A big Rockling . . . ?

[Guest CJS2]

Out today, my mate had a Rockling. I know nothing about the critters, however I do remember a couple of years back covering a local beach match and some considerable excitment over a rockling I photographed the one we had on board with tape measure, before releasing it. Any of you more knowledgable guys throw any light on a "10 inch rockling being a good un" or just an also ran

 

 

10" Rockling taken from Felixstowe Harbour, about 2.0pm, flooding tide. Boat 'KT'. Date 05/02/06

[Dan]

Out today, my mate had a Rockling. I know nothing about the critters, however I do remember a couple of years back covering a local beach match and some considerable excitment over a rockling I photographed the one we had on board with tape measure, before releasing it. Any of you more knowledgable guys throw any light on a "10 inch rockling being a good un" or just an also ran

 

 

10" Rockling taken from Felixstowe Harbour, about 2.0pm, flooding tide. Boat 'KT'. Date 05/02/06

 

 

Ziggy says they taste good, but he ate my left over bait so dont think I trust him!!

[John E Ashford]

I've heard of Rockling up to 3lb, caught off the Anglesey Rocky Shoreline.

Maybe the'rs bigger ones out there.

[five bellies]

I Would be chuffed with a 10 incher

[skippytheroo]

Plenty off Marine drive a little bigger than that little fella.....Does anyone else find rockling bite funny? I can tell a rockling bite a mile off....tiny little taps for about 10 seconds then nothing.......... dont even know you have a fish on till you wind in

[Guest CJS2]

Nothing out of the ordinay then, he can swim around to get a little larger

 

[skippytheroo]

Nothing out of the ordinay then, he can swim around to get a little larger

 

 

 

I think the rarer ones are the ones with 5 "beards"

[A Norfolk Boy]

Which type was it?

[TT1]

The biggest rockling are the three bearded variety. The ones we catch round here (Northumberland ) range between 12oz to 2lb. The five bearded variety is much smaller and can be a real pest when fishing for flatfish or whiting. The one you have caught looks like a 5 bearded and is therefore a good one. Very few anglers round here deliberately set out to catch these fish.

[Scotty T]

It looks like a 3 bearded rockling, the boat record is just over 3lb.

 

A nice speciman all the same CJS2

 

Scotty