterned the edge of the slip over the stones between 15 degree's and 30 degree's, perpendicularto the swell but parallel to the ledge, the shadow and the just ticking the lower stone structure.
I called for Gary, ran him though the pattern and method, made a few casts for him, passed him my rod and rig...
He did great, fished like a champion.
Gary Aubert with a nice Pollack on LRF gear and the Yamashita sp using the cormoran ULX 1-10g rod.
Close up. Well done m8. Garry actually had a couple of bites and I think he was taken aback by the sensitivity of LRF gear. He certainly had fun playing the fish.
Ok, so I was now confirming the pattern. It wasn't just me, it was indeed the pattern that was finding the fish.
I called Mark down..
Mark has a bit more experience of lighter braids so I quickly demonstrated the pattern and the method, cast, point rod at target, bail off, sweep rod back, engage bail, let sp sink. pull rod back slowly at 90 deg, feel the weight of the shot. slide it back down and perhaps give it a shake....Bam ! fish on...
I passed the rod to Mark, he had a bit of fun, landed the fish and we slid it back.
The rod was again cast, Mark emulated the method perfectly. Within a few casts...
He had the fish above. Excellent and everyone now had had a decent sized Pollack on the light gear.
That my friends is 'teamwork'.
Mark sporting the yamashita and of course, the Pollack which it and Mark 'lured' into taking.
Well done guys...
Next trip, Wed night.
