jarrowviking
Well-known member
Today I had planned another trip up to Arbroath on the East coast of Scotland but after a quick check of the weather forecast at 7am decided it was going to be a washout what with the predicted strong Southerly winds and rain , so I soon curled back up in my bed to dream of catching cod somewhere in North Northumberland later on that evening. The mark I had in mind can fish well in these atrocious conditions and boy did this turn out to be a good decision.
I arrived at 9.30pm to fish from this rocky skeer down to low water and then a couple of hours back up. I had a gut feeling there may be some nice cod lurking in the depths so out went just whole squid baits on 6/0 pulley pennels, a recognized big fish bait. 50lb line straight through is the order of the day at this mark, anything less and you can kiss goodbye to fish and terminal tackle, snaggy as hell is an understatement!
I waited thirty minutes before the first bite materialised and in that time was beginning to doubt that any fish were there at all for the taking, but just then that anticipated first bite came.
Cod on!........... after a bit of a tussle through the kelp forest below and to my great relief a nice 6lb fish was finally landed.
A big squid bait quickly back out and moments later an almighty bite that wrenched my rod over in it's stand. I am sure I'm guilty of saying "cod can't fight" well I eat my words and my shorts because this one had me knackered, time and again going for the safety of the kelp.
8lb of hard fighting red cod and my best fish of the Winter so far, I needed a lie down after pulling this one in on the left.
After a quick lie down I was soon into a couple of smaller codling that fell to my squid baits, ending up with 18lb of fish, what a night!
My first fishing session of 2008, hopefully the rest of the year turns out half as good. Tightlines J.V.
I arrived at 9.30pm to fish from this rocky skeer down to low water and then a couple of hours back up. I had a gut feeling there may be some nice cod lurking in the depths so out went just whole squid baits on 6/0 pulley pennels, a recognized big fish bait. 50lb line straight through is the order of the day at this mark, anything less and you can kiss goodbye to fish and terminal tackle, snaggy as hell is an understatement!
I waited thirty minutes before the first bite materialised and in that time was beginning to doubt that any fish were there at all for the taking, but just then that anticipated first bite came.
Cod on!........... after a bit of a tussle through the kelp forest below and to my great relief a nice 6lb fish was finally landed.
A big squid bait quickly back out and moments later an almighty bite that wrenched my rod over in it's stand. I am sure I'm guilty of saying "cod can't fight" well I eat my words and my shorts because this one had me knackered, time and again going for the safety of the kelp.
8lb of hard fighting red cod and my best fish of the Winter so far, I needed a lie down after pulling this one in on the left.
After a quick lie down I was soon into a couple of smaller codling that fell to my squid baits, ending up with 18lb of fish, what a night!
My first fishing session of 2008, hopefully the rest of the year turns out half as good. Tightlines J.V.
