Entries from January 2008 ↓

It was raining again at 5 A.M. and my fishing partner was polite enough to suggest that I will stay in bed while he will do the fishing for both of us today. I didn’t really want this fishing day and I almost gave up.

Fishing time is wasted
Two freezing hours later, just when we spotted predator signs and I cast my lucky jig - my braid line turned to nasty bird nest. The metallic lure that was ‘rest in piece’ far in the water was not the issue- it’s the action time that I’m missing… I was furies.

I had a reserve spool with monofilament line for the spinning reel (Shimano Stradic) but when I placed it on the shaft I saw the reason for my braid lines catastrophe over the last two month- the spool gasket was partially ground.

The hunch
I replaced the ‘braided’ to the mono extra spool and connect another metallic lure but then I decide to leave the speedy predators for today; something- maybe a fishing hunch, instruct me to go for the Seabass.

The kamikaze
I set my other fishing rod and reel and walked a mile or more- I was looking for the right place and finally I found it; a 30 yards wide and 6 ft depth trench parallel to the shore line that contains murky deep-colored water with srtong current –perfect conditions for targeting seabass with the Jackson dead float.

After ten minutes of angling a swift head appear behind the lure and immediately strike and suddenly, it released- but then it was back on it for another 3 yards with very close tailing, but this time the 3 Lb Seabass didn’t strike and vanished without a sign.

Hungry Seabass
Encourageded by the action and the lure I’ve choose to work with I moved on to another spot, casting about 30 yards at the time. After five minutes a small shadow appeared behind the Dead float - and yep, another strike.

Very short fight and a beautiful spotted 0.5 Lb Seabass lands on the sand and released immediately. I didn’t want to waste time on taking pictures because by the strike style and the absence of mullet or bream suggest that the Seabass must be really hungry and the odds are relatively high.

Jackson dead-float lure
I moved away to another point in the trench because I didn’t want to catch another young member (-seabass sometimes hunt in small shoals).

The specific lure and soft action rod combination enabled a fantastic control on every swimming aspect. I worked it to jump sideways first when it hits the water,the vibrating at the top and slow cranking side to side near the assumed strike zone. It’s a simple and powerful principle: get the attention first and then, - lure them to strike. On the second cast a fade fish head shadow appears and immediately strikes!

I was sure it’s another youngster, but when the reel drug starts to ’sing’ I knew it’s a nice one. 1 minute fight with the soft action rod and the Seabass landed on the shore.

Usually I don’t wieght my catch but on the way home I decided to checke my weight assessment skills - I gave it 1.44 Kg ( 3.17 pound) and the electronic scale showed 1.501 Kg ( 3.3 pound) well, less then 10 % gap is Ok for me.

This lure is relatively new for me and its seems like a good seabass magnet.

and the dry report details…
Fish- 3.3 pound Seabass- one item
Reel - Okuma Avenger AV30
Line - Mustad Ayaka 0.25 mm monofilament
Lure -Jackson dead float - perl
Lure activation- Jerks and medium speed retrieve combination
Rod - Shakspear Trour legend 10-40 gram
Waves - 1 ft
Water visibility - low
Time of the catch - 10:30
Light condition - partial clouds
Water depth estimation of the catch spot- 5 feet
Hookset - One by the fish + two by me J Continue reading →

Groupers can be very tricky and fast predators -way too fast for the average surprised angler that didn’t adjust the reel’s drug level right.

To the isolated hotspot
The weather forecast predict a very cold morning with showers of rain, but because fishing will be impossible for the next days we decide to give it a chance.

We arrived to the beach in the early morning to find a clear blue sky with reasonable temperatures. We both wear fishing vests above rain coats above fishing overall and after 1 mile of fast walking it feels like sauna. After passing several hotspots with no fish signs we continued another mile to my isolated hotspot- the point where I catch most of my bluefish last summer.

The Groupers
One hour later, just when I was shelling of my clothing layers I saw medium seabass enter to the small bay carried by a wave, so I switched to Yo-zuri minnow and ran to cast to the current assumed location and bingo- immediate strike.

I knew it wasn’t the seabass according to the steady resistance style and after 10 seconds I land a small 1/2 pound grouper. Quick picture and Veale ! the grouper is released back to the water. 30 minutes later my fishing body lands another grouper with soft plastic lure with bombette based rig.

We both where very pleased with the action so I didn’t care too much about a huge dark cloud arriving from south west; the south wind on the beach has made me to believe it will pass few miles in front of us above the sea - but I was totally wrong.

As I turned my eyes back to my fishing body to signal about the near cloud- a 4 pound grouper jump few feet in the air and successfully grab the lure, my partner had a short fight that ends with a loud frustration shout– the grouper succeed to rush back to a nearby rock with the lure and by doing so, breaks the base ring of the rod.

Murphy’s lows
My partner was really pissed of so I took control over the rod and opened a generous slack to allow the grouper to move away; and then- the rain starts. With the slight movement of the grouper to better is locked position I pulled; the lure jump out of the water, the grouper stays.

The rain became a storm so I had to cover the Olympus sp-550’s large body inside my raining coat all the way back in the soaking rain.

Finally, after long two miles walk, just when we finally arrived to a shelter - the rain stopped

and the dry report details…
Fish- 1 pound Grouper- one item
Reel - Shimano stradic 4000FH
Line - Berkley Fireline 0.15 ~ 15 pound test
Lure -Yo-zuri minnow
Lure activation- Medium speed retrieve
Rod - Shakspear Trour legend 10-40 gram
Waves - 1 ft
Water visibility - low
Time of the catch - 10:00
Light condition - partial clouds
Water depth estimation of the catch spot- 5 feet
Hookset - by the fish