Not the first attempt of 2023, but the first session that’s been successful.
With the winter cod season now a distant memory, we’re just coming towards end of the annual spring lull in reputable fishing activity. Mid March and through April is generally a dismal time for sea fishing where I’m from. The hardy anglers content with scaling things down can still find some busy sport, but the results are more based on quantity as the quality fish have moved offshore to spawn.
As we creep towards May though, the better fish begin to return and we start to enjoy the arrival of summer species. My bit has been well and truly champed waiting for the water temp to rise enough to make it worth getting the lure gear out for Bass, but this year the lingering chill of the seasons end has been a stubborn nemesis and I’ve had to stick to my guns with bait fishing – with little success up to now.
Bass are Bass though, and I still enjoy catching them on bait. So, a bit of a last minute decision saw me heading up to Druridge on bank holiday weekend with Mike. We’ve not fished together for a while so it was good to be out again.
When we arrived at the beach a couple of hours after low water however, we were a bit concerned at the state of the sea. I’d been expecting a south easterly surf running from my cursory glance at the forecast, but it was clear on re-analysing that it was in fact north easterly despite the prevailing south easterly wind. With swell and wind working against each other, the surf was really dampened on a lot of the beach and we covered pretty much the full stretch of the bay in the car looking for the best of the surf. It was a bit of a challenge I can tell you, though on this occasion right in the middle of the bay appeared to have JUST enough surf that might hold a few fish, but it was definitely on the knife edge in terms of being ideal! Everywhere else was flounder territory, which didn’t really interest us today. So we trudged down to the waters edge and set about salvaging the task at hand.
Mike set his stalls out for a Turbot for the species hunt to start with, while I focused straight on the Bass. A short up and over was baited with a couple of lively Ragworm and plopped out within minutes of arriving. It was a bit of a last minute session, and Mike had struggled to get bait, so we’re only using one rod each. I don’t remember the last time I only fished with one rod – far too relaxed compared to usual – I actually think I quite enjoyed it!
There was a bit of a nervous moment when both me and Mike had to tow in some monstrous rafts of kelp, which really put the 3 pieces to the test.
Thankfully the current quickly cleared things out and this was the only time we had problems with weed, so it was back to focusing on the rod tips as the last of the light conceded. The south east breeze, while not strong, allied itself with some unwelcome (and un-forecast!) pockets of rain which made things a little uncomfortable at times. Between the peltering though I had to abruptly end a phone call to the mrs as my rod registered the first interest of the evening and a small schoolie was promptly plucked from the fizz. The first Bass of 2023 – not a monster but a welcome site.
Target achieved, the next bait is sent out and over the next hour Bass number 2 and 3 of 2023 follow. All around the same size, it’d be hard to tell them apart! Mike had found favour with the local Flounder population and was notching up a decent tally and then managed a Bass of his own, so that’s both of us with a species point.
Things go slow for a bit and the exploits of the night before (beer) start to catch up with me; at one point I catch myself nodding off whilst still standing up! The surf is calming all the time and eventually I’m only plopping my bait 20 yards to make sure I’m in the right area. Eventually the fish come back on the feed and I get a much more solid bite than the last few. This one has a bit more size to it, not enough to really cause the gravity surf any trouble but enough to notice. As it transpires it’s a nice little Bass bang on the legal 42cm size. I debated having him for the table, but I prefer them to go over 45cm and later in the year when they’re in better condition, so he gets his photo taken and then gets sent back – hopefully we cross paths again later in the year when I’m out with the lures!
This is quickly followed by another smaller schoolie to take me to 5 for the evening
Things go quiet on the Bass front again around midnight, although Mike continues to tally up on the flounders on most casts. Just before high water we decide to call it quits, with a little left over bait for Mike to save for a mid week session.
So despite the hard conditions, it actually turned out to be a decent session. I’m really itching for the temperature to go up now though so that we can get on with the summer fishing!
