Sussex Smoothounds - June 2017

It was good to be back on the beach down in West Sussex once again. May and June are good months for our shore angling here in Sussex. There's always a chance of a Stingray or a nice Smoothound and it was with these two species in mind that I headed west on a breezy Saturday afternoon.

I was loaded up with plenty of ragworm for the Stingray, a few frozen crabs and a box of squid for the Smoothounds. I like to keep my fishing simple and as such had tied up a few pulley rigs with nice sharp 3/0 hooks. These rigs are easy to tie and have never let me down. They clip down well enabling a nice streamlined presentation for the cast too.

It was rather windy when I arrived on the beach and I feared the worst with regard to the dreaded weed! I made an exploratory cast with just a lead tied on and to my surprise found the water to be totally clear. Game on!

I rigged up both rods, set up the tripod and baited both rigs with large worm baits. It's the stingers that I was really after having never caught a big one in the UK. I soon realised that the wind was going to cause me problems. It was so strong it kept pulling the lead out of the soft sandy seabed.

I ended up just using the one rod and casting up into the wind and putting a bow in the line which did the trick. I changed the worm baits every 20 minutes or so and sadly they came back untouched every cast!

As the light started to fail, I switched to crab baits and had a nice bite on the first cast that came to nothing. Upon inspection of the bait, it was clear to see it had been crushed in the jaws of something. Most likely a Smoothound.

With the wind slowly dropping it was much more comfortable, so I prepared another crab bait and sent it out to the 80 yard mark. It didn't take too long before the tip pulled over and sprang back again. I wound down and this time felt some good weight and resistance. After a lively scrap I had my first Smoothound on the beach...a pretty nice one too. It certainly pulled well.

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO OF RELEASING A SUSSEX SMOOTHOUND

With darkness approaching and a rumble in my belly, I packed up and headed home. Windswept and happy! There's always another day for the Stingrays.....Tight lines!

Kayak Fishing on the Wild Coast - Feb 2017

The 'Wild Coast' at dawn in front of the camp

Whilst on my travels 3 years previously I had discovered a Kayak fishing camp way out in the wilds of Panama, far off the beaten track. It was run by a Frenchman, called Pascal, who had the great vision to build an off the grid eco camp at this fantastic location.

With no people for miles around and it being a good hour and a half boat ride into the wilderness from the end of the nearest road, it's a very special place. The fishing is pretty much as virgin as you could find anywhere. It's untouched. It's places like this that really excite me and I arranged with Pascal to spend a week with him.

The communal area at the camp

To make the trip viable and keep the costs down I needed to get a group of four anglers together. With this in mind, I invited Jeff Smith, Paul Harman and another friend Kyle Waterhouse. I arranged all the logistics and got the boys to fly out to Panama in February of this year to join me for an adventure none of us will ever forget!

Paul, Jeff, Pascal, Kyle and I - The Kayakeros

It's a simple set up at the camp. All off the grid and run on solar and gas. With basic wooden structures to sleep and eat in, it really fits in it's environment well. Every morning the four kayaks are loaded into a panga along with the anglers and deposited at some of the most incredible looking fishing spots you could imagine. Pascal calls it 'The Wild Coast'......and rightly so.

Heading out in the morning

Once you are afloat in your kayak you are essentially left to your own devices, which I really liked. To me, this is the true essence of what kayak fishing is all about. Having to think for yourself and work it all out. Far better than being told exactly what to do and where to do it by a guide, in my opinion. Very satisfying when it all comes together.

We were each supplied with a heavy spinning/popping set up and a heavy jigging set up. I also had a lighter spinning outfit of my own to have some fun with the smaller species. Large and medium sized poppers, shallow divers, deep divers, speed and slow jigs were the order of the day. 

Selection of successful lures

The big draw at this location are the monster roosterfish, amberjack and cubera snapper. Some groups of anglers have had over 30 different species in a week. There is some real variety to be had, such is the biodiversity of this part of the Pacific.

The thrill of catching hard fighting fish from a kayak is hard to beat. It adds an interesting extra dimension to your fishing. Being so low to the water and watching fish chase down your popper, being towed around by unseen leviathans and the extra skill required make every capture that little bit more memorable and special.

Preparing the kayaks on our first morning

It's an exhausting experience in the heat mind you. Being in a kayak for 8 or more hours in a day certainly takes it's toll on the body. For me, it's the perfect balance of thrills and adventure though. It's extreme fishing. Robson Greene.....eat your heart out!

The smaller species alone provided us with arm-wrenching battles that at times had you believing you were attached to a submarine, such was their power. For the first couple of days we all enjoyed some splendid sport with jacks, snapper and small yellowfin tuna as we got settled in to the experience.

Jeff with a nice little Yellowfin Tuna

One species in particular that gave me a real tussle were the bluefin trevally. Pound for pound, I'd say they were easily one of the most powerful fish we encountered. They never give up, fighting with real brutish strength and always ploughing hard for the safety of the sea bed and rocks below. If you allowed them to take any line then they'd undoubtedly reach their sanctuary and reef you. Not only did they fight really hard, they were also incredibly beautiful and happy to take just about any lure you chucked at them. A serious sports fish.

Nice Bluefin Trevally

The snapper species were also very obliging. There were at least 7 different species of snapper available to us and we caught most of them I believe. I was fortunate to catch one of the prettiest varieties, the rock snapper, which took a liking to a big white jerkbait I was using. The fight from this fish was exceptional. It came flying out from behind a large underwater boulder, I saw it hit the lure and turn back for it's lair. It was a short but powerful scrap, proper hit and hold fishing. Eventually my tackle wore the fish down and I got to pose with the stunning creature for a quick photo before it's release.

Stunning looking Rock Snapper

Pascal, our host, had his very own version of a 'Grand Slam' which is in fitting with the location and the hard fighting species present. The big three that make up this 'Slam' are the Roosterfish, the Cubera Snapper and the Amberjack. All of which grow to huge sizes. Targeting them from a kayak with lure fishing gear adds a real element of the 'extreme' to the whole situation. Having little experience with big fish from a kayak,  hooking anything monstrous would be a baptism of fire!

Over the first couple of days, we all got accustomed to our new fishing platforms and had fun with some of the less challenging species available. It wasn't until later in the week that I was able to open my account on the 'Slam'.

Kyle with a beautiful Mullet Snapper

After a slow morning where my only real action was losing a large fish in the rocks, the wind then got up making our drift too fast. It was no good, fishing became impossible and we had to move locations.

After loading all the kayaks back in to the panga and motoring a couple of miles down the coast we were dropped off behind a large peninsula. This was tucked out of the wind nicely and made fishing much more comfortable.

Stunning scenery on the 'Wild Coast'

I immediately made a beeline for the point where there was white water washing all over the exposed rocks. As I did so, I chucked a large popper around 30 feet behind my kayak and trolled it along, popping it every few seconds.

Paul with a Pacific Barracuda

I passed over a shallow reef and from out of nowhere there was a huge splash behind me, the rod was nearly ripped from my grasp. Something had smashed my popper like it was it's last meal ever. With my drag locked down tight, the kayak stopped immediately and started to turn as the fish made a dive for the reef below. I held on for dear life as the rod took on it's full fighting curve, my kayak now being dragged in the opposite direction.

Nice Cubera taken on a Popper!

It was insane how powerful this fish was and I leant as far back in to it as I dared, managing to get a few turns on the reel every now and then. After the initial crash dive for cover, I sensed the fish realised it wasn't going to make the sanctuary of its lair. It was only then as it circled deep below me that I got  my first glimpse of a large Cubera Snapper.

Business end of a Cubera Snapper

It didn't like the sight of the kayak and tried to crash dive a couple of more times, but the fish was tiring. The strong tackle absorbed it's final lunges with ease and before long it popped up on the surface. There were a couple of tense moments trying to get the fish on the grip but once it was secured, she was mine.

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO OF CATCHING A LARGE CUBERA SNAPPER ON A POPPER

It wasn’t until pulling the fish out of the water on to my lap for photos that I realised quite what a lump it was. I was elated and could have gone home happy then and there. To catch and release a specimen Cubera in itself was enough for me. Little did I know, there was much more to come.

The following day dawned hot and bright again. The plan was to target Roosterfish. So far, only one very small one had been caught by Kyle. I think it's fair to say that this is one species all of us longed to catch. With their characteristic comb like dorsal fin and striking black and white stripes, they really are the most handsome of fish.

Lunch break on a deserted beach

Pascal ran us East to where long stretches of sandy beach were interspersed with patches of rock and reef, it was classic Roosterfish territory . Poppers and stickbaits were the order of the day and I stuck with my trusty 'feed popper' lure that had brought me success with the Cubera.

Almost immediately, I had a hit and was briefly connected to a small Rooster before the hook came unstuck. It was unlucky but I wasn't phased, I was after a much bigger fish. They are known to reach sizes up to 100lb in the waters of Panama and that's what I was after.

Heading out after breakfast full of anticipation

A little later, I approached a small group of rocks breaking up a stretch of beach and decided to troll my popper as I had done for the Cubera capture. I worked my way along the face of the rocks parallel to the shore, popping the lure every few seconds.

On about the fifth pop, everything went tight and I slammed the hooks home over my shoulder. As I turned and looked behind me, I saw the remnants of a huge boil and the kayak suddenly lurched to one side as the unseen fish fled. It towed me straight in towards the rocks and I had to work hard to keep the fish from dragging me into certain carnage.

Paul with a nice Bluefin Trevally from the rocks in front of the camp

It was a tense experience to say the least, the power of the fish was beyond anything I had experienced before....let alone from a kayak! I had no idea what I was attached to and it kept wanting to tow me into dangerous water. Repeatedly, I had to turn the kayak and peddle for the safety of open water.

Eventually, I got a safe distance from the shore . The fish then went deep and there were moments where it was pulling so hard that I was almost turned out of the boat. It was an extreme experience and by now Paul and Kyle had paddled over to watch the show. We still hadn't seen the fish at this point.

A rather unusual catch on a big jerkbait!

Out of the blue, it got a burst of strength and managed to rip a good fifty yards of braid off a nearly fully locked drag. Then it came up in the water, popping it's head out for just a second, enabling us to get our first glimpse. It was a Roosterfish of jurassic proportions, we all yelled in unison with disbelief at the sheer bulk of the fish. It was beyond my wildest dreams!

Seeing it only added to the intensity of the experience. I was looking at a fish of potentially 70, maybe 80 lbs here. A fish of a lifetime for sure! It took a further fifteen minutes to subdue with many more hairy moments before it tired.

Happy Campers!

The fish finally hit the surface and I couldn't believe what I was looking at. It was almost as long as the kayak. The frame of the fish was immense with a huge sickle-like tail that would look more at home on a Marlin! It was a Roosterfish like no other, a fine specimen and one of the biggest Pascal had ever seen. I was over the moon - what a result!

The mother of all Roosterfish - an incredible fight from the kayak!

This fish was conservatively estimated around the 70lb mark and released after a few photos, I was literally shaking with all the adrenaline. I never expected to find a Roosterfish of that caliber attached to my lure. The 'Feed Popper' had done it again. It was the only Rooster that was caught that day and spirits were high in the camp that night as the beer flowed.

Beautiful Rooster!

Heading out the following morning, Pascal was quick to remind me that I only needed an Amberjack to complete the 'Slam'. There was an offshore jigging spot he had in mind for later in the day that could produce the goods.  First spot on the morning itinerary, however, was inshore over some lovely looking reef.

There were plenty of Jacks to keep us entertained

There were plenty of dolphins around as we approached our spot and where there's dolphins there's often tuna. Once on the water, I started trolling a deep-diving lure at full speed and was quickly rewarded with a hit. There was no mistaking the fight of a small tuna.

I got the small yellowfin to the kayak, unhooked it and tossed the lure back over the side. As I looked up, I noticed a large fish in the water next to me. It was big Wahoo circling my deep diving lure next to the kayak. I was amazed to see a Wahoo this close to shore and so curious in my lifeless lure. It was most unusual.

Jeff with the biggest Cubera of the trip

As I watched the Wahoo, it circled the lure a couple of times. It was too close to the kayak for me to cast at so I lifted the deep diver out of the water to see what would happen, putting the rod away in the rack behind me. This confused the fish and with no shiny lure in the water to grab it's attention, it swam off.

I then quickly grabbed my lighter rod and cast a minnow lure beyond the fish, ripping it back as fast as I could. The Wahoo clocked the lure and jumped into top gear immediately, smashing it at full speed. It was incredible to watch and once connected, the reel screamed as the fish made an epic first run.

Almaco Jack on the Jig

It was a spectacular yet short lived fight and with the razor sharp teeth in mind, I called Pascal over with the safety boat to gaff the fish . He exclaimed it was the first Wahoo to ever be caught at the camp and it provided a delicious dinner for us all that night. I have to say, sight casting to a Wahoo is not something I ever expected to get a chance to do, let alone from a kayak. What an experience!

Big Wahoo from the Kayak

In the back of my mind, I was still thinking about the Amberjack that was needed to complete the 'Slam'. When we headed out to the deep water jigging mark after lunch, I was rather keen to get cracking. Even though the jigging action had been very poor all week due to the arrival of the cold water currents, in my mind I knew that there's always a chance.

Jeff and I had been working our jigs over a pinnacle for some time and I was almost about to give up when he hooked up. I watched and filmed him have a right old tussle with a large, strong fish. It had to be an Amberjack from the way it was fighting.

Jeff's Amberjack

Sure enough, as we got a look there was no mistaking it, well over 20 lb too. Jeff was made up and I realised that now was my chance to complete the 'Slam'. Once I'd done Jeff's photos for him I got straight back on the mark and dropped my jig down with renewed enthusiasm.

It took a while, but after ten or twelve more drops I got the 'smash and grab' hit that I was looking for. Undoubtedly an Amberjack, all I had to do was keep it from getting back to the reef below and finding sanctuary....which is easier said than done from a kayak! These fish really do pull and they never give up, typical of the Jack family.

An absolute belter of an Almaco Jack

After several minutes of tense battle, I finally got the upper hand and managed to start cranking the fish up from the depths. Reluctantly, the fish eventually broke the surface and laying there beside me was an Almaco Jack of over 30lbs. Once on the grip, I knew I'd done it and achieved the 'Slam'. I couldn't believe it to be honest. Pascal came over in the safety boat and took a few snaps for me, offering congratulations as he did so. I never set out to achieve a 'Slam' on this trip, I always keep my expectations low. It's too easy to be disappointed otherwise. That's the thing about fishing....you just never know!

CLICK BELOW FOR FULL VIDEO OF A LARGE ALMACO JACK TAKEN ON A JIG

As incredible as the events of these recent days had been there was one final surprise in store for me on our very last afternoon. With only an hour left on our final day, Paul and I found ourselves fishing a gnarly headland with a large swell rolling in. It was risky, but as long as you kept your eyes on the swells it was possible to fish safely. There was white water smashing all over the point and by now we had worked out these were the 'hot spots' to be fishing. 

Hard fighting Pompano

After taking a couple of small jacks and a pompano, I got the kayak into position in front of the point and sent my popper flying in to the danger zone again. After two pops of the lure I saw a huge black shape appear behind the lure and chase it down. Then I noticed the characteristic dorsal of yet another monster Roosterfish as it smashed the lure and all hell broke loose.

Loading the kayaks after a long day on the water

This fish slack lined me and headed straight out to sea. Once I finally caught up, it towed me with it before then turning and heading right back towards the thundering swells again. Jeff had now joined us and was following me with the camera offering words of encouragement and advice. It was a titanic battle and at times got a little too close to the rocks for comfort. Fortunately, everything played out okay and besides a close encounter with a rather large wave I finally managed to get the fish out beyond the swells, to play it out in safety.

Giant Roosterfish #2

After a fight of some twenty minutes, I was able to boat my second giant Roosterfish of the trip. Just a fraction smaller than the first and estimated around the 65 lb mark, I honestly never expected to get a chance at another of these incredible creatures. After a few photos and a little reviving, the fish was released. That was my last cast of the trip.

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO OF A GIANT ROOSTERFISH BEING RELEASED

I still have to keep pinching myself now when I look back at the moments from this incredible adventure. It's hard to believe really. It makes everything worthwhile when it all comes together after all the planning, anticipation, research and hard work. To share the magical moments with friends old and new makes it all the sweeter. That's what it's all about - until the next time.....Tight lines!

This is what a Cubera Snapper does to a Bonito Livebait!

If you'd like to find out more about these trips or fancy joining me next winter in Central America, please do get in touch. I'm acting as the UK agent for the Panama Kayak Camp with places to fill next February (Peak rooster and cubera time!) and also various other operators out there now. I can help you make your fishy dreams come true. Contact me on 07813 640066 or Samwadman@hotmail.com or search for 'Sam Wadman' on Facebook.