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).

My first bass of the year.

Firstly - an apology. My computer has been down for the best part of a week and if I could find the ***** who wrote the Malware I'd strangle them. Anyway, all appears to be well now thanks to my son Dan's expertise.

About a week ago I went down to the coast to have a go for a bass. There had been a hard frost and a nasty wind was blowing from the east. I knew that I was crackers as soon as opened the car door but I walked down to the shore and had three casts. By then my hands were on the verge of frostbite and I thought 'blow this for a game of billiards!' and went home for an early breakfast. I'm not really a fair weather fisherman but there's little point in making an ordeal out of what should be a pleasure.

The following night was cloudy and the wind dropped so when I roused myself at 04.45 the next morning I actually felt quite enthusiastic. Sure enough the brisk walk to my chosen mark was almost pleasant and I began fishing at about twenty to six with the tide well on the way in. I was using a weighted Redgill and for half-an-hour I cast and retrieved fanning my casts to make sure I covered the water. Just as it was getting light I felt a slight double tap - was it a fish? I'm still not sure but it was encouragement. So, for another fifteen minutes, I continued my enthusiastic spinning. By now it was getting quite light and I reached the point where I generally say 'just three more casts!' The three casts came and went but the water looked so nice and clear that I thought I'd have another three. The first one was straight out to sea and the second one was parallel to the shore, just outside a narrow band of drifting weed. The lure plopped in and I began to turn the handle when suddenly - wallop! I was into a decent fish. It fought hard despite the cold water and it was some little time before I had it under control. I grabbed the camera from my bag and (riskily) took a picture of it as it slid under the rod tip. Then I heaved it onto the beach. A couple more pictures, unhook it (easy with the flattened barb) and set it free. The four pound fish was in mint condition, an excellent start to my year. It would have seemed greedy to have another cast so at this point I packed in and went home. As a matter of interest the fish coughed up several living Idotea as I drew it ashore so that's what it had been feeding on. Clearly the Redgill was too good to resist.

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

Got one!.

Nice fish.

Well hooked.