Lure fishing for Bass

Managed to get out today, to be honest I couldn’t resist with a size of tide I like and a light South West wind all with the knowledge that I managed a few the other day with a horrible North Easterly. Arriving at the mark I found loverly clear water with a little bit of chop, looked perfect to be honest, I find it hard not to get carried away and start bounding across the rocks, but this is rough ground and a little care is required especially with what I like to call “Movers”, those boulders that look like they offer a secure footing but then move as you put your weight on them, it’s amazing how large some of them can be.

Which lure first, I was tempted by the Gataride Pearl rainbow but I went with the Tide Minnow 140 Flyer in candy and fired it out, being a sinking lure you have to be a little careful on a rock mark but I needn’t of worried, a couple of turns of the handle resulted in a hit and without much of a fight I landed the first bass of the session, first cast, this could be good. Weighing only a couple of pounds this bass must of been hungry, he had devoured most of the lure, typically I had forgot my pillars so I took a quick photo and then noticed that the lure had badly damaged the gills and the fish was bleeding quite badly, so I left the lure in and despatched the bass, one for the pot can’t hurt and I don’t see the point in returning a fish that has little chance of surviving.

So which lure now, well I had another Tide Minnow in a very similar colour this time a 145F and two casts later I had another fish on, this one felt a little bigger and weighed in at four and a bit pounds, the usual quick photo, returned the fish and cast out again. This time I had to wait for three casts, oh the pain and this bass felt decent too but unfortunately she slipped the hooks, still it was only a few more casts until I hooked into another and landed a three pounder.

Anymore, click the Read More to continue…

First cast, first bass.

So within half an hour or so I’d landed three bass to just over four pounds and lost another, all good things come to an end and I guessed this spot had produced all it was going too so after giving it a bit more time and with the water in front of me ebbing away I moved on along the mark.

Second Bass.

Having pushed further out and being able to access some deeper water again I gave the Gataride Pearl Rainbow a go, it took a bit more time to locate a fish this time but I was rewarded with the best bass of the session, at about four and a half pounds. I thought it was bigger at first but it was hooked in it’s back and dorsal fin, you get very distinctive kiting runs when you hook a bass in the side or back and they certainly fight above their weight with the full use of their head.

Annoyingly when I landed the fish I noticed the Gataride was trashed, the rather fragile bib had been completely broken off, still it’s landed loads of fish for me and I’ve already ordered a few replacements. The bass was fine, see lead photo, yes it’s dorsal fin was a little damaged but she went back strongly. I called time and headed for work, a quick session but a real taste of the season to come.

Third bass, a very slender fish.