EFFECTIVE DRIFT FISHING
Knowing the correct location and getting the tackle right means we can specifically target the wrasse, but we need to make sure our baits are fishing effectively.
Spend a few minutes judging the speed that the boat is drifting. Do this by quickly experimenting with different sizes of lead weights. You need to identify a size that allows your line to stay almost vertical in the water column, but be just heavy enough to trip over the seabed without constantly snagging. It sounds daft, but when you get it right the feel of the lead weight tripping bottom becomes rhythmical. The best lead weights are the round ball type because they tend to bounce out of cracks and fissures more than those that are long bomb or torpedo shaped.
You are fishing uneven ground, so if you feel the bump of the lead weight disappear, then release a couple of feet of line until you find bottom again. Equally, you’ll come across higher areas and should adjust accordingly to get the baits back on the seabed again.
The reason we are looking to keep the line almost vertical is that it keeps the lead weight from snagging too much. Multiple losses occur if you let out a lot of line and its angle from the rod tip is shallower because the full body of the weight is dragging through the snags.
Because wrasse like movement and respond to sound too, there is a trick to take advantage of this – simply raising and lowering the rod tip. If you raise the rod a couple of feet every 30 seconds or so and then let it drop again, the baits flutter down and often draw bites. In addition, the sound of the lead weight banging hard on the seabed also attracts fish.
FAST RATTLES
Both ballan and cuckoo wrasse bite with a series of fast rattles on the rod tip. Ballan bites may need to be struck because they do not always hook themselves. Bigger fish will turn and hammer the rod tip over when trying to get back to the seabed. Aim to bully them up about 10ft and then play them normally.
Having the correct lead weight, just heavy enough to stay in contact with the seabed, and the near vertical line, also plays to your advantage when the fish takes the bait. An offshore ballan will be as fit as a butcher’s dog and will lift the lead weight off the seabed, helping to facilitate some self-hooking. With the fish on and the boat still drifting, the line angle will decrease too, helping to lift the fish away from any high-rise snags.
Finally, remember that ‘Devil is in the detail’ comment. Understand the ground you are fishing, get your rig and lead weight just right to present the bait tight in the rocks and you will enjoy some great offshore wrassing.