CORNISH CRITTERS
Go ultra-light when chasing some frisky mini-fish...
Great LRF sport in the West Country.
One of the great things about living in Cornwall and fishing LRF style is that there is always something to catch, whatever the time of year, if you are prepared to get out there. Some months are better than others, but I love nothing more than working small two-inch Gunki LS Whiz lures at Mevagissey on a split-shot rig or a small jig-head to catch mackerel, pollack, garfish, wrasse, scorpions and gobies, while wearing a t-shirt in the middle of summer.
Of course, I’m also prepared to wrap up warm and get out there in the middle of winter too.
In winter, it involves a change in approach on how to fish, where you fish and what you fish for. Last winter, the temperatures reached 140C, meaning throughout December and January, the summer species were still hanging around in numbers.
Mackerel and garfish were regularly grabbing my lures, shoals of pollack were competing for my Gunki LS Whiz most casts, while wrasse, both corkwing and ballan, were swung to hand several times.
I was brought back down to earth with a bang on January 31. The afternoon temperature dropped to 1°C and the rain suddenly turned to snow. Schools were closed, businesses were shut and even the A30 at Temple was impassable, with stranded motorists sleeping overnight at the Jamaica Inn.
As in previous weeks, I had planned to head to Mevagissey on the Saturday and work some lures in the inner harbour around the moored boats and down the wall, and also in the outer harbour towards the sea over the rock and kelp. However, the forecast for the Saturday morning wasn’t great. More snow was expected, with cold northerly winds making it feel like -5°C,
so I made the decision to give Mevagissey a miss and head to Charlestown, which would be more sheltered from the elements.
The harbour here is a lot smaller than Mevagissey’s and doesn’t have any visible features. The inner harbour holds the tall ships that are used for the BBC show ‘Poldark’ and also featured in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films. This is where I planned to fish. The bottom consists of sand and mud and holds a very healthy population of aquatic worms and crustaceans, so I decided to target mainly flatfish.
GETTING THE EDGE
I arrived at Charlestown to a fresh dusting of snow at first light. The winds weren’t as bad as forecast, but it still felt really cold.
I love fishing light, so started with a Gunki Reinbo 1-4g rod, Gunki THG FV 1000 reel loaded with 0.04mm Sufix Nanobraid, a Sufix 4lb Invisiline leader and a small size 10 1.4g jig head.
The water was reasonably coloured, so to give myself an edge, I decided to start with some brown Isome, cut down to around 2½in long. I always let the lure sink through the water column naturally on a slack line because it’s surprising how many times a fish will take it on the drop.
After making my first cast along the harbour wall on the right-hand side, I watched my line as my lure dropped through the water and settled on the bottom. A second or two later, I gave the lure three or four very small flicks and let it sit for a second or two before flicking it very slightly again. I like to pause the lure for a second or two because fish will pick up a static lure.
After a few fruitless casts, I felt a definite hit. Nothing was hooked, but it was certainly a confidence boost. I gave it a few more flicks, then, during the pause, I clearly saw my line tightening. I swept my rod to the side and hooked a fish. Immediately, it started to take line.
A lot of anglers target flatfish with a carp or bass rod, but using a light lure rod is a different ball game. I turned the fish and gained a bit of line, but it had other ideas. The fish tried to make a dash for freedom and took more line, but it was tiring. After another brief run, it capitulated. I lifted a nice flounder to the side of the harbour. I only ever practice catch and release, so after a photograph it was safely returned.
EDGE HUGGERS
After a few more casts without any more interest along this wall, I decided to work my lure along the lock gates. Fish number two came after a few minutes as I was working the lure. I felt the definite thump and my rod bending around. As had happened the first time, line was taken as it went on its first run for freedom.
In such an area that is reasonably snag-free apart from the occasional boat chain, I can, within reason, let fish run without causing too many problems. I turned the fish and gained line and this time it tried to shoot across to the right, but the fish was beaten. Another flounder was lifted out, slightly smaller than the first, but just as welcome.
I spent the half-an-hour working my lure around the middle of the harbour, but didn’t get a touch. It seemed the fish were hugging the edges. I reverted to fishing the right-hand side again, and after a few casts my rod bent around once more. No run this time, just a dead weight. This certainly wasn’t a flounder.
After a few seconds, I lifted out a crab that was intent on devouring my Isome. After a brief game of tug of war to retrieve my jig head, I slipped him back.
Having rigged a new piece of Isome, I cast out again. The sun was now up, the wind had eased and the snow was beginning to thaw. Even though it was cold, it was certainly warmer. The resident cormorant had joined me and decided to show me how it’s done. Three dives, three fish. Not bad for five minutes. In the past, I’ve caught pilchards from here, so it was quite possible it was those that he’d had for breakfast.
As I watched him dive for a fourth time, around went my rod as another fish was hooked. This one wasn’t anywhere near the size of the previous fish. I lifted up a very small flounder, so small I was amazed that he’d actually taken a size 10 jig head.
I decided to give it another five minutes before calling it a day. During this time, I had one more hit but no connection. I finished with four flounders, one lost and a few good hits that didn’t connect. It goes to show that if you’re prepared to alter the way you approach your fishing and select the right venue, there is always something to catch LRF style. I’m certain that if I’d have gone to Mevagissey I’d have blanked. ■