[Andy Marquis]

OK, so we're talking lure fishing with shirvy here, not mullet or beaky bashing.

I fish a lot with the really light gear for mullet and bream in the shirvy and you get loads of bream in the shirvy later in the year if you use the right mix (normally very oily with some chopped squid and half a squid head for bait seems to work best) and have seen black bream to 5lb come out on the marks I fish, though not to me unfortunately I have had several well over the 2lb mark on mullet gear.

Anwyay, so is it cheating to target bream on a lure by using shirvy to draw them in?? It would also bring in Mackerel, beaks, pollack, wrasse and the occasional bass in my experience as I have caught all of them and a few others on bread in the shirvy trail. See if we can't notch up a few more species with the use of an attractant??

 

[Ben Field]

I've wondered as well about that lately. Especially when fishing near a prominent rip. Feeding it (a long way) 'upstream', I reckon I could concentrate more fish exactly where I want them....

Saying that, I don't actually like the thought of having to get my hands dirty!

 

[Dicky Smith]

I think it is a bit cheaty!

Not very purist IMHO.

 

[Simon L]

Probably not the 'purist' way of doing it, & would probably constitute an unfair advantage in a comp ? But otherwise, at any other time . . . . . up to you i say.


Edit: Just noticed your post Dicky - similar thoughts.

 

[Keith White]

well, great question indeed.

I have mixed feelings regards this but, personal feeling apart, no, I don't believe it is cheating.

Big bluewater fish are often chummed up and in fact, many so called flies and fly casts for said fish are based around chunks of tuna flesh. Is that cheating ?

Mullet on bread flies ? I have done it but, a pure Mullet to me, is worth 50 bread fly in shirvy fish. However:

You often do catch more fish.

We all use scents of some form with the high end soft plastics, or, like myself, some use additives. Cheating ?

So sure, I'd fish a soft plastic crab with a swimfeeder for smoothounds. I'd use anything to catch more fish and really, a 'lure' is but an artificial bait.

In fact, I have been working on organic softies. You'll see these soon btw.

So, chum away and lets see the results.

 

[Andy Marquis]

I don't see it as an unfair advantage in a comp?? You can atract the fish but make them feed on something other than the shirvy contents??

As Keith said, many lures (Xlayer, Hazedong etc) are scented. For what reason?? To attract the fish by scent I guess??

You're still lure fishing... Baited mepps for a thin lip??

Just chucking thoughs. I've not tried it.

 

[Simon L]

When i say in a comp . . . i mean in a 'lure' comp. Just my opinion.

 

[Ben Field]

Think you're right Si.

In the event of a lure competition, chervy would split things. You'd have the option of travelling light and wandering around as we do now, or we'd be back to square one, staying put and using bait to attract the fish to us. If chervy proved successful then we'd all have to start doing it to compete - whcih would massively slow development overall.

 

[Alex Jordan]

Fair play in recreational fishing - a strict no-no in lure comps ... prolly worth putting that in the rules to clarify!

 

[Keith White]

Fair play in recreational fishing - a strict no-no in lure comps ... prolly worth putting that in the rules to clarify!

I agree.

I do like Andy's thinking re: the Bream though. If he sorts it out, I'll be on the ferry.

 

[Mike Kennard]

I had been thinking of this recently. If I can't catch on mini soft plastics locally, try groundbaiting to see if it makes a difference. I had been thinking of drop shotting a soft plastic with a mini feeder filled with groundbait. Lots of different types available for saltwater though likely to be a home made concoction.

As far as cheating goes, cheating who? In comps a definite no though.

 

[Andy Marquis]

Interesting discussion.

OK, so I actually do sort of agree about comps, but only if it's a "lure only" comp. A simple bass comp and then what?? People can use bait as well?? But what about a lure section in that comp, what if I happen to fish near the commercial quay where loads of fish waste is discarded giving a natural shirvy??

Just promoting healthy discussion... Pushing the boundaries.

I plan to give it a go just to see if bream can be caught regularly on lures and to have fun with things like Mackerel and Beaks.

 

[Keith White]

A simple bass comp and then what?? People can use bait as well?? But what about a lure section in that comp, what if I happen to fish near the commercial quay where loads of fish waste is discarded giving a natural shirvy??

Just promoting healthy discussion... Pushing the boundaries.

sure does and, you know what ?

I don't have an answer. There is a good argument for both approaches imho.

 

[Alex Jordan]

With warm water outflows and commercial fish dumping (near a canning factory?) that is just wise location choice ... if you are influencing the food input manually by hand - thats a different matter ...

 

[Andy Marquis]

So it's OK to fish next to the nipper who's mulletting then??

Bit grey really isn't it. Guess it depends if it actually works. MOst fish get pre-occipied with what they are feeding on, unless I stick a couple dozen packs of cut up X-Layers in the bucket with the bread and oil?? :-o:???:

 

[Rob F]

For me that's a great idea! A lot of beaches in North Wales and on the Fyle Penninsular are flat open beaches so I can see how it can draw fish to me. Can see how it would be cheating in lure only comps.

 

[Keith White]

So it's OK to fish next to the nipper who's mulletting then??

Bit grey really isn't it. Guess it depends if it actually works. MOst fish get pre-occipied with what they are feeding on, unless I stick a couple dozen packs of cut up X-Layers in the bucket with the bread and oil?? :-o:???:

Mick's newest best friend.

a real £200 pound day out that with a small bucket.
I dare you to do it. :shock: