North Wales He thinks it’s all over…………………… it isn’t yet!

[Andy 1965]

Having never caught a bass on a lure later than November 12th, I assumed my season was over for another year, but it seemed a shame not to take advantage of yesterday’s window in the weather. I was in 2 minds at the start of the week, but having had an early night on Monday, to get over the side effects of my most recent Covid booster , I was feeling fully refreshed yesterday morning and so I thought what the hell!

Conditions on my arrival were pretty good, with fairly calm water save for a small swell, and decent water clarity, and though at 9.5˚c the water temp was down 3.4 ˚c since my last visit on October 20th , I hoped the bass might still be around.

Unfortunately, it looked like I was out of luck, and despite my best efforts, the next 4 and a half hours were completely dead, with no signs of life whatsoever .

As midnight approached, I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I was going to end the season with a blank and going through the motions for the last 5 minutes, I was thinking ahead to getting back to the dirty bait fishing for the winter, but then I thought I felt a small tap on my line . Nooo it couldn’t have been a fish, it was probably just my lure bumping on a rock I told myself, but 4 or 5 casts later there was no mistake, as this time my lure was stopped dead in its tracks and the rod started bouncing around in my hand! I was well aware that this could well be my only chance of the night, so praying that I wouldn’t lose it, I carefully reeled the fish towards the shore and after a nervous couple of minutes, I successfully landed my latest ever lure caught bass .

At 47cm, it wasn’t particularly big, but that didn’t matter one bit, I was just chuffed to bits to catch something .


After a quick snap and a kiss , it was carefully released to grow bigger, while I got straight back to the fishing.

I must admit, I thought my catch was a bit of a fluke and with no more takes in the next 20 minutes, that looked to be the case but incredibly, just as I was about to call it a night for the second time, my lure was hit again . Once more I took my time, not wanting to bully the fish for fear of pulling the hook, but I needn’t have worried and another identical silver of 47cm was duly landed .


I obviously couldn’t leave now , so I decided to give it another 10 casts .

Surprisingly, over the next 45 minutes I landed another three bass of 41, 42 & 46cm






and I also missed several more hits, but eventually the water got so shallow, that despite me switching to gradually lighter jig-heads, I just couldn’t fish the lure effectively without it snagging on the submerged rocks .

I could probably have winkled out another couple of fish, by fishing ultra-shallow with a weightless Swimish, but with a decent drive home ahead of me, and work this morning, I thought better of it and reluctantly called it a night at 01:15 .

So having caught bass 10 days later than I’ve managed before in 11 years of lure fishing, it looks like I was mistaken in thinking that my season was over. Sadly, the forecast for the rest of the week isn’t great, but if a weather window does present itself, then I might just be tempted to have another go .

 

[Stevie69]

Cracking report and pics well done

 

[Goatfish]

Well you equalled my season total in that one session!
Im guessing your next target will be a December Bass…..

 

[Wolf]

Nice one mate great catches and piccys well done, write up made good reading

 

[Had1]

Good late season fishing

 

[Andy 1965]

Thanks for the replies all .

This weather certainly won't be encouraging the bass to hang around, but there appears to be another settled spell on the way next week, so I might well give the lures another go .

As for a December bass, I fear that might be a bridge too far, but he who dares and all that .

 

[Viaductbaggies]

Thanks for the replies all .

This weather certainly won't be encouraging the bass to hang around, but there appears to be another settled spell on the way next week, so I might well give the lures another go .

As for a December bass, I fear that might be a bridge too far, but he who dares and all that .

Remember that place on the Llyn the Ross j told me about

 

[richtic]

Excellent report and pictures, cracking fishing Andy, well done