Another final day for the sport fisher to kill bass already. One result of the restrictions is it has become a marker for ageing, another Christmas or birthday type of marker. The bass season 2022 is no more. And will not return. Not that I am too upset. Its has not been the greatest by a long shot. Numbers not too bad, but those big girls are conspicuous by their absence. A showing early on, and a very few have been caught in the past month on baits right up the edges.
But certainly something perhaps the fisheries management folk need to take a good look at. Perhaps it is time for a permanent maximum size limit, that the current imbalance in bass prices (a 5kg fish fetches a far greater per kilo price than a 1kg fish, mostly due to a desire by nobby hotels and restaurants to put them in their display cases, where they mostly sit until inedible). Seems a waste of big ovaries that could be enough to slow down the still vanishing stock if allowed to live. Just my thoughts mind. Meanwhile, B.A.S.S. continue to campaign for an increase to three fish per angler per day. I understand the logic (remove more from the commercials) but that just seems a bit spiteful. What would you do with three bass a day? Keep the landlord happy?
Back to the fishing. I had gone out twice yesterday. In the morning, I simply turned around and came back after one drift. You could smell the river water. 2nd sailing, I took two out, and found some slightly better water for a single schoolie. I predicted that todays sailing would be at least 100 percent better. Well, still not perfect. I took Mally, Simon, John and Richard out to find that, at least offshore a mile or so, viz had greatly improved. This led to a 600 percent better session than the previous day, with two killed for the table, biggest around 2.5lb. A whiting, and a surprise plaice on a Hart Bony for variety.
Second sailing, we lost Simon and Richard, and were joined by Richard and his son in law Matt. A very well travelled angler, it was a pleasure to chat to Richard about Russian salmon, an experience we have both enjoyed. Which was a blessed relief as the fishing was terribly slow. We finally found a few after running the entire range of my patch, and I couldnt have been happier when the first rod went over, with perhaps just an hour remaining. We then managed four bass, with one for the table by Richard, plus pouting by-catch.
A very tough session. However, every day further from those huge rains, the fishing will improve in the edges, and will get a big boost from some big ENE Winds forecast for Sat/Sun/Monday. Sailings extremely unlikely while those wind blow though. Anyone that was on, that isnt busy tomorrow, should text me on 07970 112774 as I have one space on the 0730 sailing. Nice forecast, massively improved seas...
