[Johnny Brown]

Any tips on rigs for Mackerel from the shore? Have yet to succeed in catching any seafish without the aid of a boat...

[fatneck]

There are more sporting methods than the one I'm about to describe, but in terms of sheer effectiveness and ease of use, you can't beat a set of feathers!



These are relatively cheap to buy and when combined with a 2-3oz lead (depending on the caliber of your rod) and fished in a sink and draw style (lift rod tip up, then lower the rod tip whilst winding in) they mimic a shoal of baitfish. In fact a heavier weight is generally better as it tends to fizz through the water and encourages good movement of the feathers. If mackerel are in the area, they can be suicidal and large catches are possible. I would suggest that if you've struggled to catch from the shore it possibly more down to location and timing than tactics, as mackerel are not noted for being hard to catch (not wishing to demean any previous efforts by anyone!)! There are lots of rock marks on the Lleyn currently producing good catches. See this recent report (recognize the area?) and this forum in general for up to date catch information.

Obviously, only take what you need for the table. And worth noting that there has been a lot of discussion in the angling media recently about whether returning mackerel to the sea once handled generally results in their death or not (if that makes any sense!). I've never caught enough to warrant returning any as generally speaking, once I've caught enough for the table/bait needs I'll switch to fishing for something else, so have no anecdotal evidence to add to this...

Feel free to ask questions as I may or may not have made any sense!

[SA Chris]

I might still have some spare sets like that for freecycling if you want some JB. I got some off ebay and didn't realise I was buying packs of 3 rather than single ones. Lagerfish has had a few of them off me already.

Anyone got any idea if the mackerel have been called on the east coast?

[fatneck]

According to the worldseafishing.com forum they are showing on the Clyde...

[Johnny Brown]

Cheers for the tips. Never have any problem on feathers or spinners from a dinghy, but blank every time from the shore. Maybe I need to cast a bit further...

[lagerstarfish]

I failed to get any pics, but on Sunday I took The Daywalker's Child to Wiremill for a short session

he started off with a nice crucian followed by two roach about 10oz and 12oz

he had to properly hold on with both hands (2m whip) for all of them

excellent fish handling skills for a 5 year old

[SA Chris]

I guess not casting a shadow is an advantage for fishing.

[fatneck]

Maybe I need to cast a bit further...

This is one aspect of fishing where a long cast can be beneficial!

I'm off to Newsham Park tonight in search of my first tench in a long time...

[lagerstarfish]

I guess not casting a shadow is an advantage for fishing.

it was interesting to note that with polarising glasses on, I couldn't see him

[Monolith]

Fatneck, sorry I forgot to reply. I can't do this evening sorry mate but will be very keen in the coming weeks to join you. Best of luck tonight. By the way, how on earth did you pick up a Milo 13m pole and matchbox for a hundred quid!? Which lorry? Nice little setup for yourself there champ.

[gme]

My youngest is now obsessed with fishing especially of the sea kind which i know little about having been a coarse and fly fisherman all my life. Had a load of flatties this year in the estuary where we live and took him on his first boat trip on Sat in a mates boat.
He caught a pollack and 5 small codling before getting a nice 2 lbs cod, all in an hour an a half.

Best day of his life he claimed.

Having flashbacks to my youth now as spending every evening making up rigs and reading fishing magazines.

Fatneck, before too long you will find your self getting a second mortgage to feed the coarse fishing habit, possibly the most expensive sport in the world if you cant resist shiny things. Any what ever you do dont ever get into match fishing. Makes golf seem cheap.

[SA Chris]

Having flashbacks to my youth now as spending every evening making up rigs and reading fishing magazines.

Whatever you do, don't ask advice on good rigs and bait from anyone fishing who looks over 60, as they will all give different and complex advice, and take hours to do it.

[fatneck]

Ha! I used to match fish all over Cheshire before I discovered climbing and what life was really all about but it's incredibly hard to not "need" new gear all the time...

I've really bided my time about getting course tackle again and this has proven it's worth in my being able to pick up the pole and box for an absolute song and am prepared to sit back and wait for more bargains to come up to keep the cost down...

Having said all that I do need a new catapult/plummet/floats/meat punch/specialist elastic lubricant etc etc Not to mention looking to update my lure fishing kit - braid/rubber lures/£20 plugs etc... 

Great that your youngest is psyched on fishing, I've always taken my girls fishing, they always particularly enjoyed sea fishing and I can't wait to take the lad when he's a bit older....

Psyched!!!!!!

[andy_e]

[Monolith]

Si, I have a fair amount of coarse gear that I accumulated over many years (Preston Innovations, Daiwa, Sensas etc etc). If I could borrow a pole, I'd be happy also to pool all this gear and do the odd coarse session. Additionally, I want to plan a day charter trip departing from Birkenhead Priory Wharf to Liverpool Bay this coming summer. Absolutely unreal sport out there. If anybody else is keen (JB, Lagers, Swilson etc etc), holla if you're keen.

[fatneck]

Cool Tom. Planning a trip somewhere commercial on Saturday afternoon for some carp bashing if you're keen?

Definitely up for a boat trip but was thinking Rhyl for tope?

[fatneck]

Also, no tench last night sadly, but a decent haul of better skimmers than last week with this being the best of the bunch...

[Monolith]

Any tips on rigs for Mackerel from the shore? Have yet to succeed in catching any seafish without the aid of a boat...

Forgot to mention JB, try looking at the forum on wirralseafishing.co.uk if you're thinking of fishing the shores north west/north Wales way. A great resource to see where's fishing well. I had some Mackerel from the shore at New Brighton last summer which was a first for me and something of a surprise.

My freezer is loaded with black lug ready for a bass extravanganza at the drop of a hat. Reports from Pensarn/Abergele way etc are very encouraging so far.

[SA Chris]

According to the worldseafishing.com forum they are showing on the Clyde...

Sadly a long way from us! mackerel are a bit loathe to use the megabus to get across to the Forth and usually travel round the bottom and up.

[lagerstarfish]

I want to plan a day charter trip departing from Birkenhead Priory Wharf to Liverpool Bay this coming summer. Absolutely unreal sport out there. If anybody else is keen (JB, Lagers, Swilson etc etc), holla if you're keen.

I'm keen, but heavily committed with child rearing and shit

with enough notice I'd have a good chance of coming along, especially if I get to dress as a pirate

[fatneck]

Sadly a long way from us! mackerel are a bit loathe to use the megabus to get across to the Forth and usually travel round the bottom and up.

Sorry about that! My Scottish geography is not the best 

Lagers and Tom, will have a look into dates for booking a boat asap... And I will be hugely disappointed if you don't dress as a pirate Mr Starfish!

[fatneck]

Sadly a long way from us! mackerel are a bit loathe to use the megabus to get across to the Forth and usually travel round the bottom and up.

Sorry about that! My Scottish geography is not the best 

Lagers and Tom, will have a look into dates for booking a boat asap... Is mid week or weekend best and are you thinking end of July/August time?

Have a look here for summer availability...

And I will be hugely disappointed if you don't dress as a pirate Mr Starfish!

[Monolith]

Awesome guys. Yeah that charter directory is super useful. Open invite if anybody else wants to come. You don't need fishing experience either if you're worried about that.

Will start to make some noises re dates this coming week. Thinking 12 hour trip departing from either Liverpool or Priory Wharf, Birkenhead in Wirral.

Getting a flex on in Cardigan bay over the bank holiday. Hopefully something to report back with photo wise after a piss poor winter season (biggest codling about 1/4 lb!?).

P.S The Pirate look is a STRONG look Lagers!

[slackline]

The oft talked about, but rarely seen "One that got away" 

[lagerstarfish]

Will start to make some noises re dates this coming week. Thinking 12 hour trip departing from either Liverpool or Priory Wharf, Birkenhead in Wirral.

my mate Otter is interested - usual issues around work, but keen

me and him went to Wiremill last night and had a top session - fished until 10pm when we couldn't see the float/rod tip any more - hanging on for that last chance to get a whopper (didn't happen)

couple of fan tail crucians to 2 lb, tench to 2lb, couple of bream around 1 lb, usual roach and perch - I had a beautiful roach of maybe a pound and a quarter

I tried a bit of spinning to try get one of the bigger perch - only got a comedy tiddler about an inch longer than the Meps