Fishing Information

Rock Fishing Techniques


Many shore anglers avoid fishing rock marks because they are scared of losing tackle. However, very few marks are totally unfishable, and often the most effective rigs for fishing rough ground marks are also the most basic.

Before fishing any shore mark, rough ground marks in particular, it is a good idea to visit the area at low water. The best time to go is at low water on a spring tide, when much of the ground that you will later be fishing over will be uncovered. Look for features like gullies, weed beds, or patches of sand sandwiched between kelp beds. These are the places where items of food collect, and the places where the fish will feed once the tide has flooded. If you are unfamiliar with the mark, it is also very important to try to pick out any area where the flooding tide could cut off your retreat.

The first stumbling block for many anglers preparing to tackle a rough-ground mark is the choice of end rig. End rigs should be tied as simply as possible. Rock marks are certainly not the places to use complex rigs with lots of swivels, bait-clips and beads, all of which will increase the rig's snagging potential. Rigs should usually incorporate some sort of rotten bottom to attach the lead (try using an old spark plug) as this will break free if it becomes snagged. A simple running paternoster is an ideal rig. You seldom need to fish at any distance and at some marks species like wrasse can be more or less under your feet. If long-range fishing is necessary, it is important to ensure that the lead will not break away from the rotten bottom during casting. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a pulley rig tied from a minimum 501b bs line with a loop at the bottom. The rotten bottom attaches the lead to the loop, and the loop is then pushed through the eye of the lead. A small nail pushed through a '/4in diameter polyball is then inserted through the loop of nylon, to hold it secure during casting. On contact with the water, the nail floats free, aided by the buoyant polyball, leaving the rig anchored by the rotten bottom. The addition of a lead lift can further assist end-rig recovery over rough ground.

Many anglers make the mistake of using too light a main line when fishing rough ground. You should expect to get snagged on the bottom from time to time, and you will need a fairly substantial main line to break even an 8lb rotten bottom. It is also inevitable that your line will get chaffed from constant contact with rocks, and chaffed 251b line will give you a far better chance of landing a big fish than damaged 151b line. Too light a lead is another common mistake. A light lead will get washed around by the tide or swell until it snags. It is far better to use a heavier lead, which will hit the bottom and stay put. If there is any lateral tide or swell consider using a grip lead, which will anchor your end rig firmly, preventing it from dragging into snags. The grip wires can even prevent the lead falling into tight crevices.

Another very common mistake is moving the lead after it has touched bottom, just to see if it has snagged. If the lead was not snagged, there is a good chance that you'll drag it into a snag when moving it. The first time that you attempt to move the end rig should be either when you strike or when you reel in to check your bait. In the latter case, lift the rig as high in the water as you can with one firm upward swoop of the rod. Then, keeping your rod tip high, wind furiously to get the rig up to the surface and clear of the worst of the snags. The new generation of high-speed-retrieve reels are better suited for this sort of work than small, baitcasting multipliers.

Webmasters are free to re-publish the article as long as they include my resource box at the end of the article exactly.

Article by Darren Tidmarsh. For more articles on Sea Fishing and Fishing in general please visit Fishing-Circle.com you can contact me at Darren@fishing-circle.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Minnesota Ice Fishing Shanty Rentals that Won't Leave You Cold
Yahoo! Sports
Contributor Network 9 hours, 28 minutes ago Headed to Minnesota for an ice fishing excursion and wondering where you can rent a lake-front cabin and an ice shanty? Well, I have you covered. Looking for copious amounts of perch?

and more »


Homosassa Fishing Report 2/6/12
The Ledger (blog)
I began in waist deep water while wade fishing with Mark Nichols and Jerry McBride of DOA lures. We casted a variety of their artificial baits. They caught a ton of fish and I caught about a half ton using the DOA three inch shrimp and CAL tails near ...
Mother Nature forgot it's wintertime, so let's go fishingTCPalm

all 2 news articles »


PennLive.com

Reporter's Notebook: A fish out of water
Carlisle Sentinel
So, as I walked around and around tables full of hunting and fishing gear at the Outdoor Show, I felt (no pun intended) like a fish out of water. With the bright blue jacket I was wearing, I probably even looked like one, too. Luckily, a nice man named ...
Show organizer says visitors demand a purchasing option at the Eastern Sports ...Patriot-News (blog)
Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show a nine-day extravaganzaThe Tribune-Democrat
Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show Begins at HarrisburgDaily Local News

all 91 news articles »


Extended fishing report for Feb. 6
Santa Rosa Press Democrat (blog)
Always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed or no reports. The DFG's Low Flow Closure Hotline for north coast rivers is (707) 822-3164. For the Russian River and counties of ...
WEEKLY DNR ENFORCEMENT REPORT: Ice fishing, Dog in trap, vehicles through the iceGrand Forks Herald
MN DNR Weekly ReportDuluth News Tribune

all 3 news articles »


Very good ice fishing in northeast Washington
The Seattle Times
Those who enjoy ice fishing and like to catch quality trout should consider a couple of lakes in Okanogan County. One is very much overlooked, and I suppose the reason is that it is a winter lake, that is it is managed to open in the late fall and ...
Rainbow trout coming to Lake MendocinoSanta Rosa Press Democrat

all 3 news articles »


Peru's giant jungle fish hooks conscientious gourmets
Reuters
(Updates, adds quote) By Caroline Stauffer LIMA Feb 6 (Reuters) - Move over Chilean sea bass, Peruvians are raising a giant Amazon fish and sending it abroad to answer growing cries for sustainable seafood in haute cuisine. Farm-raised, fresh-water ...

and more »


WDFW Commission Adopts New Sport Fishing Rules
Newstalk 1450 KBKW
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a variety of new sportfishing rules and increased the number of multiple-season hunting permits for deer and elk issued each year during a public meeting here Feb. 3-4. Close fishing early for ...
Washington releases flurry of stuff on fishing, hunting rulesThe Spokesman Review (blog)
Early winter steelhead closure a permanent rule beginning next season, and ...The Seattle Times

all 5 news articles »


Fish buyers to feel the pinch
Times of India
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the lean season in the fishing industry sets in, fish-eaters in the city have begun feeling the pinch. Price of almost every fish variety available in the market is on the rise. According to officials of the Matsyafed here, ...

and more »


Library Card Can Get You Free Passes to Go Fish Education Center
Patch.com
By Deanna Allen Find out what you can expect when visiting the Go Fish Education Center. Screen Shot Beginning Feb. 10, a valid local library card can get you and your family free access to the the Go Fish Education Center in Perry.

and more »


AP Interview: Maine fishing chief aims for growth
CBS News
(AP) HALLOWELL, Maine — Maine's new top fisheries official is vowing to grow the economic value of the state's oldest industry, commercial fishing, and the coastal communities that rely on the ocean. The value of the state's seafood harvest ranges ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006