Trunch Lane (Skegness) 10th July 2016

After a very successful trip over to Skegness last year (Trunch Lane 2015 and Chapel Point 2015) I was determined to head over this year to see if I could bag some more specimens from the beach.

I had monitored conditions for a few weeks now and the weather and surf forecast seemed spot on for a trip over.  LW was at 0445 and despite the tide not being particularly big we decided to head on over.  The plan was to fish over LW and up to HW at Trunch Lane.

After a long drive over from Newcastle we arrived and were set up on the beach for 0415.  Just in time for first light.

We got started right away and put the crab baits out at distance and waited.
After about 45 minutes my dads ratchet screamed away and he brought in a nice Starry of about 5lb to start the day out nicely.

We hoped this was a sign of things to come but the hounds weren't playing ball.  I had a lovely Starry of about 9lb a short while later and my dad followed at about half-tide with a Starry of his own of about 6lb.  He had a much bigger fish snap his leader on the run a cast or so later on.

The fishing slowed down after half-tide.  We had a few Flounder each from a distance but little else.

A local chap we were speaking to had said the hounds were late in this year as they appeared to have stayed offshore (beyond casting range) and were mainly being caught from the boats.  They  had only just started to be caught from the shore in that area.  I guess we were lucky to have nabbed a few!

Despite the lack of fish we decided to fish to top water as per the initial plan.  I was hoping the hounds would move in with the tide.

A half hour before HW after about an hour and a half of nothing my ratchet screamed to life.  I struck into what appeared to be a really good fish.  Much to my surprise it turned out to be a solid, stocky Common of maybe 6lb+

A little girl who was playing on the beach with her mum toddled over to see her first real-life "Shark" before we released it.  

We called it a day at just after HW without any further fish.

The total for the day had been 3 Flounder, 4 Starry Smoothhound and 1 Common Smoothhound all which took fresh crab.  Definitely not a wasted trip.

Although I was hoping for more fish the fact that even the locals had not been catching many hounds meant we had been fortunate to find a few decent fish.  I think it will be a week or two yet before the hounds move in properly.  

Another trip down may be on the cards I think.... I still need to catch the One that Got Away from last year....

Hound Hunt! Skegness July 2015: Pt2 Trunch Lane

On Thursday 23rd I decided we should get up at a ridiculous hour (0330) and fish Trunch Lane over LW.  I had heard that this mark was very productive at this time and I fancied some more sport from the hounds.

I had brought my 7500 today (with ratchet) and so I was ready for them!

We arrived at a little after 4am.  LW was at 6am and the first two hours were unproductive apart from the stunning scenery as the sun rose.

Once LW arrived at 6am things went CRAZY........

Hound after hound coming from long distance.
Billy had one close in but once I started putting his casts out for him he started catching.

Over the next hour I had 8 and he had 2.  All good fish in the 5-8lb range.  Most of the hounds were Starries that were all fighting like hell.....

I have honestly never had to wrestle so many fish just to get them off the hook.  I had to get a few in an actual headlock just so I could crush the hook barbs down to unhook them.

After about 2hrs past LW the fishing tailled off.  We were almost out of crab and we decided that the next was our last cast.
After 5 minutes my reel started screaming as the line was torn from it... I grabbed it, took free-spool off and struck into a monster.  The bend in my rod was unreal as was the fight.  I knew this was the biggest fish I had hooked so far and I was careful on the retrieve not to give it an inch.

I got it to within arms reach of the beach and I could see it was a good fish...by far the biggest so far.  In an instant the f*&cker flipped it's tail and slipped the hook.  I saw the dorsal fin casually heading back into the surf and dived after it........

Unfortunately I couldn't catch it and emerged from the surf swearing severely and soaking up to my chest........

As I got back to our gear Billy's reel screamed off as a passer-by came down to see what all my screaming was about.
Billy struck into a good fish and I waded out (well I was already wet) to help him land it.  What a fish it was..... a Starry of at least 13lb easily...

The passer-by even took a pic and of course I had to get one also with the fish!

I am fairly sure that the "one that got away" was bigger than this fish judging by the fight it gave on it's way in.

For a last-cast fish this was awesome.  Billy was chuffed as was I.  A shame though it was to lose a big fish I was more than happy with 8 fish for the session.  Billy had 3 in total.
8 of the 11 were Starry Smoothhound and 3 were Common Smoothhound.

All the fish from this mark were bigger, tougher fighting and far more enjoyable to catch.  They were all caught at long distance (>70yds) apart from one, and they all turned up on the turn of the tide.
Bear this in mind if you decide on fishing this mark.

After a cracking few sessions on the Skegness coastline I am hooked.  Nothing so far in my fishing career matches the excitement of fishing for Smoothhound.
Family holiday or not next year I will be returning with a boat-load of peeler for several sessions.

I can't wait!

Hound Hunt! Skegness July 2015: Pt 1 Chapel Point

We were booked up for a week in Skegness this week for a holiday with the kids.  I was reluctant to say the least as I am not one for a week of solid "kiddy" fun.

When I researched the fishing down that area I was pleased to find a few beaches that really produced some great bags of Smoothhound at this time of year......a fish I had yet to catch.
That was me convinced!

Chapel Point (Chapel St Leonards) and Trunch Lane were the marks I had tagged to visit on the trip.

I did my research and called ahead to some local shops about getting fresh crab.  None of the 3 in the region did any live baits.  Fortunately I managed to snag a few dozen peeler from my dad on the morning we left so I was looking forward to a few sessions out.

Jump ahead to the Tuesday after we arrived at Skegness.  The forecast was sun, sun, sun and a light wind.  I was taking my brother-in-law (Billy) out for his first sea fishing session today.  As always in such situations the pressure is on to get fish.  We pack up the rods and head to Chapel Point for about 3hrs before HW (around 1100ish)

On arrival the conditions were damn near perfect.

We hurried onto the beach and I set our rods up, baited up and got cast out.  We opted for single-hook pulleys with a decent crab bait on 3/0 hooks.
I had chose the 6500 as the reel of choice so that I could get the distance I needed.  As it happens I realised a few casts in that this reel did not have a ratchet....which was a slight issue later on in the session.  If you ever fish for Smoothhound you will find out that you need to use the ratchet/drag.

I cast out for the brother-in-law (showing him how to do it) and set his drag on the fixed spool before putting the rod into the rest.  I cast out my own rod and as I lifted his rod to put mine under it the line from his reel screamed off nearly taking my fingers with it.  I quickly tightened the drag and struck into a fish.  I hand him the rod and he fought and landed his first ever Common Smoothhound of about 4-5lb.

I have never seen one up close but now that I had.....wow...what stunning creatures they are.  They fight like demons too.

A few pictures were taken and then the hound was released.  Hearts still racing we fished on.  A half hour later my rod was nearly ripped out of the stand by a take.  Once I caught it I struck into a good fish.  My god do these fish fight....

A few minutes later and I was holding my first ever Starry Smoothhound!  Also around 4-5lb.

I had a common of around the same weight an hour later.

Another half-hour after that I cast out and went to chat to a few locals who were fishing 100yds up the beach.  Two words into the conversation one of them mentions that my mate wanted me and I turned to see him hanging onto my rod for dear life.
A good take had almost taken the rod in (due to the lack of a ratchet) and fortunately he caught it in time.  I sprinted down the beach (a good feat in wellies) and took the rod.  After a few minutes of heart-pounding fighting I landed a cracking Common of around 9lb.  Even Billy wanted a pic taken with this fish.

Two new species in the same session!  Good specimens too!

The fishing quietened after this fish and so we conserved the crab we had left to return the next day.
I was grinning from ear to ear on the way home.  No other species I had caught has ever provided so much excitement as the hounds.

I couldnt wait to return.....

All 4 hounds were caught at close range (<50yds) and took fresh crab baits.  All were returned safely.