Little treasures
With the weather eventually turning the corner i was finally going to keep that promise that i made to myself. More LRF this year.
Light rock fishing has exploded in popularity over the last few years and being more of a species hunt than a big fish game, can be a welcome break from the “mines is bigger than yours” side of fishing.
I set off to find myself a nice quiet rocky spot along Loch Long where I could enjoy the fishing plus the peace and quiet, which is always a welcome bonus. I’d checked the local Google Maps for a spot to park and decided to stay away from the normal marks.
Armed with my budget Rockfish outfit and some Isome worms, I went on the hunt for some mini species. I wanted to catch the smaller fish that are so rarely caught, such as sea scorpions, dragonets, blennies and gobies.
I set up and started getting nibbles on the bottom, picking up bites from beautiful little fish on the Ultrathin J-Braid that would pass for aquarium specimens. Then on the last cast of the day a fish took off like a shot when I set the hook. I’d cast a little further out toward the structure in front of me and should’ve known it was going to happen. The rocky ground, the underwater features, were perfect for pollack. Bigger pollack, at that. That unmistakable crash dive for cover gave its identity away.
I couldn’t help grin like the village idiot when that all too familiar sound of line peeling off started, but if you give a pollack that much of a head start on its initial dive, chances are you’ll never gain the advantage. The grinning stopped and the game face was switched on. The fish dived for sanctuary, but I wasn’t having it and battle commenced. This was shore fishing at its best – battling a fish that’s a touch too big for your gear in an area so wild and unspoilt. You’d be forgiven for thinking you are the first person to fish these shores.
Eventually, the backbone and balance in my light gear prevailed and that fish that hit my lure like a truck was indeed a nice pollack. It was a bonnie fish and pound for pound, it gave me one of the best fights of my fishing career.
The fish was returned to give some other ultralight rock fisher hell in the near future and as the old saying goes, you’ll never find them if you are looking for them.
So when a similar thing happens to you, hang on and enjoy the ride.