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World's Strangest Fishing Techniques


John Waldman

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To everyone who replied so far--thanks!

 

Kite fishing is already included but glad you mentioned it.

 

Did not know about that mudskipper technique. But there is something about mudskippers that makes people want to gather them, including shooting them. They're collected using rubber bands to stun them and also fine-dust shotgun loads.

 

Rope lure for billfish is a new one. Sounds like American "hookless fly" technique for our garfish. Gar get their considerable teeth snagged in nylon threads. Have to comb the nylon to re-use it.

 

Vingling may seem like hard work to you vinglers, but dragging a knife through the sand and popping up baitfish is pretty exotic to those of us who don't vingle. I've heard you must watch out for the weevers.

 

Depth charges adds to my blast fishing chapter. Not surprisingly, hand grendades were Saddam Hussein's favorite fishing gear.

 

Great eel story. Instead of boppin we call it bobbing. Alternative is to put the worms in a little sack made from a nylon stocking--catches their teeth well.

 

I have one more particular UK technique to ask about--foot fishing for plaice and flounder. I once read an excellent magazine article about it but can't locate it. Anyone know of stories on this? Any personal anecdotes?

 

Keep plumbing your memories and thanks again,

 

John Waldman

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Hi John. We used to foot-fish for flounders all the time as kids. In Weymouth there is an SSSI called Lodmoor Country Park. It is a bird reserve but there are streams running into the sea that flounder regularly came up. The water was thigh deep but you could see the fish to start with, until you got in and silted up. We walked along very slowly barefooted and would feel the fish. We had short spears made by the local blacksmith and we would gently stroke our hands up the fishes back before poking the spear quickly through the fishes head. Killed them almost straight away. This went on for years until they built the park up for tourists. The water is now polluted and only eels are there now. Hope this helps. BB

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yes i have done "treading" for flounder in the large pools left at low tide in morecambe bay. being very careful not to stir up the sand and working from one end to the other in a line of 5 or 6 people. we would walk barefoot and upon spotting a fish simply push your big toe into its gut cavity and its pinned down. just lean down and grab it. there is a spine quite close so you've got to get it right. i never did see a single weever round those parts which is lucky!

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i mentioned about crabbing, and i'm not sure if its relevant, but i thought i'd tell you how i was taught to deal with them.

first you find a likely looking boulder with hollow underneath and a mess of ground mussel shells at the entrance. thats where he's hiding.

a quick but careful furtle (is that a real word?)with a gaff handle should let you know if there is a conger waiting in ambush for your fingers.

if it seems clear then roll up your sleeve and take a deep breath. put your hand in the hole.

move the back of your hand against the roof of the hollow and get as far in as you can. sometimes this means face in the mud and in up to your shoulder. once youve gauged the size of the hollow like this you can lower your hand till you find the bottom of the space. gently move your hand from the back of the hole to its entrance just dragging your fingers over the surface.

you dont have to worry about the crab nipping you because he is fast asleep buried in the mud up to his carapace, facing towards the entrance. once you locate him the first thing to do is test for a soft shell. if it is soft then leave him alone. then you can size him by gauging his carapace width against your spread hand. if hes big enough then you can sex it by gauging the width between its back legs. the males have a much narrower gap. all of this can be done without even waking the crab. leave the females as they will often be carrying eggs.

if he is a taker then grab him either side of the carapace with a thumb on one side and a little finger under the other side. start levering him from side to side lifting him out of the mud. he will begin to wake up. you have about 30 seconds till he starts to activate and a minute till he is fully primed and ready to ruin your day. that should be plenty of time though.

i thoroughly dissaprove of the use of crab hooks as even in expert hands they damage many soft crabs and disturb a great many that are too small to take. the worst injury i had in several years of doing this was a few barnacle scratches on the hand, nothing good splash of iodine and a bit of wood to bite down on wont sort out. :D:D

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I haven't gone through all the posts but, has anybody mentioned Glatting for Congers?

 

Something I have posted before. Put some fish bait in a hair net(Ena Sharples sort) and let squid get their suckers get caught in the meshes. They can't just let go when you get them to the surface as they normally do.

 

My grandfather got a 12 lb bass by hitting it on head in shallow water with an oar.

 

My father caught an 11 lb bass with his hands after it had been thrown onto the beach by the waves.

https://www.harbourbridgelakes.com/


Pisces mortui solum cum flumine natant

You get more bites on Anglers Net

 

 

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Jim Roper:

My grandfather got a 12 lb bass by hitting it on head in shallow water with an oar.

 

My father caught an 11 lb bass with his hands after it had been thrown onto the beach by the waves.

Looks to me like you have some catching up to do mate :D:D

 

Alan

ANMC Founder Member. . www.the-lounge.org.uk/valley/

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I forgot .......

 

my Grandfather's favourite 'fishy story' was getting a near 20lbs Atlantic Salmon (River Itchen, Hants, UK) with a well-placed hay-fork shot!

 

He may not have had licence to do so!

 

But he was me 'Gramps' ....

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