Si-fly
Well-known member
Hi all, ain't it gone cold out there ????
Anyway back from the warmth of Fuerteventura, I thought it about time I went squidding, (having missed the last 2 years fishing) and while down there thought it was about time I finally tried for a proper Black Bream.
I'd done a bit of homework on marks and tactics, (have some great friends that offered advice) so was feeling optimistic-ish of catching something ?
I arrived to a strong cold North wind, climbed down to my mark and set the gear up. Once the tide slowed down I sent a bait out on a mk1 Komp SS, one of a pair I just picked up for rock fishing, and general rough/big bait marks.
What a nice rod they are fished with braid, loads of backbone, but tip showed tiny nibbles..... Perfect for today's session.
Out went a squid bait and I sat back for what turned out to be a few very quiet hours, just one big slack bite with the fish going to ground, and a few lost leads.
Ah well, it was a nice day out the wind and had some cracking views with the sun streaming through the clouds as the charters went home.
At this point with the sun gone in it did get much colder.... Definitely winter has arrived.
A second bite at last.... Wind down fish on..... Ah snagged!
Gave it slack and the fish took line.
I thought a conger, it pulled quite hard but it felt like the lead was snagged solid
This went on for a few minutes, I pulled hard from different angles, then slack, and repeat!
Nope the lead was solid.
Pretty sure the fish was still on though, so I grabbed hold the spool and walked back.
This is where I realised using 30lb for the rotten bottom, maybe wasn't the best Idea ?. Wow it takes some breaking!.... Eventually it pinged and holding my breath I wound down ...............................
A kick.... The fish was still there and coming, however free from the snag it felt much smaller.... In fact didn't feel like an eel now.
Could it be my target??
I kept winding.
Up came a fish.... Still a fair way off as I was high up. Coming across the surface, it was soon close enough to see my prize.... A nice Bream ?
Now id brought a drop net, but it didn't look that big way down below, so rather than faff about (never tried using a drop net solo) I went for the winch technique, cranking the saltiga up she came!
I had a nice surprise as it came up over the top... Bigger than I thought... And a PB ?
On the scales it went 2lb 7 oz.... Not a real monster, but we'll above my old PB. Happy days.

I was now super keen and whacked out another baited rig. However from here things went downhill...... You see there was this pair of Txxts wearing flippers that had swam by earlier around 80y out going just past my line luckily, and off round the cliffs out of sight. I'd tried waving arms, shouting to no avail. The problem was one was back and closer in with this great big orange inflatible mini boat on the end of a long rope!.....and I didn't notice him as I was watching the tips..... Until... Click... Click..... Yep you guessed it the txxt had gone one side of my 60lb braid, his inflatible boat the other ?...... Ah ????. I must say at this point with the lead now jammed in the rocks and the SS taking on a battle curve, I was impressed with its power..... Easily stopping the wetsuit clad loony and dragging him backwards ?. He kept looking back as he must have felt the increased drag and after a few attempts at going forward again he slowly inched back towards my braid. I was above him shouting.... He was unaware... Or just ignoring me, but I decided at this point he prob had a knife and when he reached my braid it would prob get cut mid length!.... Um wasn't keen on that and not wanting him to possibly get caught up with it round his legs I pulled for a break. Luckily It went on the leader knot, and both my braid and his legs survived another day! I just wish he had spent a few minutes looking along his intended route as he would easily have seen me perched on the cliff top of a fairly popular spot. After that I missed a very breamy nibble and lost another lead, before calling it a day. Think I've prob bored you all to death now, so I'll post the squid report tomorrow ?
Cheers Si
Anyway back from the warmth of Fuerteventura, I thought it about time I went squidding, (having missed the last 2 years fishing) and while down there thought it was about time I finally tried for a proper Black Bream.
I'd done a bit of homework on marks and tactics, (have some great friends that offered advice) so was feeling optimistic-ish of catching something ?
I arrived to a strong cold North wind, climbed down to my mark and set the gear up. Once the tide slowed down I sent a bait out on a mk1 Komp SS, one of a pair I just picked up for rock fishing, and general rough/big bait marks.
What a nice rod they are fished with braid, loads of backbone, but tip showed tiny nibbles..... Perfect for today's session.
Out went a squid bait and I sat back for what turned out to be a few very quiet hours, just one big slack bite with the fish going to ground, and a few lost leads.
Ah well, it was a nice day out the wind and had some cracking views with the sun streaming through the clouds as the charters went home.

A second bite at last.... Wind down fish on..... Ah snagged!
Gave it slack and the fish took line.
I thought a conger, it pulled quite hard but it felt like the lead was snagged solid

This went on for a few minutes, I pulled hard from different angles, then slack, and repeat!
Nope the lead was solid.
Pretty sure the fish was still on though, so I grabbed hold the spool and walked back.
This is where I realised using 30lb for the rotten bottom, maybe wasn't the best Idea ?. Wow it takes some breaking!.... Eventually it pinged and holding my breath I wound down ...............................
A kick.... The fish was still there and coming, however free from the snag it felt much smaller.... In fact didn't feel like an eel now.
Could it be my target??
I kept winding.
Up came a fish.... Still a fair way off as I was high up. Coming across the surface, it was soon close enough to see my prize.... A nice Bream ?
Now id brought a drop net, but it didn't look that big way down below, so rather than faff about (never tried using a drop net solo) I went for the winch technique, cranking the saltiga up she came!
I had a nice surprise as it came up over the top... Bigger than I thought... And a PB ?

On the scales it went 2lb 7 oz.... Not a real monster, but we'll above my old PB. Happy days.

I was now super keen and whacked out another baited rig. However from here things went downhill...... You see there was this pair of Txxts wearing flippers that had swam by earlier around 80y out going just past my line luckily, and off round the cliffs out of sight. I'd tried waving arms, shouting to no avail. The problem was one was back and closer in with this great big orange inflatible mini boat on the end of a long rope!.....and I didn't notice him as I was watching the tips..... Until... Click... Click..... Yep you guessed it the txxt had gone one side of my 60lb braid, his inflatible boat the other ?...... Ah ????. I must say at this point with the lead now jammed in the rocks and the SS taking on a battle curve, I was impressed with its power..... Easily stopping the wetsuit clad loony and dragging him backwards ?. He kept looking back as he must have felt the increased drag and after a few attempts at going forward again he slowly inched back towards my braid. I was above him shouting.... He was unaware... Or just ignoring me, but I decided at this point he prob had a knife and when he reached my braid it would prob get cut mid length!.... Um wasn't keen on that and not wanting him to possibly get caught up with it round his legs I pulled for a break. Luckily It went on the leader knot, and both my braid and his legs survived another day! I just wish he had spent a few minutes looking along his intended route as he would easily have seen me perched on the cliff top of a fairly popular spot. After that I missed a very breamy nibble and lost another lead, before calling it a day. Think I've prob bored you all to death now, so I'll post the squid report tomorrow ?
Cheers Si
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