With the seas around the coastline been so rough during the winter months there's nothing quite like getting out of the house in the spring and hitting your local rock marks with the minimum of gear during the day!
The fish that springs to mind is very under looked and probably one of the most rewarding fish to catch on the UK coastline, they tend to be overshadowed by other popular UK shoreline species such as Bass and Pollack. Most beginner anglers catch them by mistake and have no idea what they are! I am talking about the famous Ballan Wrasse!
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After spending quite some time targeting this species on the rugged rocks of Cornwall, I don't think there is anything more rewarding than hooking into hard fighting fish just inches from your feet. It's a pleasure for any passionate sea angler at any level of experience to get straight into rod bending fish fighting action over wrasse infested gulley's and rocky outcrops. Not only this, you can do it without breaking the bank and needing specialised equipment.
Ballan which are the largest of the UK Wrasse family growing well into double figures are very territorial with an almost bulling nature towards other species in order to defend their patch. It is not uncommon to hook into 5lb'ers if your prepared to put in the time.
Ballan's make a first show on our coastline from around May early spring but are in much larger numbers and specimen sizes in June through to the late summer months.
"Powerful jaw lined with shell smashing teeth"
Armed with distinctive tough rubbery lined lips with inward facing grooves and power full jaw lined shell smashing teeth these features enable Ballan's to make very light work of its main food source Crustaceans!: Hardback Crabs, Prawns, and other types of Shellfish are at the top of its menu. For easy digestion of these hard shelled meals they have a second set of throat (Pharyngeal) teeth designed to finally grind down its dinner!
Ballan Wrasse are found all over the UK coastline in a diverse range of colours to suit their rich kelp surroundings for maximum camouflage. This allows them to easily swim undetected stalking their prey or to hide from larger patrolling predators such as large Rockling, Eels and Bass.
Unlike most fish the Ballan Wrasse action is like a coiled spring. Whilst eyeing up its meal with its well adapted eyes it just sits almost motionless in the current using its Pectoral fins as balance, suddenly it strikes! A burst of pure energy passes into its wide paddle like tail with open jaws to propel itself into the helpless victim; Wham! All there would be left is bits of shell drifting down to the sea bed.
It's the action of this "Smash and Grab" fish that sea anglers become so addicted to as you can feel and see this amazing action through your rod and line!
Working out where the best possible Wrasse holding features is simpler than you may think. Ballan Wrasse are not affected by tides like other species so low tide will show more potential for easy to access safe fishing marks.
Look for gulley's cut into the shoreline and underwater weed covered ledges along your coastline as these will all hold Wrasse. Also it's a fact that very big fish will venture in to shallow water at all states of the tide so you can try shallow tidal pools with broken ground and kelp rich areas which will also crop up good numbers of Ballan's too.
Some of the biggest fish I have hooked into are right below your feet, look no further than 20yards out from the rock faces. There is no need for power casting! Also bear in mind that you are not going to find many large fish in one area due to their territorial behaviour so make sure you move around, trial and error will find you the good sized fish.
"Choose a rod with some backbone"
You can't tackle these hard fighting beauties on light gear and fine mono lines so for your rod choice I suggest is a 9ft light in weight spinning rod, try to make sure the rod has a bit of backbone and a medium to stiff action. Sometimes I use my medium length 6oz beach caster for the deeper venues where you need that extra reach and pulling power to clear yourself away from snags and protruding rock faces whilst playing the larger specimens.
For reel choice choose a reel that is to a good quality build such as the Shakespeare Salt Spin Range or the Abu Garcia Cardinal Saltwater Reels. These will give you the winding power that is need to take up the slack and haul the fish out of the weedy cover and away from the rocks quickly and effectively.
For most situations you will have to use at least 15-20lb tough mono line to stop the fish cutting your line with its teeth or breaking off on the rough ground. Recommended lines that are well suited for rough ground fishing that wont brake the bank are Stren Blood Red, Trilene Xtra Tough and Berkley Big Game just to name a few.
"Remember you will lose gear but can keep it to a minimum by keeping it simple"
There are various rigs to target Ballan Wrasse; some methods include a basic float fishing setup fished close to Wrasse holding features whilst using the waters tidal action to naturally drift baits at different depths. However I prefer to use a simple ledgering rig set up for simplicity and effectiveness.
Remember you will lose gear but can keep it to a minimum by keeping it simple! Start with a small Shore zip slider or Gemini link. Thread the slider or link up your main line followed by an 8mm bead to protect the knot. Finally tie a size 2 Diamond eye swivel to the end to hold it all in place.
Next for the trace! 15-20lb supple clear line such as Amnesia or even better Trilene Fluorocarbon for ultimate invisibility underwater are best used. Make sure the trace is no longer than 12 inches as you don't want to give the wrasse to much slack to run for cover.
For hook size, a 1/0 hook is a good starting point for most, 4/0 hooks are a must if you wish to select out the smaller fish and target the bigger ones. Don't forget to pick a hook pattern with a strong shank and gape as a good sized Ballan can easily straighten the hook!
A simple 2-3oz plain lead with a weak link will be enough to get your gear to the sea bead without restricting the movement thus making your bait presentation look a lot more natural. Remember when attaching your weight to the rig tie a piece of weak line between the weight and the zip slider or link. This is in case your lead gets caught up in a snag, the weak line will break thus releasing your weight from the rig which will help reduce the chances of losing the fish.
"Bulky baits usually mean less hook ups but bigger fish"
Killer bait for targeting hungry Wrasse especially the specimen sized fish is Hardback crabs; these are crabs that are not in the moulting stage. You want them around the size of a fifty pence piece or slightly larger hooked through the back with the hook point clearly exposed. If you are unable to source Hardbacks locally try Ragworm or Lugworm tipped with a thin strip of squid or next best thing sliced limpet which usually is available below the tide line on most rock mark venues.
A good general rule is bulky baits usually mean less hook ups but definitely bigger fish! Smaller fish tend to go for small or sections of worm which are easy pickings so these must be avoided if you are to target the larger specimens.
Methods that I feel that have proven successful for me are to allow the weight to touch the sea bed, hold the rod and then take up the slack so that the line is under slight tension. Wait for the bite.
Another good method for deeper water is to allow your lead to sink half way down and slowly jig or suspend the baited rig in the water column thus making an easy meal for awaiting or passing hungry Ballan.
Wrasse have a distinctive bite usually heavy knocks and rattles can be expected, don't strike on the first bite that you detect, even if you feel like you want too. This can be hard for some anglers as it is something that we all do automatically without thinking. Believe me it takes patience and steady nerve to be a master at hooking these fish.
When you feel you rod tip stoop over and you feel some resistance or added weight to a bite, that's when you should strike. A short sharp lifting motion with the rod should be enough to set the hook. If there is no fish on the end of your line you weren't quick enough and may decide that you need to check that your bait hasn't been stripped off the hook. Be prepared to go through some bait! Even the odd fish out smarts even the most experienced anglers.
If you are successful at catching a Ballan try to unhook the fish with the least possible fuss as Wrasse can become stressed very easily. Use a disgorger or pliers if needed to remove the hook quickly and efficiently. The best method for holding the fish is to support it under the belly with your left palm and the other hand holding the tail. Try to avoid its spiked top fin, they are not poisonous however they do hurt if they pierce the skin, so be careful!
If you are fortunate enough to have a rock pool nearby with fresh seawater from the last high tide you can help the fish recover by supporting it underwater to help it catch its breath back. This is a great time for your fishing buddy to get the camera out.
When ready to release your prize fish, slowly lower it to the water's edge if possible but only if it is safe to do so, submerge the fish completely and slowly open your hands up until the fish swims out under its own accord. Do not throw these fish back in from a height; you can rupture their swim bladder which is fatal to the fish or at least cause unnecessary stress. Use a drop or landing net to lower the fish into the water when the sea is out of your reach.
After you have tried fishing for Ballan Wrasse you will be hooked for sure, I was. Some of you may become seriously addicted to this way of fishing others may do it just to break up the season or try out something new.
For whatever reason the Ballan Wrasse has been a respected fish in my catch book for quite some time and for instant rock fishing action it would take some beating.
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