Stormtrooper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2020
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 2,635
- Points
- 93
- Location
- Herne Bay
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Hi all!
So, on Sunday my club had its open limits boat bass competition. Usually, I fish boat comps with my dad but he’s in the midst of replacing the chassis on his Land Rover so was too busy to get out.
I decided it would be a good opportunity to take our little boat out and partner up with my 8 yr-old son, Ollie.
He was so excited, he’s wanted to catch a bass for ages and insisted he came and dug his own worms. I was really impressed with his perseverance and he managed a good 15-20 decent worms. Meanwhile I dug 80 or so, so we had plenty of bait along with 1/2lbs ragworm and a couple of packets of squid.
It was an early start and we pushed off the beach just before 7am. The little 12’ tod we were using only has a 4hp engine so we weren’t going far. We headed to the outfall at swalecliffe for the first hour or so, weed was bad but not impossible but neither of us had so much as a twitch. Keen to get Ollie a fish or two (even if not a bass!), I decided to move and we motored back to Hampton hole, a deeper section of water directly off Hampton jetty. I figured the weed situation would improve being further out. How wrong was I!! We had 2 drops each and it was horrendous, lbs and lbs of the stuff… clearly a bad idea.
I’d almost given up on targeting bass by now, the inshore waters were just too difficult to fish so I decided to head out about 2 miles to the Weir Bank.
I was astonished to find the weed was STILL an issue, even out there! Nonetheless, we carried on, I really wanted Ollie to land something. Anything!
After 30mins or so, I finally had a good pull down, something was alive out there!! I got the fish into the boat and not only was it the target bass, but it was 42cm so sizeable!!
I’m weighing in!! Woot!
With spirits slightly lifted, we fished on. I was so proud of Ollie for genuinely trying and paying attention throughout. I honestly thought he’d get bored after a while and moan but he kept at it.
With a little over an hour to go, I had another good bite and pulled in my second bass of the day, a better fish this time of 48cm. Unfortunately, this just prompted Ollie’s head to drop, he was verging on entering sulk mode!
As the ebb got into full force, the weed worsened and it was looking bleak that we’d see another fish. With about 15mins left, Ollie wound in and said “let’s just pack up, this is pointless”.
I convinced him to have one last drop as I started packing things away and tidying up etc. As soon as his lead hit the bottom, I saw it twitch. Still holding the rod, his instincts kicked in and he struck like a pro! Fish on! He exclaimed, I could literally feel his excitement as he wound in.
I readied the net just to make sure there were no mishaps as the fish surfaced and we got it in the boat. I was disappointed for him that his first ever bass was only 35cm so would have to be returned but it didn’t seem to bother him, he was so happy about it, it completely saved the day!!
We returned to shore and I won the comp, no other entrants saw a fish at all much less landed any so we actually did ok in the end.
Now I’ve just got to deal with being constantly badgered about taking him out again!!
So, on Sunday my club had its open limits boat bass competition. Usually, I fish boat comps with my dad but he’s in the midst of replacing the chassis on his Land Rover so was too busy to get out.
I decided it would be a good opportunity to take our little boat out and partner up with my 8 yr-old son, Ollie.
He was so excited, he’s wanted to catch a bass for ages and insisted he came and dug his own worms. I was really impressed with his perseverance and he managed a good 15-20 decent worms. Meanwhile I dug 80 or so, so we had plenty of bait along with 1/2lbs ragworm and a couple of packets of squid.
It was an early start and we pushed off the beach just before 7am. The little 12’ tod we were using only has a 4hp engine so we weren’t going far. We headed to the outfall at swalecliffe for the first hour or so, weed was bad but not impossible but neither of us had so much as a twitch. Keen to get Ollie a fish or two (even if not a bass!), I decided to move and we motored back to Hampton hole, a deeper section of water directly off Hampton jetty. I figured the weed situation would improve being further out. How wrong was I!! We had 2 drops each and it was horrendous, lbs and lbs of the stuff… clearly a bad idea.
I’d almost given up on targeting bass by now, the inshore waters were just too difficult to fish so I decided to head out about 2 miles to the Weir Bank.
I was astonished to find the weed was STILL an issue, even out there! Nonetheless, we carried on, I really wanted Ollie to land something. Anything!
After 30mins or so, I finally had a good pull down, something was alive out there!! I got the fish into the boat and not only was it the target bass, but it was 42cm so sizeable!!
I’m weighing in!! Woot!
With spirits slightly lifted, we fished on. I was so proud of Ollie for genuinely trying and paying attention throughout. I honestly thought he’d get bored after a while and moan but he kept at it.
With a little over an hour to go, I had another good bite and pulled in my second bass of the day, a better fish this time of 48cm. Unfortunately, this just prompted Ollie’s head to drop, he was verging on entering sulk mode!
As the ebb got into full force, the weed worsened and it was looking bleak that we’d see another fish. With about 15mins left, Ollie wound in and said “let’s just pack up, this is pointless”.
I convinced him to have one last drop as I started packing things away and tidying up etc. As soon as his lead hit the bottom, I saw it twitch. Still holding the rod, his instincts kicked in and he struck like a pro! Fish on! He exclaimed, I could literally feel his excitement as he wound in.
I readied the net just to make sure there were no mishaps as the fish surfaced and we got it in the boat. I was disappointed for him that his first ever bass was only 35cm so would have to be returned but it didn’t seem to bother him, he was so happy about it, it completely saved the day!!
We returned to shore and I won the comp, no other entrants saw a fish at all much less landed any so we actually did ok in the end.
Now I’ve just got to deal with being constantly badgered about taking him out again!!
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