Walkway 07/03/13

Thunderpants

Well-known member
I fished the walkway last night 9pm - 2am over high water. There was a strong easterly blowing off the sea so I positioned myself with my back to it. The water was fairly choppy too. I had to take great care opening my box that my stuff didn't blow away and the wind even blew my box over at one point. So it was difficult to see the smaller bites but the bigger ones were ok. I fished with two rods using two hook flappers baited with lug, rag or mackerel. It was a very busy session getting a fish a cast for some periods including many double shots. The final score was seventeen fish - 9 tommies, 3 flounders, 3 dabs, a pin whiting and an eelpout. Fish were caught on all baits with rag being the top one.

One of the flounders was a whopper at 33cm and canny fat. I think it may be a PB but need to find where I've got my previous flounder PB written down (memory like a sieve :) ). One of the dabs was a bit weird too - it felt smooth in both directions not rough in one direction the way dabs are supposed to be, and I could not see the characteristic curve in the lateral line by the pectoral fins that it should have. It had no spots though so was not a plaice and no lumpy lateral line so was definately not a flounder. I am guessing some kind of half breed.


The Weird Dab
dab_zpsfe3ba1b8.jpg



One of the "Normal" Dabs
dab_zps235341b1.jpg



Flounder 33cm
flounder_zpse396ad44.jpg



Eelpout
eelpout_zps916ec539.jpg
 
That dab has just bred. They scrape themselves along the seabed during the breeding process and therefore get totally discoloured and lose a lot of their scales. Looke very odd but will soon be back to a normal coloured dab
 
That dab has just bred. They scrape themselves along the seabed during the breeding process and therefore get totally discoloured and lose a lot of their scales. Looke very odd but will soon be back to a normal coloured dab

ive always believed the green dabs to be breeding males..

ive caught litterally hundreds of them but never found a female either with roe or spent with that colouration.
 
I have just looked up Long Rough Dab. It would be great if that is what it was (and another species hunt point :) ) but the info says the skin is rough to the touch and this one was definately smooth. Mogthemackems suggestion of it having rubbed its scales off sounds good and it did look pretty beat up which would tie in. Thanks for the info lads. All very interesting.
 
Well done on the catches mate! Just been down to have a look along the front at shields and that sea looks damn good so i will be doing my usual at the brigade hut tonight :)
 
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