Tag: wrasse

Wrasse Fishing 2016

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We spend a fair amount of time drifting around our coastline in search of pollack, coalies, codling and my favourites when drifting inshore the various members of the wrasse family. That said, wrasse are not for everyone, mainly because they don’t make for good eating and the species we have in the UK do not exceed double figures. So what do they do, well, they put up one hell of a scrap. Ballan wrasse reach up to 5lb with us, the cuckoo wrasse are the fish thatdraw gasps from anglers with the marvelous colours they display. I don’t think 2016 […]

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Holyhead General Fishing – Part 2

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General Fishing can be used to describe various types of fishing, for many it is when that planned day goes slightly pear shaped and your intended targets don’t play ball. It also describes in fairness much of the fishing to be had off Anglesey and especially from Holyhead. Yes we have our smoothhounds, tope, and spurdogs to name a few, but we’re not blessed with some of the fishing that you read about regular on the south coast I’m talking about the big plaice, turbot and bream etc. Sadly you cannot charter from Holyhead with those particular fish as specific […]

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Holyhead General Fishing – Part 1

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The vast majority of experienced anglers have a specific target in mind when they book a day out boat fishing. Sadly though, we have a number of external influences on our sport such as particular time of year, large tidal range and worst of all the good old British weather.   Despite all our best plans, we can’t always target the species we enjoy catching the most. Never the less, most anglers are willing to take the rough with the smooth and assuming here that a day afloat can still be had will quickly adjust their armoury with a selection […]

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Wrasse Fishing

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In Holyhead the months of March & April signify the arrival of the big spurdogs, and then with May we have the classic period where double figure smoothies are the norm aboard My Way. June however is the month when I consider the year really gets into full swing and offers both boat and shore anglers immense variety and certainly increased quantities of fish. Through late spring, summer and often into late autumn Holyhead is seemingly blessed with a never ending amount of quality smoothhounds, bull huss and good rays, along with spurdogs, congers, even bigger huss and also some […]

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Wrasse Cuckoo

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The cuckoo wrasse is possibly the most colourful and striking looking fish we have in our seas. This wrasse is long and slender in comparison to the ballan. it has one long dorsal fin.Mature males tend to be striking blue and a reddish orange colour. The male heads tend to be a very bright blue colour. The fins on a male cuckoo wrasse also have a blue edge to them. During mating season the brightness of the head decreases and exhibit white flashes. Female cuckoo wrasse and immature males, tend to be a pinkish colour. the female chaving 3 dark blotches […]

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July 2016

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July! A month once again blighted by wind. Seems to be the most common factor in reports this year yet again. But, where possible we have sailed and enjoyed some great sport inshore and especially out in Holyhead Deep. The first few trips we remained inshore, with winds and tides restricting movement. Our rewards were some good mixed days with a variety of species including plenty of smoothhounds. I spend a fair amount of time drifting around our coastline in search of pollack, coalies, codling and my favourites when drifting inshore the various members of the wrasse family. On the […]

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Mini Species

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There are some anglers around the UK who consider it pointless going fishing unless you get to take your catch home and feed the family, then there are those who want only fish for species that push the scales over the magical 10lb mark. It is agreed though that the fishing is sadly, in general, a lot poorer than what it was 20 years ago. I’m not talking one particular species neither, but all round fishing whether you consider it to be climate influenced or due to the intervention of man, once popular marks are now void of fish and […]

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Wrasse Ballan

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The ballan wrasse is a very strong and muscular fish. It has a large head and small mouth. with thick fleshy lips and large teeth. The ballan wrasse also has another set of teeth further down in its throat. With the first set crushing its prey, the second will grind down the food to aid digestion. It has a long dorsal fin with an array of between 18 and 21 spines. The ballan has over 4 large scales along it’s lateral line. Natural habitat for a ballan wrasse is rock and weed covered ground. The females lay eggs within a […]

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Wrasse Corkwing

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The corkwing wrasse has a thick body, small eyes and a large mouth. It is classed as a mini specie with weights never exceeding 1lb. The most distinctive feature of the Corkwing is that it has a serrated gill cover. Varying in colour although normally green and brown with a lighter underside. The male corkwing wrasse often exhibit a blue tinge to the head. The are found regular in very rocky areas and kelp covered areas. Where ballans and cuckoo can be found in most rock strewn areas, my experience has more corkwing found in areas with low tidal strength. […]

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Wrasse Goldsinney

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The Goldsinny is a small wrasse with small pointed head and long body. It has a fairly large mouth for it’s head size. Similar to other wrasse it has big fleshy lips, and two rows of small teeth, with the strongest at the front. The Goldsinny is a small member of the wrasse family with sizes rarely exceeding 8oz. This wrasse is a light golden brown colour, that turns a whitish colour on the wrasses underside. The Goldsinny has a very distinctive black spot on it’s back just at the base of the tail fin. It also has another less […]

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