Dublin first Bass this year

First two hours of the flood
Lures and Sandeel
Wind 15k NNE
Lots of weed and murky water

I’ve been heading down to Wicklow of late, lure fishing in pursuit of my first Bass of the year, and I’ve seen a fair few good fish. But no matter what I’ve thrown at them, I’ve blanked and also spent a small fortune on juice so I’ve become a bit obsessed and started creeping some of my old marks around the home town. Well it brought back a few memories of float fishing as a nipper and my dodgy shoulder is killing me when I’m casting. I picked up a few sand eels, slept on the sofa, so I wouldn’t wake the other half, and was on the water at 4.45am first light to get the start of the flood. A few sea trout splashing about me here and there while I was using the lures for the first hour, all the usual old reliables, with not a hint of a Bass and plenty of weed to upset my flow, my shoulder finally gave me the sharp heave ho that usually signals my departure and I decided to bait up and give the shoulder a bit of a break. After a short walk to a spot where the tide ran a bit slower and I knew there was a bit of structure, I gently tossed out my sandeel and watch my float with anticipation. The crabs destroyed my beautifully presented bait time and time again and I remembered why I like lure fishing, with the tide pushing good now and the crabs butchering every bait I thought my window was closing fast. So I baited up again and shortened my leader to 2 foot, picked a likely looking shallow spot about 20 yards away and placed my bait, my last cast for sure. After a few minutes I noticed the slightest of nudges on the float, was it just the slight chop on the water, have the fecking crabs tracked me down again? I think I’m losing my marbles but that float is travelling the wrong way? Patience, patience, and then it took off like a bullet, I wound down and into it. Finally, fish on and my bo****ed shoulder, the greedy crabs, the endless blanks are all forgotten, it’s a Bass and it’s on, not the biggest fish but it was like being a kid again, couldn’t stop smiling just had to get him in. He put up a good scrap, punching above his weight, making a couple of little runs before coming to my feet. Two quick photos before getting him back, and I’d say he was 41 or 42cm, so pretty small but a fat little fish that I was very happy to get. So I can stop obsessing for another year now - but I still haven’t had one on the lure this year its a sickness!

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Congrats on your bass...Nice to have the first one of the year under yer belt and a home one too , you can fish on with less pressure now!

Well written post too- know how you feel
about the obsessing!

It is a sickness alright but the best one I can think of....

Steven

Thanks Steven, yes chuffed to see fish around Dublin, I have been seeing Bass in Wicklow gorging on pin fry so I tied up a few teasers and will give them a go, might even break out the fly rod. Definitely a healthy obsession

First two hours of the flood
Lures and Sandeel
Wind 15k NNE
Lots of weed and murky water

I’ve been heading down to Wicklow of late, lure fishing in pursuit of my first Bass of the year, and I’ve seen a fair few good fish. But no matter what I’ve thrown at them, I’ve blanked and also spent a small fortune on juice so I’ve become a bit obsessed and started creeping some of my old marks around the home town. Well it brought back a few memories of float fishing as a nipper and my dodgy shoulder is killing me when I’m casting. I picked up a few sand eels, slept on the sofa, so I wouldn’t wake the other half, and was on the water at 4.45am first light to get the start of the flood. A few sea trout splashing about me here and there while I was using the lures for the first hour, all the usual old reliables, with not a hint of a Bass and plenty of weed to upset my flow, my shoulder finally gave me the sharp heave ho that usually signals my departure and I decided to bait up and give the shoulder a bit of a break. After a short walk to a spot where the tide ran a bit slower and I knew there was a bit of structure, I gently tossed out my sandeel and watch my float with anticipation. The crabs destroyed my beautifully presented bait time and time again and I remembered why I like lure fishing, with the tide pushing good now and the crabs butchering every bait I thought my window was closing fast. So I baited up again and shortened my leader to 2 foot, picked a likely looking shallow spot about 20 yards away and placed my bait, my last cast for sure. After a few minutes I noticed the slightest of nudges on the float, was it just the slight chop on the water, have the fecking crabs tracked me down again? I think I’m losing my marbles but that float is travelling the wrong way? Patience, patience, and then it took off like a bullet, I wound down and into it. Finally, fish on and my bo****ed shoulder, the greedy crabs, the endless blanks are all forgotten, it’s a Bass and it’s on, not the biggest fish but it was like being a kid again, couldn’t stop smiling just had to get him in. He put up a good scrap, punching above his weight, making a couple of little runs before coming to my feet. Two quick photos before getting him back, and I’d say he was 41 or 42cm, so pretty small but a fat little fish that I was very happy to get. So I can stop obsessing for another year now - but I still haven’t had one on the lure this year its a sickness!

Well done nice fish and worth your perseverance. Nice report too, brought a smile to my face!!

Absolutely delighted for you, great to see bass being caught in Dublin, well done for pushing through the pain, it paid off.