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).

Two bass (but not for me).

The weather is pretty unpredictable now and the sea is often coloured due to rough weather. Common sense (and experience) tells me that I ought to be dangling a big lump of squid or mackerel in the edge for bass but lure fishing has a powerful grip and I keep on trying. My last two short, early morning sessions (to spots miles apart) found the water murky but fishable. On the first occasion there were four of us fishing various plugs and plastics with nothing doing until I decided I'd had enough (after an hour or so). I left the other three hard at it and wandered back along the beach, having the odd cast as I went. I glanced back only to see a rod well bent and the three gathered together in one spot. I meant only one thing - bass! I hurried back in time to get a picture of the fish and the J11 Rapala on which it was caught. That should have tought me to persist but it didn't.

The next morning I went to the second spot and on the beach I met Robert, an angler who was new to me. He was doing exactly the same as me, spinning with a weighted, pearl Redgill. We fished more or less side by side for a while and nattered about the fishing. Robert was keen to find out a bit more about the area. Anyway, after a while, I left him still fishing to go for breakfast. As I walked back, I thought that the far side of the bay looked quite promising but I resisted the temptation and left. Later that day I had an email from Robert with a nice picture of the bass he'd caught on the other side of the bay. Twice on the trot Mike - that's fishing isn't it?

Oh, as a matter of interest, bass aren't the only things chasing lures at the moment. Another email correspondent, Steve, sent me a nice picture of a squid caught on on a Maria Chase BW a couple of weeks ago. He says it put up a great fight pulling strongly and steadily all the way in.

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

The first bass.

Bass and Rapala

John's bass.

Steve's squid.