Tope on a spinner

[Snatcher]

Pity you didnt get them in, for a photo or better still landed and weighed.

I fish the Tiger lilly off the West cumbrian coast, and this year have had 6 tope taken on Mackrel feathers (not all at the same time) these have all been mid water, the biggest being 60lb, though when these have been taken, we have changed rigs to accomodate the tope, with 0 results.

it could be that they have been feeding on smaller fry etc rather than the bigger fish,, who knows, as we have caught them on all manner of diffrent types of baits not really intended for these fish, the strangest being a large sea anemone which had been dragged up from the bottom still with the stone attached, this was duly taken by a 30+ tope.

 

could this be a new form of angling with light spinning gear for tope,,,,,,,, it could be well worth targeting these with the intention of catching one on 10 to 15lb tackle with light rod and reel.

i am certainly going to give it i go,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, if teh weather ever improves

 

A most interesting reply. Obviously it is not a too uncommon occurance then. Two tope takes in two casts seemed most improbable though. I wonder how big the pack was in front of me??

 

I will never know but am going back to the same mark on Fri 10th Aug with proper tope gear. Will report back in

[Tony U]

Snatcher

Its interesting that Tiger Lilliy states that "we have changed rigs to accomodate the tope, with 0 results." so if you use Tope gear you may get no hook ups at all.

What about using something Like 30lb braid with a 40lb nylon rubbing trace and a heavy duty spinning trace, you may have to up the size of your Toby by a little but you should be able to land a Tope if it takes.

 

Wish I was on my way upto the Mull, but we have visitors; as I have already mentioned. I will be up in Newcastle around Christmas and New Year though.

 

 

Tony

[ColinW]

Never mind "proper tope gear" get one on a fly rod and make a name for yourself!

 

Incidentally I see no reason why you shouldn't land one on 15lb line. Quite a few anglers in my area fish for them off their small boats using carp tackle (it is absolutely snag free though). I think I'd find a place where I could get down to the waters edge without risking life and limb!

[Norm B]

A most interesting reply. Obviously it is not a too uncommon occurance then. Two tope takes in two casts seemed most improbable though. I wonder how big the pack was in front of me??

 

I will never know but am going back to the same mark on Fri 10th Aug with proper tope gear. Will report back in

There may not of been a pack in front of you, it could have been the same tope twice.

[Tiger lilly3]

A most interesting reply. Obviously it is not a too uncommon occurance then. Two tope takes in two casts seemed most improbable though. I wonder how big the pack was in front of me??

 

I will never know but am going back to the same mark on Fri 10th Aug with proper tope gear. Will report back in

 

 

Not improbable as the angler who had taken the 60lb tope had also taken a 15lb tope on the drop before the 60lbr,,,,, now wether the was a pack of tope under the boat,,, who knows as the crew quickly changed tactics to try for these,,, with 0 results,,, maybe we should look at different methods for these fish i.e mid water, light tackle, big flies or lures,,,,,, its worth a try and who knows,, the line class record could be yours

[Snatcher]

Not improbable as the angler who had taken the 60lb tope had also taken a 15lb tope on the drop before the 60lbr,,,,, now wether the was a pack of tope under the boat,,, who knows as the crew quickly changed tactics to try for these,,, with 0 results,,, maybe we should look at different methods for these fish i.e mid water, light tackle, big flies or lures,,,,,, its worth a try and who knows,, the line class record could be yours

 

My original thought was to fish that same mark with traditional tope shore gear and a deadbaited mackerel. Rethinking it over have decided to try "spinning" with a fair sized pirk using my beachcaster + wire trace + rubbing leader. I hope the experiment works.

 

Also a week today am booked in with "onyermarks" for a days tope fishing.Once we have the 4 baits out will check with the skipper if it is ok for me to jig with a pirk,varying the depth all the time.

 

Who knows what may happen!!!

Edited August 2, 2007 by Snatcher

[Elton]

Incidentally I see no reason why you shouldn't land one on 15lb line.

 

Bob Cox used to do so from his boat. See this article:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/Sea-Fishing-Ar...es_of_tope.html

[Ian Burrett]

My original thought was to fish that same mark with traditional tope shore gear and a deadbaited mackerel. Rethinking it over have decided to try "spinning" with a fair sized pirk using my beachcaster + wire trace + rubbing leader. I hope the experiment works.

 

Also a week today am booked in with "onyermarks" for a days tope fishing.Once we have the 4 baits out will check with the skipper if it is ok for me to jig with a pirk,varying the depth all the time.

 

Who knows what may happen!!!

 

Hi Snatcher

 

I recon a big fast sinking rapala would be worth a try of the flat rock. I have been playing with float fishing for a few years and have had them at twenty foot in a 120 ft of water with a line intended for bigger shark.

 

They are certainly not the bottom dwellers we imagine as they come of the bottom to feed of the mackerel shoals.

 

We also seem to get a period of a couple of weeks when we pick them up on baited feathers; usually when there is a lot of fry about. I have also seen them breech chasing Launce about

[Snatcher]

Thanks for that reply Ian,I feel more confident about the whole thing now.See you next week then