North Wales A week of 2 halves.

[Andy 1965]

With some particularly small tides this week, I wasn’t exactly confident of getting in among the bass but the weather was still settled, so I gave it a go. My first outing was on Tuesday night, when I returned to the mark which has treated me well so far this year, but despite what looked like ideal conditions, I saw only the occasional small sea trot jumping and the evening passed by without a single touch .

I didn’t have to wait too long for the chance to make amends though and on Thursday night I was out again. A second blank in a week didn’t appeal, so I decided to try another early season mark of mine a short distance from the first. Conditions when I arrived were almost perfect, the flat calm water only slightly tainted by some early traces of algae on the surface, but otherwise everything looked spot on .

Going by the last few weeks, I wasn’t confident of catching until darkness fell but I was encouraged by the sight of an occasional tern diving in the distance. Under these circumstances there was only one lure to try, so I clipped on a long casting, early season special, the Line-Thru Sandeel. I still couldn’t reach the feeding birds but at least it enabled me to fish the deeper water, where I hoped the bass would be hunting. As it happened, the bass weren’t quite as far out as I imagined and after no more than a dozen casts, my lure was stopped in its tracks half way back to shore . At first I thought I was snagged in weed but after a split second the “weed” started to pull back.

The fight was an enjoyable one and for the first time since I bought it, I heard the sound of my Vanford giving line as the fish took half a meter off against the drag, not exactly a screaming run but it was a start . What it lacked in brute strength, the fish made up for in guile and in a last ditch attempt to escape it dived into some weed a few meters out, it didn’t have the strength to bury itself too deeply in the undergrowth though and I was able to quickly pull it free. A moment later it was game over, as I landed my first daytime bass of the year .


After such an early success I hoped I might bag up but the bass appeared to be a loner, so with roughly an hour of daylight left, I decided on a move along the coast to another spot where I’ve had quite a few bass over the years. Once there I proceeded to cycle through a selection of previously successful early season lures. Strangely, these usually reliable catchers just don’t seem to be working this year and despite trying the mighty Mishna, Ruf Manic, SF125, baby Patch and the Sunslicker Primus I still couldn’t tempt anything into an attack. Even the big Patch and the Frosty, which have been doing the business for me so far this year failed to produce .

Undeterred, I kept trying and as darkness fell my efforts finally paid off when my Tackle House Vulture was hit. I knew immediately that this was a smaller fish than the first and it was soon beaten but I was still chuffed with my 10th bass of the year so far .


Once more I hoped this was just the start of a feeding frenzy but sport remained slow. I did manage another schoolie an hour or so later, but despite fishing until 12:30, with moves to 2 other spots, there was to be no bumper catch. I’m not complaining though and after Tuesday’s blank I was more than happy to get back among the bass and to reach double figures for the year.

Roll on next Tuesday now, and hopefully the much bigger tides will result in a lot more bass on the move and with any luck, some much bigger fish too .

 

[Warby72]

Nice report mate, that first one's a decent enough fish. ?

 

[Viaductbaggies]

Well done Andy or is it robo cop looking at that photo ?

 

[John Mitchell]

With some particularly small tides this week, I wasn’t exactly confident of getting in among the bass but the weather was still settled, so I gave it a go. My first outing was on Tuesday night, when I returned to the mark which has treated me well so far this year, but despite what looked like ideal conditions, I saw only the occasional small sea trot jumping and the evening passed by without a single touch .

I didn’t have to wait too long for the chance to make amends though and on Thursday night I was out again. A second blank in a week didn’t appeal, so I decided to try another early season mark of mine a short distance from the first. Conditions when I arrived were almost perfect, the flat calm water only slightly tainted by some early traces of algae on the surface, but otherwise everything looked spot on .

Going by the last few weeks, I wasn’t confident of catching until darkness fell but I was encouraged by the sight of an occasional tern diving in the distance. Under these circumstances there was only one lure to try, so I clipped on a long casting, early season special, the Line-Thru Sandeel. I still couldn’t reach the feeding birds but at least it enabled me to fish the deeper water, where I hoped the bass would be hunting. As it happened, the bass weren’t quite as far out as I imagined and after no more than a dozen casts, my lure was stopped in its tracks half way back to shore . At first I thought I was snagged in weed but after a split second the “weed” started to pull back.

The fight was an enjoyable one and for the first time since I bought it, I heard the sound of my Vanford giving line as the fish took half a meter off against the drag, not exactly a screaming run but it was a start . What it lacked in brute strength, the fish made up for in guile and in a last ditch attempt to escape it dived into some weed a few meters out, it didn’t have the strength to bury itself too deeply in the undergrowth though and I was able to quickly pull it free. A moment later it was game over, as I landed my first daytime bass of the year .
View attachment 8655

After such an early success I hoped I might bag up but the bass appeared to be a loner, so with roughly an hour of daylight left, I decided on a move along the coast to another spot where I’ve had quite a few bass over the years. Once there I proceeded to cycle through a selection of previously successful early season lures. Strangely, these usually reliable catchers just don’t seem to be working this year and despite trying the mighty Mishna, Ruf Manic, SF125, baby Patch and the Sunslicker Primus I still couldn’t tempt anything into an attack. Even the big Patch and the Frosty, which have been doing the business for me so far this year failed to produce .

Undeterred, I kept trying and as darkness fell my efforts finally paid off when my Tackle House Vulture was hit. I knew immediately that this was a smaller fish than the first and it was soon beaten but I was still chuffed with my 10th bass of the year so far .
View attachment 8656

Once more I hoped this was just the start of a feeding frenzy but sport remained slow. I did manage another schoolie an hour or so later, but despite fishing until 12:30, with moves to 2 other spots, there was to be no bumper catch. I’m not complaining though and after Tuesday’s blank I was more than happy to get back among the bass and to reach double figures for the year.

Roll on next Tuesday now, and hopefully the much bigger tides will result in a lot more bass on the move and with any luck, some much bigger fish too .

Great report mate , what do you think of the vanford , what size and model did you get

 

[Andy 1965]

Great report mate , what do you think of the vanford , what size and model did you get

I bought the Vanford 3000C and so far I've been very impressed with it.