Beach Rods

[Nick Tatnall]

Steve H and P and Others,

Gleaning all information that I can from different threads and forums I would say that until I get my bearings. A good bet to start off with would be from the river mouth in Courland Bay, early morning of course, with live bait if I can remember how to cast a net. Basic live bait techniques drifting with the current I think would cover most possibilities. I know that you both fish differently however I will be bringing my sand spikes and setting the clutch really lightly and hopefully will get the fish of a life time. If all fails I could resort to casting a lure not my favourite subject. But Hey when in Rome.

Thanks again

Nick T

[Stephen Hull]

1. Steve

I too was surprised that we could catch in broad daylight and particularly when they were gorging themselves on small friars. We must have a go at Tropikist with some livebait - I am sure the fish will still be there in a week's time.

Re PP - I understand from Kester that the gate locking time has always been 7pm - it is just that the Management Committee seem to want to enforce it at the moment. It is still possible to walk along the beach at any time of day or night. No wristband = no entry to PP, although they come in a nice range of colours. If you feel that strongly, you can always park down at Conrado's and walk up to the jetty along the beach!

2. Nick

The snook at Courland River are literally on the beach. You don't want to cast very far at all. Better to freeline livebait or floatfish. You can possibly get livebait off Plymouth Pier either with a cast net or Sabiki rig, although it is hard to get bait early enough in the morning - by the time you can see to catch some, the best of the fishing is over. For early morning trips I have to keep fish alive overnight.

You may also have seen Danny Miners' post - he had some fish towards the Black Rock end of Courland Bay, fishing off the relict reef that sticks out at low water, although you need calm conditions to fish this.

If you have transport, I think an early morning trip to the far end of Buccoo Bay might be productive. Plymouth Beach could also be worth a shout. If you don't have transport, I expect I or Steve Pitts will be trying one or other of these places and could pick you up en route.


Steve H

[Steve Pitts]

I will be bringing my sand spikes and setting the clutch really lightly

Nick T

Personally Nick, I would hold your rod at all times. Even with a lightly set drag a tarpon or jack will hit it so hard and run so fast that you could loose your kit very easily. With a lightly set drag you also wouldn't be able to play the fish effectively (look at Steve's recent Tarpon - I have caught them that big off the beach).

Ideally, you should set your clutch / drag on your reel so that it takes a fair amount of pressure to pull line off. Set the drag by testing it against the test curve of the rod - get someone to run off 20 metres of line and then 'play' them as if they were a fish. If you can't create an impression on them i'e. you should be able to give them a hard time holding on, whilst you apply pressure with the rod and the drag should yield line smoothly as you pull the rod gradually backwards. If the drag snatches or jerks, then the drag is either set too tight or is faulty.

Either cause is a sure-fire way to risk loosing fish, so it is worth testing it like this before your fish of a lifetime hits your bait or lure.

If you have never hooked a barracuda, jack, bonefish or tarpon, you will not believe their strength, speed and stamina - they put every fish we catch around the UK in the shade and will find any weakness in you or your kit.

See you out there - 6 days and counting.

Steve

[Mike Northcott]

Steves

Firstly Steve H - You're the man that one beats my collection!! Bets so far about 55lb. We have have several in daytime especially last July in the 'liquid sunshine' at Plymouth. They follow the runoff from the river out to sea and we had 4 in one morning, ?reduced light conditions and murky, chocolate actually, water. Also have had several in late evening 17:00 a very good time off Conrados.

As to the locked gates well we walked along the beach every time the first couple of years we went and OPP cannot charge you if you do that , but we have also had Kester / Kevin beach the boats,GS I and GS II, near the fishermens co-op by Conrados as well, so thats another option.

How I envy you both

Still theres always the black bream offChristchusch ledge next Wed. but they don't pull the string so hard do they??

mike

[Stephen Hull]

No further action to report, although we did see some large snook under the pier in Bateaux Bay at the weekend.

Our tarpon trip today (Monday) was postponed until tomorrow - Kester couldn't get any decent sized baitfish in time.

Steve P - let me know your schedule for when you are over. I can probably join you a couple of mornings a week and maybe the odd evening too. If you are up for a 5:15am start at Sandy Point on Friday, I'll try to get some baitfish on Thursday afternoon.

Steve H

[Steve Pitts]

Hi Steve

Sandy Point is a good enough venue to kick-off (might go out on thursday evening -if I get the green light from lyn).

I'll be there from 05.00, in the pull-in at the end of the runway and will be along toward the terminal beach.

I've just finished editing yet another version of the Fishing in the Caribbean film. I'll bring a copy out with me on DVD and if you're interested, we can watch it with Kester and Rusty, who have starring roles.

One last trip to Veals today - you can never have too many lures

Mike and Lilian are unable to make it, as they are selling their house and Lilian has to finish off her archaeology report by the end of the month.

See you on Friday - I'll be the one with the lily white legs

Cheers
Steve

[Stephen Hull]

Steve

Went to check that there were still some tarpon left this afternoon. We fished the "usual" spot off Conrados with Kevin on Grand Slam. Kester was also out with Grand Slam 2 and Capt Frothy also had a boat out.

I had a 25 pounder that didn't jump but just slugged it out on the bottom for 20 minutes - we thought it must be a big crevalli until it finally surfaced. Mark Williams caught his first tarpon - a 40 pounder - with the last cast of the day. By the time the fish was in the boat, it was time to head home. The other boats didn't catch which really made Kevin's day!

Have a good flight

Steve H

[Matt Jenkins]

Firstly thanks to all of you for your excellent fishing reports! I was reading your reviews of braided lines and wondered if any of you had any experience of Rapala's Titanium braided line...i've just loaded up with 300m of 18.8kg and was wondering if anyone knew how it faired out there? Cheers...and i'll send a report when i go, even though its ages away!
Matt jenkins