Catch fish with Mike Ladle.

Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

"HOME."

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 info.

I’ve not been able to get out much lately for various reasons. On Sunday last I went with my old pal Dave Cooling to the AGM of the Bass Anglers Sportfishing Society (near Gloucester) – always a good bit of fun. We had an interesting talk from Martin Salter of the Angling Trust and it convinced many of us that the Trust is attempting to take the concerns of bass anglers seriously, particularly in terms of increasing the minimum landing size to 48cm. I also won a nice box of saltwater flies in the raffle (makes up for the boxful I left on the beach last year).

Anyway – to fishing. I’ve had two failed carp trips. The last time I had two crusts sucked off the hook so I was getting close to catching a fish. Fortunately my pals Bill and Rob have been out and about along the coast and here are their reports. First Bill –

Hi Mike

Did you get out today and more importantly did you have any luck????

(Too busy editing my current book! M.L.)

I kept thinking about the huge piles of weed I'd seen earlier this year so as it was a big tide (I know its after the biggest) and its been calm for a while I thought I'd be clever and head out for a look-see.

The piles of weed were still there and the sea had literally trillions of maggots on it, it was like a white carpet.The only problem there was quite a swell and the sea was the colour of dark grey paint. I fished from 07:30 - 09:30 and with no sign of fish gave up!!!!!! If it had been summer and the water clear it might have been a different story.

I decided to go further round and arrived at about 10:45. I fished until about 13:00 and was tormented yet again by bass. I am 100% sure they were bass as I could see spiky dorsals. I tried all the usual lures plus the new prawn lure.....no luck. Thats the 3rd blank in a row now. BxxxxX. Never mind I have the first week in April off.

I will be out early next weekend.....I MUST CATCH A FISH.

(I know the feeling M.L.)

All the best,

Bill

- and then another from Bill -

Hi Mike,

I read that it was the AGM Sunday so wondered if you'd attend.By the way I am now BASS member 5329.

I'd guess that I've seen grubbing\mooching bass on over 75% of my low tide visits, they are normally there 2hrs either side of low water but sometimes they just aren't there at all. I didn't tell you but last week I saw the biggest bass I've ever seen, it was like an elongated beer keg (this may be a slight exaggeration) but it was without doubt a double figure fish. I've never seen a bass this big before, not even the one that wrecked my rod last year.

Most of the fish I have seen I would estimate to be 3 - 5 lb, the one I caught on Christmas Eve was possibly 6.5lb. I now carry a weighing bag and set of scales (the weighing bag is a Lidl's carrier with the sides slit).

I will be fishing Sunday & expect to get a couple of trips in soon. With the lighter evenings I'll be able to go after work on the right sort of tides. Did you see Rob's blog? I emailed him yesterday and he told me of his success.

All the best

Bill

and then Rob -

Hi Mike

Fished with Dad yesterday morning, I was surprised that you weren't there (I was at the AGM!).

Dad fished from the middle of the bay while I flicked a Slandra around in the edge. It was flat calm and the tide was still a little way out so once I was sure there were no fish lurking in the shallows I went out a bit further to continue my fishing. Dawn came and went without a bite, I moved over to dad for a quick chat and to fish from the rocks. I was instantly regretting my decision when 3 anglers on the other side, where I had been fishing, hooked and landed a small bass.

My regret was short lived though, as a good cast resulted in my Holo Chase being grabbed. A couple of short runs followed but I was soon bringing the fish towards shore, it felt a decent weight but wasn't running, although when I got it close I could see the top treble was in its lip while the tail treble had caught the fish in the head during the fight (it seemed to dampen the fight). Dad came over to take a pic. or two but his camera had run out of batteries (typical). I passed him the rod as I lifted the fish from the rocks, a few snaps with the phone and I weighed my prize, 4lb 14 ounces. After a bit of coaxing she went back OK. We fished on for 30 minutes or so but with nothing else decided to make a move (one of the other anglers managed two more small bass from the rocks close to me).

A good way to start the year hopefully dad will get connected with one or two in the coming weeks.

Did you get out at all??

(only to Gloucester M.L.).

Have a good week,

Rob

That was interesting wasn’t it? Added interest came when my son Richard, who lives and works in Brazil, Skyped me. He wanted to know whether I could identify a possum which had fried itself on the wires outside his garden. I couldn’t (Any possum experts out there?) but I was more interested in how it managed to get the middle of the wire unscathed before it croaked. I concluded that it must have walked sedately across the lower (telephone?) wire before deciding to give itself additional support by wrapping it’s naked tail around the upper (high voltage?) wire. Presumably this was its last mistake. (Any electrical experts out there?).

Cheers,

Mike

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

Winter weed.

People often ask me whether weed+maggots are there in winter - they are.

Winter maggots.

Impressive - but no fish.

Good one Rob.

Pity I went to the AGM eh!

Possum.

Richard says that the local vultures are too cute to attempt a 'rescue' meal. The wires look the same to me!