Smoothhound Fishing, Reculver

Release The Hounds

Reculver, Herne Bay, Kent CT6, UK

Reculver at night

The weather has settled a bit, and as the country blooms and turning green, the anglers are turning their attention to summer species. mackerels, garfish, soles, bass have returned to within catching distance from the shore, including the Smoothhound! Only one problem, it's May, and that means May water, May weed, May rot, whatever you know is as, it's a fishermans worst nightmare, an algae bloom which happens around May resulting in billions of tiny strands of weed floating around in the tide, they soon clump together around your fishing line and wrap themselves into tight knots forming tight balls of weed that takes an eternity to pick off as its so tough, its stops you reeling in as it wont pass through the rings, it smells, and most will get sore finger nails picking the stuff off. It can ruin any fishing trip and takes some dedication and a slightly different way of fishing to tackle it head on when its at it worst.

Peeler crab, top bait for Hounds

Well, even though I knew the May water was about, I also knew the Hounds were having their first run along the North Kent coast, coming in onto the beaches to feast on the first moulting crabs of the year. Having just bought 50 live peeler crabs to use as bait, I couldn't resist, It was to be a short 2 hours up to high tide and 2 hours down session, fishing in the darkness, and Reculver was to be the venue, renowned for it's Smoothhound fishing, a mixed ground, shallow venue, naturally full of Crabs and Ragworm. I arrived at 10.00pm, it was fairly busy, so I opted not to fish the railings and walked to the right, and found a nice big space along the shingle beach. I set up 1 x continental rod, and 1 x beach caster, with pulley rigs, 60lb mono straight through from lead to hook, which was a single 2/0 Mustad Big Gun hook, baited with a whole peeler crab only taking off the back shell, then wrapping it to the hook with bait elastic, and cast both rods out.

First Hound of the season

Well, the tide was kind, and holding bottom was no problem at all, but after 20mins, one rod was being dragged downtide slowly, reeling in revealed clumps of May water every meter along the line for at least 50meters!!!, this took me almost 20mins to clear, I was cursing much, knowing the second rod was going to be alot worse. but then it took a big knock down, and bounced around a bit. luckily I had my brother along, although he wasn't fishing, he grabbed the rod and started the process of reeling it in, picking the May weed off, it was at least 10 minutes before both rods were full reeled in and deweeded, and luckily the small 3lb Smoothhound pup which had taken the bait was still hooked, my brother obviously claimed the fish, which I didn't mind I was just glad for the help. Baiting up both rods and renewed with optimism that more Hounds were to be caught, I decided to beat the May water, the best way would be to fish 1 rod, and keep it out no longer than 5 minutes. I cast 1 rod out, and waited 5 mins, I then cast out the second rod, immediately I reeled in the first rod rod, deweeded the minimal weed that had started to gather then re baited and recast, fishing like this meant I always had a bait fishing in the water, although hard work, constantly reeling, deweeding, baiting and casting, it was the perfect tactic for beating the Maywater over a short session, only down side was I did use a few more crabs, than I would of liked.

Single 2/0  Mustad Big Gun Hook, never let me down

Now I felt like I was fishing, and it worked, I missed a bite, a ferocious pulldown and violent rattles, definitely not a Smoothhound bite, I suspected a Bass, but failed to hook it. a few casts later resulted in a classic Smoothhound take, the rod tip wobble, a slow big pull down and then line being stripped from the spool on the light drag. I let the fish run, when it stopped, I tightened up the drag, and reeled in the slack line, then lifted the rod hard and to the side to confidently set the hook, I was on, and on the continental rod too! it wasn't the best fight I've had, but considering the light rod, it was fun, even tricking me to believing the fish was bigger than it was A Starry Smoothound weighing 4lb 14oz, a testament to how good a sport Smoothhound are to catch! Although still a small hound, I was delighted to catch one so early in the year, and things will only get better! The next cast resulted in a small Bass of about 1lb 8oz, And then the tide stopped, the weed had disappeared, and then I thought this is it, now with 2 rods out fishing, I thought here we go! but nothing! not a touch or a wobble, the tide turned and the weed returned 2 hours later, signalling home time, A lovely little session and target species achieved, and even better was, they are only going to get bigger, spurring me on to target them again, looking for them bigger doubles.

Float and sabiki fishing Samphire Hoe

Never Too Young

Samphire Hoe, Dover, Kent CT17 9FL, UK

Start em young I say,  is he even paying attention?

It's been a hectic few months lately with the arrival of a new member to the family, and I can't wait till he's old enough to handle a rod, but for now, the sun was almost out, and we needed some fresh air, even if only for a few hours. After some thought to ease of access with a pram, toilets, small coffee shop, Samphire Hoe stuck out as a good venue considering the circumstances. I'd fished Samphire Hoe a few times in the past, and knew a great tactic to catch various species straight down the sea wall edge, but a trip late last year which left me clinging onto my rod for dear life as without doubt the largest fish I've ever hooked sea fishing took a live bait, then stripped near to 50yards of line off the spool, before snapping the 60lb leader, the memory of "the one that got away" or more precisely "the one that nearly pulled me in!" had giving me optimism to fish Samphire Hoe with 2 rods, a light spinning rod with baited sabikis for small stuff and to catch the live bait, and a second rod float fishing a live Pouting.

Garfish, loving the fight these put up

Tompot Blenny, these got some bite for wee fellows

I set up the spinning rod using a 3 oz lead ball, sabiki rig with size 14 hooks, baited with tips of squid tentacles, I gently lowered the rig straight down the side of the sea wall, until the lead rested on one of the large boulder that are stacked up against the bottom of the wall, I set the drag very light, and left the little one in charge of watching for bites. The rod was motionless whilst I set up the second rod, with a large sliding float, without a bite for 10mins now and several recasts, I decided to fish a smallish slither of squid on a size 7 carp hook on the float rod whilst I waited for a small pouting to bite the sabiki rig. well this wasn't going to be easy, It had been a hour and not a touch, I tried further out, closer in, left and even right trying to locate some fish but nothing, a little bemused, I convinced myself that in 10mins the tide was at its lowest and the fish would come out to play then. Then I hear the drag go on the float rod, a short sharp pull that then stopped, I looked at the tip and it bent over and rattled quite violently, I excitedly picked the rod up and struck into a fish, it was quite a good little scrap, and the culprit then surface in a explosion of water splash, "Mackerel" I said, but no, as it came over the wall and I got a proper look I could see it was my first UK caught Garfish weighting 1lb, was a fish that made the trip worth while. a long slender body with a sharp bill bristling with needle sharp teeth, it was a welcome catch for sure.

Corkwing Wrass gets my vote

The little one still hadn't had a bite, I decided to change bait and instead of squid I baited the sabikis with tiny sections of Lugworm. Instantly the rod rattled away like I been expecting, then the fish started coming one after the other, Corkwings, Pouting and Tompot blennys cast after cast, was it the bait change? or my original though of them coming out to play over low water, it didn't matter, they were out in force. I used a small 3oz Pouting as live bait, 60lb florocarbon hook link and a 4/0 circle lightly nipped through the top lip, and gently lowered down the side of the wall so as not to stun or hurt the live bait, and left drifting down tide bouncing along the sea wall. setting the drag a light as possible just in case of a violent take. All attention turned to the sabiki rod, more of the same cast after cast, bouncing the lead around gently under the rod tip till it found a deep hole between the boulders and in some instances the rig was dropping another 2 meters deeper, making me wonder how big the boulders actually are!, but this would ensure a bite within seconds.

Pouting, great live baits!

It had been a frantic 30mins, then disaster struck, I got snagged and lost my sabikis, and without a spare set, things were about to change, I was happy I'd caught some fish, and had a lively live bait still patrolling the sea wall. So I decided to try some Feathers and see if I could catch a Mackerel. allthough I tried for 30mins, I didn't feel a knock or anything. It had been short session, and it was time to get going and get the little one safe as the wind had picked up and thicker clouds put a slight chill in the air. Although I'm sure the little one will not remember his first ever fishing trip, it was more about the sensory experience, fresh salty air, the sound of the sea, the seagulls squawking, and the peace and quiet Sampire Hoe offers in stark contrast to the town in which we live, that I sure he enjoyed.  I myself have always enjoyed fishing light gear for small fish at Samphire, it's such great fun! and even still to this day throws up new unexpected species for me. I also know there are monsters of the deep lurking between those big boulders too, and although one teased me last year, and today they avoided me, but I'm really, really looking forward, to gearing up heavy and doing a over nighter to see what comes out to play after dark!