First sailing, and regular Armando joined ever more frequent Chris. Heading out, a light WNW breeze belayed the significant swell still resident from the previous afternoons mini gale. We smashed through it, as I was confident that with an ever improving wind forecast for the morning, it would recede. And anyhow, a Pirate is a very capable sea boat. Its the skipper that is still a bit pussy. But fishing in a big wind also brings many complications for good lure control, and results can suffer directly.
First stop, and I was very suprised that other than a few likely mackerel pulls, not much doing, as the previous day we had done ok here. But not that suprised. Thats bass for you. Next stop, much better and we were off the mark. Lots of bangs missed, but fish hooked also. It didnt take two long before two brace were in the fish wells. These fish are clearly well fed currently. Just the one mackerel by catch. And a big old cuttlefish.
With the change in tide, the fish appeared to leave, and so did we. Next spot, nothing doing. Next spot, was really good bass fishing. We even had double and triple hookups, and we saw why when two hooked fish were followed by the whole shoal. Maybe 20 fish between 2 and 5lb's. A very impressive sight in this mornings crystal clear waters. I wish I had been prepared with my camera ready, but was not. A single wrasse as bye catch.
Then, the tide died, and with it, the fishing. The final two drifts, before the bugger off bugler did his thing (my end of session alarm) were without fish. But we all agreed, that was GOOD bass fishing. Wave goodbye, grab coffee and Bagel, welcome regular Bruno, and one time before returner James on board. Heading out, into a distinctly SW breeze. And some chop also. Off to hunt fish. First spot, not a lot doing. Indeed, rather than go through it all, it was TERRIBLE. A single 42 cm bass, and two wrasse for James the sum total. We did get very wet though.
The problem wasnt so much locating fish. I marked up a fair few. The issue was big swells, and strong wind, combining to make any kind of contact with the lure sketchy at best. Plucks and pulls were hardly noted, and strikes often met with slack line as the boat dropped into a trough. We persevered to the end of the session. A silver lining though. Jame's first ever wrasse, and one was even the ever treasured spotted version of the ballan.
3rd session was cancelled as it wouldnt have been fair to take anyone out into that mess of a sea. That left the 1800 session which, with much regret, I also had to cancel, as the stubborn SW wind simply would not die. The irony is. the same session with less wind would have likely been good, and that is what we have forecast for tomorrow, with a last minute empty boat to play with... Hey ho... if nobody rings 07970 112774 to take it for themselves, I might have to go fly fishing...
