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).
Brazilian fishing - III - What we were after.
Richard and I like catching snook. In many ways they resemble the bass we catch in the UK: they are beautiful fish, which grow to a good size and often forage very close to the shore in a range of habitats, including, rocks, eastuaries and open beaches. In addition they take lures well. Anyway, one of the main objectives of our January fishing was to find a place where we might be able to catch snook fairly often. One of our first trips was to Sonho Verde Beach - a convenient ten minute drive from the house, and then a few seconds from the car to the water's edge.
This was usually about where we started walking and fishing. It's almost high tide and the palm leaves show the typical stiff onshore wind, which varies a bit as the bay curves round to the north-east.
By chance our early sorties to the beach were successful. In fact, on only our second session there (the first one was a blank) we'd started at the (far) Northern end prepared for paddling across the river followed by a long hike. Richard, as usual, pressed on ahead of me and by the time I caught him up he'd landed a snook of about 2.5kg (5lb). Not a monster but just what we'd hoped for!
Looking the opposite way, towards the south end of Sonho Verde and a modest snook for Rich. What a start!
Having caught fish so soon in our exploration we were inclined to give it another go. In fact we decided to return each day as long as we were catching fish or at least if we were getting bites. If we had a total blank we missed a session and tried elsewhere before returning the next day. In fact, it was only on rare occasions that we blanked and as a result the majority of our trips covered the same stretch of beach. Most of the time Richard tended to stick to his large, hard-bodied, 'Angel Kiss' plug which produced not only snook but plenty of jacks and a number of other fish including catfish and a small, foul-hooked stingray. After trying one or two soft plastics and spoons I eventually settled on my largest plug, still a fair bit smaller than my son's, and I also caught a number of jacks and a few snook.
A snook on my lure, but not quite as big as Richard's best one.
A much better snook - again one of Rich's.
He's in again and this one seemed like a really good fish so I kept on clicking.
Still battling hard and we now we've seen it and know that it is a big snook.
One of the most exciting moments as the big fish 'boils' in the edge.
Richard grabs the trace and slides his fish ashore, this is the best shot showing just how meaty the snook is.
Well done son! A real stonker but the picture doesn't really do it justice.
Too big to be kept, so back it goes.
Over our month, or so, of (mostly) early morning fishing sessions, we had about forty decent fish, mostly from the same stretch of beach. They were a good mix of jacks and snook, with the odd different species and a fair few missed bites and/or dropped fish. Only once they were mad on but the fishing was consistently good and Richard also hit one really big fish which did not stick, but immediately revealed itself (by clearing the water) as a good sized tarpon. I was still fifty metres away but also saw it jump and splash down, the first of this species that we'd seen in Brazil). After this, on a couple of occasions, Rich tried using a large wedge to see if it might tempt another tarpon, but no luck. So, as it turned out, our first choice of beach had been a good one. By chance (and Richard's YouTube research), we'd found a stretch of shoreline which was exactly what we were looking for. The fishing was really enjoyable and usually easy so Rich has decided to give it a regular go through the coming year. I look forward to seeing his reports. Hope he remembers the camera.
PLEASE TELL YOUR TWITTER, FACEBOOK, EMAIL FRIENDS ABOUT THESE BOOKS.
THE SECOND WAVE
Written with Steve Pitts this is a SEQUEL TO THE BESTSELLER "Operation Sea Angler" IT'S AVAILABLE ON PAPER FROM -
HOOKED ON BASS
Written with Alan Vaughan. NEW PRINT OF THE ORIGINAL: IN PAPERBACK. Copies available from all good book shops RRP 14:99 -
ANGLING ON THE EDGE
Copies can now be ordered (printed on demand) from Steve Pitts at 34.00, inc. Royal Mail Insured UK Mainland Postage.
To order a book send an E-MAIL to - stevejpitts@gmail.com
FISHING FOR GHOSTS
Written with David Rigden. Copies from
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