scratching

exscuse the lame question , only back to sea fishing after 25 years ,( i was tired) :cry: what does scratcing mean , apart from the obvious, no crabs or lobster jokes please :roll:

trying to "scratch out" a few fish by dropping hook size etc, its used mainly by match anglers and when trying to avoid a blank

scratching: a technique used as MC said to scratch out fish.. as previously stated using smaller hooks, also smaller baits..
usually cast20-30yrds and retrieved at a very slow rate for about a yard and stop for a minute or two, then repeat.

this technique is very effective for flatties as it makes them inquisitive when they see a bait move and bites can occur almost instantaneously after the bait has stopped on a retrieve.

this technique is often used in the latter stages of competitions when fish are scarce in hope to provide a valuable point or two..

ders no lame questions as you learn sumething new each day, im sure even the pros still learn day by day.

exscuse the lame question , only back to sea fishing after 25 years ,( i was tired) :cry: what does scratcing mean , apart from the obvious, no crabs or lobster jokes please :roll:

Fair play for asking, I was wondering myself what that meant (not being a match angler :wink: ).

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... 9&start=84


Hope kieran doesn't mind!

Only stupid people don't ask questions! :lol:

Yep

I thought that scratching was as previously described, a stepped retrieve designed to induce takes from flatfish - but as I think back, this was in gin clear water in drought ridden river estuaries in the height of summer!

Now I know better! Scratching involves size 4 to 8 hooks and baits that a surgeon would be proud of... tiny strips of mackerel skin with the faintest whiff of meat attached... I swear a peeler crab leg looked massive beside it! Amazed to see how many small fish there were on that beach, fair dues to the lads for having such precision and skill, but hard feckin work!

My only previous experience with competitions was on the west coast where dogs, rays, pollack, big dabs and flounder were the main targets and size 4 to 8 hooks were left to trout anglers! :wink: My usual is 2/0.

It was a real education to see what these guys could pull out of a obscenely shallow beach in a gale on 1st March.... mind you it is snowing now so I guess we should be grateful! :shock: It could have been worse!

Competition anglers are a breed apart...

FWIW

thanks for all the replies, am much enlightened :) have to try that , might even catch a fish for a change :P

exscuse the lame question , only back to sea fishing after 25 years ,( i was tired) :cry: what does scratcing mean , apart from the obvious, no crabs or lobster jokes please :roll:

disagree with most of what has been said on here ,,,
the definition of scratching is to do something diferent to the other competeing anglers in the relvant comp,,
to catch 40 fish in a comp under 30 cm is not scratching,,30 to 20 t=yds out with small hooks ,,you know the fish are there and you go for it,,that is NOT scratching,,,so what is???i would say good angling :P :P
scratching is a phase used very loosly,,what about hitting the horizon with a clipped down sandeel 2/0hook the sharpest in the world to pick up the odd dog that will win you the match,,scratching is not nessesesarlly down sizeing in a comp :shock: :shock:

http://www.worldseafishing.com/shore/scratching.shtml

The best rig is a simple three-hook paternoster made from 50lb line and 120cms long. Use short 23cm 20lb hook lengths positioned between crimp trapped beads at the top, middle and bottom of the trace. The short hook lengths are far enough apart so as not to tangle in the surf. In very calm seas, drop the hook length down to 15lb or even 10lbs breaking strain if bites are very slow. It can make a difference and improve the catch by allowing a small light bait to move more naturally in the tide.

Hooks also need to be small. Carry sizes 2, 4 and 6 Aberdeen's. The size 2 is a good all rounder, but if bites are few drop down to a smaller bait on a size 4 or 6 to improve your bite ratio.

The key bait is lugworm. Black lug is useful, but due to its size needs cutting in to small sections and you lose the bulk of body juices in the process. I prefer small and juicy blow lug which you can use whole to maximise smell in the water and enable the fish to find the bait. You can do a lot with the reliable lug. Fished as individual bait it will take dabs, flounders, dogfish, codling, rockling and school bass, but not always.


You need to be casting only 30 to 50-metres to find the fish. Flounders and coalfish in particular are often just 20-metres out and working in only 60cms of water. They will work their way in to any deeper parallel gullies and travel downtide through these. The gutters hold washed in food as the first flush of tide passes over them and can provide rich pickings. Keep casting in to these until the depth of water between the gully and your self increases enough to allow fish to come closer.

this is the best i have found on the term scratching