Solent smoothhounds 17/5/11

[bassmanrob]

I'd been crabbing earlier in the day and had several nice softies that were just asking to be used, i also had 25 worm in the fridge. I had no plans to go fishing earlier in the day and after dinner surprised my girlfriend by announcing I was off fishing at about half 8! I couldn't resist a first crack at the hounds for 2011 and was on the beach for half 9.

I fished a single rod with a softie on a 3/0 pulley rig, first cast out and no sign of weed. I probably had 40 minutes or so of the flood left and on the first cast had a decent bite. This resulted in a schoolie of about a pound and a half. Second cast resulted in a couple of pulls and the line was moving to the left a bit. Felt a better fish and it was my first hound of the year, a small one of about 2 1/2 to 3lb.



The next cast produced a tiny pup and as high water arrived things slowed right down and a bit of weed started to show. About an hour past and I set up a second rod baited with ragworm on a two hook flapper to see if anything else was about. I cast it well away from the crab bait and closer about 50 or 60 yards.

About 10 minutes passed and the worm rod showed one sharp pull then slackline! I immediately wound into it and felt something there, it then woke up. The drag was set quite tight but it ripped line off the reel twice and the fight was on, right then left. I had the leader knot in view and the fish was splashing in the shallows. Thankfully the leader knot came through the top eye and I could beach the fish. Into the famous Ikea bag it went and my first double of the year, 12lb exactly.



I decided two rods was a bad idea and went back to just the single rod but added a bit of worm to the crab baits on some casts. The schoolies were about in numbers and I ended up with 4 and a further pup too. Left about a quarter past 2 with the schoolies still feeding hard, I'll be back soon

[pingu]

cracking session

dave

[MRG2000]

Cracking hounds,well done Rob.........

[scottish_and_mental]

seems theres a lot a smutts fancying worm at the minute ! better get the old fork out ..
cracking fish mate

[dovorian]

Nice one. Smart looking fish those hounds. I’ve only caught small ones but they still go, I can't imagine what a double figure one would fight like. Bet it was fun.
Jason

[barbelblanker]

A double on your first trip, well done that man.

[fishypaul]

well done rob,super session

[geejayy]

your angling has been impressive this year m8