You must be catching your Pollack from the kelp beds Alan. I find a fresh Pollack tastes like a cross between Haddock and cod, fairly sweet and firm fleshed. Wrasse are "iodine" and taste like *##*#.
As for fighting fish, Mackerel on fly gear, Bass very similar, Mullet and Mackerel on fresh water float tackle is great sport. It is all a matter of using the correct tactics for the fish and the area. up North here it has took a while to get away from rippers and big lures with 50lb braid and 50lb class rods to fish the wrecks. We rarely hear of conger or tope being caught but there are plenty for the taking, you just need to change the approach. Bass and Mullet and plenty of other species are there for the taking. It just takes a few tries with different gear with a few blank sessions thrown in before you get it right - sometimes, but it is all worth it in the end. Ever caught whiting or Haddock on light gear? A fish only weighs one third of its air weight in water so a 30lb cod is only 10 lbs in the water. It is not a question of fishing light but fishing right!
As for fighting fish, Mackerel on fly gear, Bass very similar, Mullet and Mackerel on fresh water float tackle is great sport. It is all a matter of using the correct tactics for the fish and the area. up North here it has took a while to get away from rippers and big lures with 50lb braid and 50lb class rods to fish the wrecks. We rarely hear of conger or tope being caught but there are plenty for the taking, you just need to change the approach. Bass and Mullet and plenty of other species are there for the taking. It just takes a few tries with different gear with a few blank sessions thrown in before you get it right - sometimes, but it is all worth it in the end. Ever caught whiting or Haddock on light gear? A fish only weighs one third of its air weight in water so a 30lb cod is only 10 lbs in the water. It is not a question of fishing light but fishing right!
