first cod session of the season

[spanner]

Hi folks,

 

Had my first shore cod session of the season on Fri night at Portlethan, near Aberdeen, with unexpected results. I did get a couple though only wee, one at 2-1/2lb and one at 1-1/2lb. The first fish I had on though put up a better scrap getting its head down whenever it could, so I never saw it in the water and it was only when I swung it up the overhang I was fishing off that I realized it was a conger. Only 5lbs but still the first conger I have ever had off the east coast.

 

Later on and closer to HW the swell was getting a bit close for comfort so I moved marks and went to Cove harbour to finish off the last of my bait. Just as I was packing away at the end I got a slackline bite and wound in to connect with the fish which came in fairly easily, until it got to the surface when it went ballistic. I couldn't quite make out what it was in the surf, it was dark after all, but after a couple of dives I got it close enough to see it was another conger but much more like 10lb or so. Then with what I can only describe as a bark like a dog it spat out the bait and was gone.

 

After a few years of fishing the east coast and never catching a conger I get two in one night! Certainly seems to be the season for them just now.

[John E Ashford]

Nice one Spanner. or should I say two.

 

With sea fishing you just don't know what your going to pull out. Now you've got your first Cod of the season, lets hope for bigger ones.Or Two.

[arthurcodsbody]

Where abouts were you in Portlethan I'm from arbroath and am always looking for new marks up here. Try Rumness near Auchmithie or arbroath cliffs, have you read my post "NE scotland tips"

[spanner]

The mark is called ship rock apparently, beside the first big gully to the north of the old bothy.

 

I never get as far far south as Arbroath as there are plenty of marks between Aberdeen and Stonhaven to keeep me busy, though I do make the odd trip down to Bervie. Sometime this winter I plan on making a few trips further down, just for the change of scenery.

[arthurcodsbody]

I have fished bervie a couple of times without major sucsess small codling being about the pinnacle, any tips on baits/rigs/tides its a nice spot to fish and you cant ask for better access.

[spanner]

Aye, you're right about the access! Actually that's one of the reasons I don't fish it much, it can get busy.

 

I hate it when you set-up a reasonable distance from the next rod, and the 3 blokes and squeeze into the gap, cast all over the place, dont have grippers etc etc.....

 

Main thing is to have a good sea running, though it seems to not fish well if there is a lot of freshwater in the bay from the burn. Strange how wind and rain always go together though!

 

Early in the season can be hell with a lot of weed and debris and so much weed building up on the line that after a couple of minutes the grip-lead pulls out.

 

Fish over HW in darkness and you can catch in the gulley at the bottom of the slope, though a cast further tends to hold better as it picks up less weed. Keeping the rod tip really high can help as well. Most folks go with usual lug based cocktails, though I find makcerel based ones better. I pretty much always use pulley rigs with varivas 5/0 bigmouth or 6/0xtra hooks, and luminous beads.

[arthurcodsbody]

Thanks for the tips. Have noticed that we've got some late HW this week so will hopefully get out at least once or twice, lets just hope for a good blow in the next few days. I may even journey up and give the aberdeen marks a shot.

[kentangler]

Spanner, you say a little 2lb Codling put up a SCRAP! Are you sure? I am surprised that you knew he was on! I hope you put the poor little chap back to grow up.

[jeepster]

eeeerrrrrr, they way i read it, it was a conger putting up the scrap, you got your glasses on kentagler?

[Spur-Hound]

When your dragging them through rough kelpy ground, And over the top of underwater mountains etc, i can assure you a 2lb coddling can still bend the rod over some None of this clean beach stuff