Catch fish with Mike Ladle.

Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

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SEA FISHING

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over several years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff).

Pollack time.

Last weekend the sea calmed down for the first time in a week. Nigel and I decided to give it a go from the Purbeck coast and found it pretty flat and clear. My pal spun with a plug and I used a 7" Redgill. I cant say that it was hectic but at least we had a few bites and one or two small bass so a definite improvement on recent trips.

For the next couple of days I was carless (service and MoT) so I had to wait before I could go again. This time I was alone and I decided to try a slightly deeper spot. I arrived at 05:15 and began fishing with the fly rod armed with a 4" white, unweighted Redgill. It was about five minutes before I had the first bite - it was on! A good pollack making its characteristic dives for the safety of the kelp. It was a couple of minutes before I was able to slide it ashore to have its picture taken. Of course I had no headlamp to assist me in focussing the camera (it was still in the other car) so I did the best I could before dropping the fish back into the sea.

Over the next hour I had loads of bites, many of which I missed. Altogether I landed ten fish in about an hour. They ranged from one pound to three pounds in weight. Most took the Redgill on the fly gear and when I switched, on a couple of occasions, to a larger Evo Redgill on my spinning rod I probably had even more bites but didn't catch more or larger pollack. I must try to improve the hook up rate.

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

Nigel's bass.

Taken on his plug.  Earlier in the week it would have been impossible to fish any lure armed with a treble hook.

One for me.

This one took my Redgill.

Closer.

I just lifted it up and slipped the hook out to release it.

Fly caught.

My first pollack taken on a small unweighted Redgill fished as a fly.

Close up.

It went like a rocket after grabbing the 'fly'.  Great excitement!

Spun.

This one was caught by spinning with the larger lure.

- and another

Most of them were decent fish - which makes a change.