ChrisBfishing
Member
Had my first full session of the season out on the boat yesterday. Venue was the Swale on the N. Kent coast.
Aside from one quick trip out a month back (with the obligatory dangle for an hour) to check all systems, she's only been used for tubing with the kids so far this year.
I was up at the crack of dawn, dug bait, loaded up the gear ready for high water at noon.
Being on a mud berth in a shallow creek has it's disadvantages - it's either go out for two hours either side of high water and swing around at anchor ( or avoid the moorings on drift), or stay out until the next tide. I opted for the latter.
For reasons I won't bore you with, I've not yet fitted any helpful equipment like a fish finder/GPS, so I tend to 'wing it' regarding anchoring over marks.
I didn't have a single bite in 3hrs over two different marks! That in itself is unusual, as the place is packed with micro bass at this time of year if nothing else! The tide was ebbing strongly where I was anchored, rafts of weed became an issue. So much so that the reel mounting sheared off at the foot on the 'big bait' rod! (Serves me right for taking a cheap fixed spool boat fishing!)
Slightly miffed at myself upon the realisation I'm now down to the scratching rod and a tiny lure rod, I contemplate my lot.
It also appears that despite being anchored in barely 15' of water and tucked right against the horse sand, I'm somehow in the way of a small catamaran race! I moved a couple of miles west, and started resetting rods.
The only option was to reline the small Shimano baitrunner currently on the lure rod to use on the big rod. This is never going to work, I think as I'm tangling myself in line.
Then finally, a bite on the scratching rod! This is now 4hrs in, I'm stuck out for another 8hrs, I couldn't be happier!!! A micro bass! Then another, and another, all increasing in size.
I finally get the big rod out with a whole squid on. I'm into a few more bass over the next ten minutes, then I saw the big rod tug once. My attention switched, one more pull down and off it went! I was hoping for a nice bass, but there's plenty of hounds around, so I wasn't sure to start with.
A fair scrap later, and a nice bass on the boat. 5-6lb mark, not a record beater, but considering how it started I was more than happy with that!
Asked her indoors to make space in the fridge, she said how much space? She doesn't work in metric, so I sent a pic in feet.
She said it looked like Kathy bates had hobbled me!
Love that film! Although I do see her point! It's a good thing I'm passable as a manual labourer, I'd never make a foot model!
Anyway, another half dozen or so bass up to the 3lb mark on lug after dark. All safely returned, bar tonight's dinner! Tight lines all.
Aside from one quick trip out a month back (with the obligatory dangle for an hour) to check all systems, she's only been used for tubing with the kids so far this year.
I was up at the crack of dawn, dug bait, loaded up the gear ready for high water at noon.
Being on a mud berth in a shallow creek has it's disadvantages - it's either go out for two hours either side of high water and swing around at anchor ( or avoid the moorings on drift), or stay out until the next tide. I opted for the latter.
For reasons I won't bore you with, I've not yet fitted any helpful equipment like a fish finder/GPS, so I tend to 'wing it' regarding anchoring over marks.
I didn't have a single bite in 3hrs over two different marks! That in itself is unusual, as the place is packed with micro bass at this time of year if nothing else! The tide was ebbing strongly where I was anchored, rafts of weed became an issue. So much so that the reel mounting sheared off at the foot on the 'big bait' rod! (Serves me right for taking a cheap fixed spool boat fishing!)
Slightly miffed at myself upon the realisation I'm now down to the scratching rod and a tiny lure rod, I contemplate my lot.
It also appears that despite being anchored in barely 15' of water and tucked right against the horse sand, I'm somehow in the way of a small catamaran race! I moved a couple of miles west, and started resetting rods.
The only option was to reline the small Shimano baitrunner currently on the lure rod to use on the big rod. This is never going to work, I think as I'm tangling myself in line.
Then finally, a bite on the scratching rod! This is now 4hrs in, I'm stuck out for another 8hrs, I couldn't be happier!!! A micro bass! Then another, and another, all increasing in size.
I finally get the big rod out with a whole squid on. I'm into a few more bass over the next ten minutes, then I saw the big rod tug once. My attention switched, one more pull down and off it went! I was hoping for a nice bass, but there's plenty of hounds around, so I wasn't sure to start with.
A fair scrap later, and a nice bass on the boat. 5-6lb mark, not a record beater, but considering how it started I was more than happy with that!
Asked her indoors to make space in the fridge, she said how much space? She doesn't work in metric, so I sent a pic in feet.
She said it looked like Kathy bates had hobbled me!
Love that film! Although I do see her point! It's a good thing I'm passable as a manual labourer, I'd never make a foot model!Anyway, another half dozen or so bass up to the 3lb mark on lug after dark. All safely returned, bar tonight's dinner! Tight lines all.
