With all sailings cancelled, due to a stiff NE wind. when I got a request from Jeff and Rami to do some shore guiding, I must admit I jumped at the chance. The previous morning I had nailed 14 bass off the shingle, whilst out and about on my own. No size at all, biggest maybe pushing 2.5lb, typical autumn bait ball fishing around these parts. But action, and that is a good thing for clients. A lot better than no action for sure. With further pressure on my shoulders, as Jeff had recently enjoyed an induction course with my colleague and super guide Marc Cowling down in South Devon, where he managed a cracker of 55cm. No pressure then...
The very first thing I asked him to do, was kick everything Marc had shown him out of his head. I wanted him to fish my way, because it works on these waters. It is VERY possible that Marc's techniques would also work over this way, but I have no idea how Marc fishes, so we needed to keep it simple, and under my full control.
We arrived at the first venue, and I was a little disheartened. The water had dropped gin clear. We still had the advantage of early morning, and there was some predation happening in front of us. But to truly monopolise we should have been there an hour earlier, in the gloom. Now, what I expected to happen, happened. A few missed takes on surface gear, a micro schoolie, and the bait exiting to deeper water with the brightness, followed by the predators.
At the next mark, there was some hope, as some colour had collected in the edge. But there was no bait in it, and no enquiries to our shads. Indeed, it had simply been an exercise in exercise, with some serious steps back up the cliff.
I now had only one option. A very good option. Except... I noticed how the wind was not nearly as bad as forecast, and I suspected we could get away with catching from the boat. I floated the idea to the guys. They jumped at it. But there was yet a twist in this tale...
First mark I took us to, was right in very close up the beach. The same beach we had been heading to. But nothing doing. Nothing doing for the next hour, as I frantically punted around looking for fish. Coming back past that same beach, I noticed a lot of birds. I ran back to the close spot. We caught straight away. Indeed, for the remainder of the session we popped 30 bass, to around 3lb. Actually, we measured the biggest, at 51cm. But... I am pretty certain, that we would have had the same from the beach had plan A continued. which just goes to show... Its a funny old game...