Bass fishing a bit slow..?

[Eoghan]

Anyone else finding that the Bass fishing at the moment is a bit slow..?
I have spoken to a few people and some great bass men and they are finding it similar.

Trying to get my head around it, I was wondering if the decline in mackerel had anything to do with it.?
There seems to be a massive amount of bait fish about, which im sure is related to the above.
Are the bass finding food easier and as a result not having to feed as often..?
Im no expert but being cold blooded im sure they dont feed every day. So are they feeding once a week, gorging themselves
on bait fish off shore and not venturing in as close to shore as usual..? Again, just speculating.

I know weather and conditions have not been great for a while which doesnt help.
There doesnt seem to be as many reports from the usual suspects on this site either.

Maybe its a late season and will kick in when Autumn grabs a propper hold.
Maybe they spawned late..?

Anyone any ideas or reports to back this up..?

[Pat]

It can often happen at this time of year; bass gorge themselves on baitfish and become pre-occupied. They become very finicky with lures and you really have to match the hatch. You'll often feel them bumping your plugs or Sp's but no hook-ups. They are there, but you just have to try harder. When it does click you can have an amazing session...just my experience.

[Eoghan]

Ah no I know that mate, have been fishing for bass for 20+ years. And even with the usual slow down in Summer I think it is quieter than usual. Even before the summer the earlier months were not up to scratch. I know historically the best months are Sept to Nov'ish but june/July/Aug this year seem a bit slower than usual.

[Richie07]

Slow..not at all, Dublin and Wicklow have been flying this year, maybe you should look a bit closer to home, best year ever

[Eoghan]

Ha ha maybe so..!

Thats good to hear anyway.

[razor2]

I have found it hard going the last 3 weeks to pick them up but while out last week i found a few sprat washed up on the beach.baited up with a few lug and tip it off with the sprat and picked one but it was very hard work

[flyno]

Have to agree with ya Eoghan, I have only had 2 this year from my usual marks, last few years i would normally have about 12 by this stage. I was talking to another angler and he reackoned they were all off shore feeding on the mackeral and that they will re-appear in September. I think its amazing that everyone ye talk to has a different theory. So i will keep plugging away at my usual stomping grounds and see whos theory is closest...

[roooster]

i must admit the last weeks have been very poor with the spinning & plugging & im talking bout proven bass spots,its been relly frustrating, i taught it was only me & i was questioning my gear & tactics but it seems that its very slow in most places!!!
iv had a few but they were very hard work & have been resiged to using the float on a few occations which is gud fun & had sum luck on it too.
hopefully it'll pick up in september

[syboit]

Are you finding it slow in regards to spinning or bait fishing. I've found bait fishing for them poor enough so far this year. So I was wondering would you be better spinning during the summer months and later in the year reverting to bait fishing.

[dexs7]

I agree, I have tried alot of marks this summer and alot of the time it has ended with a blank. Thank god for the flatties or things would be alot worse. We have picked up a few in the last week but that after trying alot of marks in the last few weeks. I dont know was it the new marks or are they begining to show up. Heres hoping we will get some few weeks of good bass fishing before the winter

[Pat]

Ah no I know that mate, have been fishing for Bass for 20+ years. And even with the usual slow down in Summer I think it is quieter than usual. Even before the summer the earlier months were not up to scratch. I know historically the best months are Sept to Nov'ish but june/July/Aug this year seem a bit slower than usual.

Sorry, about that Eoghan, I didn't mean to pontificate. One thing I have noticed is that the water temps were above average earlier in the year but now they're below average...may be this is having an impact. The earlier months were superb for lure fishing, with April being a particulary good month. It has slowed down a tad, but it wouldn't be slow by any means. There are still good catches being reported. Have a look here http://bassfishinginireland.blogspot.com/

[daveyboy]

Lads, I'm reading this thread with interest. I only started fishing a couple of summers back and have mostly done lure fishing around north dublin. I've only ever caught three bass (all on lures). It seems to pick up here around August but I could be wrong. I always just stop fishing about a couple of weeks into September. Given my exceptionally low success rate its hard to tell whether I'm wasting my time at that point but I always just though the bass ( and mackerel) would be scarce at that point. This year I was thinking of switching over to bait fishing for a month or so after and trying to get some flatties too. So have I got it all wrong?? In relation to Dublin , taking into account all the other variables what would tend to be the best months for:
a: lure fishing for bass?
b: Bait fishing for bass?
Any advice much appreciated.
Oh and how about smoothies. Keep meaning to have a go for them

[Eoghan]

Im a 95% lure man, I do fish with bait but rarely.
Purely as I prefer to take a bass on a lure, no other reason.
Ye cant beat moving a surface lure over a known gully and just waiting for the water to explode..!

Im glad im not the only one who noticed it, I thought I was losing my touch..!

I guess we will have to see how the next few weeks goes.

[finding nemo]

Slow..not at all, Dublin and Wicklow have been flying this year, maybe you should look a bit closer to home, best year ever

there seems to be a decent few caught around Dublin. I spent the last 2 days out plugging with no luck but a guy next to me pulled in a very nice bass and missed 2 more. While i was out wading lastnight i seen one swim right by me. Havnt got one in Dublin this year myself but im gonna put in the hours over the next few weeks so fingers crossed.

[thekid]

definately think its something to do with the mackerel staying deep..

[Richie07]

Slow..not at all, Dublin and Wicklow have been flying this year, maybe you should look a bit closer to home, best year ever

there seems to be a decent few caught around Dublin. I spent the last 2 days out plugging with no luck but a guy next to me pulled in a very nice Bass and missed 2 more. While i was out wading lastnight i seen one swim right by me. Havnt got one in Dublin this year myself but im gonna put in the hours over the next few weeks so fingers crossed.

Think you hit the nail on the head there, you have to put the hours in. I have got quite a good few around Dublin this year and a few around Greystones too, I know of other people that have had alot aswell, they don't bother putting up reports, I don't put up alot of reports myself, only the odd one or two just to let people know they are out there, some places you have to keep to yourself.
Anyway one thing I have noticed is the lack of Mackerel this year although there are still plenty of fry and launce around for the Bass to feed on.

[JimH]

ours is not to reason why...... definitely a bit more difficult than normal here at least - http://www.probassfisher.com/2010/08/fo ... ugust.html

[Pat]

Hits the nail on the head Jim.