KAYAK FISHING BLOG | CORNISH KAYAK ANGLER
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Information Guides
    • Choosing a Fishing Kayak
    • Choosing A Paddle
    • What to Wear
    • Essential Safety Equipment
    • Paddle or Pedal Kayak?
    • Installing A Fish Finder
    • How to Anchor A Kayak
  • Kayak Modifications
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Places to Fish
    • North Cornwall
    • West Cornwall
    • South Cornwall
  • UK Fish Identification
  • Photos
    • 2013 Photos
    • 2014 Photos
    • 2015 Photos
    • 2016 Photos
    • 2017 Photos
  • Marine Life Photography
    • Fish
    • Cnidaria
    • Echinodermata
    • Mollusca
    • Crustacea
  • Links

Kayak Fishing Blog

Tope-busters!

31/5/2014

 
Picture
I have often contemplated targeting Tope from the kayak but have never got round to trying for them. News was in of Tope showing on the North Cornwall coast so hatched a plan to dedicate a session targeting them. A bit of research online into rigs, gear and conditions and I was ready. I spent the evening before tying tope traces – 8/0 Mustad o'shaughnessy hook double crimped to 12” of 100lb Sakuma coated Wire biting trace attached via a swivel to 5ft of 80lb Fluorocarbon rubbing leader. If I hooked one I wanted to land it!

Elliot and myself set off to fish the evening tide, Elliot on the Black Tempo and me on the Abaco. It wasn’t long before the Jaws theme tune was being played through the car speakers! Then the Ghostbusters theme tune came on which we aptly renamed ‘Tope-busters’ - we aint afraid of no Tope! We really weren’t expecting to catch any but we were definitely in the mood for shark fishing!

We paddled out against gentle rolling swells and dropped mackerel flappers down onto mixed ground. I was using my 12-20lb Ugly Stik Braid rod, Abu 6500 loaded with 20lb braid with a 40lb leader. It wasn’t long before my weight became snagged. I managed to pull it free and wound up to check the bait. As the bait came into view a large grey shape followed! Next thing a Tope was on the surface chewing my bait…. It swam off at speed and I waited a few seconds before hitting into it… the rod hooped over and line poured off the reel, then it went slack. The fish had spat the hook. Damn! A minute or two later and Elliot was getting bites on the bottom and was soon connected to a hard fighting tope. Run after run kept Elliot smiling and after 10 minutes or so a Tope of around 20-25lb appeared at the surface. Gloves went on and the Tope swiftly pulled aboard and after unhooking and a few photos was released back to the depths. Elliot’s cheers of joy would have been heard for miles!!
Picture
Right my turn… my bait was sent to the bottom and after a few minutes I was getting sharp heavy bites. The tope grabbed the bait and tore off at speed, I let it go for about 5 seconds before hitting it hard, then all hell broke loose. Line was stripped from the reel as the fish ran along the bottom. I gradually managed to bring it to a stop and turned the beast.
Picture
Several powerful runs and about 15 minutes later we got sight of the fish. Hell this ones bigger than the last!! My heart was pounding with fear and excitement as I grabbed the wire trace and the topes pectoral fin and hauled the fish over my lap. The power of the fish was unreal and keeping the fish calm was a battle! I struggled to lift it and we both estimated it at around the 40lb mark (later confirmed by calculation using length and girth measurements). My first Tope! I was over the moon!! A few quick photos before it swam off strongly back to the bottom.
40lb kayak caught Tope
40lb kayak caught Tope
Elliot caught himself two more Tope in quick succession, one of around the size of the first and a bigger one at around the 30lb mark.  
Picture
Picture
Picture
He kindly retired his rod to allow me a chance to catch up as my bait hadn't been down so that i could help him boat, unhook and photo his fish. First up was a beautifully marked Bull Huss of around 7-8lb.
Beautifully marked Bull Huss
A little wait longer and a bigger fish had found the bait. It played around with it for a short time and then disappeared. I slowly wound up to inspect the bait when the rod bent double and once again line poured off the reel at speed!! It had followed the bait up and nailed it!! This is awesome!! The fish took maybe 100 yards of line on the first run and kept changing direction multiple times towing me with it! This fish was angry. My arms were starting to ache as I kept the rod locked over to keep control of the fish. The fish eventually began to give up and a lovely Tope of around the 30lb mark soon arrived at the side of the kayak wrapped up in rubbing leader. I grabbed the line ready to boat the fish when the tope unravelled and with a couple of powerful surges was heading back to the bottom. I couldn’t stop myself laughing at the shear power and speed of the run and in around 5 seconds the fish had reached the bottom again – it had only taken me 15 minutes to get it to the surface in the first place! Another 10 minutes or so and the fish was mine – this was amazing fishing and was quickly becoming one of the best sessions ever.
30lb kayak caught Tope
30lb kayak caught Tope
There was just enough time for one more fish. Elliot was occupying himself with the mackerel tinsels whilst being ready to assist landing and photographing, as I had done when he had hooked his tope. Within 5 minutes I had another searing run. “Tope on!”, This fish felt slightly smaller than the 2 previous fish but fought admirably all the way to the surface after a few spirited runs. A nice Tope of around 20-25lb to finish the evening. 
25lb kayak caught Tope
We paddled back to shore smiling and laughing all the way whilst singing ‘Tope-busters’. We had often spoke of catching decent sized sharks from the kayak but never really expected to catch 6 Tope, 3 a piece, in a short evening session. Elliots best went around the 30lb mark and mine the biggest of the session at around the 40lb mark – not bad for my first Tope! We were fishing for around 3 hours so considered that one of the best sessions we have ever had.
Swantee
31/5/2014 12:41:53

Great report , great fishing.


Comments are closed.

    Author

    Liam Faisey

    Liam Faisey Cornish Kayak Angler

    SPONSORS

    palm-equipment-logo
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Navionics Logo

    Proudly associated with
    Cornwall Canoes
    Cornwall's only specialist kayak fishing shop

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    February 2022
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    Anchor
    Anchor Chain
    Anchoring
    Anchor Reel
    Anchor Trolley
    Atom Bib
    Baillons Wrasse
    Ballan Wrasse
    Basking Shark
    Bass
    Battery
    Black Bream
    Blonde Ray
    Blue Shark
    Boat Fishing
    Bull Huss
    Buyers Guide
    Camera
    Clothing
    Cod
    Common Skate
    Competition
    Conger Eel
    Corkwing Wrasse
    Cornwall
    Couch's Bream
    Crate
    Cuckoo Wrasse
    Dab
    Diy
    Dolphins
    Drift Fishing
    Drysuit
    Equipment
    Extendable Pole
    Fishfinder
    Fish Finder
    Fishing Kayaks
    Flounder
    Footwear
    Gilthead Bream
    Goby
    Goldsinney-wrasse
    Go Pro
    Gps
    Greater Weever
    Grey-gurnard
    Grey-gurnard
    Haddock
    Herring
    Hobie
    Hobie Eclipse
    Hobie Outback
    Hobie Outtfitter
    Jellyfish
    Kayak Fishing Guide
    Kayak Review
    Kayak Surfing
    Kayak-wars
    Launce
    Launch Venues
    Leashes
    Lesser Spotted Dogfish
    Ling
    Lithium Battery
    Live Bait
    Lowrance Elite 4x Dsi
    Lure Fishing
    Lures
    Mackerel
    Marine Biological Association
    Measuring-fish
    Megrim Sole
    Mirage Drive
    Modifications
    Mother Shipping
    Mounting-board
    Oceanic Pufferfish
    Ocean-sunfish
    Octopus
    Paddle
    Paddling
    Palm
    Palm-kaikoura
    Pedal Drive Kayaks
    Penzance Kayak Fishing Meet
    Pfd
    Pilchards
    Pilot Whales
    Places-to-fish
    Plaice
    PLB
    Pollack
    Porbeagle Shark
    Pouting
    Railblaza
    Ram Mounts
    Ram Tubes
    Ray
    Raymarine Dragonfly
    Red Band Fish
    Red Gurnard
    Red Mullet
    Reef Fishing
    Review
    Revolution 16
    Rigging
    Rock Cook Wrasse
    Rod Holders
    Rod Rest
    ROKK Mounts
    RPF Master
    RTM
    RTM Abaco 420
    RTM Abaco 420
    RTM Luxe Seat
    RTM Ocean Duo
    RTM Rytmo Angler
    RTM Tempo
    Safety
    Scad
    Scorpionfish
    Scotty Mount
    Selfrescue
    Shark
    Shore Fishing
    Skate
    Slide Track
    Small Eyed Ray
    Smoothound
    Spotted Ray
    Starting Out
    Storage
    Storm
    Streaked Gurnard
    Tandem Kayak
    Team RTM UK
    Teksport Xplore 330
    Thermals
    Thornback Ray
    Tompot Blenny
    Tope
    Triggerfish
    Tub Gurnard
    Turbot
    Ugly Stik Elite Spin Rod
    Ugly Stik Kayak Rod
    Undulate Ray
    VHF Radio
    Video
    Viking Kayaks
    West Cornwall Kayakers
    Yak Attack

    Add my blog to your feed reader by clicking the button below 

    RSS Feed


    Cornish Kayak Angler - Kayak Fishing Blog

    Get blog updates via email

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    blog web counter
    Web Counter

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Kayak Fishing Videos

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Kayak Bass Fishing Video
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed Widget
    Custom feed reader powered by FeedWind

    Useful Links

    Anglers Afloat
    Cornish Shore & Kayak Fisherman
    Cornwall Canoes
    ​Palm Equipment
    ​Penzance Kayak Fishing Meet Info
    Saltwater Kayak Fisherman
    Magic Seaweed
    XC Weather

    Picture

    Choosing a Paddle for Kayaking

    Kayak Fishing Clothing

    Pedal and Paddle Fishing Kayak Pros and Cons

Cornish Kayak Angler - Kayak Fishing Blog

Popular Pages

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Kayak Modifications
  • UK Fish Identification
  • Places To Kayak Fish

Sponsors

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Navionics UK

YouTube

Facebook

Website powered by pasties and the hope of good weather!
© 2023 Liam Faisey
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Information Guides
    • Choosing a Fishing Kayak
    • Choosing A Paddle
    • What to Wear
    • Essential Safety Equipment
    • Paddle or Pedal Kayak?
    • Installing A Fish Finder
    • How to Anchor A Kayak
  • Kayak Modifications
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Places to Fish
    • North Cornwall
    • West Cornwall
    • South Cornwall
  • UK Fish Identification
  • Photos
    • 2013 Photos
    • 2014 Photos
    • 2015 Photos
    • 2016 Photos
    • 2017 Photos
  • Marine Life Photography
    • Fish
    • Cnidaria
    • Echinodermata
    • Mollusca
    • Crustacea
  • Links