First sailing, and out on a wonderful sunny morning with Steve, who was on for the day, Lee, Paul and David, all returning Biffer's. The wonderful sunny morning lasted all of ten minutes, before walls of fog poured in all around us. It actually cut visibility to just fifty yards, and created a problem. Even with radar, the need to see what your are motoring your boat onto, in the way of floating planks, or worse, partially sunken things, is a number one priority. So, to return to port, would have, in my opinion, been far more hazardous than to stay where we were, tight in to the shore in very shallow water, where the worse thing to bump into us might be a hard core paddle boarder.
As it happens, it was also with bass. We managed fifteen during the three hours we were stuck there, and mostly quality fish. Everyone who wanted fish, had fish for the table. Others were more lucky.. Fish of the session was actually on the very last cast, when David stuck on a feed shallow, and a fish pushing 4lb nailed it. A very fitting way to end a very enjoyable session. Visibility now was at about 150 yards, so it was a very slow journey back.
Second sailing, and Steve was joined by regular Nick, and new to BIF1, Mathew and Tim. And a great session, that mirrored the first, with two more fish, at seventeen landed. As always, times by 3 the amount of splashy takes missed. These fish are mostly not in the mood to hammer anything. Imagine you've just done a KFC bargain bucket to yourself. And then, your neighbour pops in, with a KFC bargain bucket, and offers you a piece. Your hand might begin the journey to the bucket, out of instinct, triggered by that beautiful red and white bucket, but then your stomach reminds your brain, your stuffed already with KFC, so your politely decline, and your hand returns to your lap... Well, its a sort of bass version of that...
Third and final sailing today, and Steve was joined by new to sea fishing, and whom were kindly referred to me by Lagoon bait and tackle, in Hove, Mark and Jack. And also, Steve's regular fishing buddy Trevor. . Again, a similar session. Lots of takes, lots of action. With one big difference. Size. Everything much smaller than the previous two sessions, on the same grounds. Incredible.
That was, until, when fishing a deeper area, Mark hit a rock. Which started thrashing it's head, very indignant for being taken for a rock. Clearly, Mark was a former carp angler, as he did a great job of taming the fish, which was happy to not give up anytime soon. Some great reel screaming lunges, and short bursts. Finally netted, weighed at a little over 7lb. Short photo session, and that tail propelling it back down to the rock to sulk, clealry visible for the first 20 feet in the currently crystal clear waters.
Fifteen the final tally for that session, but that one would have been the only legal one to retain, if it were not for the BIF1 rule, that no fish over 5lb will be killed except in the case of them bleeding out. Size didnt matter though. Everyone gelled super well, and it was an absolute pleasure to be out there. Happy times with happy people.
