Need help with bite recognition

[dom16]

Hi people,

I've got a problem and, as all of you on AN always seem to be up for giving advise and helping out a fellow angler, i thought I'd ask here first.

 

Problem-- As I've practically learnt what I know about beachcasting on my own, having never been casting with anyone with experience, I've nevr really been sure what a bite looks like. Having not caught many fish beachcasting I haven't learnt from experience and normally just strike at something that looks vaguely like a bite to me (not usually very successfully).

 

Situation--Went casting for a couple of hours this afternoon on the Blackwater, just opposite the baffle at Bradwell. Didn't have much time and started an hour before high tide. Two hook flapper, size 2 hooks, 4oz lead, rag and squid strip for bait. Cast about 50 yards out.

After sorting out problems with the lead not staying put, about 10 mins after casting, i started getting small taps on the rod tip, they continued for about 30 seconds then started to get bigger. Because i thought there was a chance of them being a fish i struck but nothing was hooked. I recast and got the same thing happening. For the rest of the session i recieved lots of taps and knocks on the tip but i didnt know what to strike at so just left them until they carried on for a while then struck, result- no fish.A few times after high tide the rod bent round and just kept bending until it lifted the butt from the ground but this was obviously weed in the tide.

 

Could someone please tell me what i should be looking to strike at as im getting a bit desperate for some beach caught fish.

 

Thanks alot. Dom

[essexbuoy]

Hi people,

I've got a problem and, as all of you on AN always seem to be up for giving advise and helping out a fellow angler, i thought I'd ask here first.

 

Problem-- As I've practically learnt what I know about beachcasting on my own, having never been casting with anyone with experience, I've nevr really been sure what a bite looks like. Having not caught many fish beachcasting I haven't learnt from experience and normally just strike at something that looks vaguely like a bite to me (not usually very successfully).

 

Situation--Went casting for a couple of hours this afternoon on the Blackwater, just opposite the baffle at Bradwell. Didn't have much time and started an hour before high tide. Two hook flapper, size 2 hooks, 4oz lead, rag and squid strip for bait. Cast about 50 yards out.

After sorting out problems with the lead not staying put, about 10 mins after casting, i started getting small taps on the rod tip, they continued for about 30 seconds then started to get bigger. Because i thought there was a chance of them being a fish i struck but nothing was hooked. I recast and got the same thing happening. For the rest of the session i recieved lots of taps and knocks on the tip but i didnt know what to strike at so just left them until they carried on for a while then struck, result- no fish.A few times after high tide the rod bent round and just kept bending until it lifted the butt from the ground but this was obviously weed in the tide.

 

Could someone please tell me what i should be looking to strike at as im getting a bit desperate for some beach caught fish.

 

Thanks alot. Dom

 

Hi Dom - bites are rare and if you have had one, post it up ! Seriously, what set up are you using rod / reel and line etc ? Does sound a bit like weed, also you don't say whether your baits came back intact

[Toerag]

Bites - if you're fishing multiple hooks for flatties/codling, then unless your rod is bouncing around mentally and nearly getting pulled in there's no need to reel in, just leave it out for 20 minutes then reel in the fish (if any). If you're using single baits for bass/cod/rays etc then the chances are that you'll know when you've got a fish on in no uncertain terms!!

[maidstonemike]

Sounds like crabs, they can pluck the line. Also, very tiny fish can tear away at the bait, but not get hooked.

A strong tide pull can imitate a bite too.

[dom16]

Thanks Toerag, so if i do get a proper bite then it will be obvious.

 

Essexbuoy, im using a 4-6oz beachcaster, 20lb mainline, 60lb shockleader+60lb rig body, 12'' 15lb trace, 4oz lead. Sometimes the baits came back really mashed but sometimes they came back intact but jst a bit cut up.

 

Maidstonemike- I did wonder if it was just crabs on the bait, but i wasn't sure.

[essexbuoy]

Hi Dom, reckon it's the tide, if it were crabs, you wouldn't have any bait after 10 mins, they do pluck at the line as Mike says though. You can reduce the tide effect by dropping the mainline size a bit, say 15-18lb and use a tapered shockleader, but this depends on what other fishing you do.

[Toerag]

..oh and reeling in to find out that your hooks have disappeared without any bites definitely means you've been crabbed! (normally spiders).

[DANNYG4561]

i found the same problem using a 4oz wieght. i put it the the current liftin and droppin the weight, even on grippers. the only way i combatted it was uping the wieght but that only reduced it. tight lines.