Lost Fish, Prepping and Rambling

Last week I spotted a sea trout in the usual spot, watched it patrol round and round and then gently cast in without spooking it.

Prior to casting I loosened the drag as often they speed off and jump. The fluoro used was a type that I'd used for mullet without issues, claimed breaking strain 13lb but about 0.22 diameter so I treat it like a 6-8lb line.

I hooked the fish almost immediately, it tore off and under very little pressure the hooklink snapped. Pissed off ? Just a bit.

Ten minutes later I hooked another and this time the hook pulled. They are rare enough fish, to lose one is bad enough, two is a disaaaaster darling.

Lines. I was talking to the Chubmeister General.  He was telling me about his love for various fluoro lines, using them for hook links and in some instances reel lines. 

He is convinced they are the the way forward and mono is old hat. I'm not so sure.

I told him how my main lines for most of my fishing are Maxima up to 8lb and Big Game about that. I think I heard him snort a bit.

I often use them for hook links too.  I remember telling this to The Mighty Doog ( RIP ) , who ran a local tackle shop, the same thing and he was flabbergasted. 

Don't get me wrong, I've used fluoro lots too, especially when bass and mullet fishing. The Varivas Hard Top and Suffix Castable and both are ultra reliable, abrasion resistant and very stiff.

It's just that I'm not convinced it makes much or any difference to the fish. I might be wrong.

I'm going to do some side by side tests, it's the only way to tell for sure. I'll let the fish decide.

Having another go for crucians and tench later in the week. Soaked and cooked a big pot of hemp. Excellent stuff, large grains and they actually open. 

I made a rather ridiculous impulse buy of a season ticket for a beautiful, remote water inhabited by monster crucians. The only drawback is that it's 1100 miles away in the middle of a forest in Sweden.

They are massive though.  I only want to catch one.

Either of those two above will do.

I tried for the carp at the estate lake yesterday, guessing correctly that they'd be cruising around on the surface. 

There were some big old fish there, behaving pretty much like mullet i.e driving me round the bend.

Every now and again they'd take a bit of bread, but very cautiously. I manoeuvred the crust into a perfect position under a tree surrounded by scum and detritus, watched as a fish circled the bait and ever so gently sucked the bread in.

I struck and of course missed. That was my only chance. I'm missing more chances at the moment that Nunez.