Yarmouth Deeps, Needles and Dolphin Bank

[Andy135]

@Saintly Fish and I snuck out for a dangle today instead of working. Plan was SPJ's in Yarmouth Deeps and around the Needles, then drifting with squid baits over Dolphin Bank to see what was home.

A lovely morning with beautiful conditions greeted us.

The bass were at home at the Deeps. I lost a good fish at the surface while Neil was being slow with the net. He then lost another which made me feel better. Then I boated this beauty.

We tried the Needles Bridge next, but no bites, so on to the Dolphin Bank.

Neil bagged up on dogfish but also had a nice smoothound and a young tope.

I too managed a dogfish (phew!).

Back to the Deeps on the flood and as we drifted past Hurst Castle Neil hooked into a proper fish that snapped him off at the leader. Sadly we don't know what it was, probably either a bass or the Kraken.

Headed home after that as the tide picked up and made jigging too difficult. Thanks Neil for a great day on the water. Lots of giggles and hook-ups, and some decent fish to the boat.

[Saintly Fish]

Twas a great red letter day with the weather and sea conditions. Shame we never landed more fish on the SPJ gear, but some lessons learnt and we will be back for more soon!! 
Shame @JonC couldn't make it, but next time eh Jon!! 

[Saintly Fish]

26 minutes ago, JonC said:

Can’t believe you invited Shane and not me 

Shane never makes excuses though. 

[Saintly Fish]

2 minutes ago, JonC said:

@Saintly Fish it must have been quite a privilege being having the big End of Game boss on the boat. I hope he wasn’t too harsh on you? 

He's actually not as bad as some would have you believe. If you just don't talk to him he's fine!! I just let him get on with it, and I drove the boat. 

[suzook12]

So you boys seeing better catches on SPJ over normal fishing?

 

[suzook12]

@Andy135 Is that because you are targetting areas better suited to SPJ or are you on normal marks fishing alongside static baited rigs as well?

 

[Andy135]

Just now, suzook12 said:

So you boys seeing better catches on SPJ over normal fishing?

 

I would say so. To be fair we didn't do much lure fishing to start with, but with SPJ's it's getting more consistent than with jellies or shads. Drop down until you hit the bottom then two turns up and start jigging.

What I like about SPJ is the variety of species you get. Across the boat SPJ sessions, we've had... pollack, cod, bass, coalfish and wrasse, and from the shore it's been mackerel, bass, wrasse, pollack and gurnard.

[Andy135]

2 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

@Andy135 Is that because you are targetting areas better suited to SPJ or are you on normal marks fishing alongside static baited rigs as well?

 

Can't fish both side by side as SPJ is fished on the drift vs static baits at anchor. Also, it would depend on what you're targeting on baits. Rays or eels are unlikely to take a lure, but for example I've caught many more mackerel on jigs from shore than from feathers, and comfortably more pollack.

Same for marks - some are better suited to anchor, others on the drift.

[suzook12]

So you feel its definitely worth the investment then.

I will monitor the water colour around here, its often quite murky round this area til summer proper (both days). Even the drift marks are very hard work seldom producing much.

Good work you two 👍

 

[Andy135]

12 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

So you feel its definitely worth the investment then.

I will monitor the water colour around here, its often quite murky round this area til summer proper (both days). Even the drift marks are very hard work seldom producing much.

Good work you two 👍

 

Don't need to spend much to fish with jigs. A spinning rod and a FS reel from shore or a spinning rod that will take a multi from a boat will be fine. But as an exception that proves the rule, Leo caught a whopper of a wrasse using my spare spinning rod and FS reel when we were with @Odyssey on Odyssey in Wales back in the autumn last year.

Suggest you spend no more than £50 on a few jigs of various weights (colour less important in my view) and use a spinning rod or 12/20 and just see what happens 👍.