Fishing, super technique: hunting for cuttlefish by sailboat

Do you love to go out on a boat even in winter? Fishing is a passion of yours but do you think it is only possible to do it in the summer months? With this article we will discuss a simple and fun technique that can be a nice diversion in the winter months: cuttlefish fishing from the sailboat.

THE SEPPIE.

These friendly cephalopods pull over in early fall and do not leave until late spring. They are mainly stationed on sandy bottoms, but it is also possible to find them in different contexts such as cobblestones or real reefs. They are predators, feeding on shrimp and small fish. They can reach and exceed one pound in weight, although in the Mediterranean the most common size ranges from 150 to 750-800 grams, but XXL catches are not impossible.

THE TECHNIQUE.

From the sailboat, cuttlefish are caught by drifting. Simply set up on a sandy bottom or in an area where we know these cephalopods are stationed, and lower our deception into contact with the bottom. The bait we will use will be artificial lures called “egi,” shrimp imitations of various shapes, sizes and colors. The setup is very simple: a small beam no more than 50-60 cm long at the end of which we will connect a small carabiner. To this should be attached the artificial and lead together. We will use sinkers with eyelets, preferably white, from 20 grams and up depending on the current and sea conditions. If you need to use more than 40-50 grams, you can change the set-up by adding a small 30-30 cm (12 to 12 in.) arm to which you can tie the artificial, as if it were a boating line.

Once the set-up is prepared, it will be sufficient to lower it to the bottom and let it rub on the sand, raising it with soft “jerks” from time to time. When the cuttlefish bites you will feel an almost dead weight. It will be necessary to give a ferrata that is not too strong and to recover steadily to haul it.

THE EQUIPMENT.

This is a basic and relatively inexpensive piece of equipment. Just buy an eging rod, even a cheap one designed for fishing from the boat. Pair it with a reel size 1500 to 3000, loaded with 0.10 braid. With an expenditure of even around 100 euros you can have the whole thing.

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