Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

Recently, for the first time in years, I went fishing for thinlipped mullet. There are lots of big thinlips in the estuaries of the local rivers. However, the Environment Agency does not recognise the difference between using ragworm with an attractor spoon and intentionally spinning for salmon and seatrout. In consequence mullet spinning at the river mouths is frowned on. Recently, my friend Mark Loose showed me that thinlips can be caught from the shores of Poole Harbour and we had an interesting session fishing for them. SEE CURRENT PAGE FOR LATEST ENTRY

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

INFORMATION SPOT

SEA FISHING

September 3 2001

Mark uses a different type of mullet rig to my own. His (two) spoon blades are set well ahead of the baited hook and an uptrace lead keeps the tackle down in the strong flows. The fish often took a more or less stationary bait.

Of course, as in all baited spoon fishing, there is no need to strike. In fact a strike will only pull the bait away from the fish.

Note the uptrace position of the spinner blade. The fine wire hooks take a firm hold in the tough upper lip of the fish. All fish are carefully returned alive and well.

My own spinners have plastic bead bodies and only a few centimetres between the blade and the hook. I had to put a lead in front of mine for the harbour but both types seemed equally effective.