 Kent Coast Sea Fishing Compendium |
Wreck Fishing |
Cod are present in varying numbers over wrecks throughout the whole year, but there are local peak periods when greater numbers of fish congregate and improve your chances.
The wrecks off Kent are good summer time venues through until October. The fish, many over 30 lb, move inshore then, but are back on the wrecks for spawning in the post Christmas period until March.
Governed by the tide runs over the wrecks, most areas are fished when the tide cycle is at its smallest during neap tides. Some wrecks can be successfully fished during mid range tides, but few areas experience fishable conditions on spring tides.
A 15 lb cod will swallow a 3 lb pouting whole. Both pouting and whiting are abundant either tight in to, or within close range of, the wreck. These are the main food source for wreck cod. Being opportunists, they will also take codling and flatfish such as dabs, but their food has to be fairly slow swimmers. Manoeuvrable fish like pollack and coalfish are infrequent finds in the stomachs of big cod. Squid, launce eels and the like do not feature with any consistency.
Cod resident around a wreck like to use the wreckage as a tide break to reduce effort when hunting food. For example, if a wreck lays north-south and is in line with the tide run, cod will always be found on the downtide side and very close in to what's left of the hull. The tide scoops out gutters along the edge of the hull that the cod swim in just out of the main run of tide.
A wreck also creates a downward flowing eddy, or bubble, of calmer water that exists downtide of the structure. This is caused by the tide flowing up and over the wreck. This eddy can occur just a few yards past the wreck, or be up to a hundred metres away depending on the force of the tidal run. This explains why two or three anglers catching cod at the same time towards the end of a drift with none showing before.
Cod only leave the shadow of the wreck when the tide run slackens towards high and low water. At this time they wander around any scattered wreckage aiming to pick off the hordes of pouting and any stray whiting that linger near the supposed security of broken bits of metal. Cod only rarely rise in the water to the same level as the deepest pollack but do so when numbers of herring are present during daylight hours.
Wrecks lying broadside onto the tide are less common than those facing the tide direction, but these can give excellent fishing with a larger target area for both boat and fish to work in. Sand and debris builds up on both sides of the wreck but, away from the wreck, the scouring action resumes and the seabed becomes rutted, ridged and badly scarred, but with angled banks leading back towards the wreck.
During tide flow periods the cod will be feeding in the wreck where there is some shelter but, at slack water, the cod move onto the banks and rutted ground. This explains why cod can be caught in the initial and latter stages of a drift over a broadside wreck, but only directly over the wreck when the tide is flowing.
Another characteristic of cod is their fascination with wrecks which have split into two or three large pieces lying close together in a misplaced pattern. This preference of cod is probably due to the tide flows being broken up over and around such obstructions which increase the food fish stocks looking for safety.
The potentially large size of cod and the fast running tides (even on neaps) demand a rod of at least 30 lb class and this may be too light for many wrecks. Generally a 50 lb class rod will be required. The rod should be stiff in action for all lure work. A soft tipped, or soft-actioned, rod cushions the movement of the lure at depth and lacks sufficient strength to hit cod hard and force them away from the snag-ridden wreckage.
A roller tip ring is useful, but not essential, but there is no need to use a full roller tip rod. The rod length should be shorter than normal, at about 6 feet, because the fish are fought directly beneath the boat and do not run, but give solid resistance.
A few pirk and lure specialists build their own rods specifically to ensure the most action from the lures they deploy. The rationale behind the design is that the more movement the rod tip has, the better requiring minimal physical energy to continually and effectively work the rod. These specialists choose standard 6oz beachcaster blanks, ones with a 4ft butt and 7ft 8in tip being preferred. A 3ft length from the lower butt and a foot length from the tip are removed. Ringed with a roller tip and strong reel seat, this extended rod improves both the angler's leverage when playing a big cod and the ratio of bites to a pirk or lure.
Reels need to be big for strength rather than for line capacity. The Penn range of Senators, standard or fast retrieve models, in size 4/0 or 6/0 are universally popular. Daiwa's Sealine range is also good.
Wire line is popular, but expensive to lose over wrecks and dangerous when trying to break free from a snag. Use gloves and a baseball bat with the line wrapped around when pulling free from snags. You will need to add a short 30ft long mono buffer of 50 lb line to the end of the wire to avoid the hooks pulling free from a hooked fish caused by increased rod and line pressure. The wire will not stretch and applies direct pressure to the hook hold,
Also worthy of consideration, but expensive, is braided line. Braid has a very fine diameter, catching little tide, and is immensely strong. Braid does not stretch and every little tap on the rod tip is felt as a fish attacks the lure or bait, but this lack of line stretch can cause the hooks to tear free from the fish as direct force is applied to the hook hold. As when using wire line, a short mono line buffer is required between the braid and the trace of about 30ft.
"Salt-Water Angling" (1956) Michael Kennedy at pages 215 - 218
Float-Fishing and Drift-Lining
Feather Fishing
Feather fishing is a variation of the method of fishing from a drifting boat described above, differing from it chiefly in the nature of the terminal tackle and the lures employed … With appropriate tackle, feather fishing can yield first-class sport as well as good catches.
The tackle consists, essentially, of a monofilament trace (Fig V, 8) about 6 feet in length, terminating in a lead of suitable size, and of a shape designed for quick sinking and easy lifting (e.g. a torpedo-shaped lead). At intervals, feather lures are attached to the trace, paternoster fashion by four-inch links of monofilament. These links should, for obvious reasons, be finer than the main trace; and there is a lot to be said, for the same obvious reasons, in favour of attaching the lead to the end of the trace, not directly, but by a few inches of light monofilament.
The feather lures should, as a rule, be dressed on size 2/0 hooks and need not be elaborate - all that is required is that they should be about two inches in length, and be dressed with mobile materials, such as hackle feathers. Ordinary tinned sea hooks may be used, or freshwater type hooks, lapped with silver tinsel covered with clear lacquer. Four to six cock hackles, tied in by the stumps just behind the eye of the hook, are all that is required to complete each lure. White, barred or badger hackles may be used, or a mixture of white and dyed hackles.
Depending on circumstances, from three to six more lures may be attached to the trace, the lowest fairly close to the lead.
Essentially a daylight, clear water technique, feather fishing may be employed to take cod, pollack, coalfish, whiting and gurnard close to the bottom, and mackerel and shad in mid water. For near-bottom fishing, a light boat rod or a powerful spinning rod is best, and a lead of 4oz to 6oz may be required. A 20 lb test line, 20 lb test main trace and 15 lb test dropper links will be necessary if fish are plentiful and run large. When the boat reaches a likely spot - a reef; an area of extensive rough ground; a mark where cod are known to be plentiful; or the like - the boat is let drift with the tide. The lead and trace are put over the side, and line is paid out until the lead touches bottom. A foot or so of line is then reeled up, the check put on, and the rod raised and lowered with a steady, pumping action.
As the lead is alternately raised through nine or ten feet by the movement of the rod, and then let sink towards the bottom again, the string of lures moves up and down, the individual lures quivering and sinuating like little fish. Their movement is attractive; they search up and down through nine or ten feet; and the drift of the boat means that new ground is being worked all the time. Results with cod are usually better than those achieved with natural baits fished on bottom tackle, and several fish may be hooked together. For daylight pollack fishing, the method is much more effective than trolling, for the ground is more thoroughly worked, and it is possible to get the lures right down to the fish. I have known two anglers to get over three hundred sizeable pollack in a couple of hours by feather fishing, on grounds where ten pollack would be considered a good catch by trolling.
For mackerel fishing in mid water, much lighter gear may be used provided only two, or at most three, lures are employed. (If a greater number of lures is used, since a mackerel is likely to be hooked on each lure, a light rod will hardly suffice!). A stiffish threadline rod, with an 8 lb braided line on a centre-pin reel, 5 lb trace and 4 lb dropper links, make up a sporting outfit, and a ¾oz sinker will probably be heavy enough if it is streamlined in shape. It is usually best to start by letting the lures down to about three fathoms below the surface where there are signs of fish, or where there is reason to expect them; to work the lures up and down between the three fathom and two fathom levels; and to try deeper or nearer the surface if results are not forthcoming.
A light form of feather trace, with half a dozen 1in lures dressed on size 6 to size 4 hooks, may be tried for herring where they are shoaling. (Sometimes herrings will snap at bare, bright hooks without the addition of feathers!).
The Daily Express, Friday 5 September 1975 at page 14
Fishing by Clive Gammon
Giants of the Deep – but almost too slow to catch
Forty fathoms down, they lie coiled around rusting ventilators, in ships' boilers ripped open in the worst days of World War Two, under gaping hatchways.
They are the giant congers of the wrecks in the Western Approaches, off Devon and Cornwall, at the mouth of the English Channel.
What size they reach is anybody's guess, though they have been caught on rod and line in excess l00 Ib. Twice that weight is not an impossibility.
A 90 lb. aquarium specimen took five years to reach their weight.
But, strangely, these monsters are not ancient survivors with many years of sea-growth in them. They are young fish, probably not more than six years old.
Approach
And they are not even grown up enough for courting. No sexually mature conger has ever been captured in our waters. Seemingly, once they approach that stage they leave the British coast and head for the Western Atlantic where they spawn and die. Eventually, their offspring drift east with the Gulf Stream and the cycle begins again.
There's no problem at all about making a catch of wreck conger, so long as you have good weather and you're aboard a boat equipped with a Decca Navigator to pinpoint the wreck.
But in all probability your catch will consist of fish under 40 lb., with the chance of the odd bigger one up to 60 lb. To make up for this, though, you'll certainly get a lot of fish.
But why are the real monsters so rarely caught when all the evidence shows them to be in there? The reason, it seems, is all caught with charter boat economics.
What happens when a virgin wreck is located is that the lesser conger, more active than the biggies, is much faster on the bait. The first day on the wreck most fish may well be under 30 lb.
The next day the average size will be bigger, but there'll be fewer eels. The third day will show the trend continuing. Unfortunately there'll be no fourth or fifth day …
There are two reasons. The average angler wants fast results when he goes congering. Often it's a once-a-year trip and he doesn't want to wait a couple of hours for a bite even though it may come from a record breaker.
Next, the charter boat skipper sells his catch and this subsidises the charge on the angler. So if you want to hit a "fished-out" conger wreck for the chance of a big one it will probably mean chartering the boat yourself and paying a higher fee.
"The Sea Angler's Sporting Fish" (1985) Mike Millman at page 4, 6 & 7
Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
The pollack is one of the great sporting species for the sea angler, and is distributed over a wide area of the British Isles, but the cream of the sport is in the South West of the English Channel … Large Pollack are usually dark green on the back which gives way to gold sides, and a silver belly, although on occasions the back is almost black. Its lower jaw extends beyond the upper, and the lateral line gives the impression of being jagged.
Pollack are true lovers of rough ground, and seldom taken over a featureless bottom, although they move continuously across it, as they make their way from one reef or a wreck to another. Some pollack prefer to live out their lives in one place, in this situation, wreck fish tend to be bigger than those of the reefs, at least until the mark has been fished a dozen times. After this the numbers taken are much fewer, and if anything, in size smaller than those on the reefs. It is a fact that a large wreck which has been on the bottom undetected for many years, will hold perhaps a thousand stone of Pollack, with the great majority weighing in excess of double figures. If such a wreck is fished consistently for two weeks, by anglers in a dozen boats, at the end of that time, only a small number will be left …
Naturally, not all wrecks get the same attention as many lie a long way from land, consequently poor weather prevents them being fished too often. Although the best pollack fishing is to be had in water more than twenty five fathoms deep, on occasions the fish move in very close to the land, and even work along the rough shore-line, particularly during the late autumn and winter months. Each year, during this time specimens up to 18 lb are taken mostly on big bottom baits, which have been put down for other species.
The pollack is a great fighter, and always puts up a strong battle after being hooked, making long and very powerful dives in an attempt to throw it. Failure to give line at this time will surely result in a break. In deep water, the fish suffers from the affects of water pressure if brought up too quickly, which naturally reduces its fighting capabilities. In shallow water however, a big pollack is twice the fish, not having to compete with change of pressure. A double figure specimen taken on light spinning gear is equal in fight to anything that swims, and the issue will always be in doubt until it is safely in the net. A good pollack rod for deep water reef work, should be between seven and eight feet long, matched with a medium sized multiplier, filled with 12-15 lb breaking strain monofilament line. For wreck work it is customary for the latter to be stepped up to 18-22 lb.
Successful pollacking requires a sensitive touch, as quite often the fish will only lightly touch a bait, without making a determined attack. Shy fish must be literally coaxed on to the hook, and it is only with practise that one becomes proficient in getting the 'feel'. Much the best way of catching pollack from an anchored boat, over reefs and wrecks, is by steadily retrieving a trace up to twenty feet long, attached to a 4/0 hook tipped with either king-rag, mackerel or squid strip. The length of the trace allows the bait to 'swim' naturally in the tide-run, and is as attractive as a live swimming fish.
In the West Country, this rig is known as the 'Flying Collar' and it will outfish any other method by as much as ten fish to one. It comprises a single wire boom, about eight inches long, swivelled at all three points, with the aid of split rings, the trace being joined to swivel 'B' (see diagram). On this tackle hooked fish are able to work up great speed, consequently the sporting level is increased enormously. Drift fishing can be successful, but it is usual for the trace to be shortened down to eight feet. For wreck fishing during the winter months, when the fish strike madly at almost anything, two artificial sand-eels attached to short snoods on a paternoster, with the weight at the bottom are deadly when used sink and draw from a drifting boat. Big pirks work well over rusting hulks, more often as not the pollack savagely attacking them as they plummet towards the bottom, otherwise the sink and draw method, with the lure being worked close to the bottom is right.
The best shore fishing for pollack, is during the late autumn and early winter, from rock marks which have deep water close in. Spinning with bright lures, at first or last light, gives the best results, with the average weight of the fish being about 2 lb. Not a season goes by, however, without a few really outstanding specimens falling to big baits, fished leger style on the bottom.
… Float fishing with a sliding rig, using worm for bait, into deep water from rock stations, often produces reasonable catches, but seldom are the biggest ones taken by this method. The float is most suitable for fishing under the lights of harbours,where small pollack provide a lot of fun, taking worm avidly during the months of November and December.
For shore work, a very light hollow glass rod and a fixed spool reel, filled with 10 lb monofilament is right for spinning and float fishing, but for bottom work over rocky ground, the weight of tackle must be stepped up, and the fixed spool exchanged for a small multiplier.
"Sea Angling: Kent to Cornwall" (1990) Mel Russ & Alan Yates at page 32
Tackle required for feathering or pirking over a wreck includes a 30 lb class rod, with some anglers preferring to use up to 50 lb class outfits for multi-hook rigs. It is not unknown for three double-figure cod to be hooked at once. Similarly, choose a decent-sized multiplier, 1/0 to 3/0 size being preferable, although choosing a reel is difficult as there is not a standard range of reel sizes … they should be filled with 25 lb line for conger … A butt pad completes the outfit.
For general bottom fishing from charter boats and dinghies choose a 30 lb class rod, while much lighter blanks may be preferred for inshore fishing for bass and flatfish … The more sporting angler also may consider using this outfit for wreck fishing using a single feather or 210mm artificial eel fished on a long, flowing trace.
"Sea Fishing: Expert Advice for beginners" (1991) Trevor Housby at pages 52, 53, 54 & 55
Fish Location
Pollack and large coalfish normally move between the wreck and the mid-water mark. These highly active hunters feed on sandeels and herrings swept along with the main tidal flow. Below them lie the ling packs which, although almost conger-like in shape, are strong-swimming fish that like to live just above the wreck. Ling are opportunistic feeders happy to take live, dead or nearly dead food. They know that the racy pollack and coalfish cripple and kill many fish which they do not eat, the rejects then sinking down to fall easy prey to any waiting fish shoals. Conger tend to be lurking fish, spending most of their lives deep inside the wreckage, while cod tend to take shelter in the lee of the wreck.
Fish Location at Slack Water
The slackening of the tide dramatically changes the location of the wreck fish. Pollack, coalfish and ling move up higher in the water, while cod take up a position directly above the main wreck. The cod, usually lazy fish content to scavenge out of the main push of the tide, suddenly become active hunters lured by big artificial or natural baits. Conger also tend to make an appearance with the slackened tide. This period can also produce some strange catches, such as large turbot and angler fish which often use a deep wreck as shelter and feed actively at slack water, as well as the john dory which turns up regularly around wrecks. Most wreck dory are very large for their species.
Many anglers use multi baits at slack water, hoping to hook two or three big cod at the same time. However, this is usually more than most sets of tackle can take. Invariably, the tackle will break and fish, being tethered together, will probably fight each other and finally die a sad death harnessed together. By sticking to one or two hooks you therefore stand a better chance of getting a good catch. If you use more hooks your tackle is liable to be destroyed … A 50 or even 80 lb class boat rod is essential. If you try to fish with a lighter rod, you are bound to lose the majority of the fish you hook.
Movement of Fish as Tide Changes
When the tide changes and starts to run the other way all fish except conger change sides. While conger simply retire deeper into the wreck, cod are probably the first fish over the wreck. Pollack, coalfish and ling also simply sink down lower in the water. Most wrecks can be fished on both tides. Very occasionally, however, the fish may move to an adjacent wreck, their movements obviously matching those of bait fish.
"Cod Fishing: The Complete Guide" (1997) Dave Lewis at pages 45, 46, 49 & 56 to 72
3. Artificial Lures for Cod Fishing
Feathers
Feathers are perhaps the oldest type of lure in the sea angler's armoury. A string of up to six brightly coloured hen hackles is also one of the most productive methods of general reef fishing, as will be seen later, and bait collecting. However, shop-bought feathers are rarely tied using quality nylon and hooks, and as such are totally unreliable for serious cod fishing. On many occasions I have seen an angler drop a set of feathers into the depths and his rod buckle in two as several sizeable fish have smashed into the lures. Unfortunately, the combined weight and pulling from several sizeable fish will almost always result in a smashed trace, and the angler, if he is lucky, ends up with just one or two fish.
The exception to the rule are the purpose-made traces of cod feathers produced by Mustad. These are tied using heavy mono and strong hooks. Personally, I am not a tremendous fan of feathering as a sporting technique, but if you do want to use feathers for cod, I strongly suggest you use a decent set.
These days there are many alternatives to natural feathers in the shops, ranging from bright strips of tinsel to long thin strips of reflectolite plastic. Some of the very best modern alternatives are known as Hokeye lures. These consist of a small luminous rubber fish-shaped body with a reflectolite tail and a luminous bead mounted on the trace at the head. These are devastatingly effective. Once again, Mustad produce a heavy-duty range suitable for cod fishing, the Hokeye Tempter Rig, which consists of three lures tied using 4/0 hooks to 60 lb BS line. Feathering is an excellent technique for novice and junior anglers.
3. Artificial Lures for Cod Fishing
Soft American Rubber Lures
A few years ago soft rubber lures imported from America started to appear in British anglers' tackle boxes. On that side of the Atlantic soft rubber lures, which come in an incredible selection of different sizes, shapes and colours, are used by anglers to catch both fresh and saltwater fish. The big advantage of this style of lure when compared to other lures is that they are very cheap and extremely lifelike. I have caught a wide variety of species in European waters using this style of lure, including plenty of cod.
It is very easy for the angler to become totally bewildered when faced with such a large variety of lures. My own favourite style for general sea fishing are the rubber worms with a twist at the end of their tail. I use worms about 6 inches in length and those made by Mr Twister are among the best. I have tried many different colours and I have had the best results when using either plain orange or jet black with a crimson tail.
There are two ways that these lures can be used to good effect when targeting cod. Firstly, they can be used as a substitute for muppets and fished paternoster style in twos or threes … Secondly, they can be fished singly, in a similar style to artificial sand-eels …
4. Boat Fishing for Cod
Wreck Fishing
… Cod are attracted to wrecks where they feed heavily on small fish. The North Atlantic is littered with countless numbers of wrecks, and almost all pay host to foraging shoals of cod at some time of the year. However, inshore wrecks are invariably heavily netted and consequently barren, when compared with 'virgin' wrecks further offshore. Today it is not unusual for the fastest charter boats to travel up to 70 miles offshore in search of quality sport. Expensive and time-consuming it most certainly is, but the rewards reaped by anglers fishing aboard these boats more often than not justify the expense and effort involved.
There are several ways that anglers catch cod from offshore wrecks. Occasionally fish are taken on natural baits but, more often than not, these fish are an accidental though welcome by-catch taken by anglers who are really fishing for other species such as conger and ling. Lure fishing is the most effective way of catching cod over wrecks; after all, most lures are simply an imitation of baitfish, and that's the reason why cod are there in the first place.
The two types of lure which are most effective for catching wreck cod are pirks and artificial sand-eels. Pirks are often fished with two or three rubber muppets or artificial sand-eels rigged above paternoster style, known as 'killer gear'. It is not hard to determine why this arrangement earned its name, as multiple catches of two or three cod are often taken per drop. The overriding emphasis of this book is on sports fishing, and I hardly think it sporting to set out deliberately to fish in this style. However, I do concede that under certain circumstances, such as when fish are scarce or when other species are being targeted as well as cod, the use of multiple-hook rigs can be acceptable.
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| Anglers fishing multi-lure and single sand-eel rigs over a wreck. | Example of a multi-lure rig. |
Pirking
There is a lot more to fishing a pirk successfully than first meets the eye. The newcomer to wreck fishing might well think that all he has to do is to tie a suitable pirk onto the end of his line, drop it down into the wreck and jig it up and down until a fish hangs itself on it. I can assure you that this is not the case. In order for a pirk to fish effectively, it is very important that it fishes in as near to a vertical line as possible. Pirks dragging horizontally many yards behind a drifting boat not only catch a few cod, but they are far more prone to dragging across the wreckage and snagging than a pirk fished correctly.
Many wrecks lie in very deep water and when the tide, wind or both are creating a very fast drift, a pirk simply dropped straight down will probably already be many yards behind the boats before it reaches the wreck. In order to counteract this effect, anglers fishing off north-east England, an area which can perhaps be considered as the stronghold for wreck fishing for cod in the UK, devised a method of pirk casting.
Pirk casting does not involve swinging great lumps of metal around the boat. This would not only be highly dangerous, but more or less impossible when using short stout rods and large metal-spooled multiplier reels. At the commencement of the drift, the angler simply lobs his pirk as far as he comfortably can in the direction that the boat will drift. Twenty or thirty yards is more than adequate.
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| Angler fishing a pirk and muppet combination over a wreck. | Pirk casting technique. |
The pirk is allowed to fall as quickly as possible down to the sea bed, so that it should be on the bottom by the time the boat has drifted over the top of the wreck. As soon as the angler feels his lead tap the bottom, he re-engages the reel spool and starts jigging. Depending on the speed of the drift, the angler will now be able to fish his pirk effectively until it once again starts to trail behind the boat. It is normally acceptable to knock the reel back into free spool once or twice on each drift and drop the pirk back down to the bottom. On particularly long drifts, which are rare when wreck fishing, it might be more effective to retrieve the pirk swiftly and cast a second time to prevent it trailing too far behind the boat.
Pirks come in all shapes and sizes, but it is generally the larger pirks, between 12oz and 1½ lb, that are of most use when fishing for cod on wrecks. In order to fish with such heavy lures, a strong set of fishing tackle is essential. The angler really needs a good-quality 50 lb class boat rod with plenty of backbone, and a reel to match. A reel with a strong frame and sound gearing is absolutely essential, and a fast rate of retrieve is preferable to retrieve the pirk quickly from deep water.
When I first tried this style of fishing I thought that I would be able to fish with 30 lb or 40 lb line, and I thought that the 70 lb line the locals were using was ridiculously over the top. When after several drifts I remained fishless while all around me the fish boxes were steadily filling with cod, I realized that I was clearly either doing something wrong or different from everyone else. We were all using the same pirks and similar rods and reels, so what else could it be ?
Luckily, the skipper had been observing my plight and, taking a length of my line in his gnarled hands, gave an impressive demonstration of just how much stretch there was in my relatively light line. He went on to explain that with such a high amount of stretch no amount of vigorous jigging with a rod and reel was going to be transmitted down through the depths to my pirk. All of my effort was being absorbed in the elasticity of the line. Thankfully, I had a second reel in my tackle box loaded with 60 lb line so I changed reels between drifts, and for the rest of the day my catch rate was on a par with that of everyone else.
An increasing number of anglers are using many of the modern braided lines for this style of fishing. Braided lines offer the advantage of an incredibly high strength to diameter ratio and virtually no stretch, which results in more action being imparted into the pirk by the angler's jigging technique. When pirking, this equates to a far higher level of sensitivity and control over the pirk, and in turn results in more hooked fish and far fewer snag-ups on the wreck.
A large percentage of fish caught when pirking are actually caught on the drop; that is, they take the pirk as it falls to the sea bed. On other occasions I have had fish hook themselves when I have been quickly retrieving the pirk at the end of the drift. In most cases the fish will hook themselves.
When a fish is hooked it is vital that the angler maintains as tight a line as possible. Obviously, the reel clutch should be set, but set as tight a setting as is practical given the breaking strain of the line used. When drifting over a wreck it is imperative that hooked fish are wound well above the wreckage and into clear water as soon as possible, or else they will be lost by diving among the wreckage.
Anglers in the north-east still regularly use the traditional Nottingham and Scarborough wooden centrepin reels for pirking. These reels offer the advantage of a direct drive with plenty of cranking power, plus the fact that they are cheap and virtually maintenance free. I know they are not everyone's preference, but I have fished with many competent anglers who will use no other type of reel.
Artificial Sand-Eels
Sand-eels form a major part of the diet of most predatory species of fish, and they are one of the most important links in the marine food chain. Anglers have used artificial sand-eels to catch fish for many years, and at times when fish are feeding on sand-eels, artificials can be used with devastating success.
In order to maximize fully the sporting potential of any fish, it is important to use fishing tackle that is as light as practical. Artificial sand-eels allow the angler to use incredibly light and sporting tackle when fishing for cod over deep-water wrecks. The classic way of fishing an artificial sand-eel is in conjunction with a rig known as the "Flying Collar Rig", which utilizes a French Boom. Today most anglers dispense with the traditional wire French Boom in favour of a long plastic tubi-type running leger boom. It is important that for the rubber eel to work efficiently it is fished off a long hook-length, and the tubi-boom helps to prevent the hook-length from tangling around the main line.
Artificial sand-eels are manufactured in all shapes, colours and sizes. When wrecking and specifically targeting cod, I normally use the larger eels, those in excess of four inches long. There has been a great amount of debate among anglers regarding which are the best colours of eels to use, with scientists telling us that beyond a certain depth fish cannot distinguish between different colours. The most popular colours of sand-eels used by most wrecking regulars are nearly always red, orange and black. When fishing in deep water I, too, tend to alternate between these three colours, but I favour the more natural-coloured eels whenever I am fishing in shallow clear water.
Method of fishing an artificial sand-eel in conjunction with a 300mm KF Tubi-boom.
The actual rig to use for fishing an artificial sand-eel over a deep-water wreck is simplicity in itself. The tubi-boom is threaded onto the main reel line, followed by a small bead; a small high-quality swivel is then tied on the end of the line. The bead protects the knot from abrasion caused by contact with the end of the boom. The lead weight is attached to the clip on the boom. It is important to use a bomb-shaped weight which will fall through the water smoothly, and not have a tendency to roll and twist thus causing tangles, as can happen when using leads of other shapes.
Method of fishing an artificial sand-eel in conjunction with a 300mm KF Tubi-boom.
As I have mentioned, artificial sand-eels work best when fished in conjunction with a long hook-length. Consider a 12ft hook-length as being a minimum, although specialists regularly use a hook-length in excess of 20ft. I use clear nylon with a breaking strain of around 20 lb for my hook-lengths for this style of fishing. Heavier line will seriously impair the action of the eel and lighter lines tend to be too weak, as they are easily damaged by abrasion. When using a very long hook-length it is important to use at least one swivel tied approximately midway in the hook-length to prevent line twist. The eel is tied directly onto the end of the hook-length.
Many anglers experience problems with tangles when fishing artificial sand-eels. The biggest mistake that most make is simply dropping the rig into the water and allowing it to fall quickly to the sea bed. This will nearly always result in a horrendous tangle which will render the lure useless. The correct way is to hold onto the boom in one hand and drop the eel into the water. Always try to position yourself on the side of the boat away from the direction that the boat is drifting to prevent your line dragging under the boat. On a charter boat this will usually mean the skipper will have to alter the angle of the boat on each drift, with anglers on either side of the boat fishing alternate drifts. This is a far more sensible tactic than everybody attempting to fish on one side on every drift, as too many lines in the water will almost certainly cause continual tangles.
Allow the drift of the boat to straighten the hook-length out fully, and only then drop the boom with lead attached into the water. Do not let the rig fall too quickly to the bottom as this will result in the eel spinning back and tangling around the main line. The correct technique is to steady and control the rate of descent using your thumb on the reel spool. When the bottom is felt re-engage the reel spool and start retrieving the lure. Do not try to jig the eel up and down, as once again this will not only cause tangles but catch few, if any fish.
Retrieve the eel with a slow and steady rate of retrieve, which will work the lure to its greatest effect. Bites will be felt either as a series of taps and jerks as the fish plucks and pulls at the lure tail or, more usually when fishing for cod, as a solid lunge as the fish engulfs the lure and attempts to dive to the bottom. If a fish is felt playing with the lure, it is important to maintain a steady rate of retrieve and nearly always the fish will eventually be induced into taking the lure, often well off the bottom. Speeding up, slowing down, or any other method of attempting to set the hook will nearly always result in a missed and spooked fish.
The ideal outfit to use when fishing with artificial sand-eels over wrecks is either a 20 lb or a 12 lb class boat rod matched with a small multiplier reel loaded with about 15 lb BS line. Many anglers use uptide rods. It is always important to ensure that the reel clutch is correctly set, as almost always the fish's first reaction on taking the eel and feeling the hook and resistance of the line is to turn and dive for cover.
When using artificial sand-eels over wrecks you will almost always catch far more pollack than cod, but when a wreck with a sizeable population of cod is located the sport is tremendous. It is important to remember that the cod will not feed for 24 hours a day, and often the feeding times can be quite short. The best times of the tide to fish with artificial eels for cod vary considerably, but results will nearly always be at their best when the tide is running hard.
Feathering
Both lures and baits, or a combination of both, are used when drifting a reef for cod. I suppose a string of feathers is the most widely used type of lure among anglers for this type of fishing. The best type to use, when you can get hold of them, are those which are tied specifically for cod fishing. These are available in traces of between three and six feathers, in either plain white or a selection of different colours. Cod feathers are tied using stronger line and larger hooks than the more readily available mackerel feathers. I prefer using plain white feathers when cod fishing.
… I do not generally favour using multiple-lure rigs for fishing, much preferring to catch fish on an individual basis. However, I have found that the action of a set of up to six feathers working together is, on occasion, more likely to produce a take from a single cod than a feather or similar lure fished singly. I suppose it is more natural for the cod to see several bait fish swimming together ?
The feathers are weighted using either a plain lead or a pirk. The trouble with using a pirk over some reefs is that it is far more prone to snagging on the sea bed than a plain lead. That said, I am convinced that it is far more effective to use a pirk with either the hooks removed or the standard treble replaced with a single hook, as the flashing and added action of the pirk undoubtedly helps to attract fish.
Many anglers use baited feathers, typically long thin strips of fish or squid, peeler crab, ragworm or mussel. The addition of bait can make a big difference when fishing a reef, and also increases the likelihood of catching other species such as wrasse, coalfish, pollack, bream, gurnards, etc. But I am convinced that plain feathers are just as effective for cod as baited feathers, with the possible exception of small codling which are more likely to take a bait than a lure.
Feathers are really very easy to fish. All the angler has to do is to drop them to the sea bed and bounce them around, but there are a few tips and subtle adjustments which will improve the overall efficiency of the basic technique. Whenever fishing over a very snaggy area it is wise to attach the weight via a short length of weak line known as a rotten bottom, to help minimize tackle losses should the lead become snagged. Another useful trick which reduces tackle losses, especially when there is a lot of kelp on the bottom, is to cut a standard string of six feathers into two separate sets of three. Obviously, this halves the likelihood of a hook getting snagged.
It is important that the feathers are fished in as near to a vertical line as possible. Not only are they more effective when fished vertically beneath the boat, but they are far less prone to snagging than if they are trailing many yards astern of the boat. For the best results when specifically targeting cod over a reef, keep the feathers working on or very near to the sea bed, even at the risk of getting snagged up sometimes, as this is where most cod will be feeding.
In recent years a wide variety of modern alternatives have arrived in the tackle shops, all but replacing the traditional hen hackle feather. I have tried many of these and most are really no better than natural feathers when fishing for cod, only considerably more expensive. There are, however, a few exceptions to the rule. I particularly like rubber squids or muppets as they are called, which can often sort out the better-quality fish.
The other really effective lure is the Hokeye, and its many variations. These are very effective - too effective in fact - and when used over a reef the angler who is specifically targeting cod should be prepared to catch just about everything else that is swimming near the bottom as well !
American Soft Rubber Worms
At first I was somewhat sceptical about the effectiveness of this type of lure for our species, but I am now convinced that soft rubber worms are one of the biggest breakthroughs in European sea angling for many decades. I have used rubber worms extensively and in many different situations over the past few years, and the list of species which I have caught on them is impressive, and still growing. When used over a reef, American soft rubber worm baits are one of the very best lures available for cod.
There are several ways that these lures can be fished, one of which is in exactly the same way and using exactly the same technique as that described for artificial sand-eels … [1]
My own favourite technique is described below; it allows the angler to fish for cod over the roughest ground using very light tackle. In order to get the most out of this technique it is important to use a light rod and reel. A spinning rod rated for use with lures up to about 1oz and matched with either a small multiplier or a fixed-spool reel, loaded with 8 lb BS line, is ideal. Either a 1oz or 2oz barrel lead or drilled bullet is threaded directly onto the main reel line followed by a bead and a small high-quality swivel. The hook-length is attached to the other end of the swivel; I use about 6ft of 20 lb BS clear nylon. An Aberdeen hook (between size 4/0 and 6/0 is ideal for cod) is tied to the other end of the hook-length.
The worm is lightly threaded onto the hook, starting at the head, threading about 1 inch of the worm onto the hook. When fishing over very rough ground, particularly when there is a lot of weed about, the point of the hook can be buried into the worm, which prevents it from getting snagged but in no way reduces its hooking potential.
To fish this rig, slowly lower the lure down to the sea bed, then steadily retrieve it, just as you would an artificial sand-eel. Fish can very often be felt plucking at the worm and it will be a great temptation to speed up or slow down the retrieve, or attempt to strike. You must resist, and maintain exactly the same rate of retrieve. In most cases the fish will eventually decide enough is enough and take the worm. I have seen cod to 20 lb plus caught from a reef off Ireland by an angler using exactly this technique.
There are several advantages to using soft rubber worms instead of artificial sand-eels, the first being cost - rubber worms are available at a fraction of the price of rubber sand-eels. The second big advantage is that worms work well when there is little or no tide and fished at a very slow rate of retrieve, whereas artificial sand-eels really need a good run of tide in order to get the most efficient action out of the lure's tail.
Method of mounting American rubber worm lure onto hook.
The last big advantage is that the rubber worms are incredibly soft to touch, and shy fish are definitely less inclined to reject them. Some of the newest worms coming into the country from America are even impregnated with fish oil and other attractors, which can only help to increase the overall effectiveness of these wonderful little lures.
It is hard to determine just how much difference the colour of the worm makes to results. From my own experiments I would suggest that red, black and orange tend to be the most productive, but this has probably got a lot to do with the fact that these are the colours which I tend to use the most. There is still a lot of research waiting to be carried out on the effectiveness of different-coloured lures, and until such time it will always pay to experiment.
"Hooked on Sea Angling" (2011) Martin & Dave Beer