Ledge Or Xray????? Help

[Gnasher]

im planning a trip in the next couple of days, looking to bag either my first cod or conger and also hopeing to land a few whiting along the way. Im not going south of the needles as i cant afford the fuel, so its a toss up between the ledge and xray. Has there been many cod or conger been caught off the ledge recently? I have just heard about the needles fish so far. Also is xray any good for either cod or conger, i know a member had a 28lb fish from there last year (may of been Alun) but am i better off fishing the ledge? Also have many conger been caught of xray in recent winters or is the ledge a better bet again?

 

I know squid and cuttle normally produce most fish, but is maccy still any good for a winter cod or would other baits out fish it? Also i have quite a few sprats in the freezer from a recent pike trip, is it worth taking these out for the whiting or shall i leave them at home?

[Paul D]

Dan,

 

Re: Mackeral for cod - don't bother - squid is the bait to use. Mackeral strips will get you whiting though.

 

( If you havent got any squid I can do you a block for a reasonable price if you want to collect before Tuesday. )

 

Personally, if I were going out and couldn't afford to get to the needles, I would choose the gulley just off the ledge ( got 2 cod last year from around there ). Double Squid on a pennel rig doing the trick.

 

Alun J is "the man" to advise on best locations there.

 

Also, if fishing whole squid there is always the chance of a good bass.

[alun j.]

For my 'sixpenneth'......... I will suggest..........

 

Mackerel is the bait for a few more weeks.......... there are sprats and herring about and mackeral press the same cues.

 

I rate X-ray for whiting............ but not just yet, this year....... can't get past the dogs.

 

............... look at these dogs............ there's a lot of big females there now ; are they getting ready for something biological........ if whiting are hitting the sprats then they should outnumber the dogs soon........[but when??]

 

I'm off to the Ledge.......... water's still holding enough heat to try for bass....... and the mackeral will take cod , if they are about............ had two tiddlers in Oct.

 

If plans fail........... two options.......... X-ray ON THE EBB.............or whizz across and join boat park south of Needles ; where I reckom your chances are about 20 : 1 ............. 40 boats .......2 cod .

 

I've no idea how good the whiting out there are yet.

 

Will post tomorrow,

 

Alun.

[Gnasher]

I have a load of squid in the freezer paul, many thanks for the offer though, was just trying to work out if the maccy are still worth taking with me.

 

I think the plan will be to fish on the ledge for a bass for an hour or so then pop the anchore and head a bit further south and try in the gulley.

 

Well thats the plan, with 2 weeks hols owed to me starting on Tue, i should be able to get out a few times and have ago. First session on wed, hopefully out very early (thats if the missus gets over the flue thats kept her in bed, if she dont im going to be stuck in baby sitting:-(

 

If anyone else is out, let me know and we can buddy up(launching from muddiford), or get me on the vhf.

 

Thanks for the tip alun, let me know how you get on 2day

[Swainiac]

Dan, contrary to Paul D's earlier penning, I'm an advocate of Mackeral all year round, the largest Cod boated on any boat i fished on last year was a 34lber taken on baited feathers....macky strips......intended for whiting, just around the back of the Island, but yes, squid and cuttle produce far more, but maybe beacuase these baits are used far more than others. Still a bit early for whiting inshore, try in another two or three weeks, water is still V warm for this time of year.

 

Rich

[Paul D]

I stand suitably corrected

 

Will have to try using mackeral all year around too. ( Not as if I have been hauling in cod - but helps to get out first I guess ).

 

 

[Gnasher]

i will be ringing the changes as sometimes a change of bait can make the difference. I suppose squid does come out tops but with sport being a bit hit and miss i suppose i have nothing to lose with a change of bait. I will also try sprats just to see if this is effective.

 

The plan is to try for bass, then for a cod. The deep gulley is the plan for the cod but will there be bass in the gulley aswel or should i target them in the shallow water just before the slope?

[Guest Dommy]

Bruv, you only needed to ask me how to haul those golden bars from the depths!

.....but as you didnt, ill keep my secret safe until i go out (weather pending) on the 5/12/05. Has that bloke mailed you any pics of the Shetland yet??????????????

Im reckoning that i want to keep our boat as its all done and we know that everything works ok.....are you still going out tomorrow then?

 

Up the spurs......................

 

Dom

[Gnasher]

yer dom, were still going out, changed my mind now and were going south of the island, launching from Keyhaven