Recently the weather has not been all that great to get the kayak out and go for a paddle. Last year I would go at every opportunity that presented itself but these days I prefer to target specific species and make sure the conditions are right to increase my chances and have a more fulfilling day. With this said I went back to another one of my loves which is shore fishing. This is where I learnt most of everything I know so it was good to have the feet on solid ground and casting out from the chosen mark. This time of year sees fish moving in as the water temperatures increase and with this a favorite fish of mine can be targeted – the Gilthead Bream.
I previously wrote an article on catching these magnificent fish which can be seen at this link, Tactics for Gilthead Bream. Having collected Peeler crab a week before which were prepared and frozen I decided to try one of my favorite fishing marks where I have caught numerous Gilthead. I was only using a spinning rod which is the best way to catch these fish as they really do put up a great fight. The trace consisted of a single hook ledger rig which had a 2/0 Cox and Rawle Uptide Extra hook. These hooks are great as the are very tough and with the Gilthead Bream having molar type teeth designed for crushing, these hooks would be strong enough to withstand this.
I was only going to fish for an hour or so to pass some time and see was there any Gilthead around. I whipped up a peeler bait on onto my hook and casted out to a spot that looked like the Bream may be feeding. The weather was overcast with a Southerly wind blowing which was a little chilly but not unbearable. Making the Peeler Crab bait as appetizing and appealing is a must. A good sized juicy bait will give the best chance of getting some interest from any feeding fish. When whipping my Peeler Crab up I like to use ghost cotton and make sure I always leave the hook showing proud to increase hook up rates.
I was getting another Peeler Crab bait ready while watching my rod when I had a run which got the blood pumping. The take was violent and line peeled from the spinning reel. I grabbed the rod and set the hook by easing it into the fish as there is no need to strike erratically when the fish is running like it was. Solid head shakes I knew what this was. The fight on a spinning rod has to be experienced to get a true feeling about how hardy these fish are. After a couple of solid runs I finally got the fish in sight and I was greeted by a lovely Gilthead Bream. My first for 2015 and hopefully one of many.
A very eventful hours fishing and I left with a huge smile on my face. It is great to see this species becoming a fish that can be actively targeted and not so much of a surprise catch. They are really good sizes too and I am sure it won’t be long till another monster bream will turn up somewhere.
I will be hoping for some better settled weather to get out on the kayak again to target some quality fish in the coming weeks and hopefully get some new species that I have never caught before but that is another story for another day.
Until next time,
Tight Lines.