| Sand
Fishing
The majority of sand collectors are content with
gathering samples of sand from the beach, amongst the dunes
or along the shores of a river or lake. However, there are
other sands that are hidden from the prying eyes of the sand
collector. These sands are found at the bottom of the sea
and inland lakes, even in rivers and deep streams. Of
course, you could dive for samples and that's fine is you
have the equipment and skills to do so, however, there's
another simpler way - sand fishing.
But before we delve into this rather unusual topic
further, one might ask why would you want to try sand
fishing in the first place? The answer is quite simple. The
sand you collect from, say the beach, was placed their by
the action of wind and tide and will be of a particular
composition dependant on the strength of the tide and wind.
The sand that lies on the sea floor was placed there in
rather different environment and will possibly be of a different
composition. As such it might be worth trying to gather some
for your collection. Sand fishing is one of
the easiest ways of obtaining this type of sand. The
principle is simplicity itself and there are two main
methods of doing so, by hand and with a fishing rod. With
both techniques the set up is similar. Each consists of a
length of line with a weighted sampling container attached
to one end. The container is then thrown, or cast if using a
fishing rod, into the sea, river or lake. Once the sampling
container has reached the bottom it is then retrieved, and
hopefully, some sand will have accumulated in the container. Unless
you already own suitable heavy-duty sea fishing tackle, hand-casting is the
most economical method but does not give you the distance
that casting with a fishing rod will provide. To start
hand-casting you need some strong line or rope - a spool of
heavy duty kite flying line is ideal and is available in
convenient 100 metre lengths which will allow you to cast from
bridges, cliffs and so on. My tip is to purchase some "Paracord"
available from survival and outdoor shops. It's easy to
handle and has a good breaking strain. Another option is to
get hold of a Mackerel trolling hand line kit, it comes with
30 metre line, line winder and weight - just add your sampling
container - you can pick them up at seaside shops for about
£5.00. You'll also be well advised to wear a pair of heavy duty
gloves to protect your hands while hauling in the line.
Note, you might need a longer line! The sampling container is the
most important bit and needs to be sturdy enough to
withstand being dragged across the sea or lake bed. You
can use just about anything as long as it's heavy enough to
sink - even a plastic pill pot will do if a weight is
attached to the base. The sampling container does not have
to sink into the sand, it's the process of dragging it
across the sand that gathers the sample. The overall weight
of the sampling container is important. If overly lightweight
you will not be able to cast it very far - too heavy and
it's difficult to throw. Trail and error here is the thing. Using
a fishing rod to cast your sampling container gives you far
greater range, and a better chance of getting samples. The
ideal fishing rod is one used for sea fishing which,
together with a heavy duty line, will be able to cope with
dragging and retrieving the sampling container. Sand fishing
can be carried out from a variety of locations including
from bridges, over the side of a boat, from the beach or
along the banks of rivers and streams. Whatever
method you use, you might just be surprised what comes up
with your sampling container and could find yourself with
some interesting samples - sand from the bottom of Loch
Ness, the Dead Sea or just your own local pond. Sand fishing
adds a little something to each sample collected this way. |
