One of my Best Days fishing in 30yrs!

[Hoppy]

There are times when you drive to the coast expecting to catch - and there is nothing doing. Then there are times when you leave home in perfect weather only to find the sea in a rage (thank god for webcams)....and then there are days when everything is perfect - today was that day.

I had received a tip that there were a few fish about and that they were chasing....so i decided to give the coast a cast, and intended to have a go at the Sewin if it was no good.

The mark i usually fish is better at low water, but this was a new mark, about 4 miles up the coast - so i didnt know what to expect.

For the first hours as the tide ebbed, the fishing was slow, i could see Bass & Salmon/Sea Trout - but they were 100/200yrds out. So i moved further up the coast and risked a deep wade!

The 40+ floater is a great line for the salt, but it is hard work.

As i edged out, dodging rocks and spider crabs - i started to notice bait fish / sand eels skipping out of the water - the Bass were in....further out the Mackerel were spraying and it was obvious the bigger Bass were hammering them, along with Dolphins.

Anyway as the tide ebbed, by fly was carried out and it wasn't long before i hit my fist shoalie - a lovely bright fish.

Then it just went mad - the fish were all around me, everywhere and i was so excited my casting went to rat shit! But it didn't take long to concentrate - then in 3 casts i had 6 fish - 3 double headers in a row!!! I was on the phone to Daz to tell him about the fishing when i lost a decent fish, i couldn't talk much as it was hectic...

The fishing was consistent for about 1hr - with fish virtually every chuck - but they moved eventually - and it got a bit harder.

I was joined by Russello and we carried on catching. We saw a good number of good sewin jumping and swirling and i hooked two temporarily on small shrimp flies (from my Denmark Trip)...i will get some out next week....

It was a fantastic afternoon, and i ended up with 34 Bass - i took two fish for lunch! They were stuffed with Sandeels....

when i left at 11pm the fishing was tricky - but there were some fish about!

Anyway a few more pics

Snowdon and Russello

Some Bass

It was a great day - all fish on either a Blue/Silver Epoxy DNA pattern - or a Pure Silver Epoxy DNA pattern.....

Very dodgy wading but it doesnt get any better...knocked the Sewin fishing on the head as i my arm was knackered.

Hoppy

 

[lochbois]

Nice fishing Paul i have never fished our N/E coast. A few Bass have been caught in the fishing matches around the Tees estuary. Were you on the evening tide,and is it rocky where your Bass were?.
I havnt a clue about saltwater fishing with the fly, but youve wet my apetite again.
We had a North Wind yesterday i think it would have needed a beachcaster to hurl a bait outPB

 

[Hoppy]

LB, The mark is a mix of rock, but it has a few patches of sand - and this is where we had them from - they were sitting amongst rocks ambushing the eels.

The tide i fished was from around 5.30pm and low water was around 9 ish, as i say i much prefer low water for them!

Hoppy

 

[luney]

In the Salt

In the Salt

Once again i have read a report about salt water fly fishing and thought i will have to have a go.
We generally go to donegal in the summer for our holidays were we stay is on a peninsula so we are surrounded by the sea,are there any specific features i should be looking for to catch fish on a fly rod.
I really do fancy giving it a go any advice would be very welcome flies ect.
An excellent report Hoppy thanks for sharing

ATB Paul

 

[Hoppy]

Luney,

Im no expert - but this is what i have found!

Use a very powerful 9 or 10ft rod - rated 8 or 9....i just think this helps with throwing shooting head lines - i love the Airflo 40+ for this.

I always look for the fish, when they are on sandeels, you see the fish coralling the bait, with the bait skimming the surface or running up the beach! The first sign is usually the Gannetts, Gulls and Dolphins hitting the shoals! Once i have found them - and it might take a bit of working - then i try to get to them. Sods law means that they are usually too far out - but you have to give it a go - thats why i like the 40+ - as it will cast a long way!

I have always done well where there is a mix of Reef or rock, and large patches of sand - and i am now finding its best to be away from alot of Fresh Water (ie rivers) Although saying that i have also caught them way up River?

I fished a full floater last night with an 8ft leeder, with two flies - one point and one dropper. The flies are epoxied so they are pretty heavy and get down. I love DNA for Sea flies its brilliant in the water and takes Epoxy well.

As for flies anything that looks like a bait fish should work - Blue Silver - Olive Silver , Pure White....I will try to find the flies from the old forum

Like i say im no expert but this has done it for me!

Hoppy

 

[xl50]

Excellent Paul well done and belting photo's.

 

[bobronte]

You lucky barsteward Cracking day Hoppy

and i am now finding its best to be away from alot of Fresh Water (ie rivers)

Now ur learning so you might get another Red Letter day

hoping you get many more tight lines - tope on the fly next?
Bb

 

[Hoppy]

BB,

Im not joking now, ive never ever seen so many fish in one place.

I've found the feeding Sea Trout now, i just need to catch them, however i just couldn't get to where i wanted to last night, as it was getting dark and it was a new wade! I know for the future though and i don't think they are that bothered about wading, I don't think they've seen it before.

The Sea Trout bites where totally different to the Bass, faster and harder, and at times they were swirling yards from me....it was truly fantastic.

If i hadn't got to fish in a works River Competition in Devon for a few days, id have packed the tent and gone back up there!

Tried a popper too, but no joy, however i have a few ideas!

What was funny though was the Spider Crab that latched onto Russello's new Patagonia Boots! He Sh*t himself!

Hoppy

 

[REN]

Well done hoppy, that's a hell of a session on the bass. Hopeing to do some fly fishing for bass this year myself, i've lost my bass flies though so i'm gonna have to sort out some new one's.

 

[luney]

RE seatrout takes

RE seatrout takes

Hi Hoppy
Just a quick thought i was speaking to a guy last year who was spinning live sand eels for sea trout and i asked him the technique for it and he said sea trout hit it hard to stun the eel then turn around to eat it head first.
He suggests when you feel the hit stop reeling then wait for the line to tighten and lift into the fish,I don't know if this would work on a fly setup though might be worth a try.

 

[elwyman]

What a great evening you had hoppy, well done.

With the rivers being so low, I've been out plugging for bass around Anglesey and the Menai straits over the past 2 weeks or so. Nothing to report yet, but the scenery is very nice.

Think I'll pack the fly rod as well, and head a bit further south!

 

[DAZ]

Your not the only one who can catch 2 at a time

One of god knows how many double headers ?.

Myself and Ren had a few hours today and very much like your own session,it was bonkers I don't have a clue how many we had ?,but,It must have been well over a 100 fish!.We didn't land any of real size although,we lost a couple of decent ones.It was near on impossible to get through the small fish,no matter where we went,they were everywhere - A most enjoyable day!.....

DAZ

 

[Waddington]

Well done Hoppy, Daz and Ren. Looks like you had a great day and those fish must have been a lot of fun on fly gear . Not ever really done any saltwater flyfishing myself (must have a go!), but have had and seen plenty of double hook ups from schoolies on pennel rigs when bait fishing. Mind you the same goes for the dreaded Doggies! It can get you hoping for a second or two that you've actually hooked a better fish! Often when there are a lot of schoolies about and you are fishing in clear water, you can often see a number of fish following the bass that you are bringing to shore. They actually seem to be attracted by the hooked fish.

Phil

 

[REN]

Thank's Waddington. Daz, bonker's is right. It was impossible to keep count of the number of bass. All though we did'nt land any big one's, it was a hell of a lot of fun on the fly.
Mate, it was madness.

 

[Aled]

Cracking report Hoppy, and Daz
Good fishing.
Tight Lines
Aled

 

[bobronte]

Oh No Daz has got in on the action
It'll only be a matter of time before he's making us weep with doubles here & there like the sewin

Having been thinking i'll give members a strong piece of advice :-
Please don't give out exact marks openly on forum or take photos with landmarks etc. in background... I say this becasue off Cork etc. unscrupulous Fishing Fleets used things like this to go in and wipe out good fishing & nursery grounds on more than a few occasions - after the deeds were done the anglers & guides realised how the boats were finding the marks so inshore etc. so be careful especially with stocks looking as brilliant as these reports

Bass are widely sought after in Europe and you'd be to niave to think that some countries/commercial sectors don't care who's stocks they are, or, worse who's territorial water their in

Bb

 

[DAZ]

Good advice mate,could'nt agree more!

DAZ

PS...Oh! I have a few pix of doubles here somewhere! all taken on plugs though!.I said I was going to do it last year but,never got round to it.This year,being as I'm not sewin fishing,I will have a real good crack at the bass.I would love to get a double on the fly,that would be awesome!.

 

[silverinvicta]

BB is spot on with his advice to keep shtum about fish locations... Last sunday i fished from an boat over a bank that produced 20+ Bass up to 8lb for a mate the Thursday before..3 hours fishing produced one small fish
I found out last evening that two trawlers had raped the bank over friday and Saturday...
Mind, we did fish an inshore mark and took several nice smooth hounds up to around 10-12lb plus a half dozen other species...
It was a good day out in the end with cracking company..

Si.....

 

[silverinvicta]

Here's a couple of pics of a couple of Hounds...

 

[greenpeter]

Well done Hoppy, fantastic, I really enjoyed that post!

Having observed me at close quarters for the last 20 years my wife reckons fishing is largely luck. I don't totally agree - but am pretty clear that you do have to really make the most of the good days when they happen and ensure they stick in the memory. Well done also for returning them.

One of my most memorable trips was in Pembrokeshire with some mates a few years ago when we were sight fishing for schoolies in a narrow inlet. The bright blue water, golden sand and clearly visible fish which were actively feeding - it was just magic. Likwise they all went back. I'll never forget it.