Wrasse

Hello just start sea fishing. What is best bait for wrasse? And do you know any good marks around waterford?

Hi there,

Rag, lug or crab or limpit is best for wrasse. Use small hooks, 4s or around that size, wrasse have small mouths. Ledger or float tackle is best, float fishing being my favourite. Use a float stop and appropriate weight for the float. A single bead sliding on the line above the bait can help attract the fish. I don't know the area you're fishing but any deep gullies with good wave action and plenty of kelp should hold wrasse. A just the float stop to fish near the bottom and watch the float carefully, sometimes the fish lift the bait and the float will flop over. Tighten in and strike, being prepared to put pressure on if the fish dives into the kelp. If he does snag, give some slack line and hopefully he will pull your rig free. Avoid fish baits as wrasse won't take them most of the time and use a small bait size.

Hope this helps!

N

All ninted's advice is good but I would go bigger and stronger for wrasse.

Around Waterford, there are tons of good marks but you need to get away from the estuary. Past Tramore there are good marks on the road to the Metal Man.

My preferred wrasse fishing rig is a size 2/0 set to a three way swivel 30 cms above the lead. You can use a rotten bottom link on the lead if you want or just tie an old orange net close with some stones and use an elastic band! Another swivel 1 metre above and you are ready to go... The key is to fish straight down. On the Metal man coast out past the baths, you can walk down to the rocks and find the overhangs and cracks where the wrasse are hiding. Its better if there is movement in the water and I often find the ebb better than the flood. Whilst wrasse have fairly small months, ballen wrasse get big around there and fish to a kilo will comfortably take a 2/0 hook.

If you are using limpet, whip on the guts with elastic. Small hardback crabs (a two euro coin) are supreme wrasse baits... hope this helps.

Thaks lads

Hello just start sea fishing. What is best bait for wrasse? And do you know any good marks around waterford?

An easy and effective bait to use is lugworm. Last week I used them on a single hook trace like Kieran described. Had 11 fish to 5.9lb

Check out Corrane wrasse session in the shore angling reports:)

This might sound crazy,but presuming you are going to be returning the fish try put them back away from where you caught them.Why you ask,crazy as it might sound ive always found if I return wrasse from where I landed them then the swim can go very quiet.However 200 yards away on the next mark the wrasse are still feeding hard.
I know it sounds weird but its something I just do when targeting wrasse and mullet as well.

Wrasse are easy to catch if their about. Float fishing for me, is best for numbers. Large cigar float on the mainline with powergum above it as a stop. Under that use a small snap swivel. For the trace i use 15lb fluro, about 5/6 feet long. 3/0 Mustad Chinu hook on the bottom, about 12/18 inches above that i use a small drilled bullet and another bit of powegum under it. On top a small swivel to clip onto the snap.
Cast out and the float should be cocked. Fish as deep as possible, move the powergum on the mainline to put it deeper or shallower. Keep experimenting till the float is sideways, pull it in, then shorten it by about a foot and your good to go.
I usually use rag, peeler crab can pull the better fish tho but for numbers i prefer rag. Never had any luck on hard backs no matter how much ive tried.
Fish as close in as possible. The marks i fish will produce within about 3/4 feet of the rocks. Any further out and the numbers drop off.
Also, for the powergum on the mainline try to leave the tags about a cm long. They will go thru the guides ok that way when casting, any shorter and the knot can catch.

Another exciting way to fish for wrasse is to free line your bait. Light tackle using 10 or20 lb braid, a swivel and a short 2 or 3 ft length of 15 lb mono hook length. Because the fish are generally close in its not necessary to cast far. The bait sinks slowly so it's presented more naturally and the swivel provides a small amount of weight that can help casting. Small peeler baits whipped to the hook with bait elastic work well because they are dense and heavy for casting. A longer rod is helpful to keep clear of rocks and weeds.