27/01/17

It seems I'm running out of slightly inventive titles for each post. Anyway, originally I wanted to go down the Llyn but the weather kyboshed that, so the plan for today was to try a new mark for bass then have a crack at the rays. This was all heavily weather dependent, while the worst of the wind was on my back a strong swell was pushing up the beaches and rock marks.

It helped I was able to dig a few lug the evening before, meaning no early morning/night digging. I drove down to my intended mark without a hitch, until barely 100 yards from the car parking area I was greeted by a herd of marauding cows. I was unsure of them and they were unsure of me so I backed up out of their path and waited for them to move on. At least 1/2 an hour after getting there they started to move on, away from the road and across the field. Clear of the unexpected bovine obstacle I was out of the car and on my way down the well trodden path in double quick time.

I cleared the dunes to be greeted with a raging surf, breakers forming 200-300 meters out. In  hindsight I should have gone for waders and fished from the beach but as I was in boots I needed to find a spot high up on the rocks. I took a range of gear but only fished one rod to see how it behaved. Initially it was a struggle with the waves catching the line and dragging the weight around and after a couple of casts my mind wandered onto what I could be doing/where I could be fishing instead. Third cast I had all but decided would be my last before moving on, until I was re-awakened by a sharp tap. A couple of minutes later I felt the unmistakable rattle of a fish through the wind and the waves, struck in and it was game on!

It wasn't a huge fish just by the feel of it but the game was going to be landing it. I thought I could give it a well timed lift up the rocks with help from the swell. However I just found myself lifting the fish up and out while copping a soaking from the wave. Still didn't matter, mission accomplished.

As the tide dropped I decided to move a little further up the coast and try for another (rude not too) however finding another suitable ledge proved tricky. When I did find somewhere a combination of weed and waves made it difficult to keep my gear static. I gave it another hour and half before my optimism dropped and decided to make a break for the ray mark.

With no other cars there I got the ledge I wanted, but was met with a reasonable swell riding up the rocks. Was disappointed to find the rocks covered in other anglers rubbish, worse than I've ever seen it meaning I'll leave the place alone and find my rays somewhere a little out the way

. Fortunately the way the rocks face I was out of the wind again. I went all out with sandeel/squid wraps and big chunks of mackerel but it wasn't too be. Despite baits being munched every cast I landed just a couple of whiting, and missed the most obvious bite on my last cast. Not wanting to chance it in the swell any longer I had plans to head back out for bass with the last of the lug, however being cold, wet and hungry I couldn't face any more fishing and decided to leave it till next time.

Another Bass Attempt

Last night myself and Paul ventured out to the fabled "big bass mark" to try and tempt a monster.
Arriving at low the tide was well out, giving us a chance to locate the gulleys we would be fishing into as the tide filled. Everything was quiet for the first hour fishing but just as the tide got going I had a bite and a small bass was soon in and released. Paul had a whiting and not long after recasting I had another small bass. Soon I couldn't keep up with the bites, getting at least another 4, hooking and landing yet another small bass.

The action slowed after that hectic first hour, however this did coincide with me switching to straight squid baits, instead of using lugworm. Paul went for a slightly more mobile approach, getting into a small bass and a coalie, before we each used up the last lugworm, managing a whiting each in the process.

No pictures unfortunately, the camera was way up the rocks, and nothing was particularly worth taking a picture of. Maybe out later this week, might go for a change of scene if the weather holds.

First success of the year

So earlier today I set my sights back on catching my first bass of 2017. The plan was to dig lugworm on the island, then head over towards Holyhead to begin fishing. Got onto the beach, and took a walk down towards the water to try and find some bigger worms. Unfortunately they were all a fair bit smaller than I would have liked, and what I was used to. Still they would have to do. After a fair bit of walking on the soggy beach I happened to find out that my walking boots weren't as waterproof as they had claimed. Thankfully I had a spare pair of socks in the car, an essential item to carry!

I made my way to the fishing spot, the tide still well out. As I got unpacked I realised I had left a very necessary piece of kit at home, the top bar of my tripod! I did think about turning straight back around but I was here ready to fish so I plodded on and made do as best I could. I went for one big rod and my spinning rod with a light ledger.

I was on the phone giving directions to Arwyn when I saw a bite on my spinning rod. Unfortunately I missed it but had another bait out there in double quick time, only this cast I decided to hold the rod. This did the trick, as just as Arwyn arrived I had a bite and connected straight away. It didn't feel big but not wanting to lose it I took my time and gave it line when it ran. Eventually I had turned it and got its head up in the shallows and slid it onto the sand. A shimmering silver bass was on the sand, brightening up a very dull day. Not the biggest at 1lb but more than made up with it and after a quick photo it was out swimming from whence it came.

We fished on but for the next hour and a half the current picked up and brought with it a fair amount of weed. Darkness fell and now we were getting pushed up the rocky ledges. We decided on last casts, loading the hooks with 4 or 5 lug each using up the last of it. 10 minutes and I had a little rattle and soon a much smaller bass was on the rocks and back in the sea. Arwyn didn't have to wait much longer to get in on the action with a little bass about 8 inches long. Size definitely didn't matter today though, target achieved and the ball is rolling for the year now.

First 3

...Sessions of 2017.

Had 3 shortish sessions in the last 3 days hoping to open my account for the year in style.

First go was Holyhead Breakwater for herring. I was flinging the sabiki's from the inside quite happily, but without success. With it being quite choppy on the inside, and from what I've read I thought that might have put them off. So I looked over the outside wall and it was a lot calmer so went for a couple of casts here. First one went out and came back no problem. Second one the wind caught hold of it and I watched the weight go a great distance, unfortunately that distance exceeded the amount of line on my spool and the lot was gone. That cut my session a lot shorter than I planned and giving me another purchase.

Second session was after bass around Holyhead. Digging worm was difficult but eventually I had enough and made my way to the mark. I wasn't exactly sure of where to fish but I pitched up at a likely looking spot and got drowning worms. I was slightly surprised to have a bite just 30mins into fishing, a good pull down took line against the ratchet, unfortunately the fish had dropped the bait before I picked the rod up. After another hour of fishing, a quick move and another hour I had no more bites and ran out of time, otherwise the car would have been locked in over night. Back at home the work wasn't done as I had to spread everything out in a suitable place to dry, as lets say it rained more than it didn't throughout the day.

Onto session 3 which was earlier today. With the wind dying down I thought it would be a better chance to bag a herring or two off the breakwater and try out my new LRF gear which had finally arrived. Arwyn was also up for it as it gave him a chance to try out a new spinning rod. Conditions looked good, nice and flat with little wind. On went the sabiki's on the LRF rod and a tiny 1/4oz weight. We worked our way along the breakwater, a quick catch with a chap just leaving confirmed that the herring were there, though at a fair distance out. I thought I might make it that far with my heavier spinning rod, but as two days prior there wasn't enough line on the reel to reach. Darkness fell with no herring for us, just a couple of whiting each.

Hard going but at least I've seen a fish now!

New Year

A belated Happy New Year to everyone!

Just a quick update on the last session of 2016. I returned to the rumoured big bass mark the day before new years eve. Despite arriving bang on low tide I was a bit surprised to find no water in front of the mark I intended to fish. I set up one rod, took a wander and chucked it in, though I didn't expect to get anything I didn't want to waste time sitting round waiting. Eventually the gullys in front of me started to fill and I had both rods in with big squid baits.

I thought I'd seen a rattle, then keeping an eye on it the rod pulled down harder. Lifting in I could feel a fish on but it didn't feel much bigger than a whiting. Mean while the ratchet on the other rod made a bit of noise, however I put this down to weed in the current and dealt with the fish I already had first. Fairly surprised to find a small bass, only just bigger than the squid bait hanging on the end. Not nearly as big as I had hoped for but a bass in December is always a welcome sight.

By the time I got to the other rod it was snagged up, and I'll never know what happened to it. I fished on for a couple more hours but only had a few quick rattles that came to nothing. Happy with a bass but will be back at least once more for a big 'un!