Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

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mtan8
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Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by mtan8 »

There are lots of fishes at our rocky shoreline but unfortunately it is almost impossible to fish with almost every attempt resulted in lost of tackles/ weights and fishes. I am tempted to design a special tackle and weight device for fishing at rocky shorelines without getting "san kort". Preliminarily, I am thinking of having a 1m long tube of 1/4inch diameter where the bottom of the tube is internally filled with a 100g weight lead while its upper end is attached to a float. This will result in that device landing vertically in the seabed and there is no way for the rock crevic to catch/ san kort the device because the tube is of constant diameter unlike a traditional weight where the weight having a larger diameter than its line gets caught at the crevic between the rocks due to its larger diameter compared to the line.
If anyone has any idea of this device (in any other form) appreciate if you can share your idea. Thanks.

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by ilurbtambans »

use mini sandbags? o.o

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by Peace »

An interesting idea, here's my take. You're right that the tube is very unlikely to get snagged, however you still need to consider the fact that the hook still may. Getting to the fishes mean getting the hooks close to the rocks too, so there's still a risk.

Unless your device can confidently break the hook line saving your tube sinker, it can be very expensive to use. Also you have to consider fishes like grouper taking your hook and somehow snagging the entire rig. There's also factor of turbulence caused by waves (if shallow) as well as current trying to topple your tube.

Of course these are just speculations, we won't know till you've tried it out. I'm keen to see how your device works out, so do give it a try. I love these fishing innovations.

As for rocky shoreline fishing like breakwaters, a long and strong pole rod may do the job provided you're not aiming too far out. The advantage of using pole rod is the ability to lower the line straight down so it's not as easy to get snagged and you can easily move the bait around however you want it.

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by mtan8 »

Those things you mentioned are indeed valid points to note. Will take them into consideration when making that trial device.
I do have a long pole around 10m long but it is still not long enough. I estimated it will require a 14m to 16m long pole to reach that idea spot (end of the 2nd rocky slop).
Will let you know the result once try out that vertical sinker device.

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by Peace »

There's also a crucial point of finding the right amount of buoyancy to use for a particular weight. Too much and the rig won't sink too little the tube won't stand upright. You technically can find out by trial and error in a controlled environment, but when you dip it into the sea, the water density may be different plus factors discussed above on how it might affect it. Another problem is you have no sure way of knowing if it is standing upright during the actual deployment other than it doesn't get snagged.

Pole rod is actually long enough if you can reach the lower step during low tide. However, it is only possible to do this during very low tides and it's extremely slippery to stand or walk on. It is also subjected to characteristics of of the breakwater as well, not all of them have a lower step. Groupers tend to hide very close to the slopes below the lower step so you don't really need any casting at all.

Good luck on your project. :)

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by mtan8 »

Indeed the weight of the device has to be just right to enable the vertical sinker to sink and be in a vertical position. I would expect to have a few trial and error to establish the right weight combination and will probably run into other issues as mentioned in your earlier email.
Regarding pole fishing, I do have a few years of pole fishing at Marina South (near to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge) before it was converted into a fresh water reserve. At that time, I do have many enjoyable occassions during low tide with decent catch of Damsel fishes, Parrot fishes, India Grouper, stone fishes etc.. (with small hooks) However, presently the Marina South ferry terminal area seem to have very strong waves especially when a boat goes by. Nowdays, I also have limited time slot for fishing and it seem most of the time when I can make it to the rocky shoreline it was not at that idea low tide and my 10m pole was rendered almost useless. Definitely looking forward to an anti-sankor sinker device that will improve the situation.

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by Peace »

I had fished at Marina South Pier before, the right side is a pretty promising place to fish. There's lots of surface action but the waves can be a problem as you said. Anyway, I'm looking forward to see your test results, good luck. :clover:

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by mtan8 »

Yet to make the anti snag sinker for casting but made one for pole fishing. From experience, pole fishing is also prone to getting snagged at hostile rocky sites. The one I made consists of a length of tiny steel rod with 3 small hooks on it. Caught 3 catfishes, 2 Hindu Groupers (too small - released) within 1 1/2 hr without getting snagged. But it will still get snagged when the fish took the bait and rush back into the rock crevic. Managed to free it after applying a slight tension on the line for around 1 min.
http://yfrog.com/b5img00021201002271753j
http://yfrog.com/evimg00022201002271810j
http://yfrog.com/evimg00029201002271933j
However, I went back again today and the response was very very poor. Almost not a single bite for 1 1/2 hr. Probably the tide was too low and/ or the fact that fishes only feed at certain timing.
Going back to your earlier email, when you mentioned "lots of surface actions" are you referring to Baracuda? I have been thinking of casting out a heavy float with a live prawn. What do you think of the chance of catching a Baracuda or a large Garfish?

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by Peace »

That's a really neat trick with the wire, I like this idea! :D The casting one will be much harder accomplish but I sure hope you succeed. That's not a bad catch you've got there, black eetails are very nice fishes and there are people fishing specifically for it. But more importantly, it lets you know that the rig is working properly. :)

Regarding Marina South, those surface actions were mostly Todaks. But I can assure you there are other predatory fishes chasing the tambans there. I personally caught a Saitoh there and when I was fishing for the tambans, many of them came back with bite marks or the entire tamban was snatched away while I was retrieving back.

Barracuda is definitely a possibility for I had witnessed someone landing it there. He was kind enough to let me take a photograph. :)
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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by mtan8 »

Thanks for sharing your experience. Frankly, Todak is also my favourite but I only managed to catch a small one at Bedok Jetty using double ended float with 5 small hooks and prawn meat as bait. How can I catch the Todak at this rocky shore? I suppose the "cable car" method used at Bedok Jetty won't work at this rocky shore. Casting out using float should be ok except will need to monitor it full time to avoid thrifting to the shore and getting snagged.

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Re: Anti - "San Kort" weight for rockey shoreline fishing

Post by Peace »

For the todaks, it's most effective if you can do spot casting. That is to say you must be able to see the todaks and cast towards it. A pair of polaroid sunglasses will help a lot. You don't need a float in such cases, just spin the tamban near the todaks. Once they hit, you got to slack the line to let them swallow the tamban before striking. There's the lasso method too but I've not tried it before.

If you want big todaks, a good place to get them is at St John's Island's causeway. Todaks over 1kg is not uncommon there.

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