Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

SEA FISHING

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over several years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff).

Bass and rough weather.

I was supposed to be going fishing with a couple of pals on Saturday morning but I then discovered that I had an early appointment so I had to cancel. As it urned out it seems I was lucky - I'm told that it was a bit like Piccadilly Circus down on the shore and not too much in the way of fish caught. In addition there was a mighty swell which gave a few people a serious soaking. Anyway, I decided to pop down on Sunday. When I arrived at my chosen spot my pals Rob and Mike were already fishing and the tide was coming in. In the darkness I fought my way through the mounds of drifting kelp (many tonnes of it) and began to cast my 'Slandra' out into the gloom. Despite the vast amount of weed in the water the 'weedless' lure proved its worth again and for ten minutes or more I hurled it out and inched it back (I'm really getting into this slow winding tactic now) then I felt a double tug. Nothing was hooked so I assumed that the bite had been a small bass.

Rob and Mike were still fishless too so I wasn't inclined to change my lure and the bite was encouraging. The missed pull had been very close in and I'd heard (couldn't see in the dark) a couple of suggestive splashes in the weed by my legs (I was wading thigh deep). Since the fish were so close I began to make two out of every three casts along the edge so that the lure was wiggling through the drifting kelp fronds. After a little while I had a reasonable bite and the lure came back minus its tail - bugger! I paddled back to the shore and tied on another 'Slandra', this one with a yellow tail. Out into the kelp soup again and begin casting. Wallop! I was into a fish that took the lure right in amongst the weed fronds. This one remained attached and I landed it and took a couple of pictures. After I'd returned the bass I inspected the lure to find that it had split at the front end (must find a way of strengthening that place). All I had left in the box was a giant 'Slandra' about 30cm long so I tied it on. It cast well and even produced a couple of decent knocks but I guess it was much too big for the bass that were there so I packed in and went for breakfast leaving my pals to fish on. I wonder how they got on?

My pictures turned out rather fuzzy - could have been misting on the lens but probably not! Hope the camera is not on the blink.

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

My bass.

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