CoarseanglerSteve
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2021
- Messages
- 127
- Reaction score
- 479
- Points
- 63
- Location
- Blackpool
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Was hoping to squeeze in another smoothound session before I am off next week for a few days after barbel on the River Severn. Managed to get a few peeler crab on Wednesday but then we had two days of rain, so today (Saturday) it would have to be. I knew it would be busy with high tide around 1pm, so left home early, arriving at Rossal about 8:30. Even at that time there were a few fishing already. However, being still fairly new and being overly cautious about getting cut off as the various gullies fill on the flood, I could at least see when the others were retreating.
I opted for a spot away from the others which gave me a comfortable area to fish from at HW, as my plan was to fish until then. On my last couple trips I also arrived early and generally set up behind the deepish gulley and waited. Today I walked out to the sand bar and set up, but only the one rod, thinking it would be easier to fish two later on, when I needn't worry about moving back as much.
This was second session with 2 multipliers, having bought a second, an Akios Shuttle, after having a few trips using an ABU 6500. Have to say I am liking using a multi, despite years of fixed spool freshwater fishing !
So, peeler crab on a 2/0 pulley was cast out and I only had to wait about 5 minutes before the first indication. Not a screaming take but a few gentle nods and then some slack line. Wound down and could feel a bit of weight and then some nodding, making me hope it was a smoothie! Didn't really fight that hard until it made a few runs in the surf, but was relieved to beach my second ever smoothie, and on my first cast of the day! This one was about 4-4.5lb and was probably my PB, beating the one I had a few weeks ago.
Fortunately there were a few dog walkers so collared one to take a pic (and explain that it wasn't a real shark!).
Fished on without any other signs and it was soon time to retreat through the gulley that was already filling quickly. I am sure I could have stayed out longer but it just makes me nervous, especially when the sandbar behind you is high and you can't see the gulley filling from where you are fishing!
Once I was behind the gulley I set a second rod up and tried a prawn, some squid and bluey, all of which drew a blank, so reverted to crab on both rods, although I needed to be careful in order to make the few I had last the session.
About an hour before HW I had another tap, again not a violent bite, but struck and felt something but it must have come off straight away. Further retreats now saw me fishing off the sea defence wall/walkway when I had another tap tap and this time managed to keep it on. This one was smaller, about 3lb probably, but again thrashed around in the surf, making it a bit of a pain to land due to the sea defence and as some weed had caught in my tip eye.
That was it until my last cast, when I had the last crab on. This wasn't actually a peeler so just stuck it on whole which appealed to a little tope pup about a foot long!
Ran out of bait just before HW so managed that quite well and overall had a really enjoyable morning. No issues with casting the multis, or with the terminal tackle (see my thread about some issues I had with bait clips not releasing). Today I used Gemini Splashdowns with no issues at all. All the fish were nicely hooked in the mouth and all went off strongly when released.
Will be a few days before I return now, but hoping to get a few barbel next week, despite the river being low and clear. That might reignite my interest in coarse fishing, but the smoothies today will make me want to come back for more off the beach
I opted for a spot away from the others which gave me a comfortable area to fish from at HW, as my plan was to fish until then. On my last couple trips I also arrived early and generally set up behind the deepish gulley and waited. Today I walked out to the sand bar and set up, but only the one rod, thinking it would be easier to fish two later on, when I needn't worry about moving back as much.
This was second session with 2 multipliers, having bought a second, an Akios Shuttle, after having a few trips using an ABU 6500. Have to say I am liking using a multi, despite years of fixed spool freshwater fishing !
So, peeler crab on a 2/0 pulley was cast out and I only had to wait about 5 minutes before the first indication. Not a screaming take but a few gentle nods and then some slack line. Wound down and could feel a bit of weight and then some nodding, making me hope it was a smoothie! Didn't really fight that hard until it made a few runs in the surf, but was relieved to beach my second ever smoothie, and on my first cast of the day! This one was about 4-4.5lb and was probably my PB, beating the one I had a few weeks ago.
Fortunately there were a few dog walkers so collared one to take a pic (and explain that it wasn't a real shark!).
Fished on without any other signs and it was soon time to retreat through the gulley that was already filling quickly. I am sure I could have stayed out longer but it just makes me nervous, especially when the sandbar behind you is high and you can't see the gulley filling from where you are fishing!
Once I was behind the gulley I set a second rod up and tried a prawn, some squid and bluey, all of which drew a blank, so reverted to crab on both rods, although I needed to be careful in order to make the few I had last the session.
About an hour before HW I had another tap, again not a violent bite, but struck and felt something but it must have come off straight away. Further retreats now saw me fishing off the sea defence wall/walkway when I had another tap tap and this time managed to keep it on. This one was smaller, about 3lb probably, but again thrashed around in the surf, making it a bit of a pain to land due to the sea defence and as some weed had caught in my tip eye.
That was it until my last cast, when I had the last crab on. This wasn't actually a peeler so just stuck it on whole which appealed to a little tope pup about a foot long!
Ran out of bait just before HW so managed that quite well and overall had a really enjoyable morning. No issues with casting the multis, or with the terminal tackle (see my thread about some issues I had with bait clips not releasing). Today I used Gemini Splashdowns with no issues at all. All the fish were nicely hooked in the mouth and all went off strongly when released.
Will be a few days before I return now, but hoping to get a few barbel next week, despite the river being low and clear. That might reignite my interest in coarse fishing, but the smoothies today will make me want to come back for more off the beach
