There are few forms of sea fishing more exciting than casting lures while rock hopping along rugged coastline. This time of year especially it can be a thrilling experience, with hard fighting bass, wrasse and pollack on the look out for their next meal.
Soft Plastic (SPs) lures are an especially effect method of targeting there rock species. Robust and versatile they can be fished on jig heads, weedless via Texas rigging, Carolina style and even drop shotted. There are various variations of each method, which are all personal choices while switching from one to another while on the rocks.
Total Sea Fishing spoke to two experts in this form of lure fishing, Danny Parkins and Jim O’Donnell both of who revealed the top lures they use to keep the takes coming.
Danny Parkins
Lure fishing expert from the South West and agent for Top Water Lures.
Megabass Xlayer and Giant Xlayer
In natural colours as a rule such as Ayu and Smoke Glitter, fished on standard jigs or jig hitch-hiker in 10-15g.
Simply let them hit bottom and bounce the lure 12inches or so off the cover keeping the lure moving in the zone’ for ballan wrasse and larger Pollack.
Jacks LRF Senko
In 4 to 6inch size again in natural colours - greens, reds and browns, although brighter colours do work well, including white and pink, especially for Pollack.
Senkos are awesome fished Carolina style right in the roughest cover for large wrasse, always a ‘hold on tight’ style of fishing which works a treat.
Megabass IT-SHRIMP
Such a stunning looking soft plastic the IT-SHRIMP really lends itself to massive deep clear water fishing ballan wrasse. They go mad for this truly amazing bait, best fished Carolina style or my favorite way is on an Owner sled-head style jig using a mixture of sight and feature finding techniques, again keeping close to the roughest ground! A firm favorite of the bass too.
Zoom Tab-Tail 4inch
This is as simple as it gets, fished on jigs from 5g up to 15g depending on water depth. A real Pollack slayer working here in the UK, and as me and friends have found a ‘banker’ in Southwest Ireland on the Beara Peninsula. Simple crank in nice and slow with the odd jerk easy as that.
Lunker City Slu-Go
From the smaller 3inch for numerous rock species to the 6inch, which can be fished similar to Xlayers for wrasse and pollack. One of the older bass soft plastics, but still just as affective today! Killer action when fished weedless on an offset hook like a Texposer or jigs.
Hawg Wild Lures Craw
These craw patterns are tough as nails and in any of the more neutral colours, like greens and browns, they really do put fish on the bank.
A firm favorite with wrasse and bass fished on jigs in deep water close in, or Texas rigged or sled-heads further out. Pollack will hit these lures too when they’re head down, but this is a firm ballan Wrasse killer.
Megabass Spindleworm
Brilliant ‘gobie blennie’ style lures hugely affective fished on a jig just off the bottom with there paddle tails wriggling away - wrasse, pollack and bass just can’t refuse them. These can be fished Texas or Carolina style too, with both giving awesome results.
Jacks Own 3.5 Tubes
Another very simple soft plastic that can make a real difference to a day on the rocks! The speckled shad is my favorite for the ballans and can be fished in various ways, but I find hitch-hiker jigged most affective - but rig it tentacles forward for a brilliant lure for reefs.
All of the above lures can be sourced from basslures.co.uk or jackslrf.co.uk and for shops to look into stocking, click here.
Find out more about Danny’s lure fishing, click here.
Jim O’Donnell
Regular TSF contributor and angling guide.
Hart Absalut Worm 100mm and Yoshikawa 4inch by Jacks LRF
These have been two of my favourite lures throughout 2011 and have probably accounted for 95percent of the big ballan wrasse I’ve had. On the milder, calmer days throughout winter I shall be out aiming to catch a 6lb plus wrasse and these will both be in my tackle box.
Marukyu Power Isome
I haven’t used these yet, but all the LRF guys are raving on about them. The Power Isome is the closest ragworm imitation on the market, there is. I shall be using these to try target my first winter flounder on lure! Fingers crossed.
SavageGear Sandeel and RedGill Evolution
As with most winters, I won’t just be concentrating on the rocks and shall probably get out and do some wreck fishing for the big winter pollack that inhabit the English channel wrecks from now until spring. These will be the first two lures I draw from my box. Both pollack slayers!
Stay Safe
Safety is paramount when fishing from rocks, life jackets and appropriate footwear are a must and always try to fish with at least one friend if you can.
All images by Jim O'Donnell
