landing fish in heavy rolling surf,

[dabeater]

g'day all,

i use a fairly fast actioned rod (stiff ish ) when fishing at range. especially in heavy rolling seas.it seem that during the retrieve process i.e. when u wind in the 'strike' to lift the lead away from the sea bed and retrieve . i have had a couple of occasions when i did the strike and feels like i am into a good fish then as the last 20yds (first breaker) i always seem to lose it as the winding becomes very light .i find this very frustrating as this could mean losing good fish . is there any tips or tactics one would use to land fish in similar seas from the beach >?

 

[NICKY]

sounds like your leads is dragging the sea bed making you think you have a fish on untill you get to the breakers where the sea starts to push your end gear towards you mate making it all go light.

 

[Rocker]

As Nicky says, or perhaps more likely a big crab that's simply let go of your bait half way in.
I've landed cod to 12lbs in heavy seas, and my brother had a 25lb cod from chesil in a massive sea! Strong tackle, good hookhold and a slice of luck are required. Keep a tight line, be aware a good fish will fight some when you get it into the surf. You will find a fish will come in on a wave, but be prepared to let it go back with the wave if it dosent get beached. Either walking back with it or what I do is slacken the drag.
Avoid crimps they will slide and skin your line, weakening it.
I've seen loads of good fish lost by anglers using 20-30lb snoods. SNAP!!
I use 80 for cod.
Exciting stuff.

 

[jameswlong1941]

g'day all,

i use a fairly fast actioned rod (stiff ish ) when fishing at range. especially in heavy rolling seas.it seem that during the retrieve process i.e. when u wind in the 'strike' to lift the lead away from the sea bed and retrieve . i have had a couple of occasions when i did the strike and feels like i am into a good fish then as the last 20yds (first breaker) i always seem to lose it as the winding becomes very light .i find this very frustrating as this could mean losing good fish . is there any tips or tactics one would use to land fish in similar seas from the beach >?

It could be your dragging kelp in and by the time you get halfway in it gives way and drops off making you think you have lost a fish because sometimes loose kelp hits your line and you think you got a bite and as i say thats what happens okay

 

[Rocker]

Here's a pic of our boy Ken Robinson with his 25lb cod taken about 20 years ago from chesil beach, mainly because I'm bored. The other fish was 11lb.

 

[BestNest]

Wheres Chesil?? Av got the car packed!!! Haha...

 

[g.ordon]

Wheres Chesil?? Av got the car packed!!! Haha...

Dan sathh

 

[Rocker]

Wheres Chesil?? Av got the car packed!!! Haha...

Haha! It's in Dorset mate! 6.5 hours drive from here, our boy lives down there, jammy git!

 

[The Plum]

Here's a pic of our boy Ken Robinson with his 25lb cod taken about 20 years ago from chesil beach, mainly because I'm bored. The other fish was 11lb.

never mind that ,have you not got a pic of his 40 odd pounder he got from balcary

 

[Rocker]

Hi Plum, that's a different Ken Robinson marra.

 

[Davey1970]

nice fish, and a agree, either kelp or crab, you yhink your in, then it`s gone. keep trying, that`s fishing.

 

[The Plum]

Hi Plum, that's a different Ken Robinson marra.

oh i see cheers

 

[Deans]

when i used to fish cullernose point a lot i lost a few decent fish like this.

trying to keep the line tight all the way in is impossible when the seas rough there.

a few big rollers when the fish nears the surface, the line gans slack and a few shakes of coddies heed (not that coddie) and the hooks free.

happened to us all eh.

OR HEY it might be an old nappie or fajita whipe

 

[silver fillet]

totaly agree with that, had a double on in Jan from there and snapped me off when it washed around on to the rocks, lost another good fish when it decided to dive below the shelve. i know a lot of folks rip this mark but there are some good fish to be had out of here when the sea states right (still living in hope).

 

[wheres the fish?]

I found that circles very rarley come loose, infact never had one come loose yet, allways in the scissors too. Even in big seas, worth a try maybe?

 

[dabeater]

thank you all for your feedback, more likely its the kelp/clumps of seaweed i guess given the rough seas, will definitely be trying the circle hooks and different approaches

 

[Thunderpants]

I found that circles very rarley come loose, infact never had one come loose yet, allways in the scissors too. Even in big seas, worth a try maybe?

What size circle hooks do you use Dean? I got some 1/0 of ebay but they look way too small to be any use.