Another Four South Coast Bass - 7th May 2009

People: Me

Duration: 9.45 pm - 3.00 am

Tide: LW at 12.50 am

Weather: Very strong westerly wind easing later, partly cloudy clearing later, dry

Bait: Lug

Rigs: Two hook flappers (4/0 hooks), 4/0 pennel pulley

Results: 4 bass, 1 Dogfish




Report: I decided to head to the beach that I fished in very calm conditions last Tuesday night. I reckoned that there would be a much better surf this time as there had been strong winds for the last couple of days. There was indeed a good surf - but unfortunately there was a very strong cross-wind which made bite detection difficult. However the winds eased later and fishing became much more comfortable.

I set up two rods, again one with the 4/0 pennel the other with a two hook flapper. Since I managed to get 4 bass in very calm conditions the last time I was very hopefully of getting a few this time too. But there were no bites for quite a while. Then about an hour and a half after setting up I had a knock on the rod with the two hook flapper. I was convincenced it was a bass, it was putting up a good fight and felt heavy. But when I got it on the beach it was a good sized dogfish. In my disgust I forgot to take a photo of it.

I rebaited and cast out again and waited. Close to low tide I had a strong knock on the same rod - this was putting up a stronger fight so there was no doubt that it really was a bass this time. When I hauled it through the surf I was delighted to see that it was 59 cm bass

I was now encouraged that the session would pick up. Around this time the wind eased off - although every now and then a strong gust blew through. I got the next bite about half an hour later - a smaller bass this time at 44 cm Again it was on the rod with the two hook flapper.

Since the pennel had so far failed to get a bite I switched the second rod to a two hook flapper as well. About 40 minutes later as the tide was starting to surge forward I had a third bass. This one was 49 cm.

As it was getting late I should have packed up then but I had a few lugs left so I continued fishing. I had another very strong knock but when I struck there was too much slack line and I connected poorly with the fish and failed to set the hook properly. I had it on the line for a few seconds, it felt like a good fish, but then it was gone

I fished on a bit longer, and then began to pack up. I dismantled one rod but decided on one last cast with the other. I had two big black lugs left so I rebaited the two hook flapper and cast out. The tide was rapidly rising at this stage so I was constantly moving the gear back up the beach. Then just as I was about to call it a night there was a knock on the rod - I grabbed it and struck well this time - hooking a strong fish. This time it was a 57 cm bass

Of course I had to have one last cast after that - there were a few small lugs in the bottom of the bucket so I bunched then all onto the hook I had the last bass on - there was still an intact big lug on the other hook, and cast out. While I was packing the gear away I spotted a very subtle knock but waited - then I noticed that the line had gone slack - I grabbed the rod and quickly retrieved the slack - but I had been too slow, the fish had dropped the bait and was gone. So with that I decided that it was definitely time to leave.

Interestingly all the bites were on the one rod - a Penn Affinity, I had nothing on the second rod, a Century Carbon Metal. The same happened the previous night; all the bass were caught on the Affinity, using the same bait and for most of the night both had similar two hook flappers. The bite detection is far superior on the Affinity but when a bass takes the bait in most cases there was a good knock on the rod so it wasn't as if the bites were very subtle.

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Good going frank. Something tells me your gonna have serious withdrawal symptoms next Friday .

nice pics too. i like the one in the water. it looks pretty big.

agreed. nice job.

Well done Frank some good quality Bass there nice photos too

Nice bass and photos Frank, it must have been getting bright as you drove home,( the old last cast )

Nice fishing again you really are landing plenty of bass. Wish I could get one

Thanks guys,

Something tells me your gonna have serious withdrawal symptoms next Friday

You are probably right - I wont know what to do with myself.

it must have been getting bright as you drove home,( the old last cast )

Nearly - probably just was well I had no more lugs left or I would have fished to dawn

Nice fishing again you really are landing plenty of Bass. Wish I could get one

You will have to get yourself down to the south coast - once you know the stage of the tide that they are going to be around at a particular mark they are easy enough to catch.