Expensive MegaBass Session 15 November 2010

Yesterday, I did a quick recon mission, 30 mins or so along a coastal footpath, West of Mousehole, Penzance. Looked like there were a few promising deep water rock spots to fish from, so I planned to head out the next morning.

So, today, geared up and headed off. Beautiful weather, fishing 2 hours before high, with some exploring to do. Arrived at the first spot, and started out with an Xlayer, bouncing off the bottom in the deep water. Felt very snaggy, and soon had a stuck lure. Couldn't shift it, so on with the glove and pulled the braid till the line came free, one Megabass Xlayer with decoy bachi head lost. It snapped at the clip, so at least my Fluro leader knot was working well!

Moved to another spot, and decided to try a plug. Slipped a Megabass Vision OneTen on, exciteadly moved down the rock, cast and SNAP. One £20 plug flying for freedom, first cast. Completely my own fault, in my hast, forgot to put the bail arm over!!! ROOKIE error. Again, snapped at the clip.

So I slip another clip on, and proceed with a Megabass Zonk. Not long, and I had a fish on. Nice little fight, and had a 1lb 7oz bass landed. In my excitement to weigh and photo the fish, had left the plug hooked, whilst delving into my bag, the bass shook and jumped all over the granite, grazing my lovely Zonk. ROOKIE error!

So, moving further down the coast, another nice spot to try from. Threw the scarred Zonk out a bit more, soon had another take, be it a small one. Quickly brought a small Garfish ashore, the Zonk almost the same size!

Garfish returned, cast out and SNAP. Another £20 gone, as the Zonk flys off into the blue yonder. Feeling a little peed off now, but again, my own fault. Should have checked my line properly after the first crack off, this time it snapped at the leader knot. ROOKIE error!

New leader tied on, and decide to go with the soft plastics. Back with the trusty Xlayer, trying my best to avoid the snags, had a fish on, and a small Pollack landed.

Switched over to a 4" Reins Rockvib, and from the same spot, had another small Pollack. However this one was lost at my feet in the surf. Decided to call it a day and headed off home. Quick pic of the kind of spots I fished;

So pleased with catching fish at a stretch of coast I have not explored before, but now facing the cost of replacing the plugs. To be expected now and then, but it certainly taught me to be patient, remember the basics, and check your line and knots!

West Cornwall 10 November 2010

There was a good bit of swell running, lots of white water, but quite a bit of weed at my deep water rock mark. Started off with an Xlayer with a 3.5g head, soon came o the conclusion that with a strong pushing tide, deep water and lots of bump swell, couldn't feel the lure properly, and it did not feel effective in my novice hands. So switched over to a plug, and felt more comfortable. Soon I had a dark shape go for my lure around 15' from my feet, spooked me as it looked weird for a fish, a quick 'nip' and release, then it surfaced. Pretty sure it was one of these (Guillemot), same size and colouring, but I am no bird expert!

Never had a sea bird go for a lure before, very glad it did not actually connect with it! Few casts later, around an hour after low tide, first fish on. Good little scrap, and I landed a small bass, quick photo and weighed at 14oz

Moving to another bit of rock to avoid the pushing tide and crashing waves, it was not long untill a fish really smashed my lure. Was good to hear the drag on the new Rarenium singing, this fish felt a lot bigger, with a big silver flash and lots of head shaking, really trying to run, with a good bend in the rod tip. Had to jump around a bit, to find a low ledge to land the fish on, without getting swamped, ideally i would have liked to use a landing net, but did not take it with me. Soon had the fish safely onto the rocks, for a photo and weighing before release. This one saw the digital scales read off at 2lb, my best fish for a while. The Duo Tide Minnow 125 SLD A104-SH proving to be a good purchase, accounting for both fish.

The weather was now pushing in, heavy drizzle and the winds picking up, so decided shortly after to call it a morning. Just a couple of pics of where I caught the fish to finish off, they don't really show just how rough and weedy the water was;

Session At My Local 08 November 2010

As I am home for a couple of days in Bantham, thought it would be a good idea to go and see what fish are about. Weather and conditions were not promising. Pretty strong onshore winds, with a big 4-6' messy swell running, water visibility was terrible, with all the heavy rain water discolouring the river as it ran into the sea at the mouth.

Started out in the rivermouth at low tide, and followed the tide up as it pushed, big tides meant lots of water moving as the tide pushed up the river, over the sand. I was fishing with an Xlayer with 7g head, enough to let it sink in the fast moving water, make bottom contact. In one spot, saw 3 bass, decent size, breach the surface within 10 mins, so had hope, at least there were fish there.

After nothing, no bites for a good hour and a half, decided to head further up the river, away from the beach into the estuary. As the river narrowed, the flow rate was very high. The spot I fished from had a widening, with slack water filtering off the main flow. After 10 mins of casting to the edge of the flow, working it back into the slack, I had a fish on. The fish used the current to it's advantage, and it fought well, before I landed it on the sand. Weighed in at 1lb 5oz.

Within another 5 mins, again a bite, same spot as before. Brought the fish safely ashore, this one slightly bigger, weighing 1lb 10oz.

Feeling very happy to have caught in the conditions, but starting to feel my fingers getting cold, decided to call it a day. Really starting to love the Xlayers, seem to catch well in most conditions I have tried them in so far :-D

The real joy about catching these fish here, is that as a young(er) lad, maybe 12 years old or so, I used to fish here a fair bit, on and off over a few years. I NEVER ever caught anything, so to catch here now, a bit wiser and with maybe the right kit, brings a smile to my face!

And a little shot of my reel and rod, Rarenium 4000 with Powerpro on a Lucky Craft ESGII 7'7. Love this kit!

8 Fish In 8 Casts 06 November 2010

But it didn't start out that way! Went to my usual South Coast spot in West Cornwall, for an afternoon session, working the push from low tide. Sunny weather, light cross offshore wind and small swell running, it felt promising.

Started off with a decent size Gar fish, taken on a Feed Shallow, it managed to shake the hook at my feet as I brought it onto the rocks, and was swiftly washed back into the sea by a large wave. After the Gar, nearly 2 hours went by with no fish, not even a bite, switching between my selection of plugs and the Xlayers.

I moved about a fair bit, trying different spots, and then whilst rock hopping between locations, I threw an Xlayer out into a deep sheltered gully, and within the fist jig back to me, I had a bite and fish on, landed without much fight, turned out to be just a small pollack.

And then again, nothing at all. So I decided to start heading back to my car, call it a day. Whilst on the way back, there was still an hours light left or so, so climbed down to a spot which I had not bothered with before, as in the summer, it had not produced. Again, hammered through my selection of plugs,moving further into this small cove I was in, but not a scratch. Decided to try the Xlayer, as the sun was setting behind the cliffs. Then the magic happened. Same spot I had been working the plugs, the Xlayer produced eight fish in eight casts!

1. Small Pollack

2. Bass 1lb 10oz

3. Bass 1lb 11oz

4. Small Pollack

5. Small Pollack

6. Bass 1lb 8oz

7. Small Pollack

8. Small Pollack

The Shrimp & Minnow Xlayer smashing it in! This was a first for me, never had that kind of action in such a short time span, let along consecutive casts. Weighed the bass, and took a quick pic of all the fish, before slipping them back. So I guess I learnt something about what the fish wanted, showing no interest in the surface and mid water plugs, but loving the soft plastic bounced along the bottom. Headed back up to my car happy, as earlier on I really thought it was gonna be a long session with minimal results!

Plugging East Of Salcombe 01 November 2010

Headed off to a local(ish) spot this morning, East of Salcombe. Fine weather, but a good swell running, big lulls between sets, so keeping an eye out for waves was a must when out on the rock ledges. Was fishing 3 hours on the push, but small tides.

Treked quite a long way down the coast, hitting a few spots in between, fishing on and off for around an hour till I reached a location I had a bass on in the summer. After about a good few casts, had a fish on, and a good fighter. A flash of silver on the surface signalled a bass, and landed shortly after. Turned out to only be a small fish, so a quick photo and weighed on the scales at 1lb before being released. Caught on my new Duo Tide Minnow 125.

Fished around the same spot for a while longer, but no takes. Headed right back to where I started, to see if the high tide was producing. Switched over to the Megabass Xlayer Shrimp & Minnow, and worked it close to the bottom. Wasn't long till I had a fish on, and landed. Just a small Pollack, at 7 1/4oz, photo and back in the sea. 

The water had some good depth off the rocks, so gave my new Zonk a try out. Seemed the Pollack like it, as soon I hooked and landed a slightly bigger one at 9 1/4oz.

Happy to see the new lures catching, only one I didn't catch on was my new Feed Shallow, but only tried it out on a few test casts, hopefully will get a chance to use it properly soon.

I have a new Shimano Rarenium 4000 reel turning up this week, to go with my Lucky Craft ESGII 7'7, replacing my Shimano Exage 4000FB, so next trip out will be testing with more new gear. Still looking forward to catching my first 4lb+ fish.

West Cornwall 21 Ocober 2010

Same again, same weather conditions, fishing from low tide up for a couple of hours. Tried the same spot as yesterday for an hour or so, but no joy. Saw a chap fishing bait off the bottom catch a small fish further along the cliff, so stayed optimistic.

Decided to move 5 mins down the coast, to where there was more weed and dark water amongst the rocks. From one spot I could see 3 or 4 bass moving about meters from me. Was not long till I had a bite, and brought in a bass. Quick hop to another rock, and 5 mins later had another bass take the plug, and landed. Shortly after, another bite saw a Gar fish landed, this time hooked in the mouth rather than the body. All 3 were hooked on the MegaBass Vision OneTen in HT Sayori.

As I had my new Berkley digital scales, all fish were weighed, photographed and released, so I can now keep records for myself. So pretty much a repeat of the previous days catch, 2 bass and a Gar, and I feel my fishing is coming along a lot better now.

Bass No.1 1lb 1oz

Bass No.2 1lb 0oz

Gar 6 1/4oz

Calm & Clear Bassing 20 October 2010

Headed to my now usual spot in West Cornwall, on the South Coast. Got there on dead low, with the intention to fish the flood for a couple of hours. Very light offshore breeze, and a flat sea with no swell at all, was wondering if it would be a no show for the bass.

Started off plugging with the Maria Chase BW in Holo Silver, keeping mobile, nothing for 30mins or so, working along the rocks. Felt something attack the plug, and after a short fight, a fish spiralled on the surface, and could see it was a Gar fish, tangling it'self up. Brought it ashore, got a quick pic and released. Guessing it was about 40cm+

After a few more chucks with the Maria, switched locations to a small sandy cove, with some goood deep gullies, and put the MegaBass Vision OneTen in HT Sayori (love the look and quality of this plug!).

As I was picking my spot to stand, in the crystal clear gullies before me, in 6'+ water, I could see the shapes of 2 bass cruising the gullies, working a pattern in and out. Feeling confident, I cast out to the far end of the gully, and started working my plug back in. After a few casts, bang, good bite and fish on. Could see the bass hooked, trying to run for freedom. Landed after a good scrap, measuring 40cm to the fork in the tail.

Fished on, trying another crystal clear gully, and shortly had a bite. Not so much of a fight, and when landed could see it was just a schoolie, so quick pic and released fine. The MegaBass plug doing the job again.

Kept it short, and headed back after a couple of hours. Beautiful weather, and was happy to catch in such calm and clear conditions. Think the deep water nature of the spot helps, with plenty of ambush spots amongst the rocks for the bass. Finally a little shot of the last spot I fished from, for the 2 bass.