Tope- Success at last.

[SpeciMan]

Right.. been on the phone to Simon.. thinking about coming up now too! May bring family up and stay at local campsite. Will have a chat with Zzippy about it.

 

[ 13. June 2005, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: Speciman ]

[Starvinmarvin]

Hope you can make it Speciman, look forward to meeting you and Zzippy.

[Snatcher]

Hey fellow yakers pick up on the thread - continuation II of "Snatchers week in June". Picture of a 70lb tope caught in Luce Bay today. The destination of spanners tope/yak venture next week!

Any second thoughts now spanner

Being serious for a mo what sort of speed could a fish of that size pull a yak along? How about the potential length of the fight as well

 

Go on spanner my son Question is if you hook it in Scotland and land it in the IOM will it be a Scottish or IOM first

 

[ 16. June 2005, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: Snatcher ]

[Simon Everett]

Hiya chap,

if you are anchored when fishing for the tope - best in our parts - then you will get pulled around the anchor warp, but stay put - if you get my drift, which hopefully you will have none of

Fight time - 10 minutes I would think depending on the weight gear you are using. I only use a 20lb class rod and a Amb. 6500 - would use a 12lb rod if I had one!! I might actually invest in a cheap US 12lb class rod. They are available for less than $50 over there.

 

If you are in deep water they can often fight up and down rather then out from the boat, in shalow water they run out because they can't go down.

 

JUST DO IT! worry about the Chicken Rock Lighthouse later. You never know - it might tow you down to join its mates in Cardigan Bay, in which case there'll be a beer waiting for you!

[spanner]

Snatcher,

 

.... bring it on .....

 

My anchor is a milk carton with 5lb of scrap wheel balancing lead and a chain, more of a drag anchor than than a fixed anchor so hopefully that'll slow the blighters down a little!

[nifty]

Spanner,

Get yourself a proper foldaway anchor before you go, you'll only regret it when your on the water and can't stay in one place.

If you do hook up with a Tope, the last thing you want to be worrying about is being towed all over the place. If your firmly anchored then the only time the kayak will move is if the fish goes uptide and pulls you round on the anchor rope.

 

Probably the most important piece of kit to take are a good pair of wire cutters because when that fish comes to the side, if you realise that it's not something you want on your lap afterall it's far easier to cut the trace than be attached to something that will invariably be thrashing about like a good un.

 

If you do want to get it aboard then as i've said before get it detached from your rod before you even attempt it and then grab hold of a pectoral fin and hold on tight. The one thing about tope is they have good grabbing points and once you've got the tail as well then it's just a matter of keeping a firm hold.

 

Good luck and be careful,

 

Stuart.