West coast bass session 22/jan/11

People: myself, herself and a few others joined later

Duration:a few hours after dark

Tide:dropping

Weather: yes

Bait: lug

Rigs: yes

Results: see below



Report:

It has come to me that Fishing is more of an addiction than anything else. After a couple of weeks of doing other things my body started doing things it shouldn't, like feeling restless and the need to just get out and do something. So with a quick check of tides the night before and early start was required, and as a general rule musicians don't really do early starts, but thankfully this wasn't too bad. So up we got (myself and herself), dressed (cos I don't fancy digging in my birthday suit) and down the road to a local digging mark. and as I went to go digging with my pitch fork and bucket I was advised by herself that she was going for coffee and wouldn't be joining me on the adventure that is known as digging lug worms!! so bucket in hand and fork in the other away I went across the beach. Found my little area that consists of a few inches of sand then under that shingle and broken shells, easy digging, especially as it was only 5*C to start with. With a small trench here and there the worms were slowly piling up, but i could see a massive cloud creeping in from the east, oh wait a second.. it's fog. .


As soon as it passed me I could feel the temperature drop by a couple of degrees in an instant!! a little walk to another part of the beach and I was digging to 18" deep for some fine big cigar shaped lug, but with the temperature being that bit colder and me only wearing a fleece jacket I made the decision to do another 10 minutes then quit. .


By the end of the dig I had a good handful of lug in the bucket, so a walk back to the café where herself was having a quiet coffee, and plans for a good fry-up for breakfast to set us up for the day were pondered. We found ourselves going to the Home plate for the fry, and what a fry up it was.. plus with the added extra free coffee and 10% discount saw us set up for the day both in sustenance and mental attitude, Karma??.


And with morning over and afternoon upon us it was time to get things sorted, clothes and fishing equipment. Unfortunately this took a little longer than expected and we seemed to be running 30 mins behind schedule, but at least the fish don't know this. And on the road we were, and in fog too!! but managed to keep a good speed until we hit the pass and the fog thickened!! but thankfully this was only for a mile or so and back to fog where you could see at most 50 yards ahead!. finally arrived at the venue, and donned the fishing apparel to keep warm as it was only 2*C, and headed to the beach. The water was still with a few swells coming in and breaking on the shore, so a quick set up and cast out (while someone else was in awe and taking photo's of the beach) and the fishing had started.


It was slowly getting dark as the bites appeared, but nothing was taking the bait!, so a change of hook size and away we went again, by now it was dark and high tide was upon us and a couple of headlights made their way towards us!!!?? then the sound of a familiar voice boomed out of the dark!, after the usually fishy greets they set up to our left and no longer than they were set up I had a nice little bite!! and pulled in a nice little coalfish. Well at least we now know the fish are out there, all this time herself has been missing bites all along! that is until a little tap tap bang bang which saw her nearly fall over the tripod, thankfully I was stood right beside the rod to lift it and set the hook, then handed over the rod to herself, as she reeled I walked down the beach to meet the fish at the shore.. Bass, and a nice sized one at that, approx 3lbs4oz this was the first bass of the year and the first west coast bass for herself, now what happens next is rather funny.. I have never seen 2 lads look as if to do some serious fishing to catch a fish and not be out fished not only by what I could only describe as an amateur, but a girl too!!! by now the tide was making its way out. Spirits were kept high as the sight of a bass was more than enough to get everyone excited of the prospects of catching a beautiful looking fish.


After a while the water reached a point where it just goes out fast, and me unprepared for the event found my self casting far into a gulley that was passing a sand bar the other lads were setting them selves on, so in effect I was casting into the water beside them! then herself noticed my rod give a twitch, and the second time I saw it too.. so lifted the rod for another before setting the hook, but it didn't happen? little did I realise I had a fish on, until a minute later the twitching came back, so started reeling in and walking towards where the lads were, and out of the water came a perfectly formed schoolie bass, woohooo, my first one of the year, OK admittedly not as big as hers but still a bass. a quick pic and release saw the fish swim off down the gulley and out to sea. What made me laugh most was I caught the fish behind where the lads were stood on the sandbank !


As the water ebbed away myself and herself moved up to the sandbank to join the lads, after giving herself a piggy back across a little patch of water, rods were cast out again and my spirits were as high as hers with the bass we had caught! and both with a coalie too (yeah I know I didn't mention hers, but she did catch one)it was now 4 fish for us and so far nothing for the rest of them, then I managed another coalie, but unfortunately herself got caught in a snag and snapped off sad . So that was the fate of it, and I cast out one last time, and gave one of the lads the rest of the worms. .


And after about 15mins I started to reel in, but this time the line felt heavy, i somehow managed to get my line caught around the one that was snapped off, so a quick pull and dislodged the lead that was stuck saw the line being recovered, a nice way to end the day, 2 bass and 3 coalie, and as we were leaving there was mention of a small (fish-finger sized) whiting.


Back to the car and change out of fishing apparel and as herself was getting ready I jumped in the drivers seat and turned the car around, and ended up driving herself to the end of the path to the main road so she could watch all the rabbits hopping around the place! The drive home was slow, thick fog meant reduced speeds and it took nearly 2 hours till we stopped to get a pizza before the final leg on the way home..


I still wonder how the lads got on after that???

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great fishing and story

Flipping epic report and a terrific read Crow! Sounds like a great trip and well worth the effort... Congrats the the Missus on the Good Bass, and yourself for the first of the year!

brilliant read,great report,that was a nice start to the year,,fair play on the bass,well done

nice bass!

Great report Steve ,and well done to you both on the early Bass.

nice fishing

great report good to see a few bass for the efforts

You didn't miss much couple of coalies, whiting, flounder and 5 bearded... Stayed on till nearly 6am a good 11hrs 3rd time fishing that beach this week species on show this week: Bass, Flounder, Turbot, Coalies, Whiting, Rockling, Weaver... change of scenery needed. Dogs and Raymonds next up me thinks

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nice bass missis crow good to see you still out fish steve in style
well done steve on your schoolie

great report steve,fine bass,its great to see all the reports lately of bass on the west coast

Great report there. Nice bass!

great report well done!

well done Barbs, she beat you again hippy

well done Barbs, she beat you again hippy

if I remember right, didnt she beat you over Wexford last year!!??

Jaysus Steve, were ya going for a Booker prize with that report or what? . (Oh hang on, the Booker is for fiction! A Pulitzer maybe??? ).

Good stuff on the bass! That 3lb-er looks nice!

Conor/Vinny, good variety on that stretch of beach...good to see

Great report there steve

That was a epic report alright - great stuff !!!

well done Barbs, she beat you again hippy

if I remember right, didnt she beat you over Wexford last year!!??

she did but she isnt my better half

Nice Going Steve and Co, good results all round and the icing on the cake, a Westie Bass in Jan - excellant stuff.

Mick