BigMac

Rich, Yes, mate, I think we would like to take part in the bass survey.. Seems like a worthwhile sort of thing having read the old threads from yourself and wedger. So at least one of us will try to make the next club meeting to tie in with yourselves for neccessary bags etc. Al PS. thanks for the kind words

Saturday While fuelling "Aquafresh" on friday evening for the planned trip on sunday, Rupert said the weather forecast for tomorrow looks good and we instantly made arrangements for a few hours, in the morning, on an inshore mark to see if the bass had turned up in any numbers on there yet. 7.15 saturday we're loaded and on our way. Myself and son Billy(20) and Rupert and his son Arran(10) make up the crew. First stop for mackerel, a mile in front of the lookout, and in 5 minutes we put 40 in the livebait well (NOT a Tek-Tank). We start the first drift at 7.55 and my float goes under right on the hotspot at 8.00, a couple of minutes later a bass of 3lb is in the net. A good start, and our first off this mark this year, but, an hour and a half later, despite Rupe's skill putting us over the mark time and again, there are no more bites forthcoming and we decide to have a couple of hours on "old faithful" before our proposed lunchtime finish. The sea is the most glass like I have ever seen it and a short 15 minutes hop gets us there. First drift, Billy has one of 3lb and I have one of 3.5lb. Next drift Billy hooks a better one that comes towards the boat until alongside and then beats him up for another 3 or 4 minutes before Rupe is able to scoop it up in the net. When weighed at home 3 hours after capture it goes 7-15 so was probably an 8 when caught, never the less its a pb by a substancial margin, and he's happy as larry The fish continue with at least 1 fish hooked every drift and just as the tide begins to ebb, 12.00, we head for home with 14 bass captured, 12 fish between 3 and 5lb, Arran had a nice one of 6.5lb and Billy's one of 7-15lb being the best of the excellent mornings family fish in. Sunday We've been planning this trip for some months now and expectations are running high as we are loading the boat at 8.00am, myself, Rupert and Rob making up the crew. Over the preceding 4 years all 3 of us have all spent a lot of time, money and effort to try to find this bass "shangri la" that has been talked about in hushed tones for as long as we can remember. We know we've been close to it, but never on the money. Today we're going to put that right A quick stop off at the ledge for mackerel sees 40 captured and in the livebait well and a further hour and twenty minute steam puts us 34 miles from home and as far this way as we've ever been in our own boat. We intend to float fish it, to save on the horrendous tackle loses suffered the last time we came near here bottom bouncing, but with an average depth of 22m its also deeper than we've float fished before. Half an hour of searching finds what we're looking for and we set up for the first drift, a minute later and Rupe's playing the first bass of the day!!!! You've never seen 3 happier men smiling at a 3lb bass The first drift takes about 30 minutes in the tide as it is and Rupes into a second bass just as we're about to start the engine to motor up tide again, a really hard fighting fish of 8-4lb. We vary the drift by 50 or 60 yards south every run through and see some huge balls of fish on the sounder, sheltering out of the tide behind the structure, but most seem disinclined to feed. We've been told that as the drift speed gets closer to 2mph the more fish will come on the feed. As the tide quickens we start to get a few more bites resulting in fish of between 3lb and 6 lb that are fighting incredibly hard in the clear water and giving two of us a good old run for our money( Rob has been bottom bouncing and had one missed take) ) As the tide reaches the correct speed, my floats there one second and gone the next and the rods nearly pulled out of my hands as a good fish takes 20 yards of line off me. She uses the tide to her advantage, taking me from one side of the boat to the other and back again before Rob slides the net under a lovely fish neatly hooked in the corner of the mouth. Pop the hook out, estimates of between 8.5lb and 9.5lb and back over the side with her. Damn, forgot to take photos The tide eventually dies and the bites with it We use slack water to motor up to "old faithful" so that Rob can try and catch his tea and save his reputation. An hour and a half later, he's a happy man with two 4lb bass in the coolbox for din-dins. 16 bass in total, giving us a boat total of 30 fish for the weekend, including 3 over 8lb..............marvelous Al

Yeah.............. but they were dizzy, weren't they????????????

Good luck fellas!!!! Can't wait for Tom to wax lyrical on the catch reports Al

Stick at it Paul, you'll have em

The trouble with a freelined bait is your never really sure where abouts in the water column your livebait is. Now I know that bass leave the bottom to feed on occassions, but on the inshore marks that most of us fish for bass, most, if not all, will be close to the bottom and you will fare much better and suffer less tackle loses by fishing a float rig effectively. The small bass will always out number the bigger bass and therefore get caught more if you just fish willy nilly, but if you try to put your bait within feet of where the bigger fish actually wait for a bait to go past their nose you can increase your chances of a bigger fish significantly. That place is on the bottom or sheltering out of the tide behind a rock or something of that sort, so that it moves only a minimal amount of distance to take the maximum amount of food. By fishing effectively you can reduce the number of smaller bass and increase the number of better fish. Having said all that.................... what the ^*%$ do I know Al

I agree with Tom. I reckon that big bass are lazy and wont chase a bait very far, and 3 metres might be too far, so the closer you can work your bait to the place where the bass are lying in wait the better chance you have of catching the better fish. I like to fish my livelies on the float as near the bottom as I think I can get away with, and constantly move the stop knot to take into account the rising or falling tide. If you dont lose 1 or 2 hooklinks during the day,IMHO you aint fishing in the right zone. Al

Not really a rumour anymore Tom, I have a friend that has seen the photos of the fish that was caught last week, and I believe Rupert has spoken to him. Not sure of location, Also spoke to someone sunday evening that had been out during the day and they had had 204 bass 3- 8lb between 3 of them. Not a bad day out Al

Quietly slipped the mooring at 5.30am and headed down the harbour full of expectation for the day ahead. On board were Rupe, Rob, Andy and myself and we were out of the run and on the plane by 5.50 heading south to our successful turbot and brill bank from a fortnight ago. The sea was like glass and the hour and ten minutes it took to get to our mark(33miles) was filled with excited chit chat of the day ahead. Preparation for thr turbot bait had been thorough and I,d been to Tescos the day before and purchased 6 mackerel (

Well done Paul!!! Sounds like you had a great time Al

i dont understand why people have to use treble hooks, if a fish is lost there is a good chance it will DIE I've tried singles on my plugs but they totally lose their action and are next to useless until you put the trebles back on!! Al

Wish I read your report before posting mine, sounds like you had a better evening than me We did get you to stand on the boat for the photos so you couldn't see the pier in the........................................doh

Everyone managed to get away from work on time and meet at the boat at the pre-arranged time. On board we have Rupe, Rob, the distinguished Mr Tom Bettle and myself. We head out of the run and on the hunt for mackerel. As has been the case lately, it was a struggle and it took us the best part of 2 hours (I hear you Trev, be in touch early next week) to put enough in the tank to go proper fishing. Well that was a struggle too. Half an hour or so of the last of the ebb and slack water sees just one bass of 2.5lb fall to Rupe's rod and Tom miss a couple of bites. An hour into the flood tide and Tom hooks a better one that leads him a merry dance for a few minutes, including a run under the boat requiring much dipping of rod, and a nice 6lber hits the deck. A quick trip to replenish livelies and back on the drift for the last hour which just produces 2 fish of 3lb, 1 to Rupe and 1 to me, then its time to head for home. An excellent evening to be on the water, in good company, with a large amount of p*&% taking, but the fishing could have been much better. I put it down to the easterly wind, the low pressure, the tide was too fast, the tide wasn't fast enough.................... Al

Dom, I would also check the pawl that guides the level wind on the worm gear, I've had a couple wear on me in the past. You cant really see the wear, but I replaced them and all is now tickety boo Al

Well done Scott, cracking fish Its always good to have a secret mark up your sleeve Al

Nice one for helping that stranded boat, Paul. We went past it on the way in but couldnt stop as we were already hitting bottom and had the crew hanging over the bow to save the props. Al

Not voting unless its a foursome!!!!!!!!

We have tried them, but only half hearted attempts really. We do know that a certain charter skipper does ok with them in that area when livebaits are scarce Allan

After our success during the week, we thought more of the same was in order Left the mooring at 7.00am with me at the helm and Rupe, Billy (my son) and Aran (Rupe's son) as crew and straight out for the mackerel hunt. Still hard to find and it takes an hour and a half to put 20 livebaits in the tank before we motor to the first mark. Three 20 minute drifts and not a bite On to the second mark, and we get a couple round the 3.5lb mark (1 for Rupe and 1 for me) quite quickly and then a gap of about an hour before I snag a slightly better one of about 6lb. The last livebaits go on and we land one (5lb to Aran) and lose 2 on the same drift. They've come on the feed and we've run out of livebaits We head out for mackies but its hard work again and takes an hour to put 8 in the tank which only leaves us about 45 minutes fishing before we have to catch the ebbing tide at the run. Two more (2.5lb to Billy and 4lb to me) in the last 3 drifts and its time to leave. When we get back to the run we just sneak in by the skin of our teeth and moor up at 2.45pm. A lovely day to be out and at the helm, a good mornings fishing with everyone catching at least 1 bass. Allan

Trev, could you bring 2 big blocks for me to tonights meetings please? cheers, Al

Could someone just tell me whereabouts on Ashley road the Club is for tonights meeting, I know its the Trade and Labour club, just not where on the road it is. Don't want to get arrested for kerb crawling looking for it now that we can actually get to our first meeting Look forward to meeting you all, Al

Adam, don't you think you ought to share that rule with all us less well informed members? Al

What a great day out Simon, Well done!!! Do you think porbeagles may be on the prowl? Al

Boatings fantastic aint it

Trev, what are the rough dimensions and weight of both the large blocks and the July/August blocks? Got one chest freezer almost empty, Al