[fin c]

A mate of mine was out the other night ledgering a strip of makerel was 1 hour before high at dusk off our local beach and landed a 6lb seatrout. which has got me thinking, where will they be hanging out as they are feeding up before entering the rivers?

our beach is about 4 miles from quite a large estuary, is it worth working all the ground from the river mouth along towards the beach as the tide comes in with soft plastics / clouser minnows and small lipless crankbaits?

Is there a better time day / state of tide?

And im hoping theres always the chance of a random lone bass.....


Any help info u guys have would be great.

 

[Keith White]

A mate of mine was out the other night ledgering a strip of makerel was 1 hour before high at dusk off our local beach and landed a 6lb seatrout. which has got me thinking, where will they be hanging out as they are feeding up before entering the rivers?

Most likely within a few hundred meters of the estuary mouths. This is why the Danes prohibit the fishing in such places.

 

[Iestyn Jones]

proximity to riiver at the estuary mouth and subsequent tidal flows, water depth, clarity etc will be the biggest factor and here inlies the problem with estuary mouths as they alter every year, a hotspot last year maybe totally barren the following year with shifting sand bars, same in rivers with shifting gravel bars ultimately altering the current/flow/speed etc. Generally The fish will hold on the flanks of estuary mouths just out from the main current to conserve as much energy for there journey upstream but not in backwaters. Unlike salmon that rely on heavy rains, flood/spate conditions before attempting there run, sewin will run with lower water levels but usually on the bigger spring tides or if the main river system benefits from a dam release. I would be looking for springtides with hw coinciding with darkness.

 

[fin c]

proximity to riiver at the estuary mouth and subsequent tidal flows, water depth, clarity etc will be the biggest factor and here inlies the problem with estuary mouths as they alter every year, a hotspot last year maybe totally barren the following year with shifting sand bars, same in rivers with shifting gravel bars ultimately altering the current/flow/speed etc. Generally The fish will hold on the flanks of estuary mouths just out from the main current to conserve as much energy for there journey upstream but not in backwaters. Unlike salmon that rely on heavy rains, flood/spate conditions before attempting there run, sewin will run with lower water levels but usually on the bigger spring tides or if the main river system benefits from a dam release. I would be looking for springtides with hw coinciding with darkness.

do they like mussel beds? or sandy areas as i have a choice of both types of ground

 

[Iestyn Jones]

On the rivers that I fish, at the estuary mouth there is little in the way of mussel beds, reef, rock etc they are for the most part sandy. Having said that if the rivers at your locality enter over reef/broken ground/mussel beds etc then they will still be found there, could be lying on top, on the flanks, downstream of structure etc, varies with each system. Trial and error with an unknown mark, dawn would be a good time to try and spot fish/watch for patrol routes etc, seals also give away where there are shoals/numbers/patrol routes.

 

[trev]

hi fin, heard about that fish and several others had recently and have been thinking of having a go myself for one as its still a little early for bass.In the summer there are loads of of them leaping all around you when plugging for bass,must be able to tempt them with something like a small mepps,toby or similar.

 

[fin c]

so are they feeding on various food sources? I know that small black/silver or blue/silver flies do the job for them on rivers presumably they will go for similar in salt.

I am gonna try using small shrimp or fry patterns as teasers while plugging / or softying..(not sure what the noun for using softies is) as a start.

They also go for slow moving muddlers dragged across the top to create a wake (fly made of deerhair that floats) on the rivers so maybe small boyant lures or i could make up some muddlers.

Loads of stuff to try out

 

[Iestyn Jones]

so are they feeding on various food sources? I know that small black/silver or blue/silver flies do the job for them on rivers presumably they will go for similar in salt.

I am gonna try using small shrimp or fry patterns as teasers while plugging / or softying..(not sure what the noun for using softies is) as a start.

They also go for slow moving muddlers dragged across the top to create a wake (fly made of deerhair that floats) on the rivers so maybe small boyant lures or i could make up some muddlers.

Loads of stuff to try out

the fly you want is a JAMBO!!!

 

[Darren Edwards]

a few years ago fin we had mini comp on that venue at night.my mate was fishing with a 3 hook flapper rig,one hook only had a dressing of tin foil pressed onto the shank of the hook and that was the one that took the seatrout.cheers daz

 

[Ian Buckingham]

Don't ignore outsized versions of 'tradtionals'- I did well on a size 6 longshank Zulu year before last.
However, I don't bother chasing them until May or so as I find they are a bit 'kelty' at this time of year and are obviously feeding up to regain condition after the winter spawn.
Mind you, if you think quite a few rivers see fresh fish running into December these days then its not suprising they can be a little lean early on in the year.

 

[fin c]

the fly you want is a JAMBO!!!

Like this???

and i made a tube version, would be nice with a stoats tail treble trailing behind it.