Mr Fish
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2020
- Messages
- 18,895
- Reaction score
- 65,343
- Points
- 116
- Location
- North Devon
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
I’ve been trying for a few days to hit Saunton beach to fish up to the high for bass after dark.
A combination of feeling a bit achy plus crap weather put me off but Friday night I was determined to give it a go.
High tide was just after 1am so I didn’t rush to get there, arriving about 8.30 and fishing by 9.
Usually we walk a fair way down the beach but I really couldn’t be arsed so I just went about five minutes from the slipway.
There was a powerful surf although it looked bassy.
The beach is so flat, the waves were surging up a long way, so I had to keep my gear about 100 yards back from the surf line.
Not a problem but meant a lot of walking up and down to cast and retrieve.
First impressions, a 5oz gripper wasn’t going to cut it. First cast saw the rod bend and line coming off the reel, but nothing on retrieve apart from a tangled rig, the half bluey bait was okay.
Second cast same thing, except I’d left the reel drag a bit looser than I’d intended and this certainly seemed like the run of a fish.
Well, whacked it, retrieved, same story, tangled rig and bait fine.
So I’m not sure if that was a bite or not. The surging surf was certainly doing weird things to the gear, slack lines, pulling right over, etc, knocks and rattles.
I moved back up with the tide and not a lot was happening. I decided to bring in one half bluey that was by now a long way out.
Felt a bit of weight on it but again on flat beaches, the gear can really drag, making you think there something there when there isn’t.
Anyway, walked down to the surf line and discovered my reeling and heaving had beached a plump bass.
Didn’t even know it was on there ?
Maybe I was doing something else when it bit, maybe the conditions were just too strong to show bites properly, who knows?
He went 3lb 9 and was promptly whacked on the head.
I fished on up to high but about half hour before time (you can’t chase the tide back here, it’s a hiding to nothing), I decided I was pretty tired and had enough, so packed up and headed home just as the on/off rain showers turned into permanent heavy rain!
A combination of feeling a bit achy plus crap weather put me off but Friday night I was determined to give it a go.
High tide was just after 1am so I didn’t rush to get there, arriving about 8.30 and fishing by 9.
Usually we walk a fair way down the beach but I really couldn’t be arsed so I just went about five minutes from the slipway.
There was a powerful surf although it looked bassy.
The beach is so flat, the waves were surging up a long way, so I had to keep my gear about 100 yards back from the surf line.
Not a problem but meant a lot of walking up and down to cast and retrieve.
First impressions, a 5oz gripper wasn’t going to cut it. First cast saw the rod bend and line coming off the reel, but nothing on retrieve apart from a tangled rig, the half bluey bait was okay.
Second cast same thing, except I’d left the reel drag a bit looser than I’d intended and this certainly seemed like the run of a fish.
Well, whacked it, retrieved, same story, tangled rig and bait fine.
So I’m not sure if that was a bite or not. The surging surf was certainly doing weird things to the gear, slack lines, pulling right over, etc, knocks and rattles.
I moved back up with the tide and not a lot was happening. I decided to bring in one half bluey that was by now a long way out.
Felt a bit of weight on it but again on flat beaches, the gear can really drag, making you think there something there when there isn’t.
Anyway, walked down to the surf line and discovered my reeling and heaving had beached a plump bass.
Didn’t even know it was on there ?
Maybe I was doing something else when it bit, maybe the conditions were just too strong to show bites properly, who knows?
He went 3lb 9 and was promptly whacked on the head.
I fished on up to high but about half hour before time (you can’t chase the tide back here, it’s a hiding to nothing), I decided I was pretty tired and had enough, so packed up and headed home just as the on/off rain showers turned into permanent heavy rain!
