Waking up to what should have been light winds and calms seas, instead the forecast had changed during my five hours (luxury) of sleep, and we had the same brisk SW winds that kicked the sea up the previous afternoon. Too bumpy for BIF1. Actually, not too bumpy, as she is a great sea boat, but too many dips make light line lure fishing unproductive. I relayed the news to my guys who were all faithfully waiting on me, and let the next sailing know. I also cancelled the 3rd sailing, but one of my guys was happy to wander around the beach and arms with me, and we saw as we fished the sea calming down. I messaged that 3rd sailing would be happening.
And so I got to meet Alan, Sabio, Tim and Ashley. All work colleagues in the aviation industry, Tim was a veteran of charter trips, the others less so, with Ash being a total fishing virgin. He was the easiest to get going, as a blank canvas is so easy to work with. It took a while to find fish, which isnt ideal when trying to teach technique but when we did, with a little ironing, all rods became effective.
Final tally was 27 landed, with just four and a big mackerel killed from that. But the guys faces were a delight. Light line luring really is fishing heroin when it comes together, and I am quite sure we will see the guys back again soon. Which left 3rd sailing. Originally billed as a cuttle only trip, I didnt get enough interest so had to bill it as a 50/50 bass and cuttle trip. Which suited the tide. Bassing for the first half, cuttle the second.
That was the plan anyhow. All returnee's Mark, Armando, Dan and Andris were along for the ride. Plans rarely work in fish world however. In this situation, my lack of knowledge about cuttle shone through. Having been plagued by them all week, it did cross my mind as we settled in on the first mark fishing bass, that they were not really so problematic on this tide. The bass however, were being weird. On this mark ,I use a lump of rock to line up on another lump of rock, where the bass often are on the ebb tide. Except, as I made it to my starting point, the sounder lit up with bass. We ran the drift, and the rock I was targeting was empty. The plan already changing.
Lining up with the starting point as the target, saw the guys rods bending with bass. Not loads, and some smalls. Indeed, until the final destination we only had 2 table fish in the well, searching for 7 total to satisfy our needs. As the tide slackened off, it seemed the right time to go have a proper go on the cuttlefish.
The mark we tried had been crawling with them just three tides prior. Shad bodies being destroyed on many casts. I did have a smug feeling, when within seconds I bagged one. "Here we go" I thought. I have learned, through hard experience, not to announce these thoughts, so I held onto it. Armando, Dan and my own rods then went on to simply not move, while Mark and Andris had takes from finned creatures.
A move to some more rough ground bought again action with small pollack and bass for Mark, but cuttle, where art thou? I need to note the times and tides they are most active before calling on another trip. It isnt quite as simple as I had hoped. So, for the last hour we hit a slightly deeper mark. All out big bass hunting.
It went well. Biggest perhaps 57cm to my own rod, but the guys all hit fish, with Dan landing a PB 55. Lots of smiles, Got the full 7 and returned plenty more. Final tally was 19 bass landed. Really great session. Which is good. Perhaps other than Tuesday first sailing, not looking like many this week due to wind. Those wanting shore and river sessions, not too bad a time. Text me for options. .