Hints & Tips for a Good Day Afloat Supanova

 

Essentials for Wrecking

For wrecking for Cod, Pollack or Bass rods in the 12-20lb range are perfect for the job, paired with a medium sized multiplier (Abu 7000 or similar) loaded with 20-30lb braid and 25lb clear mono leader are perfect for the job. When wrecking for ling on the drift or congers at anchor a rod and reel a bit more substantial are the order of the day. Rods in the class of 30-50lb paired with a decent multiplier (shimano TLD 20 or similar) loaded with 50lb braid and a 50-70lb leader are needed mainly to deal with sometimes 3lb of lead and the tide.

Essentials for Inshore (Drifting)

When drift fishing inshore for species such as Bream, Bass, Cod, Plaice, Turbot, Brill etc Rods of 6-12lb or 12-20lb are perfect for all aspects again with matching reels (Abu 6000-7000 or similar) Loaded with 20-30lb braid and a 20-25lb clear mono Shock leader.

Essentials for Inshore (Anchor)

While your light gear (above) will be perfectly adequate for the sporting Black Bream at anchor I would perhaps step your Rods and reels up a notch to maybe a 30lb class setup to firstly deal with the larger weights needed to combat the stronger part of the tide often found around our fishing grounds and secondly to give you an opportunity to experience the larger fish often over looked on our inshore marks including Congers, Bull Huss, Tope and different types of ray Including Blonde, Undulate and Thornback's. This is just to hopefully point you in the right direction of what to bring with you but if you have your methods then please please don’t let me stop you from using them, I’m here to learn too!

---

My Top Tips & Tactics for Targeting Certain Species

Bass

Bass are normally fished for on the drift in very tidal areas with the top baits being live Sandeel's, Live Mackerel closely followed by artificial such as Red gills and storm shads.

The perfect Rig for Bassing is the Portland rig which is simply made from three swivels a couple of beads and a hook! Yes its that simple! (Click Here for Example). Coming from your sliding swivel on your Portland rig attach 8’ of CLEAR 20-25lb (Preferably with a small swivel in the middle) mono to either a 4/0 fine wire hook( Something like a mustad 3261BLN or a Kamasan B940) if using sandeels, A size 2 treble hook for live mackerel or your artificial. Attached to your weight link your weight (Normally 6,8,10 or 12oz be advised by me on the day) Lower your live or artificial bait to the bottom and wait for that explosive take!!

***** TOP BASS TIP *****

Where possible use exactly the same line for your Leader as your 8’ trace as they will behave exactly the same in the water whilst your bait goes through the washing machine effect!

Black Bream

During the summer months these little beauties are absolutely brilliant fun on light tackle and fantastic on the Barbie! Bream are caught both at anchor and on the drift. On the drift we use the same Portland rig as the bassing but with a shorter trace of around 3’ to a smaller size 2 or size 1 Aberdeen hook (Mustad 3261BLN or Kamasan B940). At anchor we use a simple running ledger with the same length trace and same size hook. The trick at anchor is to fish as light as you possibly can so you use enough weight that your bait is just holding bottom. If you get no bites after a minute or two pick your weight up and fly it back in the tide. Repeat this process until you either get a bite or you are 100yds behind the boat! On the bait front a strip of squid or Mackerel is the stuff!

***** TOP BREAM TIP *****

Try adding four or five yellow beads on your trace behind the hook, Bream love Yellow!

Cod

Whether fished for on the wrecks or inshore the tactics are exactly the same. The two favoured methods use a running ledger but with short traces attached to a storm shad or similar. The first is known as ‘’wiffing’ which sees you lower a 10oz weight with a 3’ foot trace of 30LB CLEAR MONO to the bottom and then jig your rod slowly in big long strokes bouncing your end gear along the bottom. Or the old fashioned method of simply lowering and retrieving your Lure.

**** TOP COD TIP *****

Cod Generally live closer to wreckage or the bottom than other species so live dangerously and the rewards are there!

Congers, Bull Huss and Tope

The much over looked and harder fighting variety of sport fish caught around our coast. These three are targeted all in the same way with a very simple running ledger to 4’ of 150-250lb mono NOT WIRE as this causes unnecessary stress to the fish tied to a strong 6/0-10/0 hook (Mustad 3406 o’shaughnesy). Simply add a fresh Mackerel Flapper and your ready to do battle!

***** TOP BAIT TIP *****

Keep those baits fresh these babies hunt on smell!!

Ling

These cod tasting conger looking fish are not as common as they used to be due to commercial pressure but are still a truly rewarding catch. Tactics again are simple with running ledgers and 150lb traces attached to a strong 6/0 hook (Mustad 3406). Drifted and wound up over the wreck over the slack water period. Best baits are either a Mackerel flapper or a couple of squid.

***** TOP LING TIP *****

Once clear of the wreck leave your reel in free spool thus leaving your gear stationary just behind the wreck in the catching zone!!!!!

Plaice

These pretty orange spotted characters grace our sandbanks and mussel beds in the spring and stay with us until late summer. Although the numbers are never there like they used to be in the glory days nothing beats seeing one of these crackers head shaking up through the water and slipping the net under them once they break surface. Tactics again see us using the trusty running ledger this time with a 3’ trace of 20LB CLEAR MONO to a fine wire Aberdeen hook of size 1 (Mustad 3261 or Kamasan B940).

On your trace add a dozen or so coloured beads on their own or combined with a blade or spoon. The only bait for these is ragworm tipped with a nice strip of squid fished hard on the bottom.

**** TOP PLAICE TIP ****

Don’t skimp on bait! Remember these fish are serious visual predators, A good sized plaice bait utilises 4 or 5 ragworm and a thin strip of squid!

Pollock

Our target on the deep mid channel Wrecks during the early part of the year. These trips see us lining up with either running ledgers using a 6-8’’ tube boom or a fixed wire or French boom attached to 8-10’ of 25-30LB CLEAR mono Preferably with a small swivel in the middle tied to varying artificial lures. Have a selection of shads, sidewinders, red gills and the old trusty Jelly Worms.

**** TOP POLLOCK TIP ****

Vary the height you retrieve your gear and vary the speed too, sometimes its the difference between catching and not! If you get a take KEEP THAT ROD STILL AND DON’T SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN THAT RATE OF RETRIEVE! After all what you were doing was what attracted the fish in the first place!

Rays

These hard fighting, tide loving bottom hugging beasts are again an over looked target. Nothing beats seeing an angler on his knees attached to a 25lb ray begging for mercy! Running ledgers with 4’ traces of 100-150lb mono are needed attached to a pennel rig of strong 6/0 hooks (Sakuma manta’s) with the best baits being a cocktail of squid and Mackerel.

**** TOP RAY TIP ****

Give these shy biters plenty of time to chomp on your bait and don’t set that hook until they start to move off with it and hang on!!!

Turbot and Brill

Probably the most frustrating but most prized fish to catch in the sea. These beautiful flat fish are rarely caught anywhere else in the country and believe it or not but rod and line is the most successful way of catching these beauties. Tactics again are a running ledger or Portland rig with and 8’ trace of 25lb clear mono attached to 6/0 fine wire Aberdeen hook (Mustad 32612BLN) With the top baits being a nice long strip of Mackerel, Strip of Launce or a live sandeel.

**** TOP TURBOT & BRILL TIP ****

Be patient!!!!! It’s not every day you catch one of these so enjoy it if you do! If you get that tell tale rattle spool off some line and just wind.
WHATEVER YOU DO DON’T PUMP THESE FISH AS THEY HAVE SUCH SOFT MOUTHS THE HOOKS WILL FALL OUT IF YOU DO.

REMEMBER NO TACKLE, NO PROBLEM THERE IS PLENTY ON BOARD TO USE!

---

Things you should have in your tackle box

If you run out of things or forget things I will have plenty on board.

Note: Braid is best on your reels you will struggle a bit with mono in the tide around our area to feel things. I look forward to having you on board.

 

---

Accommodation Information

Details of bed and breakfasts local to the Weymouth Harbour that you can book direct:

The Sailors Return (Pub) Telephone 01305 773377 e-mail: Helen@deepsea.co.uk	The Clarence 20 The Esplanade Telephone 01305 787583 Weymouth Email: Clarence.hotel1@btconnect.com	Bayview Hotel 35 The Esplanade Telephone 01305 782083 Weymouth
The Warwick 9 The Esplanade Telephone 01305 783261 Weymouth	The Cavendale 10 The Esplanade Telephone 01305 786960 Weymouth	Weymouth Sands 5 The Esplanade Telephone 0845 347 0029 Weymouth
The Chatsworth 14 The Esplanade Telephone 01305 785012 Weymouth Email: stay@thechatsworth.co.uk