Waterford bass - 27th November 2008

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 4.00 - 5.00 pm and 6.00 - 10.40 pm

Tide: LW at 11.30 pm

Weather: Clear, dry and veeerrrry cold

Bait: Lug, razor

Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulleys

Results: 3 bass




Report: I headed to the Dungarvan area again, I had intended to get there early afternoon but got delayed and got there at 4.00 pm. I did a bit of plugging/spinning for an hour until the light faded. But nothing was biting. Then I moved on to the beach mark I first fished last Saturday.

The tide was beginning to drop when I arrived. I set up two rods with 3/0 pennel pulleys baited with lug/razor. Usually I have a third rod with a flattie rig cast in close but didn't bother this time as this was purely a bass targetting session.

About half an hour after setting up there was a small knock on one of the rods - I picked it up and then felt a small pull - struck and could feel a fish on the end. From the pull I thought it had to be a bass - sure enough a few minutes later I hauled a 43 cm bass out of the surf

It was quite for a while after that, then at about 8.00 pm I noticed a small twitch on the rod tip - it continued with little twitches for a minute or two - I reckoned it was whiting nibbling on my bait - I gave the rod a swift jerk and suddenly felt a strong pull - there was something more substantial than a whiting on the end. It had to be another bass and it was putting up a stronger fight than the previous fish. When I got the bass ashore I found it had been hooked on the smaller top hook of the pennel. It was bigger than the previous one at about 46 cm

It was getting very cold - my feet usually feel cold in waders but they were feeling numb this time - I resorted to running up and down the beach to keep warm - not the easiest feat in waders My bait didn't thaw out at all - despite been out of the freezer since 3.00 pm - I fact I think it was getting more frozen

A little after 9.00 pm I noticed another small twitch on the rod tip - I picked up the rod and held it. I could feel a few very gentle tugs but no solid bite - I waited for the next little tug and struck - hooked onto another fish. This one was putting up the strongest fight so had to be another bass - this was the largest of the night at 48 cm It was again hooked on the top hook of the pennel.

I thought it was unusual that the bass were so gentle in testing the bait - I guess they have been caught by Cortaz so many times that they have learnt to be cautious about food they find lying on the seabed

By 10.40 pm I had enough of the cold, packed up and when I got back to the car I found a thick layer of frost over the windows - I thought it was cold alright but didn't realize it was that cold - no wonder my bait never thawed out

[wilky83]

Nice work

[Danny M.]

Nice result !

- I resorted to running up and down the beach to keep warm

Done this many a time myself, some Craic !

[thescotsman]

Excellent stuff - and you were worried about heading out with "more experienced" fishermen. We should be joining you.

[shamoo0804]

Great report, and some top quality fish there.

Like you say, strange how they were biting so timidly.

I've not caught that many Bass myself, but the last one I had was very similar, it was only when I went to reel in did I notice the thump of a Bass. Most biggish Bass I've caught have ripped the rod from the tripod Maybe its the colder weather affecting how they are feeding

I'm sure some of the experienced Bass anglers may have a point of view on this

[craigo]

Nice fishing Rockhunter those are some healthy lookin fish. Well done . Yesterday was a great day for the bass in Waterford

[eyesreilly]

Well done Rockhunter, 3 nice bass there, weathers looking cold for the next while, looks like you'll be as fit as a fiddle from all the running up and down the beach ( the only running i do is from the nose when i have a cold )

[RockHunter]

Thanks guys,

Like you say, strange how they were biting so timidly.

I just reckon they have been caught by Cortaz so many times that they are afraid to eat

[RockHunter]

you'll be as fit as a fiddle from all the running up and down the beach

Before I started fishing I had this impression of anglers sitting down relaxing and just watching a rod tip all day - how wrong I was there - but it certainly does keep me fit

Last night it was either frostbite or run.

[dfella25]

Don't know about getting fit. I always feel like a bag of chips on the way home after fishing.

Rockhunter great session there well done and nice report.

[shamoo0804]

I always feel like a bag of chips on the way home after fishing.

Your not alone there mate

I'd say most of the chippys this side of Wexford have seen me and a few lads, late at night, decked out in waders, manky smelly smocks etc, ordering the cod we couldnt catch and a side order of chips


BTW, I can personally recommend the chippy in Oilgate(wexford), always a queue, but boy is it worth the wait.......yum, yum

[saltydog]

Some mighty fine fishing there RockHunter

[beachbuddy]

Hi Frank,
very nice result,little bit more of a journey than usual but well worth it .I know how you feel about the cold,im currently trying to defrost my hands after todays outing but it was nice to get out.Keep up the good work.
Tight lines

[theshoreking]

rockhunter,

well done.

I've noticed the same thing on some of the last few sessions but its not the first time this has happened. What I have noticed is that the less surf there is the more gentle the bite, especially if its a griplead. Often I switch to a running ledger if this is happening as they don't feel as much resistance when they are picking up the bait. A rolling bomb to move the bait can also trigger a more aggressive take. Another ploy is to use a little smaller of a hookbait in calmer weather. You mentioned the fish being hooked on the top hook of the pennel. I had two lately that were hooked in the eye. However, on the nights where the surf was present they weren't mucking about too much.

You might have known all this already but if not give it a try.

shoreking

[seanie35]

well done frank, your becoming prolific with the bass , definatly gonna go finer next time on that beach......... strike all twiches aswell, could be a 10lber playing suck the polo mint

[RockHunter]

Thanks guys,

Often I switch to a running ledger if this is happening as they don't feel as much resistance when they are picking up the bait. A rolling bomb to move the bait can also trigger a more aggressive take.

I actually used a gripper weight on one rod and a 3 oz bomb on the other initially. But the first two fish were taken on the rig with the gripper weight. I then switched to a gripper weight on the second rod as well and caught the third bass on that.

definatly gonna go finer next time on that beach......... strike all twiches aswell, could be a 10lber playing suck the polo mint

I was convinced it was just whiting messing with the bait the time I got the second bass. So after that any time I saw the least sign of a twitch I was on to it.

[theshoreking]

For the sake of argument and from experience, dreadful experience, there's nothin worse than hittin a really big one too quick and barely hookin it only to loose it yards from the shore.

[RockHunter]

there's nothin worse than hittin a really big one too quick and barely hookin it only to loose it yards from the shore

I won't argue with that.
There was a bit of a surf where I was fishing the other night - it wasn't dead calm - so the rig with the 3 oz weight was getting knocked around quite a bit and it was difficult to tell if there were subtle bites or just wave action especially as the first two bass had been very timid bites (although obviously if a big one had taken the bait I would have known about it) - whereas the one with the gripper weight was motionless until something started to nibble on the bait.

But if the sea had been flatter then I would have used the bombs rather than the grippers.

I will be heading out tonight somewhere in East Cork and will give the non-grip weights a go as the sea should be very calm. Thanks for the advice Shoreking.

[kinsebr]

[quote="RockHunter
It was getting very cold - my feet usually feel cold in waders but they were feeling numb this time - I resorted to running up and down the beach to keep warm - not the easiest feat in waders [/quote]

Good fishing there rockhunter, good report. It's always the same problem this time of year. I find that I need at least 3 pairs of thick socks to keep warm, problem is, getting your feet into the waders...