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advice for holidaying anglers fishing near valetta, sliema etc

Started by phildean, August 19, 2008, 11:54:03 CET

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phildean

A bit late I know, but her we go with day 8.

I arrived at the fortina to find 4 anglers with larger rods cast out.  The water was clear again so i started by bouncing a worm towards the top of the pool area at the fortina.  I got the odd bump and an occasional small fish but the fishing was slow.  I came round to below the gates, just below the flash new bridge and apartments (it does look nice from the outside).  The water was shollower here and very clear and ai spooked a couple of bass whilst walking.

After a couple of combers, wrasse and bream I deep hooked a wrasse.  I cut the line rather than doing surgery but i must have punctured the swim bladder with my hook as the fish sank gently to the bottom.

Thinking nothing more of it i fished on, after about 20 minutes two snake like shapes, brown mottled, came through the water near to where the fish were, they seemed to come out of knowhere.  They writhed over each other like dancing cobras.  Each weighing about between 1 and 2lb  i guess (less than a kilo) they were not large examples of moray eels, but they were the forst i'd seen on this side of the atlantic.

You've probably guessed by now, but I caught a couple of small bits, re rigged on a size 2 hook with the 20lb line, and fished these hard on the bottom on a running ledger set up, setting my reel on baitrunner position, waiting for a bite.

Bearing in mind they'd arrived within 20 minutes of that fish dieing, i waited for 2 hours without a bite.  They were still about, as I caught fed a little fish in, and sure enough they came round again, but the gear i was using must have shown up like a christmas tree at a barmitzpah.

Some mullett came round and i fiddled on with the bread, for a few minutes before I had to leave.  Again no success, though one of the guys nearbye was doing the, must now be famous, roll of bread with 10 hooks wrapped round it waiting to snag a fish.  He had one medium fish (6oz or so/ under 200g), but nothing to write home about.

Now I don't know what you think about the tactic, personally if you're catching for the pot, I have no problems with it, though it's not particularly sporting, but their must be a better way as potentially you could end up foulhooking 3 or 4 undersize fish which just end up feeding the cat.............anyway it was more succesful than my (sporting) method, which gives it a tick in my box.

I finally headed off, burnt and, to be honest, beaten.  It was time for breakfast and a plan for my final day, day 9.

Just to add, i had my first lampuki that night at pebbles restaurant on the Sliema front, it was excellent, well cooked and very reasonable to me at 17E. By this stage we had decided that this was our preferred restaurant near the hotel, though we also liked the one next to the band club in St Julian, but after a hard day sun bathing, eating a drinking, walking to St Julian was not attractive.


blueskip

Great report again phildean, you should be working for the Malta Tourist Board! I'm glad you persevered with the live baiting, that had to be the way from the shore for the bigger predators, it works over here with a live sandeel, or a "joey" mackerel, & predators are predators all over the world ;).
Your comment about the fly rod, means that my Exage 9' AFTM 6/7, & a sinking or sink tip line & some lures will be in my suitcase as well! (dont know if I have room for clothes). I bought some 110gm Dexter Wedges yesterday, I am determined to give that deep water near the Blue Grotto a "going over" on at least one occasion. From the reports given by the local lads, & your "fresh eyes" approach over the last week, I am now confident that I will catch fish from the shore, apart from the "tiddlers on a crust" that I have been used to, roll on Sept 28th, I might even say hello to my son while I am out there! ;D
blueskip
Blueskip

phildean

Day 9 was, you've guessed it , hot!!!

i set up as per day one with bread and some preserved prawns.  I sat in front of the waterfront and fished for an hour or so hoping for a mullet.  A couple of bream and the odd wrasse, were all i had to show for my time so I wandered up to the fortina with hopes for something bigger. 

I wrigged up with 20lb gear again, and fished a handline for some bait.  Thankfully I soon had a fish so was able to put a bait out.

This time I rigged up a 2oz (25g) lead and a size 1/0 hook.  I rigged the fish in a flapper style and cast it out into the main boat lane.

I carried on with the handline for some fun, getting the odd fish (which went back), wondering what big fish action I may get.

The water was clear, again, but I hoped that casting it out may help me assuming that the little early morning boat traffic may have stirred up some silt.

I got a number of twitches after 20 or so minutes.  I held the rod, another twitch, I struck...into nothing...too early......the bait was shredded as something had been playing with it. after a few minutes with the hand line I was ready again, I cast in and waited..........and waited.....at 10.15, unable to stand the heqat any more, I headed back to my hotel.

Malta had won...........we got ready to depart that day.  We'd had a great time and will come back.

I've already found the tackle I'm bringing (including a 330 shimano exage, a carbon telescopic coarse rod and a take apart 8' fly rod), in the words of the governer of california....I'll be back.



The aim of this post was to help those who fancy some shore fishing, whom come across this site, to get a feel for what they can expect.  It is not an experts opinion, if you've read this far you should realise that, but hopefully the points I learnt whilst out there, will be of some use to other travelling anglers who have no idea what to expect.

Tight lines to all of you and hopefully we may meet some day on the back of a boat landing something mighty strange from the mighty deeps.

SPITEC

Very good post phildean.Although I am Maltese and go a lot fishing I liked it a lot the way you described each day.
FISHING IS THE BEST HOBBY AND IT'S GREAT FOR RELAXING

blueskip

I have thoroughly enjoyed your day by day reports, & I like the way you have "rung the changes" to try to winkle out that odd good fish, I have had a lot of what I suspected anyway confirmed, the use of livebait, or deadbait, fished "sink & draw", will attract the odd predator to take a snap.
I concur with your decision on tackle, my Exage 12' 6" beachcaster (which will also be slinging 110gm Dexters & 7" poppers), my Penn Firestix 12/20lb & my Firestix 50lb+ are already out there, along with a couple of large fixed spools & a couple of multipliers, & my Exage fly rod is coming with me. Unfortunately there are only 24hrs in a day, & perhaps it wont be so hot in a months time. The only thing we should really consider leaving behind next time are our wives :o maybe next time you are going to Malta you will let me know & I will go out at the same time, we sound similar in our approach, & I can go anytime being retired, & having family living in Marsascala. It isn't a holiday really, we are just going out to see how the family are getting along :D
bluekip
Blueskip

phildean

blueskip, i've just spent ?60 on an 8 foot (2.7m ish) shimano rod, the butt is take apart, the main rod is telescopic, it feels gorgeous compared to the one I had, I'm ready for those mullett now, though it will be hard work with anything over 3kg.

roll on next holiday, i'll give you a shout when I'm coming out.

blueskip

After reading the Malta Spinning Forum I plumped for a 10' 4SSS from Veals of Bristol, it will cast up to 80g, it only cost ?39.99 inc VAT, & should be ok for some light legering as well after them bream! Only drawback is that it only came in a rod bag, I have had to buy a rod tube so I can take it without getting it broken.
By the time I finish sending & taking tackle to my sons house, its going to look like Mister Fish's shop! ;D
blueskip
Blueskip