New Passage report

Greenheart · #1 11-14-2010, 08:42 AM

Fished New Passage on the upper Bristol Channel with Jerry Two Jackets last night. High tide was around midnight. We arrived around 8.30pm after stopping for a Chinese carry-out on route. Arrived to find four other anglers already there. Set up one rod each, as we decided fishing two rods in the snaggy conditions was too much like hard work. Baits were squid & black lug cocktails on pully rigs. There was no sign of any fish until just before high water, when the guys fishing next to us had a small codling on ragworm. This was soon followed by a better fish of around 3lb. They kindly offered us some of their Ragworm & i changed my bait to a Lug / Rag cocktail which resulted in almost instant bites. The problem was I was losing my rigs on the rocks every time I tried to retrieve. I had a very solid pull down bite which felt like a very heavy fish. I played it for a few seconds, then everything went solid. The lead had caught in the rocks. I gave some slack line & the fish was pulling back really hard, but the lead would not come free. I continued with this tactic for around five minutes & climbed down the rocks as far as I could (No easy task in the dark) The fish kept thumping the rod tip down, but the lead would not budge. Eventually I just had to pull for a break. After a mad thirty minutes, the bites just dried up.We fished on until 2am & watched the water dissappear as fast as it arrived. Jerry took a walk down on the beach below the rocks & using his headlamp, managed to retrieve most of our lost rigs. But sadly the fish i'd hooked was no longer atached. I suspect from the way it was fighting that it was a conger, rather than a cod. We had still had an enjoyable time though. Conditions had been perfect. Overcast, flat calm & mild with only a little rain. Already looking forward to getting back up there for another go, although I think I may have to modify my rigs to include a rotton bottom....

Fishing Forum Admin · #2 11-14-2010, 09:41 AM

unlucky mate

lazy hooker · #3 11-14-2010, 11:21 AM

unlucky on the lost fish but at least you got out.

with rottom bottoms don't be tempted to just have a short 6" weak link....on some of the ground this side of the chanel we use rotton bottoms up to 2 foot long to cope with the rocky ledges...may be worth considering the same with you.

john

pingu · #4 11-14-2010, 11:58 AM

unlucky ian

dave

Greenheart · #5 11-14-2010, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazy hooker

unlucky on the lost fish but at least you got out.

with rottom bottoms don't be tempted to just have a short 6" weak link....on some of the ground this side of the chanel we use rotton bottoms up to 2 foot long to cope with the rocky ledges...may be worth considering the same with you.

john

Going to have to do a bit of thinking about how to do this. I need some alternative weights too, but something that will grip in the current. I've got some old lead waterpipe that I might be able to make some cheap weights out of....

fishypaul · #6 11-14-2010, 01:09 PM

unlucky ian,you will get him next time mate

Lman · #7 11-14-2010, 03:08 PM

unlucky Ian next time

lazy hooker · #8 11-14-2010, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenheart

Going to have to do a bit of thinking about how to do this. I need some alternative weights too, but something that will grip in the current. I've got some old lead waterpipe that I might be able to make some cheap weights out of....

you need to find someone with a lead weight mold that will lend it to you so you can make up a load of grip leads that you don't mind loosing.

problem with using lead pipe is that it will roll until your hook snags something..!!!then it doesn't matter if your using a rotton bottom.

john

BaggieRich · #9 11-15-2010, 06:02 AM

Unlucky guys. Sorry we couldn't join you but it would've been quite late by the time I managed to get away.

Next time...

bulletproof · #10 11-15-2010, 08:36 AM

Green,

We found the same thing when fishing Severn Beach a few weeks back.

Not being familiar with this bit of water the first casts felt like they had snagged instantly and we thought we were if for a pretty poor days fishing.

We were using 4oz grip leads (the type with the arms on the side that snap down into the bottom).

The leads had settle so well into the mud that it felt like they had snagged when we retrieved the bait for the first time.

We found that a steady, heavy pull released the weight and then a quick retreival with the reel prevented it settling again into the mud again.

Hope that helps but I am speaking as a novice TBH.

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