South Coast Nice little midweek session

[Mushty]

Fished a beach at Eastbourne last night, bit of a last minute decision after looking at the rain forecast for the weekend.
HW was at 9pm and I managed to start fishing around 6.15.
The wind was a horrible North Easterly 4-5 which ran right along the beach.
Fished 2 rods from the off with 2 hook loop rigs and size 3/0 hooks loaded with smallish sardine and squid wraps.
Fishing was slow to start with a dogfish after half an hour or so. An hour and a half before high and the fishing switched on with good bites coming every cast.
Some bites were proper slamming over whilst others were simple drop backs.
Anyway cut a long story short…ended the session an hour after high with 6 dogs and 8 Thornbacks best 45cm

 

[Dumnonian]

The rays seem to love the sprats n squid, Sounds like a great nights fishing made up for you mate. Well done!

 

[Mushty]

The rays seem to love the sprats n squid, Sounds like a great nights fishing made up for you mate. Well done!

Thanks mate, yeah it was one of those evenings that everything came together nicely!
One thing I have learnt which may make a difference is the size of the bait, anything bigger than my thumb is too big!

 

[Gold’nOldie]

Fished a beach at Eastbourne last night, bit of a last minute decision after looking at the rain forecast for the weekend.
HW was at 9pm and I managed to start fishing around 6.15.
The wind was a horrible North Easterly 4-5 which ran right along the beach.
Fished 2 rods from the off with 2 hook loop rigs and size 3/0 hooks loaded with smallish sardine and squid wraps.
Fishing was slow to start with a dogfish after half an hour or so. An hour and a half before high and the fishing switched on with good bites coming every cast.
Some bites were proper slamming over whilst others were simple drop backs.
Anyway cut a long story short…ended the session an hour after high with 6 dogs and 8 Thornbacks best 45cmView attachment 60341View attachment 60342View attachment 60343

Busy night for you Mushty. Good to see plenty of thornies about.

 

[Trampster]

Nice report & great photos Mushty. Well done mate!

 

[Dumnonian]

Thanks mate, yeah it was one of those evenings that everything came together nicely!
One thing I have learnt which may make a difference is the size of the bait, anything bigger than my thumb is too big!

So your having much better results with small baits? Thats really interesting im going to try that iv been using whole sprats with a squid cut in half lengthways or whole baby squid. What size hooks have you been using? Ive been using 4/0 79515 with the barb flattened with pliers as it makes it so much easier to get them out of a ray.

 

[Wolf]

Great catches & piccys well done

 

[Mushty]

So your having much better results with small baits? Thats really interesting im going to try that iv been using whole sprats with a squid cut in half lengthways or whole baby squid. What size hooks have you been using? Ive been using 4/0 79515 with the barb flattened with pliers as it makes it so much easier to get them out of a ray.

Yeah definitely small baits is the way forward!
I use a pilchard of about 6-7 inches long?
Head and tail it, I don’t fillet as such just cut in half lengthways if that makes sense like a fillet, then lay flat and cut in half lengthways again so you have 4 full length strips. Then cut those in half so you have 8 bits then match the squid to the size of fish. I usually get 4 wraps from a squid body then the head makes 5. Hopefully that makes sense?
I bait elastic the fish and squid together without the hook and just thread on like a worm.
I use 3/0 varivas saltwater champions with the barbs flattened and a slight twist put in the bend.
As the baits are small it allows me to use a loop rig with about 2ft hook lengths, for those I used 50lb zippy never had any issues

 

[wingnut55]

Nice report Mushty, lovely pics too.

Ian.

 

[Topwater]

Great report and follow up info Mushty

 

[Mushty]

Great report and follow up info Mushty

Thanks, if I can help someone improve then I will.
I’m still learning after 40yrs after all…

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Happy days.
Well done
I was going to go but chickened out with that easterly!

 

[Goateeblank]

That's a rewarding session and some good advice. Nice going.

 

[Tatunka joe]

Nice bag of thornbacks mate proper sesh that

 

[Mushty]

Happy days.
Well done
I was going to go but chickened out with that easterly!

Yeah I guess that would be quite full on in your neck of the woods!

 

[wingnut55]

Thanks, if I can help someone improve then I will.
I’m still learning after 40yrs after all…

You would improve if you got some descent reels mate..

Ian.

 

[Mushty]

You would improve if you got some descent reels mate..

Ian.

Depends on what you call decent? Nothing wrong with a 515.
I can put baits up to 170yds with them and the Ray’s certainly weren’t that far out!

 

[wingnut55]

Depends on what you call decent? Nothing wrong with a 515.
I can put baits up to 170yds with them and the Ray’s certainly weren’t that far out

Ian.