Bass 'N Wrasse 27-06-2011

Headed out to a mark local to Penzance, but one I have only briefly checked out in the winter once. Arrived at neap low tide, very clear deep water, with a mix of gullies and reefs. Not much swell running, and the wind was light.

Tackle was the morethan Branzino Urban Custom 5-24g paired with a '10 Certate 2508 loaded with Sunline CastAway 0.1PE. Selection of plugs and softs in the back pack.

Started off with the Feed Shallow, across some shallow boulders, and third cast in I hooked into a Bass, nothing big, but a good start.

Moved on, and the ground beneath screamed Wrasse, so tackled up with a Nories Flat Four SP, and soon sneaked out a small Wrasse;

Changed location to the other side of the bay I was in, and back on the hard plastics, casting parallel into a small sheltered cove, landed my smallest Bass to date, taken on a Duo Tide Minnow 90S, pictured for size comparison;

Some deep dark gullies saw a switch back to the SP's, this time a 4.5" OSP Do-Live stick, and pulled out a couple more Wrasse from close range;

As the tide pushed, filling in the gullies, was able to cast across them, into the small surf, and picked up the final Bass of the day, another small one, taken on the Duo Tide Minnnow 125SLD;

Was good to get a mix of Bass and Wrasse, tho nothing of any size. Really enjoying the Branzino rod, it work very well, switching from short range SP work, to long casting straight retrieves with the plugs. Finding myself using this rod a lot lately.

Zzzzzzzonks! 24-06-2011

Some new Bass catchers courtesy of Mick @ MrFish http://www.mrfishjersey.com/. Love these lures, sublime quality from Megabass, and the way they cast, and feel in the water is awesome;

Zonk 120 GG Bloody Bait

 

 

Zonk 120 HT Sayori

 Sawamura One Up Shad 6"

 And a trusty Feed Shallow Mullet I picked up last week from someone else;

Should be getting them wet in West Cornwall next week, will hopefully report back with some decent Bass caught!

Couple Of Session 21-06-2011

First up, fished Plymouth, Mount Batten, with a few guys on Sunday evening, catching up with a bit of LRF action. Tackle was the Nories Slow Retrieve rod, '10 Certate 2506 loaded with 0.2PE Varivas and 4lb fluro leader. The lure doing the catching was the Ecogear Aqua Straw Tail Grub.

Caught this tiny Wrasse, whilst vertical jigging off the bottom, down the side of a Harbour Wall. Think it's just a very small Ballan, unless someone identifies it otherwise. The only other fish was a Pout as the light faded, taken on the same lure;

All in, another very quiet session down in Plym, not many fish being caught.;

Second session, fished today for an hour at low tide, local in Bigbury Bay, at a spot that has thrown up a few Wrasse in previous trips. Wind was strong, and had to fish in a sheltered spot behind some rocks. The water was heavily discoloured, could not see far into the green gloom. Tackle was the Nories Rockfish Bottom Light, '10 Certate 2506 loaded with 0.8PE YGK and a 12lb fluro leader. Most fish were taken on a Texas rigged 3" Senko, with a 3g sinker. Also had one fish on a black 3" Slug-Go.

Just the 4 fish, kept it a short session as I had had a good 3 hour surf just before, and was getting hungry!

Shock, Horror, Bass! 14-06-2011

Fished down in West Cornwall today, at a familiar mark to me. A decent swell running in clear water, minimal wind. Fished from low and through the flooding tide. Tackle was the morethan Branzino Urban Custom 87LML, first outing for the '10 Certate 2508 and Sunline Castaway PE1, and a selection of plugs and vib lures.

The Pollack were abundant, and the vib lures were doing the business, especially the Jackson Mixim 72mm 17g as seen below. It casts like a bullet, and worked today on a sink and draw as well as a straight retrieve. Sadly I lost this lure after a decent sized fish bolted into some thick weed, snagging the lure whilst the fish made off!

Also went back to basics, and took a few Pollack on the trusty old Dexter Wedge, sink and draw, with the Pollack hitting it on the drop;

And another new lure working very well, the Nories In The Bait Ocean 12g Vibe. Small metal vib, but with a large spinner blade on the rear, feels amazing in the water, the blade spins quickly, with quite a bit of resistance for its size. The Pollack went mental for it, hitting it straight off the cast, and on the drop. Think I will be adding a couple more of these to the collection;

 

Finally, whilst working a cauldron of white water close in with my new Zonk, had the familiar hit of a Bass. Poor chap did not get the chance to put up a fight, as he took the lure at my feet, as the swell surged, was landed in a flash! I have to admit, I have been a bit slow off the mark, and this is my first Bass this year, the last one I had was December 2010! However, I have not really put much time into targeting them either, so happy to get off the mark. Probably should have weighed and measured, but was not too big so slipped it back into the water after unhooking;

Finished the day with eleven Pollack and the one Bass. New reel was a pleasure to use, works better on the rod than the 2506 version I was using previously. Was also nice to get out and chuck a few hard lures, the first time I have done so this year.

New Certate For the Branzino 13-06-2011

Decided on a new slightly heavier reel for the Branzino rod, and went to Ben's (http://www.artoffishing.co.uk/)for a look at the '10 Certate 2508RH High Gear Custom. Felt like the reel for the job on the rod, and also as it will be used for plugs and retrieved SP's, the higher retrieve rate should work well. Also stocked up on a few bits and pieces whilst I was there...

Daiwa '10 Certate 2508RH High Gear Custom

 Loaded the reel with Sunline Cast Away PE1

Sunline Siglon 14lb Fluoro
 

   

Megabass Zonk 120 21g

OSP Rudra 130SP 20g

Nories Laydown Minnow Mid 110 18g

  

Jackson Mixim 72mm 17g Vibe

  

Jackson Mixim 72mm 17g Vibe

  

Nories In The Bait Ocean 12g Vibe

  

Sawamura One Up Shad 5"

  

 Deps Death Adder Grub 6" 15g

  

Wrasse - LRF Metals & Tiny SP's - 11-06-2011

Fished after work in Bigbury Bay, plan was to target Wrasse at a spot I caught at earlier in the week. Fished around low tide, from 1900hrs - 2030hrs. Again, strong WestSouthWest winds, but I was able to fish sheltered water, inside a rocky outcrop as seen below on the left hand side;

Fishing with the light gear, Nories Slow Retrieve rod (0.9-5g) '10 Certate 2506 loaded with Varivas 0.2PE and a 4lb fluoro leader. Fished with some tiny SP's supplied by Jacks LRF, around 1" on a size 14 barbless Carp hook, with a 0.8g split shot in front of the lure.

Bites and hook ups were almost instant, with all eight fish coming from the same standing spot, just fanning the casts out. One fish was a good size (first one pictured below) would have liked to weigh and measure it, but left the scales and ruler at home as I was fishing light.

I also fished with a couple of Ecogear VX35 3.5g vibe metals. On a rise and fall retrieve, could feel the fish having a go, and then getting the hook ups. First Wrasse I have had on this type of lure, good to catch them on a lure which is being worked at speed. I did loose both metals in snags tho, and dropped a couple more fish, so returned to the SP's. The small trebles were also taking a lot of abuse!

Finally, think I caught the smallest Wrasse I have had to date! A new species for me, a Corkwing Wrasse;

Bambi Can't Swim 10-06-2011

Fished after work locally, started at just after 1900hrs, neap low tide. Shallow rocky mark, with weed everywhere. The good old Westerly winds still blowing, making it choppy. Tackle of choice was a morethan Branzino Urban Custom 87LML rod, '10 Certate 2506 with 08.PE YGK, and a Texas rigged 4" Nories Power Balance.

For those that recognise it, I was fishing around this location - Not tried here before, and the low tide allowed me to move around and explore the gullies;

Onto the title 'Bambi Can't Swim', I was walking the shoreline, amongst the weed saw something you don't see every day at the beach, guess it took a wrong turn off the cliff somewhere;

Had four Wrasse in total, all pretty small, but the takes were very aggressive, and came from pretty shallow water on the pushing tide. Couple of them were taken on a bounced retrieve, whilst the others were twitch and deadstick.

Finished fishing at around 2100hrs, and managed a final pic as the light was getting low. Was good to get out and explore another new stretch of coast, and even in the miserable windy conditions, fishing short range can be fun!

New Rod Christened 06-06-2011

Went out this morning with the intention to try and find some Bass. Conditions were not great tho, crystal clear water and dead calm, with a North Westerly wind blowing. I was fishing local, in the Bigbury Bay area.

First session with the new rod; Daiwa morethan Branzino 87LML (5-24g). Tried a few plugs out, over the shallow rocky reef. Nothing showing. Decided to switch to some SP's, and Texas rigged an OSP Do-Live Stick 4.5"

Casting into the gullies, along the fingers of rock, was not long till I had my first fish, a Wrasse. As I reeled it into my feet, a Bass of around 3lb was harassing it, trying to get at the lure hooked in the Wrasse's mouth! Was the only Bass I saw all day tho.

Decided to change location, and a short drive to the middle of the bay. Fished off some low tide rocks, casting short into some deep weed, on a rocky drop off, this time with a 3.5" OSP Do-Live Stick. Could see the Wrasse attacking the lure, sometimes in pairs, with one getting hooked. Only fished an hour at this spot, but ended up with six fish in total. Did not find the Bass, but great fun on the Wrasse, the new rod felt and handled superb, looking forward to getting more sessions under my belt with it.