Drifting For Pollack

I am off drifting for pollack next week, what are the best lures, that aren't too expensive, but are effective?

Replies:

1. Try some jelly worms or power bait,fairly cheap to buy. Could be worth taking some rubber eels as well on a long flowing trace.

2. As mentioned previously, take Eddystone eels, different colours work at different depths so take some blue and white, red, orange, and black.

Watch the other anglers and see which colour is working best. The most important thing is the clutch, get some one to pull the line from the rod as a fish would. I have seen people pull line from the reel while setting the clutch and this is daft as it does not take into consideration the drag over the rings, the bend in the rod or the stretch in the line. It is a brave man that uses braid for pollock.

Boom, swivel, clear nylon trace a couple of feet long (Amnesia works for me), drop to the bottom and wind up about 20 turns slowley, if you don't get a take, lower down again.

When you get a take, Keep winding, DON"T strike, it might just have hold of the tail of the lure. Pump up and wind when you lower the rod tip, keeping tension the line at all times. The fish will dive, let it take line, you will get it back, half way up it will dive again, let it take line, just below the surface he may try one last dive, this is the worst time as you have very little line to stretch so all the pressure is on the bend in your rod and the clutch.

During the day you will get tangled up with other anglers, if it looks a mess, just cut your trace away and put another one on. It saves you missing a drift. Have lots of traces made up and ready.

I hope the above advice helps and as I said, sorry if I am teaching granny to suck eggs as it were.