MAGIC OF THE MINI
LRF tactics with Jake Schogler.
Now’s the time of year when I start to boost my species tally. Warmer weather brings an influx of different fish and can throw up surprises too. While much of my LRF year is geared towards catching large fish on light tackle, there are times when I want to catch what is there, and this includes mini species.
LRF tackle is renowned for being ultra sensitive, which is extremely important when targeting mini species. This is not necessarily because we need ultra-sensitive bite detection, but more to do with getting the best presentation of your lure. The lighter the lure, the lighter your mainline and leader should be.
When seeking mini species, I like to use a PE 0.4 braid, or one rated to 4lb, with leaders of the same breaking strain or much less, especially when using very fine hooks-tonylon. You can go lighter, but I find that a PE0.4 is a good balance because it can handle larger fish.
RIG CHOICES
The two most successful approaches for multiple mini species are the split shot rig and jig-heads. A tub of split shot and a selection of hooks gives you various rigging options for small soft plastics. Scaling right down in hook size is a great option to use with tiny sections of Isome.
Rigging is easy. Tie a hook on your leader and pinch a piece of shot on the line above the hook. The further away from the hook the weight is, the more the lure will act is if it was weightless. This can be great for allowing the lure to waft around the seabed or alongside structure. You have less control over the lure compared to a jig-head rig, but that weightless presentation is very effective. It works best with Isome or Gulp lures.
Another variation is to tie the hook with a Palomar knot, leaving a 2cm tag end. Then attach the split shot about 1cm away from the hook. This can give you a micro jika rig effect, and is great for accurately working a lure on the seabed alongside cracks and crevices.
Jig-heads are versatile and are ideal for working the lure right through the water column. I prefer to target the majority of minis by using jig-heads and soft lures; my favourite is a size 10 in 1-2g. This hook size is fine for the majority of mini species, but I switch to a split shot rig if I am targeting species that need a smaller hook.
Jig-head rigs are great for working vertically under the rod tip. With no trailing weight it is easy to control and perfect for positioning alongside all the nooks and crevices. When targeting minis, I keep the lure size to 2.5cm maximum and often chop down lures to make them smaller.
HOW IT’S DONE
As the majority of the fish are right under your feet, most of the fishing is done under the rod tip. This allows you to see how your soft lure works and see the fish attacking it.
My technique for searching cover, such as boulders in rock pools and alongside weed fringes, is bottom bouncing the jig. Simply drop the lure down alongside a boulder or weed fringe. If you are searching rock pools, find a rock with a gap under it and drop the lure in front of the gap. Keeping a tight line, lift the rod tip, say, 5cm and drop it again. Make the lure tap against the rock. I like to hop the lure up and down in the same spot two or three times and then pause for a couple of seconds.
I only fish the same spot for about a minute at most. If no bites are forthcoming, I hop the lure a couple of feet along the edge of the weed fringe or boulder and try again.
This technique can be applied to harbour walls, but instead of tapping the jig-head against the seabed, you tap it against the wall. The combination of the tapping sound and your waving lure persuades the fish to bite.
Because you can see your lure working, it is a great way to refine your technique. By playing with different rod movements, you can get your lure to wiggle and shake.
TOP SPECIES TO TARGET
■ SEA SCORPIONS: The long-spined and short-spined versions are not venomous, but they are prone to puffing themselves up in defiance when caught. They also vibrate and grunt.
Scorpion fish are aggressive ambush hunters and have big mouths that can take large lures. They are common around our shores, and you are likely to find them in rock pools, gullies, harbours, and rocky and weedy areas.
While the long-spined type gets to around 5oz, the short-spined can go to 2lb. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look for tiny barbules on the corner of its mouth; only the long-spined has them. Whether in rock pools or deeper water, they will be quick to attack a lure.
■ BLENNIES: Expect to catch the common blenny (or shanny) and tompot blenny. They are less free-roaming than scorpion fish and found under rocks and against harbour walls. They respond to you tapping the lure. Aggressive when landed, they can nip fingers that come close.
■ GOBIES: There are lots of species, from the tiny two-spotted goby to the giant version. These inhabit rocks and weed fringes and can be caught with the bottomtapping technique.
■ WRASSE: Targeting the smaller wrasse species is just a scaled-down version of fishing for bigger ballans. The bite and subsequent fight is excellent fun. Although primarily a summer species, for me, in Scotland, they are still active in southern and western waters.
Corkwings, goldsinney and rock cook all fall for tapping the weight against a harbour wall when using a jig-head-mounted soft plastic. Alternatively, allow an Isome rigged on a split shot rig to waft among the weed fringe of a rock or harbour wall. ■