Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Rob Brownfield

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #45 on: 31/10/2016 at 12:42 »
Being someone who has used switch rods in the salt, I will throw my experience in the pot.

Leave the switch at home when on the rocks, simples. They may be perfect on the beach when you are wanting to put a fly past the last breaker, but when it comes to stopping a fish going deep, the shorter rods have the advantage.

My setup is a Helios 7 weight Switch teamed up with a 9 weight Rio Outbound for over head casting, as recommended on the Rio site. Putting the whole line out is easy, no question there, but as soon as you hook something the impracticality of a long rod on a cliff edge comes into play.

Nope, I will stick with 9 footers from 7 to 9 weight thank you very much. More command, more stopping and lifting power and easier to grab your line to pull fish up the cliff. Besides, the fish are normally within 5 feet of the rock face, no need for long casts, cast along the rocks, not out to sea and you will have plenty of good fish.

PS. Also used the switch for Pike, back to 9 footers, as are everyone else that have written about using Switch rods for pike ;)

Rob Brownfield

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #46 on: 31/10/2016 at 12:51 »
Pollock marks around these parts are few and far between because of the pressure in recent years on the fish stocks being taken for the pot. In the early 90's when I lived in Portlethan, only cod were taken. These days people take anything, no matter the size.  :mad and set lines can be common.

Heading to Boddam (as already mentioned) gives a better chance, and the rocks around Achmittie also produce. The best I found was the inner harbour at Peterhead, but you cannot fish it anyone. Bit strange being 20 feet above the water, but a super fast sink shooting head worked wonders for Pollock and Cod.

My most successful flies have all been "rootbeer" coloured, except at Peterhead where white excelled.

Hamish Young

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #47 on: 31/10/2016 at 18:14 »
Leave the switch at home when on the rocks, simples. They may be perfect on the beach when you are wanting to put a fly past the last breaker, but when it comes to stopping a fish going deep, the shorter rods have the advantage.

Interesting Rob....... but I do think Marc is right about the way to achieve outright distance and this.....
Besides, the fish are normally within 5 feet of the rock face, no need for long casts, cast along the rocks, not out to sea and you will have plenty of good fish.
I disagree with, I've had fish from close in and from afar. We both know that's as much to do with the nature of a mark itself and by and large we do try to ensure a Pollock mark has certain characteristics which mean there's a bias towards fish being close in.
That said, I agree there is a real chance that 'reservoir madness' (where shore fishers wade and cast as far out as they can and boat fishers drift or anchor pretty much as close to the shoreline as they dare) can be repeated by the coastal fisher if they don't actually think about what they're doing. That's as much about the angler than anything else though.

I have a heavy-ish switch rod coming my way later this week for experimental purposes.
I don't doubt that there will be some limiting factors in their use on the coast, but I will experiment...... 9' rods still coming with me though  :z13

My most successful flies have all been "rootbeer" coloured, except at Peterhead where white excelled.

Now that is very interesting indeed..... you might say coalfish colour then......   :? :z17

:cool:

Euan Innes

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #48 on: 31/10/2016 at 21:13 »
Thought you'd get the point Rob...... :wink

 :z1

Hamish Young


Euan Innes

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #50 on: 31/10/2016 at 21:58 »
Loved the video link. We need to get out in a boat!
Fly colour advice was good too.

 :z1

Hamish Young

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #51 on: 31/10/2016 at 22:49 »
We need to get out in a boat!

I have a cunning plan  :wink

Rob Brownfield

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #52 on: 01/11/2016 at 09:12 »
Interesting Rob....... but I do think Marc is right about the way to achieve outright distance and this..... 

No argument about distance at all. However, a Switch rod is a liability on rocks and for me, does not have the backbone required to stop angry Pollock diving. However, something like a Beulah Opal that is designed to be over head cast and is built for stopping angry fish may be far more suitable...if I could get one in the UK.

No argument at all regarding double handers (not switch) on an open beach and big waves.

As to finding Pollock, they are a structure fish, not an open water species. They like rocks and kelp so it you are putting a fly 150' out into open water, you are missing them. If, however, there is a kelp bed 15 feet down, then of course, I would fish over that, but as a rule, the fish are in under your feet.


Rob Brownfield

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #53 on: 01/11/2016 at 09:21 »
Now that is very interesting indeed..... you might say coalfish colour then......   :? :z17

Exactly!

Don't tell anyone, but Harelines UV Polar Fritz in "Rusty Copper" is the basis for most of the flies.

If I am tying "EP" style flies, then it is Jerkbait Manias Pike Skinz in "Orange Esox".

http://www.jerkbaitmania.co.uk/jerkbaitmania-pike-skinz-orange-esox-p-829.html

and in addition, I have started using the Jerkbait Mania dubbing brushes and trimming to shape in two colours.

http://www.jerkbaitmania.co.uk/pike-skinz-slinky-mega-flash-dubbing-brush-copperuv-yellow-p-1124.html
http://www.jerkbaitmania.co.uk/pike-skinz-slinky-mega-flash-dubbing-brush-coppercopper-fire-p-1106.html

All flies have gold or copper "flash" down the flanks.

Lastly, he has started supplying very large diameter Mylat rubing...I will be trying this as an upscaled "Zonker" with the Copper tube and reddish/brown magnum rabbit strip for a back.

Euan Innes

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #54 on: 01/11/2016 at 09:28 »
Pictures please Rob!  :z14

 :z1

Rob Brownfield

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #55 on: 01/11/2016 at 09:51 »
Pictures please Rob!  :z14

 :z1

Will have to have a root through the garage..all my salty stuff is still packed away from my move.

Rob Brownfield

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #56 on: 01/11/2016 at 09:52 »
Just thought I would share this YouTube video of a bit of Pollock on the Fly... the guys excitement is rather funny, but he gets some nice fish, and off the top as well.


Hamish Young

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #57 on: 01/11/2016 at 17:33 »


This one interests me very much.......  :z16

Eddie Sinclair

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #58 on: 01/11/2016 at 17:45 »
This all looks like a lot of fun,

Got some pointers from a nice gentleman on this thread for local marks (thanks Euan) so I am off out exploring on Thursday and will report back later.

Eddie.

Euan Innes

Re: Pollock adventures
« Reply #59 on: 01/11/2016 at 21:32 »


This one interests me very much.......  :z16

Aye, me too! :z16
And I have a #9 salt floater.... :z13

 :z1

 




Barrio Fly Lines - designed in Scotland - Cast with confidence all over the world

Barrio Fly Lines

Designed in Scotland

Manufactured in the UK

Cast with confidence all over the world

www.flylineshop.com