Hampshire hounding 9&10/6/11

[bassmanrob]

Had a session with Jaycee last night on a mission to get him his double and to get back amongst them myself after a couple of no shows. Before we went fishing we collected a few hardbacks to see how they performed against the peelers. I was fishing my usual one rod (double patted) for smoothhounds only as was John. First cast I found a large whelk had taken my peeler! Got it out again and whilst baiting up a second rig I had my first run on peeler which resulted in this starry.



I quickly got her back and sent out my gear again this time baited with two small hardbacks. Must have only been in the water for a couple of minutes and whilst sorting out the camera I had a storming run! After a good fight I had an elusive common smoothhound on the beach, my second double of the year going 11lb 9oz.



Thinks then took a downturn for me and I dropped my next fish, John dropped his first run too. He was feeling a bit left out as the hounds were ignoring his baits and deployed a second rod. I connected with another fish which felt good but as it ran the mainline was cut on some unseen snag under-water.

A change of reel followed but the exact same thing happened again. We were fishing into a very deep channel and I suspect there is a sharp rock or maybe a mussel bed on the edge of the channel which cut the line. Next casts went as far uptide as i could get away with to avoid a repeat. Next it was John's turn to get a good run on hardbacks and he was sure it felt a PB for him. He wasn't wrong and was chuffed to bits with this one of 11lb 5oz.



He soon had another which I was helping him land when I had a storming run which kept going. I hit it and felt a very good fish on, I tightened the drag and tried to get it in quickly but it made a second run and I was forced to give line. Trouble was it was running downtide towards the snag! I did my best to follow it and bully it over the drop-off before the snag but the weight was suddenly gone.

Inspection of the line showed it frayed and cut, only in a small section again the rest of the mainline was undamaged as before. Felt gutted as the fish easily felt a PB. Had enough of the snag and I moved my stuff the other side of John. I managed another smaller hound before the weed moved in and ended the session.

All the better fish of the night came to hardbacks. John was very happy to get his double but had to listen to me mancking about the snag and the lost fish all the way home!

Next night I couldn't resist another hound session at the same spot as the previous night and was this time joined by my old mate Dean (deanthedude77). I collected a bucket of hardbacks on route and met Dean at the beach and was fishing by 1130. Tide was in the very last of the ebb and first chuck had a run and the fish headed off downtide. First hound of the night went 9lb 6oz, didn't photo it as camera was still in the bag and i was confident of bigger to come.

Well things went very quiet for an hour and a half after that before Dean had his first of the night, think it was just under 8. It wasn't until after two when the tide was flooding that things kicked off. I had my second of the night which went 8lb 2oz.



The next run I had felt a better fish and it turned out to be my biggest of the year so far at 12lb 13oz, happy with that one.



Dean then had his best of the night which went 9lb 9oz.



Then it was circus time as I managed to miss two good runs in two casts. It was first light now and we both decided on one last cast and released our remaining crabs. I had another good run and beached a final hound that put up the best fight of the lot despite only going 9lb 11oz.

[MRG2000]

A cracking nights fishing ,well done all......

[pingu]

good fishing and report there rob

dave

[fishypaul]

some super fish there guys well done

[Portland Pirate]

Brilliant fishing, well done.

How do you mount your hardback crabs?

[bassmanrob]

use smaller hardbacks roughly the size of a 2p and put two on a 3/0. I remove the back legs and thread the first crab on (through the back sockets)and whip it's legs above and below the eye. Second crab goes on the same way, whip it's legs to the first crab and then then through opposite side's legs to the bottom of the bend of the hook. Without breaking the elastic I go back over the legs of both crabs in the middle, seem to stay in place during the cast then.

[BaggieRich]

Nice one Rob a couple of incredible nights fishing. Well done on the PB's.

[SIMPLE MAN]

Looks like you had a great couple of nights fishing there,nice photos and report to match WELL DONE