Smoothound fishing trips, My Way, Holyhead, North Wales

	GO Angling Charter Services smoothound fishing
	Tel: 01248 716315 \|Mobile: 07971 924046	gethyn@goangling.co.uk

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F A Q's

North Wales has long been established as a venue for smoothound. The fish have been targeted by both boat and shore anglers with some good results. Smuts as they have become more affectionately known to many anglers can be found around many boat marks off Holyhead, Trearddur Bay, Llanddwyn and Whitebeach. All these marks have given anglers some quality specimen fish over many year, the very same areas also offering shore anglers the opportunity to hook into this hard fighting species.

Erwin Douglas, starry smoothound weighing 21lb 9oz, caught on My Way July 2006

Smoothound are found in mainly shallow waters around our coastline feeding on a host of crustaceans that include hermit, shore and edible crabs. In Holyhead, when crab has been hard to come by we have also had fairly good catches when fishing for smoothound using large squid baits tipped with 3 or 4 good sized ragworm.

Smoothound have a grey upper body and white underside. Distinguishing between the common and starry is relatively easy, the starry hound takes it name from the many white spots that are found on the upper part of its body, and the common smoothies has none. This species of fish is live bearing, and can carry between 4 and 15 pups at any one time.

		Above, Brian Taylor, with a 25lb 6oz starry smoothound caught in June 2007

	Rods & Reels
	A good uptider is the main choice for smoothie fishing. Down tide rods can also be used in around the 12-20lb category. Uptiders of both 4oz to 8oz and 6oz to 10ox can be used when seeking out the very big smoothound. Reels can range in size and type. There are a host of different makes and models to choose from however with reels sized similar to Daiwa's sl30sh, Abu 7000 or the Penn 535 sized reels you can't go far wrong. Mainline in the 20 - 25lb range either mono or braid. When choosing your main line, you should be looking for something in the region of 20 – 25lb breaking strains. The choice between braid and mono has to be down to the individual and their preferred reel line, however if choosing braid, a 40 or 50lb shock leader will help absorb any impact if the fish makes an impromptu bid for freedom.

Rig Choice

Your trace line should be between 40 and 60lb breaking strain, with hook sizes between 2/0 and 4/0. If rigging up a 2 hook rig, each hook can be baited using a single crab, or a half each of one big crab, the combination of 2 hook baits, equalling that of using one large juicy offering.

Further reading on Smoothounds at Tackle Talk

Call Freephone 08000 934418 to book your trip

GO Angling Charter Services, Dalmuir, Chapel Street, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5HW