lady jane Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 yesterday we launched from lymington with a view for my boys to catch some mackerel and bream, on the way back from the ledge we decided to have a drift over some sandbanks. 5/0 hook and live mackerel for me, and then on three occasions my mackerel was bitten clean off just behind the head ? next try double hook and managed to connect a good heavy fight and then the 30llb trace gave in! any ideas on what they might have been ? thanks andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 Tope without a doubt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 ............or were they? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady jane Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 tom, (quest charter skipper) if these were tope would it be worth trying the same bank again or do they move about a lot ? do they also go for flappers or is live the best ? all help gratefully recieved thanks andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 (edited) I don't know the bank you were fishing, but if you were bitten off over and over then pack Tope is very likely. Yes try again, but step up to a 200lb mono trace of 12" and a 6 foot rubbing leader of 50lb to 100lb mono. Flapers etc will work very well, but if you were getting smashed over and over on livelies then go for it with them. Tom (What's with the charter skipper? Never take a penny in profit! My guests simply offer help with my fuel bill and sometimes servicing costs..... ) Edited July 2, 2006 by TomBettle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady jane Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 thanks for advise looks like i need to go shopping for stronger line ! perhaps it should have read top skipper, didnt mean for one miute that you were profiting from taking people out. cheers andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bliss2 Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 If you were driffing the banks not to far from xchurch ledges it may be thresher as its quite common for them to be in that area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 Andy...forget the 200lb mono, and go for a straight fprward steel biting leader, a short length of steel wire with a decent hook fixed to one end, and a decent swivel to the other. Then put on your 50lb ish rubbing leader, then catch the blighter!!!!!!! Tight lines. rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady jane Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 shopping list is now getting larger and i dont think traggo mills will be able to help this time. if anybody fancies a go im happy to mail the numbers it all took place about an hour before high water cheers andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 I agree with a lot of what Rich has to say, but for Tope I hate using wire. I know it sounds daft, but it chaffs the end of their teeth off and they need tem for catching stuff. Wire WILL give slightly better presentation of the bait, but a marauding pack of Tope will hit anything they believe as an easy meal. They go for live bait as they see it as an injured fish in or near a shoal - easy picking - hanging off stiff mono or wire it will still look like an injured fish s it really doesn't matter. People say they will bite through heavy mono, and tey may VERY occassionally, however I have caught a fair few Tope of al sizes and never had a problem. Thresher Shark? Yes very possible and they will absolutely crash through a pack of bait (literally), however unlikey to be the same shark biting off the mackerel over and over whilst drifting over a relatively large area.... Still say pack Tope, several of them smashing hard into the baits and ripping them apart. The smaller Tope will generally hit with little or no warning whereas the bigger solitary fish tend to take more time as they are competing less. Tom (I like the top skipper bit, but think I have a fair way to go, before I could be as good as some of my professional frends... But I do enjoy catching fish and seeing my crew catch too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 Sounds like tope to me too We use short fairly thin single strand Stainless wire for the biting end to a fairly long 60lb or 80lb trace to rub the skin. the thin wire goes between the teeth we also use uptide chemically sharpened hooks with small barbs. A live bait will get them if they are there in numbers, if not half a fish [ether end] will let more blood into the area. the tail end works very well but trim the tail off to stop spinning. I think refering to Threshers as common is a bit stong Matt, I have been known to do a lot of tope and conger fishing and I have never hooked one, perhaps they are further out? Can you PM me the numbers Andy as I would like to see if that is an area we know for tope Cheers Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady jane Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 pm you tomorrow andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shytalk Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 not more smoke being blown up your behind mr top skipper be very carerful or the watchful eye will be disapleased Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 (edited) not more smoke being blown up your behind mr top skipper be very carerful or the watchful eye will be disapleased Cher Peter... I did not ask for the comment, nor did I agree with it. If you would like to take a gander further up the post you will see that whilst I was very honoured with the suggestion I also bowed down with respect to those who do the job professionaly, a number of whom I consider to be friends from whom I have learned an awful lot. I believe the Watchful Eye is more than aware of the gratitude and respect that goes his and others way and that I would never expect and never will be considered with anywhere near their level of ability. 'Tis their life's work and and decades of knowledge. For me it is fun and a past time that on the odd occassion, chucks up success. ....That's the fishing part done and dusted, I can however handle a boat with a modicum of skill and only occassional pontoon bashing.... Tom Edited July 2, 2006 by TomBettle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted July 3, 2006 Report Share Posted July 3, 2006 I got Cuttle attack all day yesterday to my live baits They leave a tell tale v shaped cut out of the mackerels neck PJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 3, 2006 Report Share Posted July 3, 2006 Paul the cuttle often attack when the tide is relatively slow. We had this a lot last year in Alderney, as soon as the tide began moving again at any speed the cuttle disappeared. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shytalk Posted July 3, 2006 Report Share Posted July 3, 2006 easy tom you bite like that theyl think your a tope !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 easy tom you bite like that theyl think your a tope !!!!! Despite getting on their wick occassionaly (never intentionally I may add), I am always VERY grateful to the sound advice, tips and from time to time help beyond the call of duty of "my good friends" down in Weymouth. One or two in particular do certainly keep a "Watchful Eye" on myself and other crew who use Quest II down in Weymouth and at times, once in particular this was very welcome!!!! (Some of you know what I mean) I don't know them as well as one of the other owners of Quest II, but am always very keen to hear anything by way of tips and tricks and with absolutely no need or personal gain they always offer sound advice. In addition, admittedly not very often, but I do still very much enjoy time onboard their boats as the learning continues everytime I go out. Based on that and also based on the fact that I do enjoy the forum for all the usual reasons, plus the fact that from a work point of view it gives a higher profile to the product I promote, I hope I don't tick "my friends" off too much. Peter, not so much a bite, more a little nibble of concern that "my friends" feel my deck boots are no longer large enough. I can asure them that this is not the case. Tom the Tope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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