3-Bearded rockling -fishing technique

[sturmik]

Hi- I was fishing one of my marks during the night in last week in hope to catch any pollock, coalie or sth similar. Bait- mackerel strip and lugs (earth worms). I didn't get anything of the species above but it was few bearded rocklings (25-30cm). I wouldn't eat them, but anyway it was good fun to have your rod bouncing whole night. And now the question - they eat my full ice-cream box of mackerel strips and bunch of lugs but I could catch only 3. What was wrong- the rod was bouncing after 30 seconds in water but usually, hooks were empty. I had 1/0 baitholder hooks- are they any good for catching a fish from pier? What sizes are you usually using? Around 10 fishes broke of the hook when retrieving... Its really frustrating me because I feel that even if I catch good fish- it will go away as the others... Should I use 3/0 hooks? or smaller? I'm quite new in night sea fishing and just want to set up everything properly. Thanks for any response

[paul mason]

Reduce your hook size and keep your bait small. Try using Kamasan B940m hooks size 4s. More than likely it was small fish pulling at your bait and not getting hooked.

[last cast lad]

Any of the bigger 3 bearded rocklings up to about 45cm I get are often on large baits and 6.0 hooks when conger fishing, The shore rockling is a very similar species but has a smaller mouth, perhaps they are being a nuisance plucking at baits as they are often found in larger numbers, while the bigger 3 beardies I seem to get as isolated loners, just my experience.
But yeah, mackeral bait is def their preferred bait.

[sturmik]

OK, so I think that my ones were shore rockling- not 3-bearded rockling.
BTW: My friend told me that he caught rocklings in the past and ate them. He claims that they are tasting like a cod...
or something in-between a cod and mackerel Have you ever tried that fish? I know that it doesn't look very eatable but maybe some of you checked that.

[roger de dodger]

i,m sure they are fine to eat ,if taste went on looks i dont think many folks would eat monkfish /anglerfish ,try it ! i catch lots of dab and still havnt eaten one but i think i will as my mother told me they are prob the tastiest flatfish in the sea?
do you use bait elastic?? if your hooks are getting stripped afew turns of bait elastic can increase your catch rate!

[tight lines]

i,m sure they are fine to eat ,if taste went on looks i dont think many folks would eat monkfish /anglerfish ,try it ! i catch lots of dab and still havnt eaten one but i think i will as my mother told me they are prob the tastiest flatfish in the sea?
do you use bait elastic?? if your hooks are getting stripped afew turns of bait elastic can increase your catch rate!

i have tryed them but did not like it soft mushy texture and bad taste as for the dabs roger your mother is dead right best of all the flats we get on the east coast but saying that i have not tryed turbot or brill because i have never got 1 but if you class ray as a flat fish then the dab comes a close second