Ballen Wrasse with a Lure?

[Guest]

I was pluging from the rocks for bass in Doolin last week and caught a Ballen Wrasse with a small Rapala Lure. It definately wasn't foul hooked and I was wondering if this was unusual as I haven't heard an mention of them being caught with a lure before.

[Adrian]

Sorry that was me, not logged in again.

[Donagh]

I saw something in Mike ladles book "Operation Sea Angler" on his web site mikeladle.com. He noticed getting follows from wrasse when plugging for bass but that getting a take was difficult.
Bob Moss says the same in his book but that he'd never had a take from a wrasse on a plug.

Donagh

[MAC]

I was plugging for Bass with my brother in Co. Clare last year. Now if it can be fluked my brother will fluke it. Fishing was slow and all of a sudden I see his rod bent over. I went over to give him a hand. :shock: Instead of looking at a nice plump bass I was looking at a cracking Wrasse of about 4lb. Storm Thunderstick treble in the mouth. The swell was too heavy that day so I didn't have the camera. The funny thing about it is that the Thunderstick does not run deeper that 12 inches and we were fishing in water about 12 to 18 feet deep.

Smashing fish for the Fluke.

[kieran]

Hi

I think I can solve this one for you...

Big wrasse are extremely territorial, especially over the summer when they can be protecting eggs and fry - that's right, they watch over their brood!

Continuously passing a lure (plug or fly) over their territory will get them to attack the lure, more in frustration at the constant encroachment into their territory than in any attempt by them to obtain food. This is not to say that large wrasse will not take baits - I am sure we'#ve all had them on sand eels and markerel strips destined for other species, certainly I've had even small wrasse (1lb) take strip baits.

The fluff chuckers use this strategy all the time, often casting out over the same mark 20-30 times in order to induce a bite.

Myself, I would not have the patience....

FWIW...