Lure Session

[fester]

Seen some Terns diving lately, And decided to get my waders on and have a go at an early 'Bonus' fish and the usual silver one.

Got to my venue and the water despite the rain was crystal clear, and I mean crystal! Hardly any weed either, conditions were perfect, overcast with slight drizzle.

I gently approached the water and kneeled down at the edge to eliminate my silhouette from above the skyline. Tried various lures, including Toby, surface lures, and floating minnows, and my new thunderstick.



First lure was a new one to me, Rapalla Husky Jerk Glass Minnow, Very good action but dived too deep for where I was.

I was disappointed at the lack of sandeels, but suddenly a big swirl and a splash erupted just 15' away, I don't know what it was, Seatrout? Bass? whatever this prompted me to change to a surface lure.



This is a Rapalla Skitter Pop, if you want one get the saltwater one as there is a freshwater version.

I Fished hard for nearly 2 hours but had to leave as usual, the only regret I had was that I didn't move about enough, but I really wanted to try my new lures out and I wasn't disappointed.

So........ no fish on the lures as yet, but when you are all alone waist deep in quite warm water for the time of year, and all is peacefull...........Who cares?

[harpoon]

Nice report and good pics.
Thanks.
Makes me want to get out there and do a bit myself.
Having to build up brownie poins at the moment but I cant hold out for ever...

[blueboo]

Nice one Fester you cant beat that can you mate no kids , sun going down calm waters ahhhhhhhh

[rzaskar]

Gona get out on my first lure sesh of the year on the weekend weather depending. Ya report has got me excited like a kid nearing christmas ;D ;D

[fester]

I know, I just love it!

What is it about being at the waters edge, I'm not that fussed if I blank, but when that swirl erupted 15' away, my heart started pumping, my mouth went dry and I thought for a second.... here we go! I cast out beyond it in a vain attempt to entice it to take, nothing! But thats lure fishing, using all your senses, see the venue and read the water, hear the splash, smell the sea air, feel for the take and taste the salt!

Magic!

[tompa]

If that's the kind of view and fishing I can expect when I come across later in the year I can't wait. Who cares if ya catch nowt ;D

[harpoon]

Hey Fez,
Mouth went dry eh? A quick crunch on the old lightbulb ought to sort that one out! ;D

[fester]

Harpoon!

I guess you have been there too? See a fish, see the swirl?

You cast to it in constant anticipation! You feel your heart pounding in your chest! Will it take?

By the way.............

Tompa, Come to North Wales, where the views are breathtaking, the water is clear, the fish fight hard and the Welsh hospitality is legendary!!



Thats the Great Orme from the Conwy Estuary when nobody else is about! Pure paradise!

Magic

[tompa]

Going to holyhead, maybe's beginning of July Can't wait Fester mate. Might see you there!!

[JohnK]

Fez, I went out on Weds night and had a very similar experience. Had all been quiet for ages then a fish, probably sea trout jumped clean out of the water no more than 30' away. It spent the next 30mins jumping and swirling just out of casting range. I didn't catch it, but it certainly made life interesting for a bit. ;D ;D

[kastonfly]

Just being there is often reward enough catching fish a bonus. I have had the privilege of seeing whale, dolphins, seals, naked women and sea otters not to mention fantastic sun rises and settings, skies full of shooting stars and all because I go fishing.

Re the sea trout anyone any ideas on how to catch them in the sea, I have been driven mad by them on more than one occasion (I have a licence if any one from the Environmental Agency is reading this). I have tried all sorts of flies and small spinners.

[donald]

I don't know if this is blindingly obvious ( kastonfly) - but - you could do a lot worse than get your hands on a copy of the Hugh Falkus book "Sea Trout". It is an absolute must, the bible, and about £15 new........................... No anglers shelf should be without this tome ......

www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0854931155/203-5973081-5848740

He wrote several interesting books - If you can get a copy (local library ?) "Nature Detective" (Heinemann 1979) will leave your breathless ................... It covers a great deal of 'activity' on the shore and dunes.

[harpoon]

I heard that was a very good book, thanks for the info on the other one - I must keep a look out for it - sounds like a good read.
Cheers.

[kastonfly]

Thanks for the info Donald, I have read many books regarding sea trout but very few the cover fishing for them in the sea, I have even taken to corresponding with anglers in Denmark where they do a lot of fly fishing in the sea for sea trout, but the Welsh fish seem to reject all of the approaches suggested. I think what I need is some guidance from someone who has actual targeted Welsh sea trout from the shore and consistently caught them. I will look up the books you suggest thanks again

[fester]

I think what I need is some guidance from someone who has actual targeted Welsh sea trout from the shore

That will be me!

Never caught one though

I know that they congregate in pools at low water waiting for the flood, often among bass, and when the bass start feeding on sand eels, they instinctively join in. I'm told that blue silver and white are best, and silly colors like yellow pink and red and orange are better early season?

C'mon you fly fishers, spill the beans

Oh!, and remember if you intend keeping one you need a Salmon license! (Migratory Trout) If you release it then that's OK. You can say you were fishing for bass which you also return.

P.S. Thanks for the info Don

[donald]

"I heard that was a very good book,"
That book is definitely the canine bi-spheroids of knowledge and techniques on fishing for sea trout in the sea in the universe !
Put your hand in your pocket - and pop into B&Q for a pair of strengthening brackets for your bookshelf before it arrives.

[fester]

Thanks Don, I love old books!

[donald]

So - what do I know ?



I tied these sea trout flies when I got bored one night

A bottle of whisky if you can name them all ;D



Read the book first - then go find your fish ..................

[The Image ™]

I've had a few sea trout in the Dovey on black flies as I was tipped off that these are what they go for.

Looking at your pics, you were lure fishing at exactly the same time as me and my daughter were kayaking into the sunset (look at night fishing on kayak forum). Same sea, same sunset! Weird sat out there on a yak when you could hear a pin drop. So quiet that I could hear Kevs lure plopping in the water and he was over 200 yards away.

We had the same results as well. Everything seemed so right but the fish didn't bite!

[donald]

Glyn, was that in fresh or salt water ? The top fly on the Dovey used to be The Haslam. Unfortunately, it uses two horns from a Macaw's tail feather - blue one side, yellow the other. Hard to get nowerdays ! Maybe ?

The three top left, were designed (if that's the word) by a lad who fished on the Dwyfor in the mid sixties. I can't recall his name, (Dave ?) but if memory serves, a fly-tyer who 'copied' it then claimed it as 'his' ....
Works well in salt / estuary / tidal pools. Not so hot in totally freshwater. Note just how lightly dressed they all are.

[zebra]

well don as far as i can see there is only one recognised fly in that lot its the medicine .the others as far as i can see are variations of recognised patterns like the whisky tandem type 2nd one down the peacock and squirel variation is the first one and the teal blue & silver one.
i hope that is only imitation junglecock ??oh yes its starling i think ? can i have the prize now ?

[donald]

The two silver delights (top right) are after one's Hugh developed and showed me. I used to see him most years on the Spey around Nethy Bridge. (Arthur Oglesby used to operate in Grantown-on-Spey about the same time)
Anyway, I digress. These are a sort of 'popper' type lure fished with a fly rod .. hhmmm
They are used at dead of night - the blacker the better or they don't work ! No moon. They are fished fairly slowly across a very flat pool with the odd tug to produce a 'pop' now and then. They seemed to work best when there were a number of large moths about, especially if they fell on the water ! At least you could fish a pool that otherwise would be unproductive using 'normal' flies.

AND - as you know - I NEVER use an imitation anything ................................ It's all real :-)

[learner]

Peter, joe, david, george, Hugh, sam, joanne, Christopher, craig.

Peter popper & simin popper.

There I have named them all for you (thought you would have been able to by now) ....can I have that bottle now

[fishinchef]

hey fester, been readin reports on lure and fly fishin west shore and decided to give it a go tonight, u reckon ill be in with a shout