First of three sailings, was with fellow marina boat owner Martin, although sadly, his vessel got caught out by the Corona crisis, and was at Newhaven for repair. Hence being keen enough to meet me at the boat a little before six this morning. As we headed out, it was very difficult to assess the water. I gambled on running East.
It all started so well. 2nd cast drifting towards France (wind was quite a bit stiffer than forecast from the N) and Martin was away. A quality schoolie. More drifts. No fish. I had really wanted to fish some structure offshore a bit, but by the time we agreed to give up on the close spot, another vessel occupied the spot. So, we ran west. Tried on the plaice. Didnt want to play. Actually tried pretty much everything, and other than another bass, hooked in the gut on a spot I fully expect to find a turbot on the end one day, which circled in that special way, that only turbot and gut hooked bass can do, nothing doing.
But sadly, that was all the action. I think small tides were more the reason than May rot. These being the smallest of the set, should mean things improve soon. Next up, was regular Ian. He was keen to try for the bream, and seeing as we hadnt yet tried for them, and everything else wasnt playing, we gave it a go. Happily, they were game. Interestingly, they shunned a manufactured rig, brimming with stuff, in favour of what I call a ghost rig. A 2 hook paternoster tied completely from 20lb fluro, The only metal is the lead, the hooks, and the link always at the end of my rods. After landing one, and dropping several, with Ian not having had a look, he agreed to try a ghost rig also. And then he entered the fun. Nothing huge, but it doesnt take huge to bring a smile to the face on this gear. All in the 12-16oz bracket.
After a while, the tide died as we came towards the bottom. And with it, the bites stopped. We tried all over, to no avail, for a bass. Although I did mark a couple of small shoals. A bit more bait around also. Wasnt looking too bad at all for final sailing for the day, Richard. Biggest difference, was the wind had stiffened.from the SW. A little bit of bump. Nothing to worry about, but after continuing the bass hunt while waiting for some tide to run for nothing, it was time to try the bream again. But, I feel with the bumpy swells, the isomes were not riding through very naturally at all. For this techinique to work, not working it is the answer. You want those drifting through as if dead things carried on the tide. Just one bream, and one large pouting. For the rest of the session. We did a lot of fuel looking for bass, and found just one shoal, on the structure I had wanted to check out in the morning. But it was packed tight, and holding well away from the structure, not wanting to feed. Likely unsettled. It was a busy day out there, I am happy to say, as many owners are reunited with their vessels.
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