Rig Uses

The name “flapper” originates from the way the rig moves in the water, imitating the movement of swimming fish. This setup is particularly effective for catching bottom-feeding fish like cod, plaice, or flatfish. The rig’s design allows for the presentation of multiple baits simultaneously, increasing the likelihood of attracting fish in the vicinity. It is a popular choice among shore and boat anglers due to its versatility and efficiency.

Components

Making a flapper rig body is quite simple and only requires six components to construct one. 50lb monofilament for the rig body, beads, size 2 swivels, and crimps to make the flapper anchors, a size 1/0 swivel as your connection point to your shock leader and a quick link to attach your weight.

instructions

I am going to talk through the construction of a flapper rig for fishing from the shore or the pier. Firstly cut yourself a approximately 1.5m of 50lb monofilament. I use a variety of lines but prefer Penn Tuff Stuff or Drennan’s Greased Weasel. To be honest any 50lb line will do.

Step 1

Tie on your quick change link with a blood knot.  I trim the excess back to around three millimetres and carefully melt the tag end until a small blob if formed.  The blob is there as a back up should for some strange reason the knot wasn’t quite tied tightly.

Step 2

Next slide a crimp followed by a bead then a swivel, another bead an a crimp and slide them until they touch the know of the quick change clip. Then crimp your swivel and beads in place as shown below.

Step 3

Then repeat the same procedure to add the second flapper point approximately 30 – 40cm down the line.  To make a three hook flapper add one more connector point the same distance again.

step 4

Measure approximately 16 inches from you last flapper connector and tie your size 1 swivel using a blood knot.  Once again I would recommend to melt the tag end into a blob for safety.

Hook traces

The final step is to attach your hook traces. I trust a half or full blood knot to attach my traces.  In 40 years of fishing I have never had a hook part with the line with this knot.

If it dabs then adjust your traces to smaller hooks and a lighter 15lb trace line.  If its whiting, dogfish and codling then a larger size 20lb line and a 1/0 or 2/0 may fit the bill. The world is your oyster when it comes to deciding how you want to fish your rig.

Happy fishing and tight lines!

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Cod populations in the North Atlantic drive a natural phenomenon of cod emigration between Scandinavia and the UK. Cod are highly migratory fish, and undertake these movements due to a combination of environmental factors, including water temperature, food availability, and reproductive patterns.

Migration

During the warmer months, cod will move northward to colder waters, including areas around Scandinavia. Driven by the need to find cooler temperatures, cod migrate to feed and spawn in these areas. 

Feeding

Cod are found in areas with abundant prey, and are opportunistic feeders and feed on smaller fish and crustaceans. In the spring and summer, when waters in the North Atlantic are relatively warmer, they move to these feeding grounds.

Spawning

Cod also migrate to specific spawning grounds during the reproductive season, which usually occurs in late winter and early spring. These spawning grounds often exist in shallower waters near the coast. Some important spawning areas are located off Scandinavia and the UK coast.

Winter Migration

As winter approaches and waters in the northern regions become colder, cod often migrate southward. They move to deeper and warmer waters to avoid extremely cold temperatures, where they can conserve their energy during the colder months. Some of these areas include waters around my local coastline in Essex.

Cod populations have faced huge challenges over the years due to overfishing, which has impacted their numbers and distribution. Management measures and regulations in both Scandinavia and the UK have successfully protected cod populations and ensured sustainable fishing practices.

Cod can grow enormous with the current world record standing at 103lb 10oz caught of the coast of Norway. The biggest ever shore-caught cod that weighed in at 66lb 8oz also came from Saltstraumen in Norway. The current British Boat caught record is 58lb 6oz 0dr and 44lb 8oz from the shore.

A recent cod trip

From Late October to late March, codling can be caught in most areas of the UK, both from the shore and boats. Living in Essex we have had some fantastic cod fishing over the years but nowadays the fishing is patchy. This is where local knowledge and a good skipper are worth their weight in gold.

One February cod fishing trip saw me and five friends board Mark Peters, Dawn Tide 2 out of Essex Marina.  Cod had been showing in numbers about an hour’s trip north towards Clacton on Sea. The forecast was light winds, a decent tide, and temperatures reaching a dizzy 12 degrees. The trip out started at 7 am and when we got out of the estuary and put the throttle down the wind chill must have been -4 degrees. I struggled to tie my hooks as my fingertips went numb.  We anchored up about a mile off the end of Clacton Pier in approximately 20 feet of water at high tide.

SETUP

The codling we were going to catch were only small and up to around 8lb so we did not need heavy gear like you would need in Norway or fishing over wrecks with big perks.

A 25lb class 9ft rod with a small multiplier loaded with 60lb braid was perfect.  It was well balanced and had the strength behind it if we did hit a larger fish.  I am a huge fan of braided fishing line. Compared to monofilament lines of similar strength, braided lines have a much thinner diameter. This thinness allows for increased line capacity on my reels and reduced water resistance which is crucial with fast running tides. Braid also has low stretch properties, which means that they are highly sensitive. You can easily detect even the subtlest of bites or movements.

RIG

The business end was a simple sliding rig with a zip slider and a 2/0 barrel swivel.  Hook trace was 7ft of 30lb Amnesia memory free line and a 4/0 and 2/0 pennel rig. Even a small codling can take a huge bait so you can get away with a decent size hook.

Bait

You need to stay away from using small baits or whiting and other small fish will drive you mad.  Ask any cod angler what bait to use and most will say lugworm and squid cocktail. Other favourites are squid/mussels and peeler crab/mussels.  As with all sea fishing,  you want to be changing your bait regularly to keep a good scent trail in the water.

My bait preference for the day was two large lugworms threaded on the hook tipped with a big slither of squid.  A tip worth trying is to use the head of the squid to tip off you worm baits. I did try whole squid on a pennel but felt the codling were a bit small so I stuck with the cocktail.

Casting around 30 yards up-tide of the boat it wasn’t long before we were getting some nice whiting around the pound mark.  After an hour the tide started to flood and it was as if someone turned a “bite” switch on.  My rod bounced down and went slack and I was reeling in the first codling of the day.  A lovely four pounder which I kept for dinner.

Everyone was steadily catching on either worm and squid cocktail or small whole squid. Of the six of us on the boat that day we managed 20 or so codling and a dozen good whiting. All in all a pretty good day out and we were all going to eat well.  We have had days where we have landed over one hundred 5-8lb codling but those red letter days are few and far between.

If its big cod you’re looking for then I would suggest going fishing over wrecks. It’s a completely different set up and usually a much longer journey to the fishing grounds. It is where the bigger fish lie and can be a hard day on the body hauling fish and jigging pirks from 45 – 70 meters of water.

If you fancy a bucket list trip then take a look at some of the amazing trips they have to Norway.

cod off the beach

Cod fishing off the beach is a totally different ball game with rods, reels, rigs and baits and will be going more in-depth in another article dedicated to that subject.

So if you fancy a cod trip this year, do some research into good cod charter boats around you and give it a go yourself.

Until next time, happy fishing!

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These bottom-dwelling cousins of sharks can reach quite a size.  The current UK boat caught record is a monster 31lb 7oz and 22lb 11oz 8dr from the shore. Most boat-caught rays caught off the south coast are around the 5-7lb mark. If you want to keep one to cook, then the minimum size is 41cm across the wings.

Deeper water and larger tides call for a strong setup for the boat angler. Even though the fish on the end of your line may be 6lb, a fast tide will feel like you are pulling in a wet blanket. That is the one setback with catching rays of most types; the fight is unfortunately abysmal.

Let’s talk tackle.

boat Fishing Rod and reel setup

25lb Class boat rod is ideal, but if you only have one that is bigger or a little smaller it will work. The reel choice is either a size 6000 fixed spool or a small boat multiplier, but once again if you have anything around these sizes that should be fine.

I like to use braided fishing line as it offers several advantages, such as exceptional strength-to-diameter ratio, minimal stretch, and increased sensitivity. If you only have mono line that will do just fine just make sure you have around 25-30lb breaking strain. 60lb braided mainline with a 50lb fluorocarbon leader never lets me down when fishing for skate. The leader is there for the zip slider to run up and down and protect your braid from the abrasive skin and thrones of the rays.

RIG

When fishing for thornback rays on a boat, a simple running rig with a Zip Slider does the trick just fine. Slide your Zip Slider on the line followed by a 6mm bead and attach it to a size 2/0 barrel swivel.

Hooklink

I always use a memory-free monofilament line called AMNESIA by a company called Sunset from the USA for all my sea fishing hook traces. When working with my braid mainline, I can see every indication of a bite.  There are some great memory-free fluorocarbon lines out there but choose something that you are confident with.

For baits like sandeels, worm baits, and pieces of fish, I use between 5 and 7ft of Amnesia leader with a 3/0 Aberdeen hook and a quick link. It’s a simple but very effective setup for rays. If you are going to use whole squid then add a size 1/0 Aberdeen to make a pennel rig. This will give you a better bait presentation.

My choice of hooks are Aberdeen’s as I believe they optimize the presentation of your bait, especially squid and sandeels. The hook that complements your bait choice can result in a more natural presentation, which will attract more fish. The long shank also makes it easier to remove the hook from a fish’s mouth without causing injury.

Make sure you are using two hook links.  One is fishing in the water and the other is baited up ready to quickly attach via a rig clip.  The rig clip (below) can be removed from the swivel in seconds.

This method could add an extra two hours to your fishing time a day by getting a bait straight back in the water.  You don’t want to be fiddling around for three minutes every cast baiting up. After all 3 minutes x 6 casts an hour x 7 hours fishing = 2 hours you’re not fishing a day.  I know, it’s shocking when you do the math so make sure you use two hook links.

BAIT

When it comes to bait you have quite a choice. Like most rays, they predominantly feed on crustaceans, sandeels, and small fish. For our excursions off the Essex coast we usually catch well on a cross-section of Herring just hooked through the backbone. Whole squid on a pennel rig or a sandeel threaded onto the hook are also reliable baits and well worth a try. 

FISHING

Fishing is pretty straightforward and not complicated.  If you can cast up tide as far as is comfortable and wait for the bites to develop. Make sure you change your bait every ten minutes or so.  This will give you plenty of attraction and will definitely result in more bites. 

BITES

Thornback bites are usually the daintiest bites you will get.  Representing a small fish nibbling at your bait can be the best way to explain it. The rod tip will do a little dance on and off as the skate lays on top of the bait enveloping its prey. From here it engulfs the bait and sits there munching away.  Once it moves off, that’s when you get a better bite. There’s no need to go striking like a madman. Just firmly lift the rod while winding down on the fish.

how to hold a skate

When fishing for thornback rays be careful when you catch one. Thornback rays have skin and tails that represents a weapon from Lord of the Rings. Not only is the tail full of hundreds of thorns but both the upper and underside of the fish possess large single thorns on its wings.

The primary purpose of the thorns is defence. The safest way to hold them is by using your thumb index and middle fingers to lightly hold them as you can see in the photo. Your fingers naturally find their way into a hollow between the head and wing. Keep it away from your body and watch out for the whipping of its tail.

Tasty skate

Skate wings are one of my favourite fish to eat and are so versatile to cook with.  You can deep fry in batter, steam, pan fry, or even cook them on a cedar plank. Whatever way you choose you’ll get plenty of meat with no annoying little pin bones. A wing of a smaller 3-4lb fish is what you’ll get in the chip shop.  But if you are lucky to have an 8lb fish, the wings can be divided in two or even three pieces. I tend to send the kids down to the fish shop for the chips while I pan fry a few fresh wings.

So there you have it, a basic guide to fishing for Thornback Rays.  I hope you’ve learned something and it helps you on your next fishing trip. 

If you found this article useful then why not take a look at my article on Smoothound Fishing 

For more about minimum sizes of UK fish check out Angling Trust where you will find  all the fish size limits for the UK

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These native members of the shark family reach more than 28lb and are a bundle of fun to catch on sporting tackle. These hard-fighting fish are common around the south and west of England, but their range seems to be increasing.  They’re a shallow water shark species, and favour sandy, shingle, and light broken ground. They spend their day eating crabs other crustaceans and shellfish. They don’t possess the trademark mouth full of razor-sharp teeth like most of its family members so fish are not a large part of its diet.

WHERE TO GO

My “go-to” fishing charter boat for a Smoothound trip is without question Mark Peter’s Dawn Tide II which operates out of Essex Marina on the River Crouch. A fast, spacious catamaran that gets you out to the grounds in under an hour. Mark never fails to put us on the fish and has the most up-to-date knowledge of the area.

We go around 45 minutes to an hour out to the sandy marks around Foulness Point.  Foulness is a military testing ground for bombs and artillery shells. Its military links means there are very strict rules in place on when and where you can visit, and indeed which bits of the island you are even allowed go to. On most days you will see the explosions then ten seconds later heard the bang.  It’s quite frightening but well away from the fishing grounds.

So what gear will I need?

Before we start, if you haven’t got any gear Mark has everything you need for a day’s hound fishing, including rods, reels, tackle, and bait. 

Rods & ReelS

For smoothound fishing, I like a 15 or 25-lb class Dawia Seahunter 8015 or 8025 up-tide rod with a size 5-6000 reel loaded with 60 – 80lb braid and a 20 ft 50lb mono leader. I’ve got some friends that use big “Pit” carp reels and they operate just fine. If it is a big tide I would tend to lean towards the bigger rod.

Rig

For boat fishing, my “Go To Rig” is a simple sliding rig with a pennel hook set up.  As the bait we are using is quite big, the upper pennel hook helps present the bait better and more naturally. 

Sliding setup

To make the rig you’ll need the following: 1 x Zip Slider, 1 large bead, and a size 2/0 swivel. Simply slide on your slider boom, then the bead and tie a tucked half blood knot to attach the swivel.  The hook link can then be attached and detached to the swivel very quickly.

MAKING A Pennel Hook Link

What you will need

• 5-7ft of 30lb (13.6kg) Amnesia Memory Free Mono line
• 1 x 4/0 Aberdeen hook and 1 x 6/0 Aberdeen hook
• 1 x Quick link

If you want a bit of added attraction you can add some beads. 

• 1 x Large rubber stops
• Beads of your choice

How to make your hook link

Cut 5-7ft of 30lb Amnesia or standard mono. Tied on the 6/0 hook then thread on the 4/0 hook.  If you like some attraction around your bait then add some beads or sequins and thread on a rubber stop.  Tie your quick link to the other end and you’re ready to go.

BIG TIP

One piece of advice I can’t stress enough is to have two hook links set up.  One in the water baited up and fishing.  The other baited up next to you and ready to go. Once you have wound in simply remove the hook link via the quick link put the freshly baited hook link on and cast it out. You will be surprised how much time is wasted baiting up just one hook link at a time.

For example: if you spend three minutes messing around clearing weed and the old bait off your hook, then baiting up again and you have six casts every hour, then on a six-hour trip you have wasted 106 minutes of fishing time.  That’s the best part of an hour and a half you haven’t had a bait in the water.  Even when I get a fish I unclip it place it in a bucket of water cast it out again and deal with the unhooking after I have cast out fresh bait.  Your catch rate can only improve and it’s simple to do.

Bait SELECTION

A Smoothounds diet is made up primarily of crustaceans, shellfish, and molluscs. Smooth hound sharks exhibit a distinct preference for crabs and hermit crabs as a primary food source due to a combination of their dietary needs and hunting strategy. The specialised dentition of smoothhounds, characterised by flattened teeth designed for crushing rather than tearing, makes them well-suited for consuming hard-shelled prey like crabs. Their hunting behaviour complements their preference for crabs, as they are bottom-dwellers that rely on stealth and ambush tactics to catch their prey.

This is why crabs and hermit crabs are always part of my day out. Mark regularly catches his crabs in pots so the bait is as fresh as you can get. Peeler crabs are fantastic but hardbacked shore crabs will be just as effective.  As you can see above, hermit crabs make an irresistible snack for any hound that’s around.

smoothound fishing TIP

Change your bait regularly so you have as much attraction and scent releasing from the bait as possible. Remember some of the best Smoothound fishing venues have limited visibility so the only way they can find your bait is by smell.

FISHING

My preferred casting technique is up-tiding but have seen lots of fish caught just by throwing it over the side of the boat.  I like to have my bait presented away from the boat as I believe I create my own scent trail that leads up to my bait. As with all up-tide fishing, it is a self-hooking trap so can avoid any deep-hooked fish.

There’s not much to it other than regularly changing your bait.  You’ll know when you have one on the hook.  They are all muscle and even when they are in the boat beware.  The safest way for you and the fish it to hold them by the tail.  The best way to unhook them is by a T-Bar or strong pair of piers.

Lots of anglers will have their own methods and preferences on how to catch smoothound but I hope this article gives you a good base to start from. If you follow the advice above and get out on a good boat I’m certain you’ll have a great day. Let me know how you get on via my Instagram or Facebook pages.

If you fancy giving it a go then contact Mark on the Dawn Tide II at one of the links below. https://www.dawntidecharterfishing.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/dawntidecharters

If you enjoyed this blog, why not check this one out on How to add attraction to your sea fishing hooks? https://www.fishingmaverick.com/pimp-up-your-sea-hook

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At certain times of year Whiting can be an absolute menace. They are, like many fish, a shoal fish and sometimes those shoals can be huge. On many occasion I have been fishing big worm baits on pennel rigs and had a fish on each hook. Whiting can grow to over seven pounds, with the British boat caught record 7lb 6oz and the shore record of 4lb 8oz.

Shore caught fish are often quite small and range from a couple of ounces to around the pound mark. The size limit that you can legally take home is currently 27cm and is an ideal size for making a delicious tender fish sandwich.

fish sandwich

On a recent autumn trip to the Essex coast, I managed to catch half a dozen fish over this size and knew exactly how I was going to cook them.  If you’ve been to the States then you’ll know that a lot of restaurants have a fish sandwich on the menu.  Usually Grouper, Snapper or Mahi Mahi.  At this moment in time we haven’t been allowed to travel to the USA for nearly eighteen months due to Covid restrictions and was longing for a fish sandwich.

Coming to the terms that I wasn’t going to see that side of the pond for at least another six months I decided to take matters into my own hands. Could I produce something that replicates it? 

Firstly you need the correct bread. Brioche Burger Buns.  Brioche is a sweeter, tastier bread and has added ingredients like eggs and butter.  It is a delicate bread but still holds together well. I’ve used burger buns but they seem to disintegrate as you are eating them.

Most supermarkets sell them and my recommendation is to get the best you can afford. Its not expensive buy worth every penny. I’d put a lot of effort catching the fish so why spoilt it to save 50p on the bun.

Fish Preperation

You will need approximately one minimum size Whiting per sandwich. As the fish are so small I leave the skin on. This helps keep the flesh together and adds a little crispy texture to the pallet. First of all gently descale the fish under fresh running water. Because of there size I use the back of a knife rather than my descaler tool. At this point you can remove any pin bones by using some tweezers or small pliers. Voila! You’re now ready to season your fillets.

What I like to do is nothing more than give the fish a dusting of seasoned flour. I like a little flour added to the mix as it helps bond the delicate fillets together. You can just use seasoning but the fillets will break apart too easy. If you have a go using Grouper or Snapper you will only need to use the seasoning and not the flour as the fish is much firmer.  The recipe is nothing complicated just some Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and some blackened Cajun Swartz seasoning to add a little kick. 

Mix together

• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 2 heaped teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Swartz Blackened Cajun seasoning
• For extra kick you can add some chilli flakes or chilli powder

Take your fillet and lay it on it in the seasoning mix. Gently move it around for a second or two then flip it over and repeat the process.  Then gently shake off any residue and place on a dry plate ready for cooking.

Because the fillets are so small they do not need long in the pan. Set a large frying pan on a medium heat with a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once it has reached temperature, carefully lay the fillets in the pan and cook for ninety seconds then flip over for another minute.  Lay them on a paper towel to remove any excess oil and they are ready for your sandwich.

The sauce

For me there is no tastier and easier to make sauce than Florida Style Fish Sauce.  Its easy and quick to make and enhances the taste of the fish perfectly.  All you need is some Mayonnaise, Ketchup and some Cajun seasoning.

Mix together three heaped tablespoons of Mayo and two heaped tablespoons of tomato ketchup. I like to mix them together until they have turned an orangey colour.  Then keep add some Cajun seasoning that suits your pallet. You can also add some chilli for more heat or some finely chopped gherkins for a little crunch. It’s a simple but a really tasty sauce that can also be used with beef and chicken burgers.

Additions

Take the bottom of you brioche bun and add some of the fish sauce. If you like cheese you can add a little cheddar on top of the sauce.  Then lay a leaf of lettuce on top.  Then add your pan fried whiting and add the top of the bun.  There you have it, “catch and cook” Florida Style Fish Sandwich.

If you want some tips on fishing for Whiting why not take a look at my fishing trip on the River Crouch in Essex then CLICK HERE

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1. Silver Fish

One of my favourite patterns to use when fish are feeding on small fish and fry.  The silver beads act like a bait fish while the coloured heads add some extra attraction.  Add as many or as few beads as you want. 

2. White Grubs

This simple pattern is great when it’s hard.  Just enough attraction for inquisitive fish. Great for winkling out bites when the fish are not playing ball. Try using one of each colour to see what they prefer.

3. Classic Red & Whites

The combination or red and white colours has long been a favourite with lure manufacturers and anglers.  Some of the biggest fish fall to this devastating pattern. 

4. Eyeballs

Eyeball add a realistic feature to you beads attraction.  An “Eyeball” bead is placed nearest to your sea hook and you can add as many silver beads as you require.  Use up to 15 to resemble small sandeels. 

Plaice, Flounder, Brill & Turbot Laces

Flatties just cannot resist colour.  Look at other anglers Plaice or Flounder rigs and you will find everyone has their own “go to” patterns.  

Top Tip

Make you own eyes with a permanent marker. to add extra attraction to your sea hook.  The ones shown are 4mm beads but if you want big eyes use 8mm.  The permutations are endless.

Read how I used some of these hooks with deadly effect on the tidal River Crouch https://www.fishingmaverick.com/river-crouch/

Pinterest – Fishing Maverick

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As a new season drew upon us, I had begun turning my attention to some sea fishing on the River Crouch. October and November can be great months to catch some fish for the dinner table. Skate, dogfish, and whiting were being caught in numbers in the River Crouch from Hullbridge right through to the mouth of the estuary.

The source of the Crouch is a pond in a small wood. It is off to the right of the 1st tee at Burstead Golf Course, near Billericay in Essex. The river flows through approximately seventeen and a half miles across the Essex countryside. Along its journey, it passes in between South and North Fambridge. Two small little villages that run parallel on either side of the tidal river.

When fishing new venues, I thoroughly recommend joining some Facebook groups that are relevant to the venues you want to fish.  The members of these groups, fish the venue all the time and most are very helpful.  As part of my research of the venue I manage to join a Facebook Group called River Crouch Fishing. Reports were showing that there were a lot of Thornback Ray, Dogfish and Whiting being caught around the Fambridge area and decided this would be my next adventure.

Parking

I parked at St Tomas Road in South Fambridge.  There is plenty of space to park up next to the filed. After walking about 150 yards to the water’s edge, I took a right and set up about 200 meters along at the edge of the first bay.

My Approach

Because I was new to the venue, I decided on a two-rod approach. The first rod with a three-hook flapper and another with a one up one down rig.

The Flapper Rig.

Rig body 50lb Pennell Tough Stuff

Trace 18” 15lb Dawia

Hooks 1/0 to size 2 Pennel

Plus, some attractor beads.

One up One Down Rig

Rig body 50lb Pennell Tough Stuff

Top Trace

24” 25lb Dawia

Bottom Trace

36” 25lb Dawia

Hooks 2/0 and 2 Pennel

Plus, two 6mm red beads

Bait

I had popped into online baits the day before and picked up some bait. 1lb of squid, 6 Blueys and 4 Mackerel.

Triple shot

Within minutes the flapper rig was dancing up and down and my reward was a triple shot of whiting. The next hour was manic with fish every cast. By high tide I had a doggy and 18 whiting.

I was expecting the fishing to slow down as we got to high tide. Little did I know it was about to get even crazier. I had a bite on the flapper and to my complete surprise I had two fish on the same hook trace. One fish on each of the Pennel hooks. This happened three times during the session.

Bites were coming a little too quick, so I decided to up the size of bait. With this many fish around there had to be bigger fish around predating on them. I started putting on 4-inch fillets of bluey tipped with squid. That did not stop the ravenous whiting, so I put whole sides of Mackerel on my one up, one down rig hoping for a skate.

The bigger bait did work but for a dogfish.  The whiting was ripping it to shreds.  Next cast I was unhooking an 8oz whiting I noticed that the fish had been bitten by something.  I am still no clearer as to what it could have been.  Some people were saying cuttlefish, others, crabs.  Who knows?

Time to call it a day

After my third triple shot in a row, I decided that I would call it a day, one and half hours after high tide.  I had 12 fish for the table with the rest going back. In all I had 51 whiting and two doggies.  A great day fishing even if the skate had avoided me.

On the journey back home, I started thinking of what I could have done better.

If I am ever in that situation again I would try fishing with the smaller whiting as hook bait.  There most have been bigger fish around. Maybe some bass or skate.

I would also look at fishing some small whole fish or whole squid to avoid the whiting.

You might find the following article on Bass fishing interesting https://www.fishingmaverick.com/bass-fishing-in-small-esturaies

Facebook group River Crouch Fishing Link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1740855366181248

The post Autumn on the Tidal River Crouch appeared first on Fishing Maverick.

After a cheeky McDonalds breakfast and a two hour trip up the A12 we arrived at the house at midday and was welcomed by Marks parents, Roger and Daphne. Their house is a dream house overlooking the River Deben. The house boasts a picture perfect English country garden that was teaming with wildlife. It is truly beautiful.

Some history

Sutton Hall estate near Woodbridge in Suffolk had been owned by the Quilter family for over 100 years and has recently been sold for over £30 million. Comprising of over 2177 acres of mainly arable farmland, the estate has 3.5 miles of river frontage. One of my good mates is Mark Menear and Marks’ parents actually own the idyllic house on the estate close to the river and Mark’s dad Roger has a 30 foot sailing boat moored up in the river at the bottom of the property. The new owners of the estate who I believe is a Mr Clark has recently closed the access road down to the river so poor Roger and his wife now have to do half mile diversion on foot carrying all the equipment and a pair of old wooden oars to get to their boat.

Moses Dunn

It was a couple of hours before high tide and the plan was to take the “Moses Dunn” as she is called and head down river to one of Rogers secret fishing spots.

If you’ve never rowed a dinghy out to board a bigger boat, and then tried to get on it while the tide is flooding and it’s bobbing up and down with the wind then I would say, stick on the bucket list. It’s hilarious, nerve-racking and dangerous. For the first timer its a serious challenge, yet can be a quite satisfying experience if you make it onboard dry and with no cuts and bruises. I made it on board dry with minimal injuries and was overwhelmed with relief.

Everything went to plan under the guidance of Captain Roger. All the gear was transferred on to the boat and I was given responsibility to tie the dinghy to the back of the boat as we would be towing it around with us. There had been a little trouble with the outboard motor so to cover our butts Roger had decided that we should take the dinghy along for the ride just in case things went belly up. It was quite a responsibility due to the fact that Roger and Mark pointed out that they had lost the dingy the week before while towing it along the river. Finding it fifteen minutes away washed on to the shore.

Lets go bass fishing

We set sail down (it was a sailing boat) up the river against the tide for about fifteen minutes heading towards Felixstowe which was eleven miles in the distance. Roger isn’t just a sailor, he is an expert with the fish finder and when it comes to bass fishing. He knows where The water here was around five feet deeper than the rest of the river and it was there that we would spend the day. Mark dropped the anchor overboard and the only thing to do now was to get our lines in the water.

• Rod: 7′ Zenoflex
• Reel: Abu Garcia multiplier
• Main Line: 25lb Daiwa
• Trace: 15lb Daiwa Sea
• Hooks: Mustard 3261BLN Size 1

Bass Fishing Setup

My bass fishing equipment is nowhere near as up-to-date as my coarse and fly fishing gear. I own several cheap boat rods that I have acquired over the years and I use them when I am bass fishing in and around the Thames estuary or Brighton. These are accompanied with a couple of ABU multipliers with a 50lb shock leader 25lb mono main line.

Like I always say, “the fish don’t care about what gear you’re using”. It’s all about the presentation of your bait. Your gear only starts to become important when you have mastered the method or the technique. Terminal tackle was going to be simple. I would be using a running rig with the tried and trusted Red Zip slider boom. A four ounce breakaway lead with a four foot 15lb mono trace, with some 4mm coloured beads to add some attraction. And a rubber stopper to stop the beads flying up the trace, and a size 1 Mustard 3261BLN Aberdeen hook.

Bait for Bass fishing

Roger had managed to get in touch with Steven Spielberg and got us some amazing ragworm from Jurassic Park. They were huge. We also has a bag of squid as a back up and to tip our bait off with. Tipping your bait with a strip of squid adds another colour to you bait as well as added additional scent and movement as it flaps in the current. We broke the worms up into smaller 4 inch pieces and tipped them off with a small strip of squid.

There wasn’t a ton of room to cast so we simply gently cast over the side. My bait hadn’t been in the water for a couple of minutes and I started to get some little knocks. Sixty seconds later and an 8oz bar of silver was on board. It was perfectly hooked in the mouth and was back in the water in a matter of seconds. Over the next hour or so we all started getting bites and Roger and Mark managed a couple of schoolies and the day was looking good.

As with most sea fishing, crabs can be an absolute pain in the arse, and today would be no exception. For those of you who have never experienced it you spend thirty seconds perfectly presenting your bait on your hook. Crab then strip it bear in thirty seconds after you cast it in. It’s incredibly frustrating constantly baiting up but it’s one of them occupational hazards.

Crabs

Roger managed to avoid most of the crabs as he had set a boom about three feet up the line. What we should have done was to have a one up, one down rig. This would cover more water and keep at least one of the baits fishing for longer. If a crab got hold of the bottom hook, the one higher up would still be fishing. You can use a type of pop up ball on your line to keep your bait off the bottom. You can even inject some air into the worms to help give them more buoyancy. I have tried using several fluro pink 12mm carp pop ups to try and get my baits off the bottom. These are placed on the trace close to the hook before, but I was never convinced of its effectiveness.

When boat or pier fishing I see most people casting over the side and then putting their rod down and waiting for something to hang itself. I believe a lot of anglers really miss out on the excitement of the bites. If possible I always try and hold the rod away from the boat so it is not touching. This gives me absolute connection with the fish and allows me to have a strike instantly. You can feel everything. Pieces of weed hitting the line, as well as small fish pecking at your bait. I believe it has also given me a much larger catch rate. I have the ability to instantly strike and hook fish which may not have been caught otherwise.

The tide is turning

We continued to get a few bites and odd bass, but as high tide came and our lines slackened off the fishing slowed right down.

When the tide is running in either direction you get plenty of action with the tide moving your bait around in the water.

The problem is a high tide it just sits there and you’re waiting for a fish to find it on the deck.

The tide finally turned but we didn’t allow for was the amount of seaweed that was coming down the river. Every cast we started to bring up huge amounts of seaweed attached to our leads. We did manage manage a few fish in between the weed with Mark landing the biggest fish of the day. Only 10oz, but it was more than welcome.

It’s not all about the fishing

Unfortunately for this bass fishing expedition, the bigger fish never showed up. But when you’re out on the river with only the lapping of water on the side of the boat, the gentle bobbing up and down and the squawking of the gulls around you, the fishing can quite often play second fiddle to the day as a whole.

A dozen perfect little school bass between us and it was time to leave.

It was three hours after high tide and we decided to raise the anchor.

Mark washed down the deck and we packed away our tackle and made our way back to the quayside. Billy Smarts hilarious circus act of getting back on the dingy was imminent, and this time we would be having to do it backwards. I’d been dreading this bit all day. I had visions of falling off the boat and having to swim to the muddy shore. To be honest I nailed it and would be driving home dry.

We walked quickly walk back to the cottage and had a quick cup of tea. Goodbyes were said with a promise from all of us to get back out on the boat in September. A huge thank you must go to Roger, Daphne and Mark for setting up such a memorable day. Roll on September.

The Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society can be found here https://www.ukbass.com

Be sure to check out some of my other fishing adventures https://www.fishingmaverick.com/in-search-of-river-pike/

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