It has been a funny old year. I really felt at the beginning of the year, that the bass ban would not affect business, that catch and release would be enough for my guys. But the reality is, catch and release is only good for perhaps fifty percent of my guys. And I totally understand. To get a space on BIF1 is expensive, because, bottom line, running BIF1 is expensive. And to go home with a bass for tea, can make the difference between warranting the expense, or not...
So, thank god for cod... They are most definitely in, most definitely tasty, and contra to popular opinion we at BIF are quite happy to despatch meal sized fish for clients. With just one sailing today, I made sure that Garry, Mark,. fish juggler James, and Asim, were happy to go for the cod... with the fallback of bass should the cod not show.
Fishing for cod with lures is actually quite productive. Far more so than fishing with baits when the water is crystal clear. But late summer cod are often quite skinny, as they arrive inshore. My thinking is they have summered mid channel, on the wrecks. And for some reason, the feeding isnt so good, but they still need to be out there. When they come inshore they are ravenous, quite similar to the early spring plaice. This year though, the codling are mostly in good condition. Stuffed with brown shrimps and crabs. I hooked one on the second mark we visited, and it was plump and prime as a March fish, which are fat and heavy for their size. Second fish, much smaller and released.
But after a further ten drifts with zero fish other than big bronzy pout, I took us to another rocky patch. The sounder suggested fish, but they were not really into eating our shads, save for a solitary bream to the fish juggler...
Another move and another small codling for Garry. But with the last hour of the session upon us, I suggested we go finish the session on the ever obliging bass... Big mistake... This tide, bass were not playing, even on my most reliable inshore marks. Indeed, today, for the first time since perhaps the may rot vanished, no bass were flipping around on BIF1's deck. Some micro pollack obliged, but overall, as the session finished, I felt very happy we have now got cod to target... They are in some ways, more predictable than bass. I am certainly very happy to go look for them every session now, according to clients requirements.
Weather forecast has changed somewhat... I see sailings tomorrow (x 3) Wednesday (x 3) and Thursday (x2). Friday I am not sailing, Saturday and Sunday I am should the current forecast get better (currently a fairly big SW blow forecast). Sailing times currently 0615, 1100 and 1600. And coddies are likely to feature for at least 1.5 hours of each 3 hour sailing. So, all my foodie friends... Ever tried fresh cod??... 07970 112774 to get on board