Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

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SEA FISHING

11 April 2002

First evening fish

As the tides built up to springs again the strong, cold north east winds persisted. A couple of short early morning sessions produced nothing but cold hands so when Nigel rang to suggest an evening trip, after he finished work, it seemed like a good idea.

We arrived at the shore to find the tide already well in and the sea fairly flat apart from a big swell rolling in from the east. The water was mostly very clear apart from one small area where the waves were disturbing sand and loose weed. The cold, offshore breeze of the past week was still blowing.

I put on a J11 floater and Nigel tried a Storm Thunderstick but half an hour of fruitless cast and retrieve just served to confirm the typical early season lack of fish. I saw Nige walk back to his bag and change the lure. He had been casting across the breeze and obviously decided to use something with a bit more weight. He settled for a J13 Rapala which he had turned from orange to dark blue by applying a coat of glitter nail varnish. By now it was almost high water and he had no trouble using the deeper diving lure. I noticed that he had shifted his stance and was fishing through the patch of coloured water - obviously thinking that the turbid conditions might contain food and attract fish.

I continued to cast but after a few minutes I heard a shout and looked up to see Nigel's rod well bent into a fish. I grabbed the camera and hurried over to him just as the fish splashed on the surface. In a short while the bass was beaten and slid ashore on the breaking waves - three pounds exactly - even though we had no more bites it was all worthwhile.

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

Nigel spinning.

Now it's quite gloomy but he's into a fish!.

The bass is beaten.

A nice fat little bass.

Satisfaction!