There is nothing like fishing a different patch to get the old mind cogs moving and sharpen the LRF skills. It’s kind of fun to go somewhere blind and see what can be caught and with this in mind my mate Adam jumped in the van and we burned some company diesel along the coast to Weymouth.
Corkwing Wrasse
The Corkwing Wrasse is a staple of summertime LRF. One of the most colourful fish in British waters. Their heads are often adorned with turquiose and orange stripes, setting them apart from the other wrasse species. At certain times of the year they can shoal up in vast numbers giving the LRF angler almost unlimited sport. Most often, but not exclusively, Corkwing can be successfully caught using artificial worms fished on a split shot rig, small jighead or dropshot.
Lure Heaven UK Species Hunt
Summer appears to be slipping away on the south coast, so I thought I better put in some effort for the Lure Heaven UK species hunt. Luckily the Corkwing are still in residence at pretty much every seaward mark we fish in Portsmouth – they won’t be for too much longer. Then a change of mark presented me with seemingly a sea of Black Goby but I did fluke out my first Dragonet of the year – good for the comp and my yearly species tally.
Corkwing Bonanza
I like the end of the summer season. Fish species seem to turn on in waves. If last week was boom time for Cuttlefish, this week was peak for Corkwing Wrasse. There were dozens feeding at both the marks we fished and very eager to take an artificial worm. Such was the ferocity of the Corkwing it was nearly impossible to catch anything else with this tactic
Technicolor Corkwing Wrasse
Technicolor Corkwing Wrasse caught from Swanage Pier, Dorset
Corkwing Wrasse on Gulp Sandworm
Nice sized Corkwing on a white Berkley Gulp Sandworm.