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).

One or two small bass.

Since the recent sessions when I caught a couple of small bass and lost one good fish I've been three times. The tide was never exactly as I would have wished so I didn't managed to fish exactly where I wanted to. However, I did catch a couple of bass as I was walking to the mark on my initial trip. The first one was probably 1.5-2.0lb and took my unweighted Evo Stix in the poor light at 05:45hr. After I'd returned the fish I continued to cast every few paces as I walked along. A few minutes after catching the first bass I had one a bit smaller. Not too bad - at least I'd caught something. When I arrived at my chosen spot I discovered that a chap that I know was there already. The tide was still too high for either of us to fish where we wanted so we had a chat. My aquaintance had lost a small fish earlier but that had been his only take. There would only be room for one of us to fish so I left him to it and fished my way back along to the car without any further action.

The following morning I went again, even though I knew that the tide would be even later and the place less accessible. I adopted exactly the same tactics as on the previous morning and this time I had only one small bass as I walked along.

A few days later and although I knew it would be right on high water and so impossible to access the rocks, I decided to try the stretch which had produced the small bass on the ebbing tide. The wind was now much stronger than on my previous sessions but it was blowing over my casting shoulder, so still easy to fish with my weightless lure. I had not been fishing long when I felt a furtive pluck on the lure, clearly a small bass, but it wasn't hooked. I was encouraged but as it turned out it was a false hope and I had no more bites. The further I walked the rougher the sea became and eventually I managed to get a bit of a wet front from a breaking wave which hit a big rock in front of me. I always fancy my chances when there's a bit of a stir but this time there was nothing so after dawn broke I went home for breakfast. Looks as though we might be due for some wet, rough conditions for a few days now. Must thaw some bait out as soon as it settles. Next time perhaps?

The larger fish, caught in the gloom, on my first session.

Nicely hooked. Even small ones have enough jaw strength to collapse the lures.

The little one on my second session.

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HOOKED ON BASS

Written with Alan Vaughan. NEW PRINT OF THE ORIGINAL: IN PAPERBACK. Copies available from all good book shops RRP £14:99 - "Waterstones"

ANGLING ON THE EDGE

Copies can now be ordered (printed on demand) from Steve Pitts at £34.00, inc. Royal Mail Insured UK Mainland Postage.

To order a book send an E-MAIL to - stevejpitts@gmail.com

FISHING FOR GHOSTS

Written with David Rigden. Copies from "The Medlar Press"

THE SECOND WAVE

Written with Steve Pitts this is a SEQUEL TO THE BESTSELLER "Operation Sea Angler" IT'S AVAILABLE ON PAPER FROM - "Veals Mail Order" AND ON PAPER OR FOR YOUR KINDLE FROM"Amazon"