East Cork bass - 7th May 2010

People: Me

Duration: 10.15 pm - 1.15 am

Tide: HW at 1.35 am

Weather: Moderate Northeasterly wind, cold, dry, clear

Bait: Crab, razor

Rigs: 4/0 pennel pulleys

Results: 2 bass




Report: There had been a fairly strong northeasterly wind blowing during the afternoon so I reckoned it would have blown up a bit of a surf on any east facing beaches - at least a better surf than we have had over the last few weeks with the northerly winds. I got to the beach and found that the wind had died down but there was still a nice surf rolling in.

As I was setting up the second rod the first was bowing over with the obvious sign that it was accumulating weed. I hauled it back in and found a mass of fine weed on the leader knot and on the rig. I cleaned if off and cast back out again, but before I had a chance to cast out the second rod the same thing happened. I was beginning to think that I was wasting my time fishing there. Eventually I got the second rod set up and cast it out, further this time hoping it would clear the weed. After about 10 minutes the tip was starting to bend over, weed again I thought. But unlike the steady bending when the weed built up on the first rod it was jerking a bit - possibly there was a fish on the end?

I struck and began to retrieve - I could feel the dead weight of a lot of weed, but at the same time a bit of a pull - but I wasn't convinced there was a fish on the end as often a strand of kelp with a rock attached can give the same feel. As I retrieved the leader knot reached the rod tip and I had to walk back up the beach since a big clump of weed had accumulated on the knot (and before anybody suggests it - I was using tapered shock leader!!). Then as I pulled the rig out of the surf I could see a fish flapping about on the beach. It was a 49 cm bass

Not long after as I was moving my gear back up the beach I spotted that one of the rod tips was straight - it had been slightly bent a few minutes earlier. I pick it up and found the line had gone slack - I rapidly reeled in the slack and struck - this time I knew I there was a fish on the end - it pulled strongly for a minute or too before surging in towards the shore again - I regained the slack and connected with the fish again - it was putting up a strong fight and headed to the right, parallel to the beach. I was beginning to haul it in but there was a bit of a gulley just in front with deeper water - that gave the fish another chance to make a break for it but it was well hooked, as I got it in a bit closer I could see it trashing about in the shallows. Again I had to walk back up the beach due to weed on the leader knot and drag the fish out of the water. Eventually I landed it - it was a 70 cm bass - a personal best in terms of length It was just over 7 lb (I had a plumper 68 cm bass last year that weighed about 7.5 lb).

I stayed on for a few more hours, the weed cleared but unfortunately so did the fish. I guess they moved further down the beach. But I was very happy with the result - I hadn't really been that optimistic fishing slack tides in a cold northeasterly wind so two bass including a PB was more than I had hoped for

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A very nice brace of bass welldone!!!!!!

Tightlines

K.C

good looking bass, very well done

nice fishing frank well done on the pb . did you get onto the company about the hook breaking last week, they should send you some freebies after that

well done again rock, shame about all the weed it can kill a good fight but it sure gets them feeding.

Nice fishing Frank, good to get a couple in less than perfect conditions. Did they go for the crab or razor?

Thanks guys,

did you get onto the company about the hook breaking last week, they should send you some freebies after that

I didn't - maybe I should get on to them.

hame about all the weed it can kill a good fight but it sure gets them feeding.

I guess the bass were finding food in amongst the weeds - once it cleared the bites stopped.

Did they go for the crab or razor?

Both - the crabs I had were left over from a session the previous weekend and were small so I put on a razor and then a crab to bulk up the bait.

Nice going frank a pb Bass I lost my first Bass of the year in East Cork last week the line snapped when I was reeling him in, if you catch a Bass with a plug in its mouth its mine you can keep the fish.

Fine looking Bass wel done

Congratulations on your pb bass Frank !

well done frank very nice pair of Bass

Well done Frank,what a lovely pair as Sid James used to say

lovely fish Frank, well done!

NICE FISHING WELL DONE.

Two nice bass your fair man to find the bass great stuff

Thanks guys,

Congratulations on your pb Bass Frank

Thanks Edgar, you have been quite for a while - are you getting much fishing in recently?

Two nice Bass your fair man to find the Bass great stuff

It's a bit of a struggle to find them this year - but hopefully it will be much improved after 15th June.

excellent bass there frank if only all the weed fish turned out to be silver chaps

That's a great fish from the shore Frank. I was looking at the BASS tape; a fish of 70cm should weigh just under 8lbs. This time of year many fish are slack like that.

Thanks guys,

excellent Bass there frank if only all the weed fish turned out to be silver chaps

It was nice to find a bass on the end alright - too may times I have thought I had a fish only to reel in a big clump of kelp attached to a rock - they can give you a good fight in the surf

That's a great fish from the shore Frank. I was looking at the Bass tape; a fish of 70cm should weigh just under 8lbs. This time of year many fish are slack like that.

Yes I was thinking that an average 70 cm bass should be more than 7 lb - I guess they have had a tough winter too.