Chindelly
Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2021
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 256
- Points
- 53
- Location
- Hampshire
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
I hadn’t been fishing much recently due to family/work commitments. When I had free time, high pressure and marvelous sunny weather took hold, which was not really great for fishing. I patiently waited and soon enough a storm brewed in the Atlantic sending a wonderful wave of low pressure our way. On my first session down Portsmouth harbour, the winds were still a little too high and great rafts of weed floated by making fishing impractical.
The next day, the weed had gone, but waves and low pressure remained, it was perfect.
Recipe:
11ft bass rod 2-4 oz and size 4000 fixed spool reel loaded with 20lb braid, and 30lb leader.
Running ledger rig, 5/0 circle hook on a 50cm long hook length 30lb mono. 4oz lead weight.
Chunk of fresh mackerel.
High water slack/first of the flood.
Low pressure (most important bit)
I cast out a frozen chunk of mackerel and then started casting feathers on the 2nd rod and caught a mackerel after 5 or 6 casts. I switched the frozen chunk with a fresh one and cast out the bait towards the middle of the channel. About 10 minutes later, the rod tip bent over and line was pulled from the reel at a fast rate. Bass on! I readied the net and made my way to the waters edge and took in the slack line. The hook was already set, thanks circle hooks! It wasn’t a huge fish but it gave a good account of itself. A nice 53 cm specimen.
I managed three more mackerel on the feathers to top up this winter’s bait supply then called it a day. No more bass graced me with their presence.
A few days later I returned. The low pressure remained but the wind had dropped somewhat. Also there were far more mackerel present in the harbour entrance with huge flocks of gulls making a feast of the bait fish driven to the surface. I adopted exactly the same approach and repeated the results. Same bait, same rig, same part of the tide, roughly same cast out, slightly smaller fish.
Now looking forward to End September/October and a real effort to get the big one!
The next day, the weed had gone, but waves and low pressure remained, it was perfect.
Recipe:
11ft bass rod 2-4 oz and size 4000 fixed spool reel loaded with 20lb braid, and 30lb leader.
Running ledger rig, 5/0 circle hook on a 50cm long hook length 30lb mono. 4oz lead weight.
Chunk of fresh mackerel.
High water slack/first of the flood.
Low pressure (most important bit)
I cast out a frozen chunk of mackerel and then started casting feathers on the 2nd rod and caught a mackerel after 5 or 6 casts. I switched the frozen chunk with a fresh one and cast out the bait towards the middle of the channel. About 10 minutes later, the rod tip bent over and line was pulled from the reel at a fast rate. Bass on! I readied the net and made my way to the waters edge and took in the slack line. The hook was already set, thanks circle hooks! It wasn’t a huge fish but it gave a good account of itself. A nice 53 cm specimen.
I managed three more mackerel on the feathers to top up this winter’s bait supply then called it a day. No more bass graced me with their presence.
A few days later I returned. The low pressure remained but the wind had dropped somewhat. Also there were far more mackerel present in the harbour entrance with huge flocks of gulls making a feast of the bait fish driven to the surface. I adopted exactly the same approach and repeated the results. Same bait, same rig, same part of the tide, roughly same cast out, slightly smaller fish.
Now looking forward to End September/October and a real effort to get the big one!
