POLLACKING- LIKE WAITING FOR A BUS????

Managed to get out for a session the other day targeting pollack from the rocks. This year, as I and many others have found, has been such a nightmare but with the spring tides and perfect conditions I thought it had to be worth giving it a go. I had brought with me two rods so that I could try two different methods, for fishing casting jigs up to 60g I had the Graphiteleader Remoto EX9'6'' and for fishing my usual soft plastics I had the new Century Vectura Ti 11'. 

I arrived just as it was low water, to enable me to set up both rods and have everything to hand as usually the pollack come past this area in tight groups meaning the fishing prime time is a short window.

After an hour and with the tide now pulling hard,  I had a hit on the drop with the speed jig getting nailed by a small pollack of about 3lbs. Next cast and again on the drop the jig was hit by a much better fish. With steady pumping the pollack then made several dives and felt a decent weight when it somehow bumped off!! Gutted I checked the assist hook, nowt wrong with that just bad luck/angling on my behalf I guess!!!! I was really getting to grips with the Graphiteleader Remoto, it has a shorter stem/handle than I am used to, but then again it has this for a reason. It has been designed as a jigging rod and the shorter the better for imparting action to the jig. Rated to cast 25-75g a 60g williamson speed jig was being fired out well over 100 yards easily with a simple overhead thump, snap over the bail arm by hand and crank up the slack braid then starting imparting some life into the jig, simple! Interestingly both the pollack I had hit the lure as it was dropping. A couple of casts after the lost pollack, again the jig was hit on the drop, this pollack made a couple of dives before I had it beneath my feet. This was another good fish and with the help of a wave I managed to slide the pollack into my landing net.

Tipping the scales to 8.8lb it was a cracking pollack and proves that shore jigging is an awesome way of catching big pollack.

I decided to have a few casts with the Century Vectura Ti rigged up with the fantastic Fiish Black Minnow 140 and with a 30g shore head. A slightly longer drop and taking things nice and slow the soft plastic was flying out! I was initially rather hesitant about using the rod from this spot due to its extra length but that was to prove unfounded!! It was clearly the prime time for pollack as I soon felt the Fiish black Minnow getting heavier then bang the rod slammed over. This was another good pollack but it strangely was heading towards me!! Reeling like a crazy loon the pollack woke up under my feet and attempted several crash dives but with the drag done up tight the rod absorbed all the dives nicely and soon I was slipping the net under a stonking fish.

At 9.6lbs it was a cracking fish that after a few photos again went away strongly. I tried for several hours after the pollack flourish but not even a sniff, again proving that the window for the action is really small. Had I missed it by getting down later I would not have caught and been left scratching my head. Pollack fishing this season has been like waiting for a bus, I've waited a long time then two come along at once!!!!!

Christ that really is corny, I am off to find some more cheesey lines for next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!