Whiting a problem?

[paulthespark]

mackerel and cod

i did,t say it is better to catch a1pound mackerel than a 6 pound cod only that mackerel are a much faster and harder fighting fish [pound for 6 pound]

[The Great Wallsendo]

To date, and based on my own "limited" experience I would agree with you on that one...as Keith and Jim have said tho' I'm sure one day I'm going to have that good scrap

Welcome to NESA by the way mate

As to Whiting being a fish for novices I would not neccessarily agree with that notion...there's nowt more disheartening than spending an entire session with nowt to show for it...why do 99.9% of us fish? for the sport - so why not scale down when things are quiet and "scratch"?...I've had the "full house" several times and it's a good feeling just to have your line pulled

[MarcLeSeur]

Reading this few of you seem to know what you're talking about. Whoever says a 6 pound cod doesn't fight is clearly one of those people yarking down on the rod and reeling as fast as they can desperately trying to get the fish ashore. I've had a half dozen fish in the last 3 sessions, 2 around the 6 pound mark and in all cases I've taken my time and enjoyed the feel of the fish on the way in. I had one of 6 pound and one of 2 pound of the pier tonight and once I had both fish in mid water I had a wonderful bit of sport from them both on my 7000 and Greys Apollo. Even the fish of 2 pound surfaced late because I let the fish move. I pity those desparate sorts tearing away as fast as possible on the reel in with the fish surfacing some 30 yards out. I mean what the hell is all that about?

Those of you who say reeling a cod in is like reeling a plastic bag in you need to be more patient with the fish and take time to play it.

[willywetegg]

Marc I was making a comparison between two fish that I caught on one night. I did not say that a six pound cod does not fight I said that particular six pound Codling did not fight and the 4 1/4 lb Codling did fight completely different to what you are saying mate.

I have been fishing with friends and asked them the same question though. why do you wind them in so fast, no sport in it at all on that you are quite right.

I have heard story's on here from lads that have caught very big fish from the boat that they havn't fought much either. The same people have caught fish much smaller and had a great scrap from them. That is how fishing sometimes is.

Jim.

[willywetegg]

Sorry, meant to say. Welcome to NESA by the way.

Jim.

[mick dunn]

I,m glad whities are about. When you stand for hours on end its great to have a couple of hard knocks.(no puns).
I must say the whities i have pulled in this season have been really big. I can,t help thinking about the old food chain thing.
On a final note my local fishmonger does not sell whitey as they are not financially worth it. And as he saya they taste bland.
Well the ones i catch taste like sweet fish-nice in batter.
Oh and they fight like right bu--ers.
As to cod no comment cos i,ve only caught one this season
The big ones i have seen caught do resemble plastic bags full of water as you reel in.

[Red5]

Have caught only a small number of whiting from the shore as it is not a fish i would normally tend to go for. Don't put up a great fight, but as Alan says...taste great.

Cod....Had a couple of doublers and plenty around the 6-7lb mark. Not one has been like pulling in a plastic bag, everyone has scrapped in a different way especially when being dragged through rocks and kelp where they are strong and physical, sometimes you have to bully them and others it's like treating your good lady, gentle and forgiving. That feeling is better than anything in the world.
had plenty littleuns that have fought in a more aggressive, fast fashion, especially when fishing rock marks over a deep gulley, and they make a dive for the depths.

Then again, great fun pulling up a string of mackeral on feathers on the boat, but gets awfully boring awfully quickly.

Only had one bass....It was an undersize schoolie and it was fantastic. I must try and find the time to get more bass fishing in during the summer.

Horses for courses really!

[Phantom of Hook House]

Interesting thread. As always the fight depends on the tackle being used, the species and the individual fish! A 2lb fish on a beachcaster and 15lb+ line isn't going to a great deal ever. A 5lb codling in the surf is usually going to give a few interesting moments. 25 years ago when I used to fish the north east coast every week of the year, a whiting was a very rare catch north of the Tyne and I never even heard of Bass being caught. The sea is definately changing in my lifetime....and I'm only young!

[bigpaul]

I noticed there is no where near the amount of whities about this year compared to other years i dont mind going and targeting them for a bit sport or if im in a match, but there i nothing worse than going for cod and whities are stripping the baits along with the crabs...

[paulthespark]

thanks

just like to say thanks for the welcome i got since joining yesterday.i,m a dedicated winter cod angler,fished the hartlepool area for years and hooked hundreds of them, best being a nine and a half pounder from the shore[only had 18lb main line on so had to take it slowly and feel the fight] i still say pound for pound mackerel give a better scrap.imagine if that cod had been a nine and a half pound mackerel i ,d have never got it in

[mick dunn]

(i know its not a sea fish but) If you ever fly fish for trout thats an experience. They don,t half fight. Some i caught at Derwent resevoir last summer went mental. Jumping clean out of the water and thrashing about. The fly rod is also very light and you have to be very careful.Lost as many as i caught.

[mick]

Mick what on earth has that last post got to do with this thread started by Wallsendo? Many anglers on here have no doubt caught different species of fish on different classes of tackle; yes pound for pound Mackerel on light gear are ace, catching Yellowfin Tuna & Reef Sharks on an Up-tide set-up & 15lb line from the shore isn't bad either!
What we were trying to find out, is if people thought a/Do you find Whiting a problem when targeting a particular species. b/ Whiting give a better fight than Cod.
Northumberland venues used to be plagued by bait robbing little Coalies, which are now present in nowhere near the numbers they were years ago at many venues. The most notable reply in this thread was by the fella commenting that years ago when he started fishing it was un-heard of to regulary catch Whiting North of the Tyne! I agree that the Whiting this year are not present in nowhere near the numbers they were last year however the buggers are getting bigger and they are steadily moving Northwards each successive season. How long before Cod trips to Arbroath end up with people taking bags of Whiting from venues like Inverbervie & Auchmithie.
Anybody been fortunate to hook a fish that has taken a 'pin- Whiting' hung up on your hook lately?

[SCOTSLAD]

LOL not long mate in all fairness ...but if I'm honest I have yet to experience a "scrap" from a Cod/Codling boat or shore....at most I would say it feels like pulling a heavy weight in...with other species you at least feel the nodding and the shaking about as you reel them in...

Get yourself up up to Scotland mate and fish some of the marks up there like Usan, they sure as hell fight there especially some of the descent ones. Half the battle is getting them to the surface before they scoot down and get their heads down. Plenty nodding and shaking up here mate !

[treeboa]

after many a night fishing for cod ( dont laugh) i have been glad to get that bang bang that signals a whiting, if nothing else it gives me a kick to change the bait, rather than leave it out hoping there is still something leaching from it for a cod to pick up on, allthough people moan about them you want to try fishing merseyside when you get your bait hounded by 6 inch and less pin whiting, your baits ruined within minutes and unless one has a tyre lever with it you dont hook them either, or look at it another way, if like many do you buy your bait, having spent say £10 on bait, would you rather catch nothing 80% of the time and moan that the fishing was crap, or at least take something each time or at least catch something 90% of the time and not feel you may as well have made a fag with the tenner, there is only one fish i hate catching, i have caught hundreds of them - dogfish, however even those on an otherwise fishless session give you something were you have not blanked, our hobby costs us enough tackle wise, bait adds to it and fish stocks are nothing like even 10 years ago never mind 25 years ago, being 53 this year i remember crap days being only 10 fish in a session, questions like how did you do, only 4 codling, only 3 bass, only 5 dinnerplate size flatties and such, as a kid on merseyside my first memory of fishing was with my old man, hand lining cos he had no rod, plaice in the 2 1/2 pound size, cod in the 7lb range, monsters to me then, and these days you dont often see even these now, i have heard that whiting are tasteless, however a plump fresh whiting to me tastes like the majority of so called fresh - frozen cod that are sold over chip shop counters