dodders
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 11, 2021
- Messages
- 202
- Reaction score
- 1,053
- Points
- 93
- Location
- SE Cornwall
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Set out last night to catch a Cornish Smoothhound as I’ve failed everywhere else to catch one this year, so made a trip up to the North Coast.
I arrived about half seven at the car park and was a bit dismayed to say the least to find about 30 cars there. That’s the trouble with holiday season and fine weather combining….. why couldn’t it be miserable weather for just one more day ! Things improved on my way down the path to the beach as I must have passed 40 people coming the other way armed with surf and body boards. On the beach there was just one lone surfer and another angler lure fishing so I virtually had the place to myself.
First rod out at 8pm, HW at 2245 and there was a nice 2-3 ft surf running. Bait was just frozen hermit crabs and prawns fished on a dongle with 3/0 circle hooks. Within minutes had a slack liner just as I cast the second rod out. This was obviously a smoothie as it ripped off and kited. Turned out to be the smallest of the night at about 5lb
Didn’t have to wait long for another which turned out to be a good fish of about 9lb. I would have weighed it but the ratchet on the other multiplier started screaming. I had a bit of a predicament now as I needed a photo of the fish with my species hunt card as the Angling trust count Common and Starry Smoothhounds separately, this was a common, the first was a starry!
Very stressful trying to take a photo whilst the other rods ripping off but it all worked out ok and I landed both. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t clean sand out there.
The fish kept coming and it was one of those nights when you couldn't fail.
Just on high water I hooked what was obviously a bigger fish which gave a cracking fight and turned out to be the best of the night at nearly 11lbs. Pictures all came out a bit blurry which is disappointing. (Think I have bit of crab juice in the corner of my mouth !)
The rig worked well with every fish hooked in the lip. About an hour into the ebb caught my last fish so ended up with 8 which is a good result for me especially in Cornwall, which isn't particularly noted for smoothhounds
I arrived about half seven at the car park and was a bit dismayed to say the least to find about 30 cars there. That’s the trouble with holiday season and fine weather combining….. why couldn’t it be miserable weather for just one more day ! Things improved on my way down the path to the beach as I must have passed 40 people coming the other way armed with surf and body boards. On the beach there was just one lone surfer and another angler lure fishing so I virtually had the place to myself.
First rod out at 8pm, HW at 2245 and there was a nice 2-3 ft surf running. Bait was just frozen hermit crabs and prawns fished on a dongle with 3/0 circle hooks. Within minutes had a slack liner just as I cast the second rod out. This was obviously a smoothie as it ripped off and kited. Turned out to be the smallest of the night at about 5lb
Didn’t have to wait long for another which turned out to be a good fish of about 9lb. I would have weighed it but the ratchet on the other multiplier started screaming. I had a bit of a predicament now as I needed a photo of the fish with my species hunt card as the Angling trust count Common and Starry Smoothhounds separately, this was a common, the first was a starry!
Very stressful trying to take a photo whilst the other rods ripping off but it all worked out ok and I landed both. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t clean sand out there.
The fish kept coming and it was one of those nights when you couldn't fail.
Just on high water I hooked what was obviously a bigger fish which gave a cracking fight and turned out to be the best of the night at nearly 11lbs. Pictures all came out a bit blurry which is disappointing. (Think I have bit of crab juice in the corner of my mouth !)
The rig worked well with every fish hooked in the lip. About an hour into the ebb caught my last fish so ended up with 8 which is a good result for me especially in Cornwall, which isn't particularly noted for smoothhounds
