July - Sea Trout Adventures

After arriving back from what was a fantastic trip to the Irish Bass festival, we set off for a week of sun, sea and Sea Trout. Little did we know we would be facing 30 degree heat, blue skies and crystal clear waters stuffed with sand eels - a Sea Trout fisherman's paradise.

Of course the usual toys all came out to play - IMA, Megabass, Tackle House jigs etc along with the old faithful Abu krills and Nordic herrings but we had some new toys to play with as well.

Black Minnow Magic 

We all know that Fiiish make the deadly Black Minnow and it has been working a treat among Bass and Pollack anglers all over the U.K. and Ireland but after seeing the 70 mm versions I knew it was worth exploring for Sea Trout. 

Even looking at it you know it is going to be something special. 

We started off on the usual lures to see if the fish were biting - after a few I switched over to the 70 mm Black Minnow, casting up current and with a straight retrieve it wasn't long before the knocks, bites and bumps started. 

It was crazy -I was getting more takes and follows than my dad who was only a few feet away on metals - Why? It must have been down to the superior or at least more realistic look of the lure. Perhaps that little tail going loopy in the current brought them in to investigate?

Hooking up was a different story!

Sea Trout are notorious for tail biting and nipping without committing ..... after many painful casts and follows I finally hooked one.

I have to say I saw more action with this lure than I ever have. Even when I switched back to metals I had nowhere near as much interest and yet back to the Black Minnow and they went nuts again. 

Is this the start of a new direction for my lure fishing for Sea Trout - I don't know but it sure makes me take a step back and think!

Stay tuned for more experimentation and adventures as the summer progresses. 

The Punch Line

My other new toy to play with was the Apia Punch Line Slim 90, a sinking lure which I found worked best on a straight, steady retrieve. 

Apia is a company which I wasn't hugely familiar with but after talking to a few friends I am starting to see a brand which will take the market by storm once people start to use them. 

We returned another day and started out with this new lure - first off it casts like a bullet and you can cover a lot of water which is good for seeking out feeding Trout. After a few follows we cast out again, up current and started the retrieve - Whack! The fish was straight on, no messing. The line was screaming off the reel and finally we brought the fish into the shallows. A plump 3lb Sea Trout!

Want to get you hands on one, check out Bass Lures and their great range of Apia products.

http://www.basslures.co.uk/manufacturer/apia

http://www.basslures.co.uk/manufacturer/apia

We fished on and had a few more fish - a deadly lure and one which I know will be in my box from now on. Can not wait to get back out and try it in a few other spots.

A nice way to end a few days of great sport ....a plump little Sea Trout caught on the open coast.

Stay tuned.