It’s now March and with the weather being especially mild and the sea temperature well up in many areas, I wouldn’t mind betting that we’ll see an earlier than usual influx of smoothhounds here in the Bristol Channel. For that reason I make no excuses for publishing this piece a little ahead of time!
Location
Plan where you’re going to apply the hours well in advance. There are an increasing number of marks which have produced fish in recent years, so have an idea in mind on where would be a good place to start. Any of the low water reef marks between Minehead and Hinckley will be worth a look. Trial and error will reveal key times to catch and as a fish that feeds in a pack, find one and more will follow. Tide is key, find a consistent run of tide you’ll more than likely find the fish too. This stretch of coastline is for the most part what one would consider to be broken ground. This means that there will be plenty of rocks, reefs and general obstructions where you are placing your baits and though these present some minor challenges on the tackle front, they are also home to a healthy population of common shore crabs, amongst others, which are of course the primary food source of our target species.
Gearing up
As with any rough ground fishing approach, simplifying absolutely everything will ensure you have a better than average chance of success. The ever faithful pulley rig should be tied with small, strong components that are less likely to become caught up between the rocks. In fact, think small and strong when it comes to every part of your rig. The rig body should be tied with 100lb monofilament and the trace using 80lb. Even now, many of my clients are shocked at the breaking strains of line I use when rig making, but as I explain to them, these heavier lines are used to combat the highly abrasive terrain found here and a simple demonstration which involves pulling a short length of 30lb snood material back and forth across the rocks and it’s subsequent distruction is all that’s need to convince them. Hook choice is also crucial. Sharp hooks are required for any species of fish, but the combination of the smoothhound’s comparatively smal mouth and its potential size means that strength for its relative size is the order of the day.
I’ve yet to find a better hook than the Varivas Full Circle. The 4/0 size is perfect for a crab bait on a dongle. The fish seem to find that point just fine, though the rocks not so much. This ensures that the point encounters minimal contact with the sea bed and stays true throughout a session. This obviously means that it is also less likely to become snagged. A high proportion of break-offs occur when the hook gets jammed in, so it’s vital to choose a pattern that will work in your favour over what might be savage ground.
The other obvious terminal tackle provision is some form of weak link system. There are many available, but my personal preference is for and RBC clip. These attach to the lead link and the lead sits on the clip. Upon touchdown with the sea bed, the lead is deployed, attached only my a short length of mono which is less than the breaking strain of your mainline. That mainline should be of around .40mm in diameter and I’d reluctantly fish any lighter than that. It goes without saying that a shock leader should be used, not only for the safety aspect when casting, but again to offer some resistance against the reefs that it will undoubtedly come in to contact with. A rod with some back bone to deal with the heavier leads you may need to combat the tides you’ll find here and also to deal with what could be a considerable fish should be married to a fast retrieve reel. There is little difference in performance between multiplier and fixed spool reels now, though fixed spool users may wish to drop their line diameter slightly in order to gain what could be a few valuable extra yards.
Bait
Crab, crab and more crab is all that is needed, though frozen prawns have dome some damage in recent years. Select the crabs that are bursting out of their shell and don’t be tempted to freeze crabs that haven’t started splitting, or worse still, those that have expired. Dead crabs really stink and you’ll know immediately if they have gone to the big rock pool in the sky. Even now, I still read articles explaining how you should meticulously remove all of the shell and the lungs prior to freezing, but this really isn’t necessary. Freeze crabs in bags of five or ten and mark the bag with the date they went in. The shells will prevent freezer burn and when you come to your bait, it will be just as effective and full of those lovely juices as it was prior to going in. I firmly believe that frozen crab is just as effective as live, but it really is important to freeze prime bait, not the dead and dying left overs that are reluctant to pop. You may also come across hard back crabs and hermit crabs when your fishing here and if the fish are plentiful, these also make an effective bait. But don’t rely on this as your primary bait source- go prepared and make those hours spent by your rods fruitful.
That first encounter
The newcomer to the sport will know when they hook their first hound as in the fighting stakes, it’s right up there. Even small examples can really pull back. But first you have to hook one.
If fish are plentiful, they will likely be competing for food and bites will be either savage pull downs on the rod tip or your line falling slack. If the tip pulls over, the fish is likely to be hooked. If the line falls slack, pick up the rod, wind the slack up as fast as possible, raise the tip and connect with the fish. Once your fish is on, a smoothhound fight is usually a combination of the fish swimming towards you fairly fast, meaning you will need to keep winding to keep a tight line, and lunges where the fish will stop, turn and tear off in the other direction. It is incredibly rare that I give a fish any line by easing off the reels clutch, usually opting to take a few steps forward if the venue allows for this.
If you wish to weigh your catch, please do use a sling. A large bag for life, compost or rubble bag is very cheap and will do the job, or you can invest in a weigh sling that’s tailor made for the job.
The majority of anglers release their fish, but as the captor, it’s entirely your decision whether you choose to do this or not.