West Waterford Beach mark

[luanaigh]

People:Myself and my buddy Joel

Duration:16.30-20.30

Tide: before and after high water

Weather:north westerly breeze dropping as session went on (clear night...very bright when the moon rose)

Bait:Fresh peelers,tiny fresh lugs and some fresh mussels...Crab being the only bait to bring the action

Rigs:Pennel rig 2/0 and 4/0...my buddy had two hook flapper (size 2 ??not sure) with a swim feeder

Results:1 Bass in 2 lb region (released)...lost three...my buddy lost a big one...(thats not a great average I'd imagine)




Report:Conditions were perfect. Lovely colored water moderate surf after a big surf the day before. so headed out with high expectations.
I'm new enough to sea fishing (besides macks and pollocking) so I still hadn't caught a Bass...even though all my (less dedicated) friends who i brought along on different occasions all seemed to bag up before me ...I have caught a few species in the last few weeks but the mighty Bass eluded me...Not this time

About an hour before high tide I got an aggressive take and then a slack liner...I reeled in the slack and struck...but a couple of seconds after i struck it all went slack again..i reeled in the excess again and struck again (just in case) and landed a nice lively 2lber (estimate)...which i duly released...sorry I have no camera to prove this
I had three more hits (with two of these i actually felt the fish on only to dissappear). My friend then changed to crab baits (as thats what I was using) and then had what he said was a large fish on but he lost that too

We did lift into the fish as I would imagine that the Bass couldn't hook themselves on a 3oz gripper lead...Is this the correct thing to do???All our hooks were very sharp (new aberdeens size 2/0 and 4/0 on the pennel) so I'm slightly confused as to what was done wrongly...anyone see anything wrong or maybe we were too egar? any thoughts anyone?..
I'm still delighted though
ps thanks for all the great tips as I am learning alot from the website..and Cortaz of course..and the shore kings swim feeder was put into action too..

[Al]

Nice session lads , Pity about the lost fish though but these things happen I find with slack liners that you have to find the fish quickly, I have lost fish myself to being too slow
The only other thing i can think of is maybe the hooks weren't exposed enough through the bait..i'm sure some other people will be able to give you more info lot of Bass fanatics on this site

[eyesreilly]

Congrats on your first Bass

[luanaigh]

Thankf for the replys...hooks were well exposed.

[Stan]

Sometimes when in a frenzy the bass just grab the bait and run in. They often get off the hook or do not hook themselves when the do this.Recently I had a bass run nearly 100yds before I managed to contact him and then he was 10 yds from the beach. Great fun but hard on the nerves.

Congrats on your 1st bass. Pack in now before you get addicted!!!!!!!

[dan]

Sometimes when in a frenzy the Bass just grab the bait and run in. They often get off the hook or do not hook themselves when the do this.Recently I had a Bass run nearly 100yds before I managed to contact him and then he was 10 yds from the beach. Great fun but hard on the nerves.

Congrats on your 1st Bass. Pack in now before you get addicted!!!!!!!

i find if you catch a new species thats you hooked for life, a bit like me and the fantastic mullettttt.

[youngrod]

Dont lift in to the fish as this pulls the hook out of there mouth instead leave it for a few more moments and then just reel and lift slowly

[theshoreking]

In a way, a good and a bad session all in one. You will miss less bites with experience now that you have the bass bug!

well done,

sk

[seanie35]

I've found the same with the slack liners, just reel in to connect with the fish, a strike at that stage is unnessacery well done on your first bass

[craigo]

Congrats on your bass cherry being popped well done

[RockHunter]

Well done on your first bass. It was about this time last year that I caught my first one.

Pack in now before you get addicted!!!!!!!

Its probably too late for him now - he will be out in the middle of the night in the freezing cold or in the lashing rain catching balls of kelp thinking that he is normal - while the rest of his family and non-angler friends know that he is insane

[MC]

Well done on your first Bass. It was about this time last year that I caught my first one.

Pack in now before you get addicted!!!!!!!

Its probably too late for him now - he will be out in the middle of the night in the freezing cold or in the lashing rain catching balls of kelp thinking that he is normal - while the rest of his family and non-angler friends know that he is insane

what you mean its not normal

[cortaz]

well done barra, the first of many

[luanaigh]

Thanks for the comments lads....I was already bitten by the bass bug..so i know what ye all mean