For the sake of accuracy, I may need to rename my DIY mackerel rig in light of the fact that I’m mostly catching pollock on it. A lot of pollock.
In spite of persistent rain showers yesterday, my wife (who is also my new social media manager) and I made a trip back to the Schoodic Peninsula to do a little fishing and get away from the TV for a while. I also wanted to test the effectiveness of small sandbags as fishing weights (an article on that is planned for the near future).
The harbor pollock were biting almost non-stop during the two hours prior to high tide. Sometimes, we were catching 2 to 3 at a time. Even small fish can offer a decent fight when you reel in three at once. We ended the trip with 13 pollock in the cooler.
A triple!
The day’s catch.
It may seem odd that someone who has been fishing as long as I have gets excited over a catch of small fish. Indeed, every angler dreams of hooking into a tackle-busting record, but in order to truly enjoy fishing, one must learn to appreciate and enjoy small fish.
Small fish are typically abundant, voracious, and bite readily (large fish didn’t get that way by attacking any bait or lure that crossed its path). Additionally, some small fish have a high meat to bone ratio and when caught in sufficient quantity can provide the base for a great meal. Pollock are one of those small fish that are delectable table fare and the icing on the cake is that they are also easy to fillet and cook.
A plate of crispy fried pollock after a day of fishing in the rain.
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