Why you need to try fishing on rough ground

Have you ever considered fishing over rough, snaggy ground because that’s where the fish are most likely to be found feeding, but have decided not to because of that constant threat of losing tackle and possibly even a good size fish? If you answered “Yes” you are not alone. Fishing from rough, snaggy ground does require specialist fishing tackle and is not for the faint hearted. Heavy breaking strain lines, sturdy 8000 sized fixed spool reels or 7000 sized multipliers are all essential, as well as a fishing rod that has enough back bone to get you out of trouble if you do get snagged on weed, kelp or anything else undesirable.

Assuming you have the right tackle and don’t mind losing the odd rig and weight you could find yourself catching the fish of a lifetime. Its common knowledge that large predatory fish frequent rocky areas of our coast in search of food. However once hooked there’s still a very high chance that you could lose your dream catch before you get it back to shore. Rocks, weed and kelp beds are not only a food rich environment for a hungry fish, fish also look to this type of ground for protection too. It’s not uncommon for the unprepared angler to lose his or her catch due to their line snapping or weight becoming snagged after being trawled through rocks and over a rough seabed by an angry fish!

Fortunately for us anglers, not only have rods and reels advanced over the last 10 to 15 years, but so too has the design of specialist rigs and traces. The pulley rig for example is a simple rig that has proven itself time and time again and is an essential part of any rock anglers armoury.

The Pulley Rig

The Pulley Rig works remarkably well when medium to large fish are hooked. As the fish pulls for freedom, the swivel at the top of the rig acts as a pulley allowing the weight at the bottom of the rig to be drawn upwards and out of any danger of becoming snagged. This eliminates any chance of the weight jamming on rocks causing the line to break.

With the weight firmly fixed above any rough, snaggy ground the angler is free to concentrate on playing the fish without the worry of snagging his or her weight. The Pulley Rig is a simple idea that works very well. There are many ready made Pulley Rigs available including the Mustad Pulley Rig and the Pulley Pennel Rig from Anyfish Anywhere.

If you’re into Sea Fishing and you’ve never tried this simple technique find yourself some rough ground and get out there and give it a go!

Dave Dominy