Action Man
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2020
- Messages
- 136
- Reaction score
- 969
- Points
- 94
Afternoon all,
Been a tad quiet on here recently (apologies). Everything seems to be going at 100 miles per hour these past few months and I can barely keep up up with work, family and fishing commitments!
However, I was gifted a break from the chaos last Friday night (7th October), and I was desperate to go hunt out some better Bass as October is such a great time to target them. The tide was late (midnight at my favourite north Kent Bass venue), so I managed to get some worms from the tackle shop, and I was set up by 9:45 and first baits in the water by 10:15pm when the tide made its appearance across the flats.
I was there with my usual 2 rod set up, starting the evening with a loop rig on each rod with size 1's loaded with small lug worm. It didn't take long until my first rattle and pull down, nothing too hectic but just as a got up off my tackle box the rod took another lunge, this one more decent and continued to bounce about quite erratically. Not much of a fight on the retrieve but was keenly surprised to see a double-shot of Bass on my first cast, going at 29cm and 39cm. I was very happy, off to a good start and blank avoided! Great I thought, and all I had to do was get past the dreaded 'catch on first cast and that's all you get' situation!
A quick couple of photos and on my way back from the waters edge I noticed my other rod bouncing away - fish on! This one came in at 35cm. With all the excitement I quickly re-baited and sent out another loop rig, plus now an up and over rig with size 4-0's for the large lug worm on the other rod. This is where things went a bit crazy, both rods immediately slammed over and I had the fun of retrieving one rod whilst watching the other one bounce all over the place!
I managed to get both fish in and very happy to report one at 34cm and one at 48cm on the bigger hook. At this point, it was safe to say the fish were on the feed. I returned the smaller fish and the larger one got knocked over the head and had to pose for some photos. Another quick re-bait of both rods and the first one cast out, by the time I had picked up the second rod to cast it, the first rod pulled over hard and the ratchet started to wizz away as the fish took line. I was soon into a much better fish, this one came in at 51cm, and once again this was knocked over the head.
This was complete pandemonium. I had only been there 45 minutes and already I had 6 Bass, the beach resembled something of a war zone. Im usually very tidy and compact but I had rigs strewn everywhere, tackle box tipped over, my beer knocked over, both rods out the water and somehow - a squashed lugworm on the screen of my phone. I think amongst the chaos I forgot I had a worm in my hand!
I managed to chill out for about 15 mins when I had the opportunity to get my house in order and more importantly, bring my body temp back down to something reasonable - I was quite the sweaty mess!
Not much longer later I managed to get another two bass, both putting on impressive shows with line stripping from the reels and great pull downs on the rod tips. These two came in at 44cm and 41cm.
It was approaching high water, and the bites had dried up. A few minutes after the high, the tide started to ebb away with a bit of speed and I got a few knocks and rattles on each rod. I retrieved the loop rig and there was two scrawny whiting on the hooks, I then retrieved the other rod and yes, another whiting! So here we are 15 mins into the ebb and 3 whiting to show for it.
Thats enough for me - time to pack up. After such a good session im not going to waste my time feeding vermin!
Final scores on the doors after 2 1/4 hours fishing:
8 Bass (29,39, 35, 34, 48, 51, 44 & 41cm) plus 3 whiting
Until next time
Alan
Been a tad quiet on here recently (apologies). Everything seems to be going at 100 miles per hour these past few months and I can barely keep up up with work, family and fishing commitments!
However, I was gifted a break from the chaos last Friday night (7th October), and I was desperate to go hunt out some better Bass as October is such a great time to target them. The tide was late (midnight at my favourite north Kent Bass venue), so I managed to get some worms from the tackle shop, and I was set up by 9:45 and first baits in the water by 10:15pm when the tide made its appearance across the flats.
I was there with my usual 2 rod set up, starting the evening with a loop rig on each rod with size 1's loaded with small lug worm. It didn't take long until my first rattle and pull down, nothing too hectic but just as a got up off my tackle box the rod took another lunge, this one more decent and continued to bounce about quite erratically. Not much of a fight on the retrieve but was keenly surprised to see a double-shot of Bass on my first cast, going at 29cm and 39cm. I was very happy, off to a good start and blank avoided! Great I thought, and all I had to do was get past the dreaded 'catch on first cast and that's all you get' situation!
A quick couple of photos and on my way back from the waters edge I noticed my other rod bouncing away - fish on! This one came in at 35cm. With all the excitement I quickly re-baited and sent out another loop rig, plus now an up and over rig with size 4-0's for the large lug worm on the other rod. This is where things went a bit crazy, both rods immediately slammed over and I had the fun of retrieving one rod whilst watching the other one bounce all over the place!
I managed to get both fish in and very happy to report one at 34cm and one at 48cm on the bigger hook. At this point, it was safe to say the fish were on the feed. I returned the smaller fish and the larger one got knocked over the head and had to pose for some photos. Another quick re-bait of both rods and the first one cast out, by the time I had picked up the second rod to cast it, the first rod pulled over hard and the ratchet started to wizz away as the fish took line. I was soon into a much better fish, this one came in at 51cm, and once again this was knocked over the head.
This was complete pandemonium. I had only been there 45 minutes and already I had 6 Bass, the beach resembled something of a war zone. Im usually very tidy and compact but I had rigs strewn everywhere, tackle box tipped over, my beer knocked over, both rods out the water and somehow - a squashed lugworm on the screen of my phone. I think amongst the chaos I forgot I had a worm in my hand!
I managed to chill out for about 15 mins when I had the opportunity to get my house in order and more importantly, bring my body temp back down to something reasonable - I was quite the sweaty mess!
Not much longer later I managed to get another two bass, both putting on impressive shows with line stripping from the reels and great pull downs on the rod tips. These two came in at 44cm and 41cm.
It was approaching high water, and the bites had dried up. A few minutes after the high, the tide started to ebb away with a bit of speed and I got a few knocks and rattles on each rod. I retrieved the loop rig and there was two scrawny whiting on the hooks, I then retrieved the other rod and yes, another whiting! So here we are 15 mins into the ebb and 3 whiting to show for it.
Thats enough for me - time to pack up. After such a good session im not going to waste my time feeding vermin!
Final scores on the doors after 2 1/4 hours fishing:
8 Bass (29,39, 35, 34, 48, 51, 44 & 41cm) plus 3 whiting
Until next time
Alan
