Good sized schoolies were the theme of today...

Early sailings were forgotten on this morning. In part, due to preparation for it. The previous evening, my friend Michael had come round to my house, to assist me in a new task. Tying the deceivers I so badly needed now my supply tied by my friend Matt had nearly been exhausted. I had ordered stacks of stuff from Dykers, a dutch based company that Matt recommended for my hooks and fibres and bits and pieces. With it arrived, Michael came round with a spare vice, and away we went...

My whiting and pouting creations were well received...

I have always been very intimidated by fly tying. I am guessing many here reading this might feel the same. But with the right kit, and Michael assisting me with little tiers tricks and tips, I found I am able to create exactly the right flies I need for what I am up to. And the best bit, by this morning (I tied a couple at breakfast) I had it down to five minutes per fly...

So to test them out. I invited Michael along, to say thankyou fro his patience and the loan of the vice. And regular fly boy John had clocked the forecast, and got on the first sailing. I headed off to where we had left that beautiful shoal of bass the day before. And found nothing...

Well, a few bits and pieces were showing, but not the shoals I had expected to see. John knobbled one, but despite much searching, I could not find the shoal. Exasperated, I suggested we venture to a near by rough ground mark, let a bit more water drop away, and come back to them.

The shoal...

Other than some gentle pulls, assumed to be cuttle fish on the rough spot, after an hour without bass, we came back to a very different original spot. Suddenly, there were good shoals of bass and bait fish. Smiles came onto faces, until I pointed out we had just 30 minutes of the session left. We bumped the tally to five fish, all sub 1.5lb. One very good fish charged John's fly down just as we had to leave. It was definitely hotting up. But we had to go back, as I had a customer for both of the next sessions back to back.

Jon enjoyed quite frantic action at times...

After saying goodbye to John and Michael, I went and met Jon (different one) and we headed straight back to the shoal. And straight into action. By the end of the day, the tally had been taken up to 29 bass landed. Biggest a 2.5lb fish, which resided in my fridge as unfortunately it was gill hooked. Biggest hooked was Jon's. An absolute brick wall of a fish, that then screamed about. Jon looked like he was winning the battle, when alas, the hook pulled for no apparent reason. Most of the fish were in the 1.5 - 2lb range, which is still excllent sport on the fly, and I think it was a very happy Jon who departed as I began to spray BIF1 down, to clear her of her salty coating.