First sailing another casualty of these NE winds. And I was happy it was cancelled, as the wind was really howling. I took advantage of the situation to squeeze in a quick shore session. Four small bass succumbed, but a shadow of the fish that had been on the spot the previous evening. That's bass. Never assume you know their routines, else, they will change them just to spite you.
2nd and 3rd sailing were with my regular "bubble" - Mark, Damo and Garry. The forecast had been for the wind to steadily ease during the day, but there was no sign of easing, and this restricted where we could fish. We began close to home, but just one fish there. We bumbled west, and found that with more N in the wind than forecast, that the further west we went the calmer it became. With fish at every spot we stopped. But usually just one.
Lovely fish though, with just a smattering of smaller ones to show that changes are happening. Small baitfish are really starting to thicken up, and I am pretty sure I saw three anchovies detached from their commune last week. Cuttles are back, and a female velvet swimmer peel is happening. Plus the biggest tides of the year. Throw this all together, mix it up and what do you get? Well, only the bass really know, so I ignore all of that and plunder on regardless. And it worked well today. Ten fish by the time we went in, partly for coffee, partly in the hope we would come back out to super flat seas. Which we pretty much did. With the tide now ebbing, the sea was pretty flat. The wind wasnt so much less though, although in the lulls lure control was good.
I think we must have missed a hell of a lot of takes due to the conditions. We all bumped fish also, and right at the end of the final sailing Garry snapped on what was most likely a good cod. I managed another coddie, our 7th of the season, simply by fishing for it on one reef where bass and cod clearly hunt side by side. And the bass were also obliging, with the 2nd sailings tally of 12 fish. Garry top rodded the first session, but Mark was well in form on the 2nd. Damo and I were left in the smoke. Garry nailing the best in both sessions, and winning cover girl for this blog...
Great forecast tomorrow, Tuesday looks like we might lose last sailing. Wednesday BIF1 comes out for engine service, Thursday, Friday and Saturday Trump's tropical storms give US grief... But currently, Sunday onwards is hopeful... As always, forecasts can shift either way, and so, as usual, confirmations will be given the evening prior. Availability ticker now also up to date to the 11th October. After this date, sailings will be just twice daily, 0800 and 1200. 07970 112774 to reserve a space.