Jamie Steward and several other anglers have enjoyed some great shore sport with bass. Large spider ray baits proving effective as these fish feast upon this annual abundance of food. As the spider crab finish their moulting bass will once again be worthwhile targets on the lures. Jamies has tempted eighteen bass over there sessions the best a stunning fish of 7lb 12oz.
Martyn Hunton landed a brace of bass from a local beach each weighing 8lb 1oz. Both fish took dirty squid purchased at Braunton Baits. He also beached small eyed ray and small eyed ray.
A gentle surf pushed into the beach as I strolled in the shallow water enjoying the coolness in the late afternoon heat. I searched the water for the fish I had been told would be there amongst the bathers. Amongst a slightly foamy coloured band of water, I found what I was looking for hundreds of mullet darting to and fro apparently feasting up on an algal feast.
I cast expectantly with a team of flies designed to attract the wily mullet. As the waves turned mullet could be seen in the small waves some of them a decent size. I suspected that many were golden greys though the size of some indicated that thick lips were amongst them.
A couple of times the line zipped tight but contact could not be made. As the tide started to flood the activity increased with swirling mullet all around. I cast repeatedly trying slow retrieves, quicker retrieves and static drifts. Frustration grew, the tide flooded and all of sudden they were gone.
The following night I stood upon a boulder strewn shoreline armed with a lure rod. A surface lure was cast out and worked back across the still water. The sun was descending as the day faded a golden glow of fiery light. A large swirl behind the lure gave hope. Hundreds of fish could be seen dimpling the surface. Mullet again! The fly rod was in the van but I was too lazy or too focussed on the bass to switch tactics. Another night I will return with a few bread flies and some floating crust to get them feeding. Some would say that’s cheating; but perhaps we sometimes make things too difficult for ourselves.
As the light faded expectation grew as the tide gently pushed in. An hour after dark I heard a swirl in the calm water. Next cast my soft plastic was seized, a welcome jolt of life through the line. A bass of a couple of pounds saved a blank.
The moon slowly rose above the hill, lights reflected in the mirror calm sea. The cool night air, the aroma of seaweed and fresh sea air. These summer nights are to be cherished for all too soon autumn and winter will descend bringing different challenges.
Aaron Brooker caught this pleasing bass of 5lb 6oz that gives him the lead in Braunton Baits July competition.
Gary Moore enjoyed a weeks holiday in Woolacombe and messaged me asking if I could give a few pointers as to where he might catch a few bass. I was delighted when Gary messaged me to say he had enjoyed success on several short sessions in area.
General consensus is that the fishing year is running at least a month late with lure fishing for bass in particular only just starting to pick up. High Street Tackle in Ilfracombe is run by lure fishing enthusiast Danny Watson who tells me that interest in lure fishing is at an all time high. The shop stocks a vast range of lures from many major companies with hard plastics, soft plastics in every variation of weight size and colour. Advice is at hand as to how to rig and fish the lures. High Street tackle are sponsoring Combe Martin SAC,s annual lure fishing competition that runs from July 1st until September 5th. The competition is open to paid up club members with a first prize of up £200 of quality lure tackle with £100 for the runner up.
As settled weather improves water clarity lure fishing will start to take off with bass top of the agenda. Ross Stanway has got his season underway with an eying lure fishing catching three bass to 6lb 6oz.
A gentle South Westerly breeze and broken cloud are perfect conditions for fishing. With Low water at 7.00am I headed for the coast armed with the trusty lure rod. The sea was calm with a moderate swell caressing the shoreline. Water clarity was good with minimal amounts of weed present in the shallow rocky water. I felt confident from the first cast expecting a take at any moment. I watched the lure intently upon each retrieve hoping to see that shadow intercepting my pulsing soft plastic. The tide pushed in and my favourite taking places passed over. A slight knock at the lure gave encouragement to persist.
The sea air, calm conditions and a pleasing backdrop made the whole experience enjoyable as I followed the edge of the incoming tide. I changed to a bright green Mega bass lure and second cast there came that pleasing jolt as a bass hit the lure hard. A brief tussle in water less than a foot deep followed and a silver flanked bass was briefly admired before being carefully released. That moment of success is etched upon the mind and encourages future casts.
I walk to the top of the beat and wade out into the river working a line out across the river and searching one of my favourite runs.
Shafts of evening sunlight penetrate the tree canopy illuminating a world populated by thousands of flies dancing and darting above the water including a few mayflies. I glimpse a movement on the far and bank watch mesmerised as a stoat scurries quickly along the top of the bank totally unaware of me watching from my position waist deep in the cool river. I pause briefly until the stoat disappears and then resume with a swish of the rod watching the line unfurl, the fly alighting inches from the far bank. A kingfisher flashes past iridescent blue.
The line draws tight and there is life pulsating at its end. I keep it tight as a fish surges up river before erupting from the water. It’s a sea trout of perhaps a pound and a half. I draw it towards me and it flips free, I reckon it still counts as a catch and release prize!
Such moments accumulate in an anglers life painting a picture that is etched upon the mind. These memories draw you back to the waters edge time and time again and perhaps they even give a place to retreat to when things in life are not how we would wish.
Dan Spearman had a pleasant surprise when this 5lb 4oz bass seized his baited spinner intended for thin lipped grey mullet. Big bass move surprisingly high up local estuaries venturing right up to the tidal limits in search of prey.
