Duration: Various
Tide: 16th April: HW at 5 pm; 17th April: HW at 5.45 pm
Weather: 16th April: Warm, sunny, light northwesterly breeze, 17th April: Light southeasterly breeze, bit of sea mist, clearing later
Bait: Lures
Rigs:
Results:
16th April: 1 bass (6.25 lb+)
17th April: 3 bass
Report:
16th April: I headed to the mark where I caught a good bass last week, getting there just as the tide was starting to push in. I started with a Feed Shallow but I was casting across a shallow reef with strands of weed and was getting snagged. I changed to the soft plastics. I put on a Texas rigged Slug Go and on the second or third cast I was hit by a powerful fish. It was pulling strongly and stripping a little line. I was worried that it would come off as I tried to get it across the shallow reef and waited until a bigger wave rolled in, then surfed it over the rocks. It continued to fight very strongly, twisting and splashing about in a shallow gulley and eventually I eased it on to the rocks. It was a fine 69 cm bass, weighing just over 6.25 lb
I continued fishing in the same area until the tide pushed me back. Moved along the coast and fishing into several small embayments but I could tempt no more fish. But I was happy enough with the one fish I did get.
17th April: I started in the same spot as yesterday but this time there were no bites. I moved along the shore as the tide pushed in but nothing was interested in a broad selection of lures. I worked my way through a series of small embayments and gulleys but there was not a fish to be seen. Eventually I reached a small cove with a lot of rotting seaweed pilled up on the shore. I reckoned there might be a chance of a bass feeding on maggots or small fish close to the margin of weed. I cast out a range of hard and soft lures but again nothing was biting. Then I spotted the outline of two fish, just submerged and crusing only 3 or 4 meters out from the shore. I cast a Texas rigged Slug Go over the fish and retrieved just in front of one of them but it showed no interest. I cast a second time but when the lure hit the water it spooked the fish and they disappeared. I continued fishing there for some time and every five minutes or so there was a small splash so I knew the fish were still there but still I could not tempt them to bite. Initially I thought they were bass but it's possible they were mullet.
I had intended to pack up at 5.30 pm as I needed to be home by 6.30 pm. So at about 5.25 pm I decided to have one last try at another mark not too far away. I started off with an Xlayer. On about the second cast I was connected with a good fish about 20 m out. It gave a good fight and tried to get around a jagged ridge of rock which would probably have snapped my line had it succeeded but I managed to turn it and gradually coaxed it towards the shore. It was a good bass, about 5 lbs, and just under 60 cm
I switched to a Feed Shallow. Second cast I was hit by another bass about 30 m out. This felt a heavier fish and was stripping some line. But when I eventually landed it I found the fish was much the same size, although fatter, with a weight of 5.75 lb
After a few more casts I had another savage bite. This felt to be another strong fish, and again stripped a little line. It was putting up the strongest fight of the day and it took a few minutes to get it in. It was just over 61 cm but weighed the same as the previous fish at 5.75 lbs
It was 6.00 pm at this stage so I reluctantly packed up