What a difference a night can make!

Well after having quite a bit of fun yesterday and with having another day off today, I decided to head out and try the same tactics today.

I was considering taking out the regular Bass gear out as I knew it was going to be overcast and to be honest I wish I had.

I arrived at the beach around 10am, the water was noticeably more coloured and there was a swell building. I was also fishing a different stage of the tide to yesterday and sort of wanted to prove that flattie fishing is better around low water, that is certainly what I have found in the past.

Anyway, I was using the same setup as yesterday and fishing the same places, as well as some other spots along the beach. After about ten minutes I had a strong bite and a run, I knew it wasn't a Turbot, rather it was a Bass. Only a small one but put up a respectable fight for its size.

I fished the same area for a while, but strangely I was not getting anymore bites and therefore moved along a little. Well I had a cracker of a hit on my second spot and my reel was screaming. It was another Bass and I had a big smile knowing it was a good one. I then made a silly error and tried to turn the Bass to quickly into the run and ping, the Bass was gone! I was gutted, I had that feeling of both an adrenaline rush and deep frustration.

I cast out to the same area a few times but was getting nothing, I was really disappointed. I thought I would text Scott and tell him about my lost fish. I cast out and let the lure sit and got my phone out, as the lure was deadsticking, a fish hit the lure with an aggressive take. A bit of a consolation prize though, as it was just a small one.

A few casts later and I had the telltale thump of a small flattie, as usual I let the bite develop and set the hook after a few seconds. A wee fight ensued before I had another Turbot landed.

At this point the day was looking ok, but shortly afterwards, a cold North East wind blew up and the swell grew. Things became very tough, I lost a Turbot and despite the odd small pluck did not get another fish before the tide started to ebb and again, and that was in the form of a small Bass.

Despite trying a variety of lures and tactics, all my fish fell to the 4 inch natural Gulp Sandworm rigged on an ima turtlehead. Can't beat the Gulp in my opinion, It tends to be a more consistent lure type than any of my other baits.

I realise I can't complain too much about the fishing, at least I didn't blank! With the hours I was out and with the overcast sky, I did expect more. Oh well I guess that's just fishing and it still certainly beats a day at work.

I am also learning quite a lot about what I can pick up, when and where, on marks I had not fished a great deal until this year. Those things are only things you can learn by putting in the time and hard work and are part of the joy of fishing.

I am off to Jersey on the 1st of November and that will probably be my next outing. I'm very much looking forward to being there and seeing what Jersey has to offer. I'm also looking forward to fishing  with friends and meeting a few people from the Lure Forum for the first time. I will hopefully bring a good report.

'Til then, tight lines and thanks for reading.

Turbo tactics.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend who has been trying to catch Turbot with his mate, it's actually the two that got me into fishing light Schogsky and Hutch. They hadn't had any success but had a great time on the Bass and Gobies instead.

Anyway, today was a really nice day and the wind was light, so I decided to fish light and go Turbot hunting and prove my advice to Scott. 

I arrived on an ebbing tide and rigged up a Gulp Sandworm on a 2.5g Decoy head. There was a fair bit of movement in the water and this is the reason I was fishing with quite a heavy jig head. For Turbot I have found that you do want your lure to make good contact with the bottom at times.

I headed up the beach to a couple of places I have had success with Turbot before, but wasn't getting any bites, I therefore headed up to an area where I could wade past some rocks and fish the sand behind.

I know full well there are Turbot here, although they are rarely of any size. There was quite a bit of loose weed floating around and I knew it was going to be tough. I wasn't getting anything on the sandworm so changed to a 2" Gulp fish fry in Pearl rigged on a 3g ima Turtlehead and on about the third cast I had a hit on the drop. I allowed the bite to develop for a couple of seconds before setting the hook and I had a small fish on, after a short time I reeled in a small Turbot and a clump of weed.

I carried on in this area for a while and was getting the occasional bite but the weed was becoming unbearable, I made the decision to head back down the beach and try for flounder.

I fished where there is a storm drain leaking fresh water into the sea, these areas are often productive for flatfish. I stayed with the ima head but rigged up a natural coloured sandworm. Again, on about my third cast I had a bite and again let it develop while keeping minimal tension, I set the hook and had another fish. I could tell it was a little bigger than the last, but not much and after a wee fight I was a little surprised when I pulled out another Turbot.

Very shortly after I had another one that took the lure after a short retrieve and dead stick.

Upon looking at the pictures I am not 100% certain it's not the same fish, what do you think? This one put up a slightly better fight and on unhooking it regurgitated a small sandeel, which was a bit of a surprise. 

The sun was now setting and at this time the Sand Eel bury themselves and the Turbot action tends to die off. It was a beautiful sunset too.

Just at this time I caught two species of by-catch in the form of a Weever (which I did not take a picture of but shook off the hook) and a Bass, which put up a spirited fight.

A very enjoyable afternoons fishing with a couple of surprises, the main one being the Turbot on a sandworm as I haven't caught one on those before.

Another satisfying session though and was content enough as I made my walk home.

Tight lines all and thanks for reading.

A Thought Too Soon

I don't know what you're like but I tend to get mighty despondent after a run of blanks, this has been the case for me lately. I have been out after Bass and Flatfish on a few occasions and despite the odd bite and lost fish, I have not landed a thing.

I could hardly muster the energy to go out today and had a defeatist attitude for the morning. I finally managed to get my backside into gear and go to my local for low tide. It was a lovely day even if another blank was in store, it is nice just to be outside.

I walked along the beach and tried various places for flatfish. It's quite easy to spot fishy features along the low tide mark and on one of the gullies I spooked a small Flatfish, Initially I was a bit peeved but stayed for a while. I saw the fish return to where I was standing and spook again. On this I moved backwards and continued working the area twitching my Gulp! Sandworm up and letting it fall, then deadstick. Eventually I got a bite but missed the hookup, I quickly cast to the same place and repeated my retrieve. I got a positive bite and just let it develop for around twenty seconds before setting the hook, a relatively decent fight ensued. Before very long I had landed a Flounder and was quite pleased, I had beaten the dreaded blank!

I walked along the shore trying a few more features before heading to my Turbot spot. Sadly I didn't get a Turbot but I did get a good little scrap off a Bass that inhaled my lure off the bottom.

The tide now really started to push and was picking up all the washed up weed on the shore line, it became impossible to fish this section of the beach again. I started to get a little grumpy as I was thinking to myself "I haven't had a really good session with more than two fish for some time", anybody who knows me, knows I am a miserable ol' sod though.

I had decided to accept my lot though and wandered along the beach in a homeward direction. I saw three Razorbills in the water occasionally diving under, I thought "well nothing to loose" and started casting near where they were. The odd bite but nothing much really, when all of a sudden the sea just erupted! I was soon standing amid a cloud of tiny Smelt with fish hitting the surface, the Razorbills started going berserk and were catching fish. It was just an awesome sight, the sea looked like it was boiling. The next hour and a half I was practically getting a fish a cast, mostly small Mackeral but with the odd Schoolie thrown in the mix.

I stopped taking photos and just got on with the fishing, franticly changing my Gulp! Fish Fry as they  got totally mullered. The fish were just hitting them on the drop nearly every cast, it was epic and such good fun!

I couldn't believe a short while ago I was so pessimistic, yet was now in my element.

Strange though how as dusk approached it was like someone flipped a switch and the action just died. On the return home I was thinking about those Razorbills, I hardly ever see them on my local and wondered if they just knew what was going to ensue and where, amazing things!

Tight lines Peeps.