Salt
water lure fishing on the South Coast of the UK is making a comeback in a big
way. There is always a rise in the amount of lure anglers during the summer
months due to the weather and the suitable fish stocks that venture closer to
our shores at this time of year.
Some
are saying that the rise in popularity of Kayak fishing in the UK over the last
couple of years is closely linked to the amount of lure fishing activity, also the
anglers understanding now of how lures really work thanks to advertising and
articles could be responsible for the sudden interest in using imitation baits
to catch fish.
As
a nation we are never going to reach the dizzy heights for lure fishing of
somewhere like the Florida Keys for instance due to their multitude of fish species
that are willing to take lures and although I do get reports and pictures of
some unlikely species in the UK taking lures around our coasts, a lot of our
fish species are more scavenger than hunter.
The
common species such as Pollock, Bass, Mackerel and Gar’s all love to take a
lure if it is presented correctly in front of them and these are the fish that
most of our lure anglers target.
One
common lure/imitation baits that has been used around our coasts for a number
of years is the humble Mackerel trace, these rigs are very effective for
catching Mackerel and although they do not feel like a traditional lure because
of their arrangement that it exactly what they are.
A lot of people are not confident using hard
bodied plastic lures such as Yo Zuri’s or Rapala’s on our coasts but imagine
finding the correct state of the tide at the right time of year and catching
Bass with the same success that you catch Mackerel. This is what is happening
more and more often. All you need is the correct gear and a bit of water craft
and the results will be well worth it.
Catching
fish using single lures on light tackle is very rewarding for a number of
reasons.
Excitement:
If you fancy a spell of lure fishing it will take you away from staring at your
rod tips and waiting for the action to come to you, the excitement of a bite
while lure fishing will almost certainly get your pulse racing.
The
Fight: The fight will almost certainly be improved while lure fishing as
opposed to beach casting or bottom fishing from the boat because for a start
your rod will be light and flexible which makes the whole experience a lot more
fun also you do not have any heavy leads on your line to deal with, it is just
you and the fish.
Your
prize: When you have your picture with a 5lb lure caught Bass for instance it
carries a certain weight with it, some serious ‘kudos’ or ‘lad points’ if you
will.
There
is something magical about an angler with a large Bass posing for the camera
with a plastic lure in its mouth.
Competition:
I have experienced it and I’m sure some of you will know what I’m talking about
when you have waded out into the warm-ish water with a companion and you have
located a shoal of fish, the weather is looking fine and you are both throwing
lures secretly trying to outdo each other with a sneaky lure change or two to
try and gain an edge... excellent fun!
In
the latest edition of Angling International Magazine (Issue 54) there are 72
pages of information on all things fishy, out of those 72 pages a massive 28 of
them are focused on lure fishing! It is fun, it is cheap and it is well worth a
go.
Maybe
it’s time to got your lure rod back out!?
Look
out for ‘Salt Water Lure Fishing, UK – Part II.’ Coming soon.
Thanks
for reading, Al.
