Look Forward

Now I'm no authority on who does what with the fish they catch, and I certainly don't hold anything against anglers who keep a small number of their Bass for the table. But when you see the photo of 5 or 6 breeding size fish, lined up dead and waiting to go home, I can't help feeling almost cheated.

As a lure angler, I think you naturally develop of tendency toward catch and release. Myself, I haven't killed a single Bass this year. If I'm honest, I doubt I will again. It's just a personal choice, I'm not a preacher and each to their own. If you visit various Sea Fishing forums, you often see posts complaining of how marks 'just don't fish like they used to' or 'the netters must have been here'. With commercial pressure on the stocks, can people really afford to keep bagging up hauls of Bass? We really should be looking forward now, with a little forethought we can work together and help protect this valuable fish.

I had a great feeling when an angler watched me revive and release my PB Bass, he was gobsmacked and I really thought he was going to jump on it! But that warm feeling was almost as enjoyable as the fight I had from her.

Keep the odd fish, but don't slaughter them. When I release a fish to grow bigger, it's a lure fisherman I imagine catching her when she's a lunker!!

Found a few video's that are of interest, thought I'd share them here and here. The Japanese really are on top of their game. I don't think their light years ahead of us with techniques, more that anything they're passionate about, they throw lots of money at. The video's on the Shimano site are a prime example, just check out the adverts that come up in them every so often, they wouldn't look out of place on national TV!

Looking Forward

I know that here in the South-West, there's still a fairly decent run of fishing ahead of me this season, but I can't help but cast my mind forward to next season. I've learnt so much this year and am still absorbing information at a rapid rate of knots, I just don't have enough time left this year to deviate from what I already know will catch me fish.

There are a few things I'm looking forward to trying out next year. Driftbait's being one of them. I've had a fair bit of success using Softbaits drifted in a local Estuary mouth and know that sinking plugs work also, so these Drifbait's seem the natural lure of choice. I was put onto these by a Forum member called Dave Irving, who has had a good deal of success using them in Estuary marks that he fishes. As far as I can tell, they're ultra popular in Japan and catching some BIG Bass over there(picture below).

As far as I'm aware, these slow-sink Lures are import only at the moment. Although I'm guessing it won't be long before one of the specialist Lure shops stock a few.

The other thing that is playing on my mind is rod choice for next season. I just can't help feeling that most of us fish too heavy for our Bass. I'm leaning more and more to rods rated up to around 21g. I don't exactly fish with a heavy rod, but considering that most of the Bass I catch are 1.5 - 3lb, surely I should be fishing with a set-up geared toward getting the most from fish of that size, but capable of handling bigger specimens when they come along. I was originally leaning toward a Tenryu Injection, but after much trawling of Japanese sites, have come to realise that there are so many rods of just as good quality, for at least £100 less.

The meet on Sunday was a success, with a turnout of 13 that proved to be a lucky number as all but one person caught Bass. Stevie managed 5, with the biggest of the day going to one of the Falmouth lads, at a shade over 3lb. Was an excellent day out, conditions were near perfect and I'm looking forward to the next meet already!

Bored in work, weather looks nice... How many fish am I missing out on??

Really need to get my Boss into Bass fishing!

This coming Sunday

Most definitely looking forward to this coming Sunday. Seems there are a good few from the Forum attending the meet that I've set-up at Whitsands Bay in S.E Cornwall. The forecasts are showing that there should be a bit of movement in the water and I'm in high hopes that we'll see a decent fish between all attending.

For anyone that doesn't know, Whitsands Bay is a surf beach that stretches almost 3 miles and is known for holding decent Bass, in fact, the best fish I've heard of from here is 12lb! On bait admittedly, but still.... Just imagine!! I've seen Turbot while wading here at low tide, so those using SP's stand a chance of adding one to their species list.

Look forward to seeing everyone there.

A Top(water) Day

Had a nice day out yesterday. Went with Stevie over to Whitsands Bay in S.E. Cornwall and met up with Lure Forum members Marq and Toby Harnett. Arrived to Mediterranean looking water, with little or no movement and barely a breeze. Hardly ideal Bass fishing conditions, but a nice day to be out all the same.

Toby had already had a Bass at 44cm(Bent Minnow), good work in the conditions. It was clear that things would be slow though. Managed a Gar on the Feed Shallow Mullet pretty early on. There wasn't much else happening, so it was decided we'd explore a few gullies a bit further up the beach.

We all spread out over what looks like some of the Bassiest looking water I've ever fished - can't wait to fish some of these gullies with some movement in the water! I quickly winkled out another Gar, this time off the top and on the slinky little number so fondly known as the Pink Lady.

I hear calling in the distance and I'm was being beckoned over by the others who were making off back down the beach. I then noticed why, a decent amount of bird action with possibly 20 Gulls picking food from the top layer of water. By the time I got there, the birds weren't so localised and had spread out. Tried with the Lady for a little longer with no interest, so decided to try the Patchinko(Nacre). Surely far too lairy for these conditions? Apparently not, hooked into a Bass that probably wasn't much more than double the size of the lure. Hungry? This kind of set the tone really, as the only other Bass I managed was pretty much of the same stamp although taken on the Lady. Did managed a follow from a group of fish next cast, but they hung pretty deep underneath and didn't make a concerted effort to rise into it.

Organised a bit of a meet at this spot for the coming Sunday, initial weather forecast looks like a mostly dry day, with winds up to 35kmh from the North. Will keep an eye on these conditions and hopefully see a drop in the wind by then, but retain some movement in the water. Looking forward to meeting some of the names from the Forum.

We won't talk about Stevie blanking.....

Had a few days off this week and with the Mrs busy at work had 3 days of fishing planned! First off was Wednesday. Was up early and off to my favourite estuary mark to fish 2 hours down to low. Had a go with the Spindleworms, not a sniff though (not sure if the local fish like Bovril ?). Ended up hooking and losing one fish on a giant Xlayer(Ayu), frustrated I went home shortly afterward. Stevie had the next 2 days off work also, so needed to do a bit a planning as the conditions weren't looking great. We set off at 5.30 the next morning and ended up on the North coast of Cornwall. We arrived to some decent swell on Boobies Beach and little wind. I took this Bass on an IMA Sasuke 120 in Red and Gold, that went 2.8lb on the Bogas and fought like he was at least double the size.

Within an hour the cross-on shore wind had picked up and was making fishing pretty annoying. as we we're local Stevie wanted to check out Ben Field's shop Art Of Fishing in St. Merryn. Ben and his partner Jo are proper nice people and took the time to chat and show me some of the Tenryu range he has in stock down there. The Injection is beckoning me, I can feel it!!

We tried a couple more spot's in the area that day, after Stevie almost getting floored by a BIG wave we decided to make the journey back up the A38 to Plymouth. While on the way back, it was arranged that we'd hit my favourite estuary mark again the next morning.

Arrived at the said mark by 8am and were met with a clear sky morning and a very swollen river mouth (5.8m local tide... Pretty big!). I've fished this place successfully with SP's, but never used plugs or hard lures, so when Stevie suggested sinking plugs (Jackson Athlete SS), it kind of made sense in this ultra fast water. Wading out into waste deep water that is snorting past you at a mega rate of knots is an exhilarating experience and something I just love. After only 2 casts I hooked into a fish and lost it within a few seconds, Stevie had cast and drifted his lure drifted into the same place and he was into this little fella.

Possibly the smallest Bass I'd seen taken on a lure. The tide was dropping rapidly so I positioned myself a little further down and clipped on a Giant Xlayer(Ayu) with a 10g head. I didn't have to wait too long before a fish snatched the Xlayer as it bounced along the bottom.

With the water moving so fast, I had a real fight with him as he used to current to his advantage. This saw me running down the bank to keep parallel as I didn't want the force of the water to pull the hook. Great fun!! With no more fish showing and low water fast approaching, we moved across to the opposite side of the beach to explore some gullies that we hadn't previously fished.

Stevie was first into a fish, tempting a scrappy little fish on a Feed Shallow(black and Gold?.

The fish took the lure while it was lying motionless on top as Stevie moved back on the rock to avoid a wave. This prompted me to pull out the Patchinko, but didn't get a sniff, so on with the subtle and slinky Z-Claw (Pink Lady) and within a couple casts had a 1.2 and 2lb fish succumb to her powers. Nice thrash and splash take from the 2nd fish, great fun.

The tide had turned now, so back over to the river to try and catch them on the way back up. Various tactics employed saw no fish until 2 hours in and and unfamiliar take and fight on the Xlayer. Felt quite strong and was using the tide and staying deep. Then just as I got it close, i could see it was a Flounder(my first on SP's!). Was a nice plump fish and guesstimated at 2lb.

Stevie pulled out another small Bass and we decided to call it a day. Not exactly the two day Bass bonanza we had been hoping for and we never saw the lunker we had been anticipating, but still a good couple days on the Coast.

Stormy Sunday

Went out with Stevie on sunday. Decided to give a local surf beach a shot with plastics. As we arrived it was clear that neither of us had actually checked the surf report!! Got down on the beach and it was probably close to double overhead, so that was wading the rips and gullies out of the question. Ah well, make the most of it! Plenty of rocks to climb on.

We we're both using Lunker City Fin's'Fish, Texas rigged with cone weights. These fished almost completely weed free. Although the 10g weight was probably a bit OTT for normal use, it was definitely neccessary in the conditions, doubt we would of kept in contact with the lure else.

Anyways, no fish for me(thats 3 blanks in a row now!?!). Stevie managed to winkle out a 2.8lb nicely conditioned fish that put up quite a scrap in the rip.

Got a few days off work now, so hoping for some fish. Had some Megabass Spindleworms  turn up today, funny that they  smell like Bovril?! Lol. If they work, I may just start smearing my lures in the stuff.



First post.... Of many?

Well here it goes, always seem to have a lot to say, so might as well start saying it!

Got to say, living in Plymouth is amazing if you're into any sort of sea-fishing. The variety of ground around here is mind blowing. Whether it's fishing reef, surf, currents, estuaries or anything in between, we really are spoilt for choice.

This last season has been such a learning curve for me, with the addition of fishing (with effect) Soft-Plastics - in various ways, including HRF and in currents - as well as honing my watercraft further. I'll be the first to admit though, I've still got a lot to learn, and I'm having real fun learning!!

I'll post some stuff on techniques and tackle that are working for us around here at present and also review bits and pieces that I think people might be interested in.

Ciao for now.