Bullies of the Kelp - Lure fishing for wrasse

General

Game

Coarse

Sea

Tackle Pick ‘n’ m ix one is a d wrasse. Every ifferent c olour!

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Bullies of the Kelp Lure Fishing for Wrasse This humble rock fish has provided sport for sea anglers for years. Steven Neely takes a look at lure fishing for wrasse around our coast.

72 Irish Angler May 2013

‘These bullies of the kelp really know how to put a bend in your rod.’

O

nly recently have we really started to consider wrasse as a legitimate lure species and boy have we had our eyes opened to some awesome sport. These bullies of the kelp really know how to put a bend in your rod. Like many anglers, I spent my childhood on the rocks with a simple float set-up and a box full of lugworm or crab, waiting in anticipation for the rod to slam over. When I first heard about targeting wrasse on soft plastics, I was intrigued and after a little research, much trial and error, I finally got myself geared up and headed off for the rocks. I haven’t looked back since. I hope that this article inspires you to go out, leave the bait gear behind and try something a little different.

May 2013 Irish Angler 73

General

Game

Coarse

Sea

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Tackle Perfectly adapted for living amongst the rocks.

Simple, but effective – the Texas rig.

S A X E T THE RIG

O T E R E H W LOOK?

Most of us are fortunate to have wrasse along our local coastline as they love to inhabit rough ground. Here are a few simple steps to follow when searching for wrasse:

You can find wrasse just about anywhere around our coastline, and fishing with soft plastics opens up a whole new world. This is the perfect habitat for kelp bullies.

This simple rig consists of four key components:

03. Weedless hooks from sizes 2 to 1/0 are best as wrasse have relatively small mouths.

04. The soft plastic itself. These can vary in size colour and shape.

(See lure section)

01. Cone lead varying from 5-10g 02. A plastic or glass bead. This serves two purposes, firstly it protects the knot from the lead and secondly the colour/sound appeals to the wrasse’s curious nature.

Tying this rig couldn’t be simpler. Slide your cone lead up your leader, then your bead and then tie on your weedless hook.

Be sure to bury the hook point slightly to ensure it is weedless other wise it defeats the purpose of the rig.

The Gear For my wrasse fishing I prefer a short rod – a powerful, sub-8ft, fast-actioned lure rod is ideal. By powerful I don’t mean one with a high cast rating but rather one that locks up and transfers the power to the butt section quickly in order to stop the fish diving for the sanctuary of the rocky bottom. A small, fixed spool reel is used to balance my set-up. A 2500 size Daiwa front drag is perfect.

I use a 20lb low diameter braid in order to detect bites, but it’s becoming increasingly popular to go lighter and lighter with the end tackle to increase your sport, but this is all a matter of personal choice. I find that my standard

Small lures with paddle tails also work a treat. The vibrations of the tail entice the wrasse to come and investigate. Work the lure correctly and wait for the crash dive. The Fiiish Black Minnow, although a tad expensive, is fantastic for this, especially the 70mm and 90mm versions. Lures with rattle inserts are also worth a try, the most popular being the Megabass X-Layer.

The rattle, as mentioned before, appeals to the curiosity of the fish.

Kelp beds These are ideal cover for wrasse to lie amongst and although may seem daunting, they are always worth exploring and dropping a lure into – they aren’t nicknamed kelp bullies for nothing!

‘Surprisingly, they can change their colour preference on a mark from day to day.’

Boulder fields Those which become flooded on a rising tide or are permanently submerged are ideal, as wrasse will move in to smash limpets, mussels and the likes.

braid used for plugging for bass is ideal. A fluorocarbon leader is essential in order to prevent the fish seeing your line and to give some protection against the rocky ledges that wrasse love to lie up in.

Ledges Wrasse will often lie just under ledges and presenting a soft plastic down in front of them can prove a deadly way to entice them out of their hiding spots. But be careful, they will do their best to return to their original spot after hitting the lure.

Current I always prefer to fish where there is a little bit of life or movement in the water.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to find deep water.

Wrasse will lurk in the shallowest of ground and the Texas rig allows you to fish these snaggy locations with ease.

74 Irish Angler May 2013

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Paddle ta h their vibrations it wrasse w

Lures There is a huge range of brands, shapes and colours of soft plastics on the market but here are a few ideas to get you started. Every time I go out now I carry 2-4 inch Senkos or stick baits in a variety of colours: green, brown, black, purple, blue and red. The reason for the colour variation is to allow me to constantly change until I find a colour which the wrasse prefer.

Surprisingly, they can change their colour preference on a mark from day to day. It wouldn’t be the first time I have worked my way along a ledge methodically using, say, a green Senko and had no bites and then changed to a brown one, working the same ground again and hooking up with several fish. Other lures to try are crawfish or ‘creatures’. These replicate little generic crabs, lobsters and other miscellaneous rock dwelling crustaceans. Again, try a variety of colours until you find what works best on the day.

The technique Years of bait fishing have taught us that wrasse love very heavy cover, which is usually strewn with kelp, gullies and rocky ledges. Large tackle losses used to come with the territory but you’d be surprised at how little end gear you will lose using a weedless Texas rig. The key is to keep the lure hard on the bottom in order to entice the fish out of their lairs. Wrasse are notoriously territorial and this is one reason why people believe they hit lures. Others will argue that it is due to feeding but the debate still rages on.

Cast out, let the lure sink and hit the bottom. Pick up the slack line until you feel contact with the sea floor. Holding the rod at a 45degree angle, slowly start to retrieve the lure, adding a twitch and occasionally pausing allowing the fish to move in. If you feel a thump or a bite you can do one of two things: either stop, jiggle the rod tip gently to induce a take, or else keep it moving slowly and hope the fish return to nail the lure. When you hook into a wrasse you will need a relatively tight drag to stop them running for cover.

Exploration and experimentation Why not try it this summer? Get yourself set up and start roaming the rocks in search of these fine creatures. Admittedly, I had gone off fishing for wrasse for a few years before I started getting seriously into soft plastic lures. Now I am addicted to chasing them, especially in the summer when the weather warms up and you can spend hours scrambling over rocks, exploring coves and chasing that next personal best fish.

Do not use this article as the definitive guide to wrasse fishing. This is just a flavour of what is out there and with some thought and reconnaissance you will start to discover what works best for you. What are you waiting for? Start exploring and you never know what might be lurking below your feet. Your next cast could always be that leviathan!

May 2013 Irish Angler 75