fishing disaster

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lee daykin · #1 Post by **lee daykin** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:23 pm

as a novice of sea angling,my fishing attempts seem to be one disaster after another, whilst collecting bait the other day i spotted sea trout jumping out of the water so i decided to go back that night and try to catch one,i baited up my leger rig with a big juicy lug and cast out just short of the main channel.within seconds there was a tug on the line so i reeled it in,only to find a crab hanging from what was left of my lug.this happened again and again on the next few casts,i tried changing to a paternoster rig,but this made no difference.i then decideded to leave the estury and fish the beach instead, again this happened.i even turned on my headlight at one stage to find a crab making off with my bait.does anyone have any advice,on how to prevent this or are crabs more numerous at night would i be better off fishing during the day. THANKYOU

#2 Post by **shambobala** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:09 pm

Lee, crabs area professional hazard i'm afraid and you're going to have to put up with them to some extent on many marks, particularly in estuaries, mud flats etc.

You could try putting a floating bead on the top of your trace which will keep your baits off the bottom and furhter away from the feckin crabs. Others advocate the use of metal booms (some techno babble about the metal giving off an electric current that repels crabs) but I have found this to be wholly untrue.

I suggest a floating bead, keep the rod tip high and change baits frequently.

Liamo · #3 Post by **Liamo** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:09 pm

Hi,

Crabs are just a fact of life when you're fishing mate! Get used to it. A good rule of thumb is if the crabs are there in numbers it's likely that bigger fish are not. If crab activity ceases it's usually a good sign some bigger fish are on the prowl and have frightened them off.

Some anglers reckon rigs with booms help to put crabs off - my results have never confirmed this. Another option would be to attach some floating beads to your snoods to raise the bait off the bottom. Crabs will swim up to take baits raised off the seabed though.

If they were seatrout jumping you'd be better off targeting them with fish bait sandeels/mackerel. It could also be a case of mistaken identity, mullet for example love to jump clear of the water too.

Liam

#4 Post by **corbyeire** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:55 pm

lee you can spend most of your time feeding crabs, have a look at any of my reports from ballyloughan!!!

but as the lads said - when they ease off the fish are about

keep at it - youlll figure it out

#5 Post by **fishinmidget** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:11 pm

use small cubes of piple lagging put on the line(thread it up over the hook) about 3 inces back from the hook and use a small strip of mack for sea trout.

would just like to point out you need a license to fish for sea trout. even in the sea.

lee daykin · #6 Post by **lee daykin** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:40 pm

thanks for the advice the lagging sounds like a good idea,would it help to increase the length of the rig from the lead to the snood or will the rig just lie on the sea bed,id love to know how different rigs look on the sea bed if anyone can explain this or has pictures,as for the liscence does this still apply if u catch and release? THANKYOU

#7 Post by **corbyeire** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:08 pm

if you are going to target them you still have to have the license - weather you catch and release or not