Sea fishing - coastal spinning

[ChrisJB]

Dear folks

I have just returned from a week in a cottage on the west coast of Scotland. By the cottage was a little rocky promontory, jutting into Loch Awe. So, thought I, I'll dig out my old spinning tackle from when I was a teenager and do a spot of sea fishing. Unsurprisingly I caught nothing, but thoroughly enjoyed myself anyway.

Now that I am back home in Lancs, I fancy doing a spot more spinning on the coast during the summer. Can anyone suggest any places within say a days drive of Lancs, say N. Wales, that have nice rocky coastlines which are suitable for spinning from?

Regards, Chris

[epops]

we fished a place called urm lynas head i think that was good also mackeral rock spinning was superb there

[Dogghound]

Unsure on your area but if you need any advice on the actual technique i often spin for mackerel, bass and pollock.

[zan]

potentially you would have had better luck if you'd gone to the sea Loch Awe's a freshwater loch and although there are fair few brown and rainbow trout in it and the odd salmon, you'd probably need to use flies to have much luck. I used to go up there every year with my family and it's a wonderful place. If you do go back, it's worth bearing in mind that you need a permit to fish in loch Awe and loch Avich, although you may get one included with your accommodation?

[Mr Mag00]

you may want to have a look on here, the forums are divided by region and so you will get specific advice for your area and most of them are very good people; as an example they hold an open weekend on chesil down here in dorset 2 or 3 times a year and loads of ppl turn up and they are free with the advice too!

Sea Fishing and Sea Angling Online Magazine

[C C]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

Dear folks

I have just returned from a week in a cottage on the west coast of Scotland. By the cottage was a little rocky promontory, jutting into Loch Awe. So, thought I, I'll dig out my old spinning tackle from when I was a teenager and do a spot of sea fishing. Unsurprisingly I caught nothing, but thoroughly enjoyed myself anyway.

Now that I am back home in Lancs, I fancy doing a spot more spinning on the coast during the summer. Can anyone suggest any places within say a days drive of Lancs, say N. Wales, that have nice rocky coastlines which are suitable for spinning from?

Regards, Chris

Why don't you try Heysham power station. I believe its a good mark for Bass, and i think it fishes till March? Don't know what spinner is good for that Mark, down on the South and West coast of Wales it's the Swift Flying Condom that works well, Black or Red. Though, Heysham is classed as a Nursery, and will have some restrictions in place.

Regards Christain.

[coasty]

Hi Mate,,, I to enjoy spinning I would say if you dont know the area well follow a few simple ideas... Piers and Jetties are always worth a go.

I always tend to favour spinning over rough ground and weed beds, If you are spinning you are immitating a bait fish so you need to fish where they are present. Open ground will not offer cover for bait fish.

Anyplace where there is a drop of into deeper water is worth a go. I would also say a recce visit at low tide is really valuable as you will see the features you will fish over later..

Keep an eye on tide heights to. As some places you catch in may be unfishable on a different tide as tides can easily vary by a metre or more...

I would say dont be tempted to go far afield you will have better fortune by getting to know one stretch of coastline well,,

Oh Yes and Tightlines....

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by zan

potentially you would have had better luck if you'd gone to the sea Loch Awe's a freshwater loch and although there are fair few brown and rainbow trout in it and the odd salmon, you'd probably need to use flies to have much luck. I used to go up there every year with my family and it's a wonderful place. If you do go back, it's worth bearing in mind that you need a permit to fish in loch Awe and loch Avich, although you may get one included with your accommodation?

Sorry Zan, I meant Loch Ewe.

Regards, Chris

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Unsure on your area but if you need any advice on the actual technique i often spin for mackerel, bass and pollock.

Cheers everybody. As for my technique, Dogghound, basically was using my old Pike spinning tackle, using little mepps spinners and small toby-type spoons, on 15lb line. I fished deep and altered my rate of retrieve. I did expect winter spinning to be fairly unproductive however (I normally associate it as a summer method). Basically that was my gear and technique. If my tackle and technique are dodgy, I'm all ears!

Regards, Chris

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

Cheers everybody. As for my technique, Dogghound, basically was using my old Pike spinning tackle, using little mepps spinners and small toby-type spoons, on 15lb line. I fished deep and altered my rate of retrieve. I did expect winter spinning to be fairly unproductive however (I normally associate it as a summer method). Basically that was my gear and technique. If my tackle and technique are dodgy, I'm all ears!

Regards, Chris

Sounds ok to me. Although it depends on what you were fishing for and was it fresh or salt water? i would always advise using a wire trace in freshwater incase there are pike around. Salt water and freshwater both require different approaches with spinning.

[ChrisJB]

Salt water. Another question, if I fish in the sea, do I need a rod license?

Regards, Chris

[coasty]

Quick answer no..

[Dogghound]

As coasty said no you dont in salt water. Spinning gear sounds rite for salt water if it isnt to snaggy you could maybe get away with 10lb line. Summer is the best time of year with bright day's being best this is when the spinner becomes highly visible in the water. You need a good light rod and reel thats well balanced. There are plenty of different spinners and plugs, depending on species and conditions you will have to chop and change which you use. As has been said before rocky ground, piers and jetties all good areas to fish.

[ChrisJB]

Thanks again everyone. it's nice to know I wasn't doing anything badly wrong. I just need a new reel now and to build up a collection of lures. Roll on next summer. I might give Anglesey a try, I remember a nice rocky spot near Penmon where I sometimes go to see Black Guillemots. A classic case of two birds with one stone!

Regards, Chris

[coasty]

Get your self some rubber sand eels , They are great when used behind a lead and anti kink vane, They are much cheaper than spinners and are great over really snaggy ground ...

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by coasty

Get your self some rubber sand eels , They are great when used behind a lead and anti kink vane, They are much cheaper than spinners and are great over really snaggy ground ...

Do you mean a barrel shaped lead threaded on the line to give it a bit of weight? I'm not familiar with anti-kink vanes. Do they go between the lead and the rubber eel?

Sorry to keep bombarding folk with questions!

Regards, Chris

[coasty]

You can buy anti kink vanes they are little clear plastic vanes that prevent the line twisting. My rig would be main line to anti kink vane threaded through a barrel lead. The vanes sometimes incorperate a swivel. If they dont then they should connect to one the a length of lower breaking strain line to a rubber eel like the eddystone pattern...

The vane prevents line twist especially when using light lures like an eel .The lack of weight stops the swivel working correctly when no vane is used,,,

[ChrisJB]

Brilliant. Cheers Coasty.

Regards, Chris

[m1.carson]

Hi,

If as Zan said, it's a freshwater loch with salmon, three lob worm snakes on a number 2 hook, but best check licensing and permit, otherwise your car could be confiscated, as you are using it for poaching.

Max.

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by m1.carson

Hi,

If as Zan said, it's a freshwater loch with salmon, three lob worm snakes on a number 2 hook, but best check licensing and permit, otherwise your car could be confiscated, as you are using it for poaching.

Max.

Crikey! I'll bear that in mind if I ever do any freshwater stuff.

Regards, Chris