FISHING KELP

[TC]

MASSIVE tides next weekend and into the 1st part of the following week..........fancy trying (again) fishing some of the more kelpy areas (VERY kelpy areas) that become exposed during these BIG tides.

There\'s 1 in particular that looks like it could throw out a decent redcod or 2. I\'ve tried fishing it a couple of times in the past at very L/W but without any success - and lost a huge amount of tackle in the process.

Question for the heavy ground lads:-

Are there any do\'s & don\'t\'s I should make a note of for fishing kelp beds?

For example:
With these areas only becoming exposed during BIG tides (resulting in a lot of tidal pull), I\'ve used 6oz grippers - would a plain 6oz weight be better?

Should I use my usual pully rigs (short ones) or opt for a simple, 3 way swivel rig?

Should I be actually casting INTO the kelp itself, anyway....or casting just outside the kelp bed area?

Just watch.......after going through all this, it\'ll be reet miserable next weekend, with a howling Easterly blowing and massive seas stopping me from getting out to them....lol

[Edited on 14/8/2005 by TC]

[Stores]

Excellent question Tony. Here\'s my thoughts...

I use a 7 oz plain lead and lose loads of them in a bit of sea as they do exactly what happens on the top... so if there\'s a metre swell on at the surface.....there\'s a metre swell on 10 feet below. Grip leads therefore have their place.

With regards to rigs the more there is on a rig the more there is to get stuck. Stick with a 3 way set up, nice and short with no fancy bits and bobs.

With regard to the weir beds.... GET IN THERE... that\'s where they are, unless there is a definite line of weirs where the fish can cruise along the edge of them, eg the Lobster Pots at Sharpness. Otherwise weir codling only get red because of one thing - the weirs.

ps Have always found big tides non productive on most NE marks sorry

[Edited on 14/8/2005 by Stores]

[bribones]

good luck lol ,to be honest i dont think itl make any odds if you get a bite as the fish dive straight into the kelp anyway and youl have a hell of a job pulling the buggers out ,me personaly id go for something streamlined, pully will prob work as it draws up the weight after the fish so to speak

and what he said ^

[jordy]

Tony most of my rigs i use i dont use any swivels at all.I just make blood loops at the top of the rig and to hold the snood and tie a rotter on the bottom.

[MikeR]

Same as Jordy (apart from a swivel at the top). I\'ve got a diagram of the rig here:

http://www.photorecce.co.uk/rigs/roughground.html

Beauty is that when the hook is knackered of the snood breaks it\'s easy to change as it\'s attached loop to loop with the body.

[Hiram.A.Biff]

Tony. use one of my links. thats what they were designed for., youll lose the lead, nowt else.and your bait will stay clipped on till it hits the bottom.

[gogs]

same as David apart from 3 way swivels,cant stand em lol like mine streamlined and had no probs.
i always use spikes aswell wether its flat calm or rough it helps stop the trace falling into snags/boulders.
and a rotten bottom like pauls is a must.
also like david says the biggest tides are not always the most productive but there are marks that excell on these tides,the ones you have your eye on might be one of those

[micky-quayle]

simple one hook rig (i fish the hook snood shorter than most people, about 12 \" is about right), rotten bottom, if possible fish the edge of the kelp bed this is the area the fish patrol. i soon learned when i was piking that fish love patroling the edge of features wether it be weedbeds or drop offs. i\'ve found the same applies to sea fishing. also take a good selection of bait obviously crab is normally the no 1 bait but worm does have its moments when fishing weedy gullies, if youre going to be fishing a couple of rods give half a snake launce a try on the spare rod, very under rated bait in such situations !
nearly forgot, i fish as light a lead as i can feasably get away with, i tend to think that if the bait (and lead) can move around in the current for 30 seconds or so the current will take it to where other tasty morsels will be taken on the tide and you can bet the fish know the areas to wait for a tasty meal coming along, don\'t like to go stupidly light just as light as is practical.
i realise my methods are a little bit out of the ordinary but they do the biz for me.

[TC]

Thanks for all the suggestions / advice, lads.

Nice to see the (sometimes) different methods used to address the same situation.

I\'ll probably try a couple of different methods over next weekend.

I\'ve always used the short pulley (12\") lobbed right into the kelp bed - time to try a different plan......lol.

Like you, Gordon - I\'ve never been a great fan of the 3 way swivel, but after seeing Davids\' \"Rock Set-Up\" diagram in his book, I thought I\'d give it a go.

Interesting to read about the unproductive big tides...........one to definitely bear in mind. Lol Gordon - knowing my luck it\'ll be one of the unproductive ones......hahahaha.

[Edited on 15/8/2005 by TC]

[Red5]

Like everyone has said, keep your rigs simple, 30lb line, rotten bottom, single hook flapper, plain sinker. I prefer pulley rigs on clean ground but then everyone has their preference

[fishfinder]

like everyone else single hook rotten bottom big baits minimises tackle losses...The big tides merely expose more holes and kelp beds to fish as fish that live in the kelp are resident fish and aren\'t affeected by tide movement

[TC]

Well........hitting the kelp beds at around 10:30 tomorrow.......will post the non-catch and tackle loss reports when I get back......hahahahaha.......still.........it\'s gotta be better than being at work ! !

[Charlton]

Only thing i would add TC is to use soft wire spiders, they stop your sinker going into cracks in the rock and when pulled through weed they jusy straighten.

[TC]

Noted, Alan

[gogs]

good luck with your wee trip to the kelp tomorrow Tony.mind on these big tides it floods really fast so keep a eye on your exit from the rock ends.