Novice needs help

[Rugby_Stan]

Great forum. I have spent the last few days reading like mad trying to learn as much as I can before the holiday's.

I am going on holiday to Dorset (Dorchester) soon (22nd - 31st July) and wondered if any one could offer me any advice on where and how to fish.

I have very limited "Sea fishing kit" and experience. I do however have plenty of Coarse kit (Pike, Carp, match etc) as I fish regularly but as I live in Leicester I do not get the chance to go to the sea very often.

Any help or advice will be gratefully received.

Regards

STAN

[pingu]

welcome stan
you can use carp rods and reels happily ig targeting the mackeral, (feathers or spinning) also if hunting flatties or other small species in close, use a wishbone rig small hooks and lightish weigt and have fun
sure loads more advise to come as not really my area of country but plenty from there
dave

[Rugby_Stan]

Thanks for the quick response. I have only ever caught Wrasse from the sea before now but that was more luck than jugement.

[Drew]

Hi Stan,

Chesil beach is the place for you, clock onto the website, all venues are listed.

Another excellent beach is Ringstead, it is well worth a visit.

I am down there the following moth otherwise we could have met up for a session. I mainly charter fish but I always lookforward to my holiday when I can fling a big rod around.

Hope that you have a nice time.

Cheers

Drew

[Rugby_Stan]

I guess from what I have read that the weight goes above the hooks not below like I would use in a helicopter carp rig?
Should I just use a 2 hook rig or would 3, 4 or 5 be more suitable?
Also what size and type of weights should I look for what conditions eg tide etc.

Sorry if this is a daft question that should really be in the Rigs section of the forum but I would rather ask than learn the hard way.

Regards

STAN

[geejayy]

weights;- size depends upon a few factors mainly .;-1 how heavey a weight can your rod cast with out damageing it, ie my carpy/spinning rod ( 2 an a quater lb tc) can just about cope with 4oz but i wouldnt try the heaveier ones that i can on my beach casters, sea rods are usually rated by casting weight range and not test curve.

2 sea conditions, tide and surf will drag around and wash in rigs too fast
can't catch fish if the rigs on the beach,
if you can get the rig to sit still on the sea bed especialy at night when they are hunting by scent, its about right this can be assisted by the use of gemini or breakaway type wired grip leads for strong tides.
though its often worth letting your bait /rigs roll slowly accross the sea bed,
to search out the fish , some like a moveing bait.

shape . aerodynamic increases casting distance, flat/watch leads if you want to slow down a roveing rig as it draggs about, or stopp them embedding in soft mud on shallow venues, bell weights really just for boat use i've seen em up to 2 1/2 lb.
grip weights , see above.

number of hooks;- i think that nfsa reg state no more than 3 per rod
but this is not a law. ( more hooks=more tangles)
up to 3 is usually used by most.

chesil, first light/dusk, carp rod, spin with dexters etc or feathers, should get burried with mackerel maybe odd pollock n bass 40yd cast or more will do.
if it stays fine and calm.
hope this helps, geejayy.

[Rugby_Stan]

Thanks Geejayy.

I have a 2.25lb TC 11' rod and a 2.5lb TC 12' rod which I will be taking along with an 8' or 9' spinning rod. I have 12lb and 15lb mono on the reels with a spool 22.7lb of Berkley Iron Silk which I can load on a reel if needed.
Are normal carp fishing hooks ok or should I purchase some bigger longer shanked hooks?

40 yards should not be a problem though.

Is there any law/guidelines for the size of fish you are allowed to keep for eating/bait?

Regards

STAN

[geejayy]

stan, hook size, mainly repends on size of bait, personally i don't fish smaller than size 2 .
and upto 6/0 or 8/0 for large baits ie, half a mackerell or large whole squid.
( sea rod casting rates include weight of bait as well, theres usually a bit of leeway but i would n't try power casting half a mackerel and 4 oz of lead on yer carp rods)
these extreemes tend to limmit what u catch with the big baits.
on chessil i'd use 1/0 - 4/0's, pennelled for big baits.
u can catch big fish on small baits/hooks but you're not likeley to get a sole on a 8/0 .
gord.

ps, somewhere on the internet there are lists of minimum sizes
they vary a bit from area to area but i'd search nfsa web site first
may be theres a link on this site. some prolific, well they once were sml species have no min limmit by law.
but nfsa and the like set guide lines .

[Rugby_Stan]

What is the advantage of using the Pennel rig over a Flapper? Is it so that the 2 hooks hold the same bait better or have I got myself confused by reading to much about rigs..... I can see the rigs every time I blink at the moment!

Regards

STAN

[geejayy]

stan,
pennel rig describes 2 hooks tied on the same snood 1 just above the other
ie you could use a pennelled snood on a flapper rig

it can be done in several ways, to secure the top hook
1 just thread on the top hook and twist it around the snood b4 hooking the top of the bait( lower hook further down the bait)

2 secure top hook with rig tube, then it can be adjusted to different sized bait.

3 tie in top hook with a spade end knot and add lower hook to tag end this one cant be adjusted but stops the top one just slideing off if you loose the lower 1

more to follow kids 2 school. gj