Spin Doctors

[PH]

I have a question about spinning technique, how it should be done and what should I be doing to get the best results?

I’m more or less beginning at this sea angling thing and last week I was fishing for Mackerel off the rocks in Dalkey here in Dublin. I was using a verity of lures, a copper coloured spoon, a metal sandeel and a verity of jigs/feathers (I think that’s what they’re called). With these lures I’ve had very little success, just some small Pollock. And one time while I was using the spoon I noticed a small school follow the lure right in and not one of them went for it! They look like they were just curious and I don’t understand why they didn’t bite!?

I was hoping you might shed some light upon where I’m going wrong? When using the spoon and the metal sandeel, I would cast out, count to 10 and start to reel-in and while doing so I would ‘jig’ the rod a bit slightly every 3 turns of the reel. And when using feathers, with a 2 once weight attached, I would more or less do the same. I would also have the rod pointed to the water.

Am I doing anything wrong here? Any advice would be appreciated.

[ShoreDemon]

Firstly welcome to Angler's Net

 

You're not doing anything wrong, it's more so your venue. I've fished Dalkey (and Dublin Bay in general) quite a bit and the best you can hope for on the spinning front is a decent pollack. However, nearly all of them are small at ~1/2 lb. All you can do is keep trying but you might have more luck off the piers at Dun Laoghaire. I had a ~4 lb pollack there a couple of years ago. Howth pier (east) also holds a lot of small pollack that can be taken on a lure, but again don't hold your breath for a big one.

 

Just keep trying and maybe put out a baited trace to catch some dogfish so as to keep busy and amused!

 

Neil.

[Vagabond]

PH:

while I was using the spoon I noticed a small school follow the lure right in and not one of them went for it! They look like they were just curious.

This happens, I am sure, far, far more often than most of us realise - with spoons, spinners, feathers, flies, jigs - in fact any lure you can think of - and with many sorts of fish.

 

We only notice it if the lure is near enough and the water clear enough. It must happen also when the lure is not within our sight.

 

There is also the point that in very clear water the fish may see the lure for what it is - a fake!

 

Also, when the lure comes to shore, the fish may be cautious about coming into shallow water, or even spot the angler and so lose interest.

 

Mind you, I have had some pretty savage takes just as the fly or lure is lifted out of the water !

[Cranfield]

I agree with the theory, that when a group of fish follow a lure like that, they are actually chasing the interloper from their territory, rather than looking for a meal.

 

This is very probable when the fish are not much bigger than the lure.

[PH]

Thanks for the comments lads.

 

Neil, thanks for the info for on Dublin. Yes, small pollock seems the only thing I’ve got so far around here. I’ve tried the piers at Dun Laoghaire but they seemed a bit crowded. Would you think Poolbeg lighthouse be a better bet, as it may be less crowded? Also, when was the last time you were up here?

 

Also, that’s interesting stuff about the ‘lure following’ Vagabond & Cranfield. Though I find it hard to believe that a school of fish would chase an interloper out of the area especially when the interloper, the lure, resembles an injured fish? Surely they would want to eat an easy meal? But then again the action of the lure in the water was too aggressive rather then helplessness, is that possible? If so it looks like I’ve wasted a bit of money on lures that scare the fish away!

[ShoreDemon]

Poolbeg might be worth a shot but the water will be more brackish due to the river so this may deter the pure marine species, including pollack, so it'll have to be a couple of hours either side of high tide. Last time I fished Dalkey was May but I haven't fished Dun Laoghaire/Howth in about 2 years.

 

Neil.