Light Tackle Cod Fishing

[peterseafishing]

Does anybody else use light tackle for cod fishing. I fish out of Whitby from my own boat and for several years I have been using light spinning rods to catch good cod. Last Saturday I had the first 10 lb plus cod on my own boat, it was a 10 lb 4 oz and I caught it on a shad with 14 lb braid fished on a 40 grm spinning rod with a ABU 5600. The fight it gave in shallow water was so much better than using the normal 30 lb poker of a rod. On the Sunday we fished again and finished up with 12 cod to 8 1/2 lb again all caught on shads or 2 oz pirks. I am convinced that I hook more fish using small lures similar to the fish they would feed on. PLUS it is easy on the arms to jig small lures all day.

 

Nearly all the cod we caught had pipe fish in the guts. One brought up several large one just as it was being landed with a couple still alive. I have seen reports of other people also seeing more pipe fish in cod.

[glennk]

Hi Pete,

 

Does Phil still fish with u?

 

wrt the light tackle thing my m8 Malcolm Pitman swears that his 6 ounce pirks outfish the pound jiggers. He says he recently fished on his boat sea spray and caught fish after fish whilst his customers looked on in amazement. I think more and more will be carrying light pirks in the future.

 

If your the person I think you are then Malcolm might be interested in your thoughts on dab and plaice fishing on the soft ground. I think you might be a bit of an expert in that area.

[peterseafishing]

I understand that my main dab and plaice mark has took a hammering from the comercial boys. I have yet to try it this year properly but will give it a try soon. The best I did get was over 2 lb but for last two years I have had nothing over 1 1/2 lb. I want to try for some bass this year from the boat and may also try for a tope off one of the headlands.

[glennk]

Shame about the dabs Peter. Talking to some of the lads from further down the coast and they swear we have the perfect ground for bass and pollock fishing close in. Float fished sandeal is the suggested method with catch and return said to be a must if you want to continue catching.

[five bellies]

Sounds good fun, But most of the sumer cod fishing that I have access to is in deep water and huge Tides so 20 lb class is pushing your luck a bit , In the winter I uptide for them in shallower water with a six oz breakaway and 15 lb line,( would this count ) but the summer wreck fish put up a beter acount for them selves any way on the heaver gear. so in my case Its not worth the worry of loseing a big fish.

[thebigman]

Does anybody else use light tackle for cod fishing. I fish out of Whitby from my own boat and for several years I have been using light spinning rods to catch good cod. Last Saturday I had the first 10 lb plus cod on my own boat, it was a 10 lb 4 oz and I caught it on a shad with 14 lb braid fished on a 40 grm spinning rod with a ABU 5600. The fight it gave in shallow water was so much better than using the normal 30 lb poker of a rod. On the Sunday we fished again and finished up with 12 cod to 8 1/2 lb again all caught on shads or 2 oz pirks. I am convinced that I hook more fish using small lures similar to the fish they would feed on. PLUS it is easy on the arms to jig small lures all day.

 

We've been fishing that way up here in the far north for more than 10 years now. Casting the pirks updrift allows you to fish light lures in 35 metres no problem

[The doctor]

Sounds good fun, But most of the sumer cod fishing that I have access to is in deep water and huge Tides so 20 lb class is pushing your luck a bit , In the winter I uptide for them in shallower water with a six oz breakaway and 15 lb line,( would this count ) but the summer wreck fish put up a beter acount for them selves any way on the heaver gear. so in my case Its not worth the worry of loseing a big fish.

 

We use 12lb to 20lb class rods, with SL20SH's loaded with 40lb Dynon (to counter chaffing against the wreck), fishing 6oz to 8oz norweigian style pirks for all our wreck fishing, be that in 100ft or 250ft and have no problems at all. We,ve (topecatcher) had cod to 25lb on this set up, and I can't remember getting snapped by a fish in recent times whilst using this set up. For those with any doubts as to whether light tackle fishing is viable in deep water, John Brennan should confirm as we've used these tactics to great effect on Chieftan when booked for the 3 day trips and fishing well offshore, generally outfishing the heavier gear 3 to 1. The additional beauty of such a set up is the substantially better fight from the fish, which happens pretty much all the way to the top, no matter what the depth, and also if you wish to put your cod back then you can, as the pressure changes that occur are not as debilitating than would be the case if heavier gear is used, the fish brought to the surface much more slowly and can then be released (if you so wish) and they don't flounder on the surface ultimately feeding the gulls.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Doc.

[five bellies]

We use 12lb to 20lb class rods, with SL20SH's loaded with 40lb Dynon (to counter chaffing against the wreck), fishing 6oz to 8oz norweigian style pirks for all our wreck fishing, be that in 100ft or 250ft and have no problems at all. We,ve (topecatcher) had cod to 25lb on this set up, and I can't remember getting snapped by a fish in recent times whilst using this set up. For those with any doubts as to whether light tackle fishing is viable in deep water, John Brennan should confirm as we've used these tactics to great effect on Chieftan when booked for the 3 day trips and fishing well offshore, generally outfishing the heavier gear 3 to 1. The additional beauty of such a set up is the substantially better fight from the fish, which happens pretty much all the way to the top, no matter what the depth, and also if you wish to put your cod back then you can, as the pressure changes that occur are not as debilitating than would be the case if heavier gear is used, the fish brought to the surface much more slowly and can then be released (if you so wish) and they don't flounder on the surface ultimately feeding the gulls.

 

Cheers

Doc.

 

Doc,

 

I put my piont across poorly, I use a tweenty pound set up with A Abu 900 reel Coincidently using Dynon as well. I would feel uncofortable fishing any lighter as i said I feel that I am Pushing My Luck, But old Habits die hard

[Toerag]

I think the solution is to use light rods, but still keep the heavier braid. I use a 15lb class uglystik with 50lb braid for my wrecking with 1lb (or les) pirks or pollack gear. The rod gives me a great fight, yet the 50lb braid allows me to break out 30lb traces, which saves a lot of time tackling up again. If I could use lighter pirks I would, but I'm often fishing in 100m+ with 2knots+ of tide.