First sailing, and fellow boater Martynas, and his friend Davis joined me, for a bright and calm sailing. Had a good look around in tight but nothing other than a few smalls. One of the features of this season so far, is how the fish are shoaling. Last year, big shoals of bass working together to intercept the bait fish. This year, it seems far more smaller packs of fish, which is where patience really is a virtue.
Dont get me wrong, if a patch doesnt have some of the basic ingredients of what bass find attractive happening (using the sonar to tell) Im fast to move. But, where it is clear there is enough to interest a bass, but not marking bass, I'm starting to attrition fish. Gunning around, hunting the unmistakable markings of a good bass shoal is not the way just now. And it paid off, as we took the total to a dozen fish, with two nice ones going up the road with Davis.
2nd sailing, and Avi and his daughter Noa, came aboard. Noa has been fishing with her father since she was just five years old, and now, at 13, she had great confidence with the light gear. Avi also showed he had a fair few rod hours behind him, so, I slanted the session towards bass for a couple of hours, finishing off with plaice, and, should it be necessary, deploying the mackerel feathers, to ensure food and action. Happily, it was not. I really hate feathers.
Again a hunt around. We did find a patch of smaller fish, taking three in quick succession, but that patch was gone on the second drift of the mark. I decided to make a longish (for me...) run and check out another spot. Pretty slow over the top of the tide, but once the tide got going again, a cracker apiece for Noa and Avi. No need for feathers now. Avi then went on to be reefed by a proper bully, although wether bass or wrasse, hard to tell. Screamed some line off, and both a big bass and a big wrasse are very capable of doing that.
For the last hour we went and played with the plaice. These were initially not very obliging, and then got going finally, although, alas, small. Also caught my second ever flounder on an isome, which rather made my day. Just one plaice joining the bass for dinner. And a really enjoyable afternoon afloat, I hope for my clients, but most certainly, for me. I do love my job.
