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).

Dave's bass catches.

Like most of my fishing friends Dave Baker is a keen, all round angler. The other week he sent me an email recounting his recent trips to Dorset and Devon. I enjoyed reading it so I guess others will be interested.

Hi Mike,

Thought I'd let you know about my Devon trip as I was quite happy with the place.

Wednesday after I got up late and had no luck in Purbeck I drove on down to Devon, pitched the tent and found the water flooding and crystal clear. Tide was half up and I chucked out a Maria more in hope than expectation in the bright conditions. Surprise, surprise, - I got a bite as a small bass shot out from behind a rock after a few minutes. Encouraging! Over the next hour tghere were lots of follows, sometimes by a shoal of 6-10 small bass, and no bites. I used J11s, Delta eels and Marias but they were wise to them all.

I moved to where the surf was now parallel to the rocks and the water was rougher. This worked and 2 more small bass were caught. Pushed from here by the increasing tide I tried the 'Slandra' in the filling gullys. Couple of casts and a better bass takes it in the white water. Ended up with 8 bass for the session until it died after HW.

Thursday – I got up too early (unlike the day before!) and started casting in the middle of a calm sheltered beach in the pitch black. Had a 3.5 lb fish take the Maria close in and was pleased with this as this beach is dead looking in the daytime. Moved back to yesterday’s gulley areas and only caught one more in a couple of hours plugging. Strange! I thought it would have been better in the morning.

Decided to fish last 2 hours of flood in the evening and had some good fun catching 9 bass on a variety of lures, all in the 2-3 lb size bracket, from the surf on a sandy beach and then the gulleys again. Conditions were rougher and the bass seemed keen.

Friday morning back in the dark, tide lower, sea even rougher, one small bass from 'dead beach'. Over to surf beach, two bass from behind 4ft surf. Tried the gulleys next and had 5 more, best 4lb. Mornings aren't bad after all!

On Friday evening conditions got really rough and in 3 hours I only had 1 bass and lost another on the float/eel combo. The gulleys were empty!

Saturday - alarm set for 4.30 am. Sound of rain on the tent soon had me turning it off and rolling over. Couldn't sleep so still got up at 6.00 as the rain had stopped now. Leisurely cup of tea and I decide to give it a quick go as it’s my last session. Tide at HW and gulleys are full. Casting along rocks had a savage bite, brief scrap taking line and its off. B*****ks, S**t, F888. Checked lure,OK, and still mumbling and cursing cast to the same place. Wallop,lure grabbed again and this time a nice 6lb bass is landed. Only downer was I'd left my camera/alarm clock in the tent. Anyway a great way to end a very enjoyable trip,including Dorset (12 bass) I managed 41 bass in total all on lures.

P.S. Also had 1 garfish and 20 or so pollack to 1.5lb.

Cheers,

Dave

Not bad eh! Any lure angler would be pleased with those fish. Dave always puts 110% effort into his fishing and deserves everything he catches. Clearly the 'Slandra' lure that he's made is equally as effective off the coast of Devon as it has been for me in Dorset.

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

Dead beach bass.

Gulley bass.

- and one on a 'Slandra'.