My season so far.

[DAZ]

I will break it down in to 4 mini reports of my sessions so far this year.

Mullet session - 2/6/2013.
Not so many at the mark on this particular day although I did manage to land one fish around 4lb and lose another two.

Bass session - 7/6/2013
Very nearly a day to remember.Lost two very good fish at my feet,both I would estimate around the 6/7lb mark.I seen both fish follow and engulf my fly but sadly the hook popped out on the two of them.Not long after losing these fish I had a follow off a huge fish,a fish well in to double figures,he followed my fly for some yards but would not fall for it's charms.I run out of retrieve,the fish seen me and slid off back to the depths.I have set myself a target of a bass of 10lbs or more on a fly and this was my chance and I blew it.I had around 6 more follows after this from some very decent fish but none would commit.For all the excitement I ended the day on a BLANK!.

Bass session - 8/6/2013
A day to remember.Awesome session,you know you had a good day when you don't know how many fish you have caught.It was almost a fish a cast,not monster fish but,with a average weight of around 3lb I was more than happy.The biggest of the fish would maybe touch the 4lb mark of which I had quite a few.I also got around half a dozen pollock.The biggest would have gone around 2 1/2lb.A perfect day,millions of small bait fish present and every bass I caught was spewing them out everywhere,they were stuffed with them.

Bass session - 9/6/2013
Same mark as above.One fish around 2lb landed on my second cast of the day.I thought,here goes,i'm in for another bumper,that was the only fish I got.I did have a few follows,one nice fish around 5lb and two small bumps which I think were little pollock.

Bass session 10/6/2013
Not much to report.One follow off a very decent fish and that was that.......Result = BLANK!.

The crappy weather has ruined it now for a while.

If there is any interest I will keep this thread up to date.

Best wishes.

Daz

 

[Andy R]

I'm interested, also if you some pics of the fly patterns?

Andy r

 

[fordfly]

im interested aswell,i had a go for some mullet last week using a rays mullet fly but no interest! same as andy above a few pics if you could Daz?
tightlines Andy

 

[haptonlad]

It's always nice to have you around Daz!
I look forward to any thing you contribute to this forum no matter what speices you fish for.
Paul.

 

[teififlies]

Hi Daz, Nice to have you back posting again.
Very interested to hear your reports as to how you are getting on with the SWFF.
The marks you were fishing, are they off the rocks, beach or were you fishing from a boat?
Like everyone else would dearly like to see some of the flies you fish.

Tf.

 

[DAZ]

I will sort a few pix out of the flies lads.

Andy (Fordfly)
Rays fly is about as good has it comes mate.Mullet can be the most frustrating fish in the world to catch but,they can also be quite easy when they are in the mood.They are not like other fish who are more oppurtunist and will snatch at a meal when it passes.They feed at certain times and you need to be there when they are.There could be thousands in front of you but,if they are not on the feed you can chuck what you like at them,you will not catch them.

Hi teififly.
I only fish from the shore and the marks I fish vary a lot.On my last few sessions I have been fishing off rocks in to very deep water.This particular mark is not easy fishing,infact,it's bloody dangerous.The fish are there though and if I am going to get that big one I'm after on the fly I think it will come from here.I have had a few doubles off this mark on plugs in the past.

Cheers

Daz

 

[billybass]

Daz - Do you find that when you can spot the Bass cruising around, more often than not they aren't in a taking mood? Been a couple of times so far and had plenty of follows but it seems they are not quite hitting the baitfish round here yet.

What fly were you getting the Bass on? All my big fly caught Bass have been on a big deceiver, had them up to 5-6lb on clousers but the bigger ones have always been on the bulkier flys for me, in fact they have always been on one particular type of deceiver.

This was my first tying of it, have improved the profile of it a bit since. Hook is a Mustad big game light size 2.

 

[DAZ]

Hi Billybass.

Yes! - At times I have mate.The big fish that I had a follow off last weekend.From where I fish from I have a good vantage point and I can see fish coming from a way off,I just knew he was not in the mood.I tried inducing him to take but he was having none of it.

Most of my fish last weekend fell to a DNA clouser.The bigger fish I lost and had follows off come to a quite large orange and brown bucktail bait fish pattern with a few strands of gold crystal flash and large dumbells to get it down.I use this pattern to try and mimic the many small pollock which are in the area.I would prefer not to use the dumbells,because,for me,I can fish a fly better with out them.But,I would lose to many flies by not having the hook inverted due to the ruff nature of the ground and big boulders and I would also not get the depth I require.

Nice fly Billy.That will catch fish anywhere.

Daz

 

[Aled]

Good to hear dfrom you Daz. Nice fly.
Tight Lines
Aled

 

[Tawpug]

Good stuff Daz,

I've been plugging for Bass on the Taw/Torridge Estuary and down on the Coast and am seriously tempted to give them a go on the fly.

Nice to hear of your success.

Tawpug

 

[DAZ]

Thanks mate.

Give it a go,you maybe pleasantly surprised at the results and the fight is something else.

The day I had the bumper session there was a guy float fishing ragworm when I got there.I watched him for a little while and he pulled a few small pollock out,I had a little chat as you do,wished him good luck and then I started fishing to left of him.Almost right away I started pulling the bass out,fish after fish.It was not long before he tackled down,put the plugs on,and was almost sat on my shoulder,even so,he good not to touch a fish,not a sniff.He tried a few different types with no joy.Why the fly out fished the plug like it did I don't really know ?.Was it the size ?,the speed I was fishing lure ?.Who knows.

DAZ

 

[Andy R]

I've found that in calmer conditions the bass shy away from the plug, though you'll get follows ( good old j13) which may be when the more life like and less solid fly is more convincing. Not had many on either method, but the plug and spinner has definitely done better for me in rougher sea and poor light.....I'm no expert, but perhaps the reason?

Andy

 

[Davo]

Daz - I'm very interested in this thread, thanks for starting it. I've just moved closer to the coast and am starting to explore the bass/mullet fishing options available. Limited success as yet but early days. Lot's of large mullet around but I have not found a fly that that they like yet. Have not located bass of a decent size but have received a line burn from a take from a 12 inch fish which was a shock! Heaven knows what decent sized bass could do.

Davo

 

[elwyman]

I've started plugging for bass in the Menai Straits with a little success.................the key is finding where the bloody things are!
There's some fairly shallow marks where I'm sure the fly will work well.
Good to see you back here Daz.

 

[Glyn]

Hi all... Funny I've had all my bass in calm conditions my two biggest bass that broke me were on a flat calm sea on jointed Rebel plugs ...you lot might find this useful I've followed this for years.
Glyn
www.mikeladle.com/archive/

 

[elwyman]

All my bass (that's both of them!) came to a surface plug, one in flat calm the other in a small wave before dusk.
Most of the serious bass fishers fish first light or into dusk.

bass are obviously caught in the day time.....................but are you wasting your time shore fishing in a flat calm in bright/sunny daylight............I don't see anyone else fishing in those conditions!

 

[Glyn]

Quite right about the time of day..but I have had bass in the afternoons on very dull days tho, how I fished was an hour before 1st light on med tides 11.1m to 11.8m around here in Swansea and just as the tide was about to flow and only for 3hrs in because after that the bass got so spread out because of the volume of water in the bays.

There were not many other people about that time in the morning and I could leave the area by 7.30 ish time for breakies. Those 2 very big fish I mentioned I lost were in the afternoon funnily enough on a grey dull day, I know the surface poppers work a treat but I did so well on jointed plugs I didn't bother with them.

My last lot of bass have been taken on 4" white and black and plain white rubber/latex shads good tail action with them with a half ounce jig head.
cheers
Glyn

 

[DAZ]

Daz - I'm very interested in this thread, thanks for starting it. I've just moved closer to the coast and am starting to explore the bass/mullet fishing options available. Limited success as yet but early days. Lot's of large mullet around but I have not found a fly that that they like yet. Have not located bass of a decent size but have received a line burn from a take from a 12 inch fish which was a shock! Heaven knows what decent sized bass could do.

Davo

Hi Davo.
Your certainly in a good area for it.As I have mentioned,the mullet really need to be on the feed Davo,throw what you will at them,you will not catch them.Last weekend I had thousands of mullet in front of me and when I say thousands I am not exaggerating,it was a sight like I have never seen before.I tried to take a picture but the glare on the water was to much.I should have trusted my own thoughts that I would not get one and I was right,I just wasted my time and should have gone straight on the bass.They were not on the feed,just basking and playing around.I suppose it was worth a shot with that many in front of me,you'd think one of them would have a snap.

A good bass will really pull your string Davo.I had a fish of just 2lbs yesterday that fought well above it's weight,I was quite shocked when I got him to the top at how small he was.It's only a matter of time before you get a decent one,then you really will be hooked.I wish you good luck.

All my bass (that's both of them!) came to a surface plug, one in flat calm the other in a small wave before dusk.
Most of the serious bass fishers fish first light or into dusk.

bass are obviously caught in the day time.....................but are you wasting your time shore fishing in a flat calm in bright/sunny daylight............I don't see anyone else fishing in those conditions!

And in complete darkness.

I would not fish shallow water myself in such conditions,you will pick up small fish but,you will do well to catch anything of any size.I head for deep water marks when it's as you describe.My favourite mark is between 30 maybe 40ft + deep and can produce good fish at any time.

Yesterdays result.
Only two small fish landed,one pollock and a bass at around 2lbs.Lost two decent fish which would have gone around the 4lb mark.Got a few follows off some small fish and one very nice fish around 7lb at a guess.I also seen another huge fish.Millions of fry still about.I also had the company of a small pod of dolphins for most of the evening which was very nice to see.

Looks like fishing is out the window this weekend so I will stick a few pix of flies up.

Daz

 

[billybass]

Most of the serious bass fishers fish first light or into dusk.

Most of them, yes. However i think it depends entirely on the mark. I have done plenty of first light sessions and countless dusk sessions. In short, getting up pre sunrise for me the main benefit is seeing the sunrise! For me, its like the Bass like a lie in where i fish.

are you wasting your time shore fishing in a flat calm in bright/sunny daylight............I don't see anyone else fishing in those conditions!

My biggest Bass have come between 8am and 1pm in the height of summer, so i would say absolutely not. In fact i don't remember getting a 6lb+ plus fish first or last thing in the day, odd i know, doesn't exactly go by the book does it?

And in complete darkness.

Daz

My next venture - both on fly and going to give gilling a go in the dark.

 

[DAZ]

Myself and a mate had a early one sunday morning ( 4:00 am start ) We managed a few fish to a couple of pounds and lost a number of fish as well,I had a real job of keeping them on for some reason ?.

Just a few pix from the day.

My mate with the first fish of the day taken @ around 4:45am ( I know you cant see it,he was a bit far away.It was a couple of pound )

A couple of my fish.



All the fish were taken on a new pattern.I would go as far to say it is the best fly I have ever fished/used.It has a amazing action in the water and best thing of all is it does not tangle/foul on the cast.

Untill next time.

Daz