Essex Smooth Hounds are Back

[Slashley]

Sam--funnily enough I usually fish at that pill box. Sounds like you did really well. Thanks for the info. I was also thinking about stingers because I know they have been caught in the sort of areas we fish.............Plus using crab for bass -- always a chance of picking up a stinger when not really fishing for them...........

[sam-cox]

the bass will be just around the corner from where I met you a few months back in 3 weeks, in the shallow water. caught them early april last year..

[Slashley]

Sam--maybe I will see ya down there. Thanks for the detailed advice..................

[Simon Everett]

Sam, Slash & Ash. I know nothing of your area other than to visit last year for a boat story from some marina in the middle of nowhere just over the Orwell Bridge - where the Ipswich Sea School live. I don't really know where I was and it was a 5 hour drive to get there.

These smoothhounds - if you are catching them from shore can you launch a Kayak and fish for them from that - or would you have to anchor? I don't fancy anchoring the yak in a tideway, too dangerous. Drifting is much safer.

I have never caught a smoothound, or even seen one caught. I did hear that N. Wales had a good population a few years ago - right along the north coast but they were longlined to death and exported to GERMANY of all places. The commercials were getting a very good price for them and just hammered them until they are now very much a rarity - you might hear of one or two a year being caught that is all. Similar story to your situation. I wonder if they were targeted by inshore commercials and they just over fished it.

Anyway, they sound an exciting prospect - and so does a 50lb tope! My best from the Wales area is just about 30lb - guessed, because I fish barbless for them and try to turn the hook out without even taking them out of the water if I can. If not lifted out unhooked, quick picture if necessary, then gently back. Early season is when the bigger fish are about up here, but a BIG fish is over 30lb and rarely 40lb +. Yours are huge 72lbs?!!! Incredible!

Is the water down your way clear enough to fly fish? I fancy doing more bass fishing with a fly this year -but it needs clear water for them to see it. You don't have the same fish calling vibrations that a plug puts out.

Cheers for now, and good luck with those smoothounds. I have a couple of marks on the Solent where they come right in witheir fins out of the water - now I know how to catch them!

Simon.

[A Norfolk Boy]

I reckon a smoothhound from a Yak would be a cheap way of getting to Holland.

[sam-cox]

Check out my article on the Anglers Net Article page.

[sam-cox]

There used to be many hound caught from the shore in the Blackwater, but then hound every where declined. (I think because anglers killed most hounds apart from the big females)

Now there are many hounds caught from boats in the Thames Estuary so I reckon the shore will be worth a go this auterm.

[Slashley]

Hi Simon--that could have been Levington marina possibly.I would imagine you could launch the kayak as there are miles of shallow sandy beaches there.It is an estuary with a fair run on the flood and a very strong pull on the ebb( for the first hour or so ),due to the narrowness of the river. I do not know about fly fishing for bass cos I always use weight or floatfish. Because the estuary is generally shallow close in, it does not take a lot of wind to colur it up. ( and the presence of mud ) I would imagine that if you watched the forecast and fish a long settled ( high pressure ) spell then obviously the clarity of the water should be ok.I think Sam mentioned on this or another thread that muggy type conditions can be advantageous too. Then again I have found these conditions to be beneficial for eels, bass and possibly stingers also. Hope this helps. If you need any more info. -- no problem................. ( Slash/Ash...)

 

[ 15. March 2005, 09:39 PM: Message edited by: slashley ]

[Guest stevie cop]

Bass on fly in the estuaries around here is no problem.

[sam-cox]

also mullet, gars and a few mackeral Steve.