Pretty quick blog, as I am shot, and I have a bath awaiting. An essential bath, that I might have to add some bleach to, because today was squidageddon... Not so much on the first sailing, although they were distinctly active. Out with me, was Max, Mark, Damo and Richard. Out and onto the bass. Actually I lie. Cod / Bass. And I wasnt so interested in bass, so actually fished Cod / Squid, as today I was on a mission to help out a fellow guide down Bristol way. Getting the right bait is a huge part of guiding, and he wants the very freshest. And rightly so. Thats how you get the best results for your clients. And any commercials reading this whose necks are rising, no money will change hands, so pull em back in. Uk shore guides do look after each other, as we all know how tough it can be, and all support is happily received. And I do still occasionally shore guide, when it all looks right. What I will likely do though, is take a favour back at some time in the future. Because he really knows the Bristol channel, and I have never ever fished it. And that, is where you want an excellent guide. The sort of one, that will be driving to Sussex and back to ensure his results continue to be top end. Impressive stuff.
Hmm... Maybe not so quick blog. Another bath reload. I start to understand why we have water meters these days Oops. So, we went out and with a great strong early flood moving, we found some bass. Good numbers, but less sizes. And as it slackened off, we went into the rocks. And here we found fewer but bigger fish. Sound familiar? It is starting to feel a bit samey. Oh, and I caught some squid, and Richard wanted a go, and he caught some squid. The one thing I am quite suprised at, is that no dolphin or Porpoise are around in numbers, for such an easy feed. Both species of squid that we get in numbers.
We ended up with 25 bass, with a couple around the 4lb mark. Not bad fishing, and definitely good eating, as these fish are in amazing condition. Especially with calamaris to start. I didnt count the squid at this point, as I suspected we would get a few more on the next sailing, where we kept Mark and Damo, and welcomed aboard Martin and James. Martin is another with a bad run of luck with the weather and bookings, and as such, the last time we fished together, it was all surface lures and drinks in ice. Quite a contrast to today.
Also a huge contrast, was the bass. We found one small shoal clinging tight to a feature on the mornings drift. Heading into the rocks, with all of us on the shads fishing bass, the bites were fast and furious, and the aggressors dropping off. Quite clearly, the squid were on the move. Finned fish. Just three bass, all to Mark, and a small, perfect, codling to myself. Squid? Loads. And loads. Indeed, when I had a countup at the end of the session, noting the numbers that clients had taken, I tallied another seventy eight squid, with 48 weighing in at 24lb, that will keep my colleague through to next summer, and not be at the mercy of global supplies. And thats after all my clients taking as many as they wanted. Truly, Squidageddon.
