First tope trip

[Alan_dalton]

Had our first time tope fishing this week. Failed miserably,! Only second time out in a boat sea fishing. Failed to catch any mackerel so no bait. Lessons learned was bring other bait to target other species as backup and take frozen mackerel do sat least there is a chance of fishing for tope. Water was dirty though and other people struggled to find mackerel, so it wasnt just us that struggled. The locals knew and went out with bait. Itching to get out and try again!

[Bob Watson]

Mackerel seem to be late in this year, I was out a week gone Sunday. Loads of Cod, mostly undersize, about 7 keepers and my mate had his first ballan wrasse, we also had a few coalies.

Not a single mackerel or even whiting.

[stubbojo]

went out in April, which i would normally avoid as being to early, but there were loads of mackerel being caught on the break water ...
went down there one afternoon and caught 16 in half an hour on white feathers.
been out since on the boat and getting 30 plus mackerel every outing .....there in mate have been in since April ...i suppose some areas are better then others .....for mackerel .....
talking of tope the local rock mark produced a tope over 50lb a few weeks ago

[Alex Fox]

Had our first time tope fishing this week. Failed miserably,! Only second time out in a boat sea fishing. Failed to catch any mackerel so no bait. Lessons learned was bring other bait to target other species as backup and take frozen mackerel do sat least there is a chance of fishing for tope. Water was dirty though and other people struggled to find mackerel, so it wasnt just us that struggled. The locals knew and went out with bait. Itching to get out and try again!

I did exactly the same thing the first time i went Toping and others around us caught quite a few on the frozen back up they had taken ! We only had some squid and the tope were not interested, only consolation were the smoothies that saved the day.

[Alex Fox]

went out in April, which i would normally avoid as being to early, but there were loads of mackerel being caught on the break water ...
went down there one afternoon and caught 16 in half an hour on white feathers.
been out since on the boat and getting 30 plus mackerel every outing .....there in mate have been in since April ...i suppose some areas are better then others .....for mackerel .....
talking of tope the local rock mark produced a tope over 50lb a few weeks ago

Plenty of mackerel now here in Sussex too

[stubbojo]

when i go for the tope , i always take a big bag of chummy frozen mackerel and bran soaked in pilchard oil which i tie to the anchor rope , but keep it off the deck about 10ft to keep the doggys away.....leaves a nice long chummy trail for the tope to home in on and more chance on finding your baits
i freeze the chummy in a bucket then empty into a onion sacks on the day keeps frozen for hours

[Alan_dalton]

when i go for the tope , i always take a big bag of chummy frozen mackerel and bran soaked in pilchard oil which i tie to the anchor rope , but keep it off the deck about 10ft to keep the doggys away.....leaves a nice long chummy trail for the tope to home in on and more chance on finding your baits
i freeze the chummy in a bucket then empty into a onion sacks on the day keeps frozen for hours

[Steve Dennington]

I think it took me about five or six trips to finally get a tope. It was worth the wait though - they don't half scrap!

[stubbojo]

I think it took me about five or six trips to finally get a tope. It was worth the wait though - they don't half scrap!

they do pal on the right gear , i always seem to catch one when i am not targeting them , like when i am targeting rays on light gear ....

[KC]

If you hadn’t of gone out so bloody early we’d of gave ya some macs,sea was more coloured on Sunday then thurs hence why macs were scarce I recon,I had 15 both days on artificials so don’t believe everything the locals say the best is yet to come once that water clears,just stick with it and stay near us next trip heres a couple from last week to wet ya appetite

C7ECCEA3-7541-48F5-A2D3-4B19E544B2D3.jpeg

C8A0F579-53E2-4F94-997C-97CD8BC25F21.jpeg

3058E970-0937-4DDB-BFF2-323B64644E39.jpeg

[stubbojo]

cracking bass and tope there KC WELL IN

[Alan_dalton]

If you hadn’t of gone out so bloody early we’d of gave ya some macs,sea was more coloured on Sunday then thurs hence why macs were scarce I recon,I had 15 both days on artificials so don’t believe everything the locals say the best is yet to come once that water clears,just stick with it and stay near us next trip heres a couple from last week to wet ya appetite

C7ECCEA3-7541-48F5-A2D3-4B19E544B2D3.jpegC8A0F579-53E2-4F94-997C-97CD8BC25F21.jpeg3058E970-0937-4DDB-BFF2-323B64644E39.jpeg

cracking fish in those pics!

[Mike J]

Had our first time tope fishing this week. Failed miserably,! Only second time out in a boat sea fishing. Failed to catch any mackerel so no bait. Lessons learned was bring other bait to target other species as backup and take frozen mackerel do sat least there is a chance of fishing for tope. Water was dirty though and other people struggled to find mackerel, so it wasnt just us that struggled. The locals knew and went out with bait. Itching to get out and try again!

Tope are a problem down here, they come inshore and follow the smoothies as they pup. Plenty lost but some nice fish have been landed by those not using crab.
Next time you cant catch mackies drop down small baits and use whatever comes up, even half a doggie will catch tope plus you could be in for a surprise.

.

[Brian Carragher]

Wish we had a tope problem

Some nice fish there KC

[Bob Watson]

Wish we had a tope problem

Some nice fish there KC

Have you come across any mackerel yet Bri?

[Brian Carragher]

Had 25 or so on Sunday

Eaten most of them already

[Bob Watson]

Had 25 or so on Sunday

Eaten most of them already

How far off were you, just heard they're about 5 mile off now.

[Alex Fox]

when i go for the tope , i always take a big bag of chummy frozen mackerel and bran soaked in pilchard oil which i tie to the anchor rope , but keep it off the deck about 10ft to keep the doggys away.....leaves a nice long chummy trail for the tope to home in on and more chance on finding your baits
i freeze the chummy in a bucket then empty into a onion sacks on the day keeps frozen for hours

Nice idea to keep it off the deck stubbojo

[Alex Fox]

If you hadn’t of gone out so bloody early we’d of gave ya some macs,sea was more coloured on Sunday then thurs hence why macs were scarce I recon,I had 15 both days on artificials so don’t believe everything the locals say the best is yet to come once that water clears,just stick with it and stay near us next trip heres a couple from last week to wet ya appetite

C7ECCEA3-7541-48F5-A2D3-4B19E544B2D3.jpegC8A0F579-53E2-4F94-997C-97CD8BC25F21.jpeg3058E970-0937-4DDB-BFF2-323B64644E39.jpeg

Lovely fish and pics KC

[Brian Carragher]

Had 25 or so on Sunday

Eaten most of them already

How far off were you, just heard they're about 5 mile off now.

Just inside the 6 mile limit, they're coming in closer and closer every day

[stubbojo]

when i go for the tope , i always take a big bag of chummy frozen mackerel and bran soaked in pilchard oil which i tie to the anchor rope , but keep it off the deck about 10ft to keep the doggys away.....leaves a nice long chummy trail for the tope to home in on and more chance on finding your baits
i freeze the chummy in a bucket then empty into a onion sacks on the day keeps frozen for hours

Nice idea to keep it off the deck stubbojo

works a treat alex....... if left on the bottom doggies shred the sacks ....... works for bream too in the right spot ......

[Mike J]

when i go for the tope , i always take a big bag of chummy frozen mackerel and bran soaked in pilchard oil which i tie to the anchor rope , but keep it off the deck about 10ft to keep the doggys away.....leaves a nice long chummy trail for the tope to home in on and more chance on finding your baits
i freeze the chummy in a bucket then empty into a onion sacks on the day keeps frozen for hours

Nice idea to keep it off the deck stubbojo

works a treat alex....... if left on the bottom doggies shred the sacks ....... works for bream too in the right spot ......

There is a nice wire cage that is sold as a pencil and pen holder for office desks.they make perfect bait cages that nothing can rip, they don't come with a lid but a small patch of chicken wire suffices.
Ive even thought of trying them in the fresh.

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