Catch Report 290512 - Urban Bass, Surgery and the Seagull

I have had THE funniest fishing session ever tonight!! I dont think we will ever cram more mayhem into one 4 hour session again..period!

Went off to a local mark to meet up with Mike Sullivan of RockFish Revolution and Andy YOUNGER of Finesse Fishing. Two top geezers and both very experienced anglers in their own right. So I packed the gear and before leaving get a text from MIke "Bring your metals. I think theres Bass". Now I have fished with Mike many times and learnt to trust his instincts  so luckily I had the metals packed as I was going to test the Fish League Tiebo as on ongoing test I have posted about here before on metal lures. Also met up with Luke RICHARDS who I haven't met before and who became a star of the evening a little later on during the session.

Arrived at the mark and Mike is already at it. So I attached my Rarenium 3000 to the MC Zaltz ZAT 7'3" and attach a clip. On goes the Tiebo and I launch the lure out to a patch of water where there has been some swirls. First cast, first retrieve sink and draw...Bam!! Ouch the drag is screaming and not stopping, Mike looks over grins "Thats gotta be a Bass" Now remember folks this is a rod rated from 0.5g to 5g. The line is a 6lb flouro leader attached to a 4g lure... what could possibly go wrong??!!

Five minutes later and Im still trying to stop this fish running. The Zaltz is bent near double and I have to release the pressure a lot and the fish keeps running. I finally get it close to where we are fishing and my god its a beauty. Now where we were fishing is a little bit off the water level (uhoh) and we dont think we have a net as I never take one LRF soooo what to do. Mike has a brainwave and suddenly legs it off to his car and returns net in hand ... thank you MIke :) So we land the fish finally, by committee, and its a cracker. 4lb 8 of silver!! Thats a new Bass PB for me and a first on the Zaltz. This has given me a huge confidence boost in the capabilities of this rod. Also a big shout out to Luke RICHARDS who did an epic spiderman impression with a net to get the ball rolling with landing this fish :)

Photos completed the Bass goes back in the water and Im back casting. Mike is updating the catch on his phone and before he can finish the entry .... whizzzz!! my drag is off again. I can do nothing but hang on and laugh... well it was probably more an excited giggle if Im honest. This fish is fiesty but it doesnt feel as big, Soon I land, well the commitee lands, another fine silver just shy of two pound. I had another Bass to finish the run around the pound and half mark.

Shortly after the insane Bass run Andy turns up and so we regale him of our adventures so far. He has  no time to get geared up before he is required for a very urgent assignment!! Whilst casting out my braid has caught on the last guide eye of my rod. The lure has flick out and buried two of the three trebles into my left forearm :( Yup that aint coming out easy!! One treble is stuck deep. One treble has gone in and the end has come back out again so I am well and truly hooked. Andy performs open air surgery then and there. Armed with a questionable pair of forceps he manages to remove one hook but we had no choice but to yank the second out under tension. Andy many thanks to you as those buggers werent moving and if you ever fancy changing job to a doctor... umm actually dont :)

Now free of my lure I change tactics and swap out the Tiebo for new jig I wanted to try, the Illex Gambit Straight 0.9g jig and attach an Ecogear Power Shirasu plastic to the lure. This is a superb combination and looks amazing in the water. The jig has a great action on the lure and really made it dance. After a long quiet spell the lure gets hit very rapid. It a light take and on the retrieve I find my first lure caught smelt. Cracking looking little fish and a new species for me this year so really pleased.

So all in all a great night and some strange goings on with the fish tonight...Oh before I forget the other incident :) So we had a mad Bass run on light gear, we had surgery in the open air due to lures catching their anglers and..... well there's a seagull incident!!

Andy had a good evening. Two flounder on lures which is a cracking session (and Im very jealous as I would love a flattie on light gear) however on switching to a small surface lure he also had the catch of the night. Whilst casting with the Illex Gambit I heard a shout and turning to face Andy and Mike I hear Andy shouting "No dont you dare.. argh!!" Whilst fishing the surface lure a Gull had spotted the tasty plastic morsal and dive bombed it taking it cleanly. Next we had a frantic 5 minutes retrieving said gull to the shore and then removed before mentioned lure before gull was safely returned to the skies. See not only do we catch and release fish but now Andy does the same with birds. A shining example of how it should be done. Nice work Mr YOUNGER :)

So to the testing bit. The Fish League Tiebo was a star. Casts well for a 4g lure and moved very well in the water. Although it has a treble hook there was no issues with snagging in the weed and the fish... well the loved the little pink lure a lot. Hook ups were solid and consistent. Hook strength was amazing (4lb 8 remember!!) and this is now fast becoming my go to metal lure. Considering there were aother metals in the water at the same time this lure must have something as it pulled fish ever cast when the water was busy.

In addition to the Tiebo I also tested the Illex Gambit Jig head. I love em!! Great little jigs. You slid you chosen lure onto the straight barb and it holds the lure on tight. The hook was strong and fine. Hook up was fantastic and there were no missed knocks. The best part is the action the jig gives to the lure. With a wedge shaped nose this lure darts about quickly and enticingly. One word of warning. Ecogear lures were great on the jig except the ecogearaqua strawtail grubs. Im not sure if its the new material used in the ecogearaqua range but the lure would not stay on the jig barb during a cast. So beware if you dont like losing lures avoid using the ecogearaqua. Im going to do some testing on other ecogearaqua lures and will update you with a result. Ecogear lures though are an amazing match for this jig and the Power Shirasu lure looked amazing.

So there we go a night ill remember. We caught Bass on light gear, we had two flounder on light gear, we had a new species, we caught anglers on 4g jigs and we caught gulls on surface lures. All in all a top night on the LRF.

Rant....... inshore netting !!!

OK I was posting today about HRF soft plastics and techniques but I really have to get this off my chest and share this information with other like minded people. The subject ..... illegal and "legal" netting of fish!!!!

First and foremost can I say how any netting  (the use of "drift nets") can be "legal" inshore defies belief. But it is, although there are control measures, so there we go. I don't agree with the idea and cant believe how huge a negative impact this has on our sport... Catch and Release Bass lure angling!

Now I am a) not naive to think this will ever stop b) not naive to think this is the only reason the fish stocks on our inshore coastline is in a decline nor c) an expert on netting practice and how its controlled. I understand in increasingly difficult financial climates individuals will seek income wherever they can. However...what I do know is simply this. There are people out there who think it's perfectly ok to go out for 4 hours "work" and bring home £2000 worth of Sea Bass per trip!! and continue to do this day in and day out. I know that there are some people out there who feel it is perfectly acceptable to FIX a net (illegal practice) in a huge stretch of water, including Bass nurseries??!! and catch all manner of species, I would hate to think what happens to Wrasse and Pollack, for example, that may get caught in these nets as I doubt very much they would be a valuable catch for our netters.  I do know that there are people out there who have disregard to legal size restrictions and will land undersized fish for sale. However I do also understand that there will always be a conflict between the protection of fish stocks, the fisheries economics and the social/recreational aspect of fishing.

All to often I see reports, hear stories or witness boats in the harbour/on the water engaging in this practice and I for one am getting sick to the back teeth of it. Now I am in a fortunate position to be able to make some inroads to tackling this practice but I urge anyone who feels strongly about the netting of fish to have a voice and report any information they may come across.

Having done a little bit of research there are 3 bodies of people who can help us minimise the impact of netting on our fish stocks. These are IFCA (Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority), EA (Environment Agency) and MMO (Marine Management Organisation).

IFCA
IFCAs are either committees or joint committees of the local authorities that fall within an IFC district. They are tasked with the sustainable management of inshore sea fisheries resources in their local area. They are made up of representatives from the constituent local authorities (who provide funding for the IFCA) along with people from across the different sectors that use or are knowledgeable about the inshore marine area, such as commercial and recreational fishermen, environmental groups and marine researchers, who offer their time voluntarily. The Marine Management Organisation, Environment Agency and Natural England also each have a statutory seat on the IFCA. Through their local management and funding structures, IFCAs help put local authorities, local communities, local businesses and individual citizens in the driving seat, allowing them to play a bigger part in the protection and enhancement of their inshore marine environment. A local IFCA is responsible for sea fishing and environmental conservation out to the 6 mile limit and within rivers and estuaries up to the tidal limits.

EA
Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for conservation of salmonids, freshwater and migratory species within streams, rivers, estuaries and the sea out to the 6 mile limit. Management of fisheries is through its own suite of byelaws. It does not regulate for sea fish conservation.

MMO 

Marine Management Organisation is responsible for sea fishing activities out to the 200 mile limit using English government Acts / Orders and EC Regulations. This includes the licensing of vessels to fish commercially and management of fish quotas in England. It does not regulate using the more restrictive byelaws made by the EA or IFCAs.
By calling into these bodies and ensuring current information about netting practices is made available they we can each do our part in protecting the fish stock in our area. Now I know we will never get rid of netting practice but if we can force practitioners of netting to stop the illegal fixed nets and conform to restrictions on landing fish then we will make some difference to our local fishing scene.

See here for a list of all the local IFCA districts to find your contact.

Environment Agency (National hot-line number) 0800 80 70 60

What details to relay to a fisheries authority?

Place where event was seen and/or where evidence was taken;
Date and time of event(s);
Name, DoB and address of any person involved;
Boat description, any name and registration letters/numbers;
Outboard engine manufacturer and displayed engine power on cowling;
Vehicles involved including make, model, colour, registration plate;
Fishing equipment such as nets, pots, rods etc;
Fish or shellfish – species, if known, number of, or estimation of weight.

I dont want to come across as being on a crusade but I believe this practice, when done with disregard to the fish stocks in the area, damages our sport and the environment of our sport. If you see something or hear something pass it on. It may just help you increase the pleasure of your sport and to develop / conserve reducing numbers of fish in your area.

HRF gear discussion.....

Ok so I have given you insight into my LRF setup and why I chose the gear I did. Next its onto the big guns as I drag out the arsenal I use to go HRF fishing..

As I have intimated before HRF for me is what I would expect one of my non fishing buddies to come up with if I asked them what fishing was about. I look for a good piece of coastline and the gear reflects this more rugged terrain. LRF is the ultimate in mobility coupled with a pick up as and when you feel like it ethos. HRF is a more planned approach for me as it means taking the right kit and normally driving some distance to get to my preferred marks.

So lets look at what I have used and currently use for my HRF fishing..

When I first started to branch out into HRF fishing I had already spent some money on an LRF setup. This meant I needed to be shrewd with my initial HRF gear. Luckily I had already made an excellent choice of reel in the Shimano Rarenium 3000. As I explained in my LRF discussion this was purely a future proof purchase to cover both styles of fishing as it comes with 2 spools and as they are shallow spools it fits the LRF and HRF braids easily.

So I had the reel ready to go and already tested heavily in the LRF sessions I had been on. So I made a visit, my first visit, to Art of Fishing in St MERRYN and spoke to Ben FIELD about braid lines and rods. My reason for my first HRF rod purchase was to take part in the Lure Forum D&C bumble of 2011. I had limited knowledge of Bass angling or HRF and after we discussed budget and plans I walked away from the shop with the 8' Shimano Beastmaster Dropshot. My reason for buying this rod.. simply price!! At £100 this rod is a capable rod for plugs and plastics. It looks beautiful too in the bronze and gold and shimano is a brand I have come to trust for quality fishing product. For me HRF was but a vague idea I had overheard Mike SULLIVAN talking about. This rod was to open a whole new world of techniques and lures in the form of hard plugs and the amazing soft plastics I use extensively now.

I now have one word for affordable HRF when considering rods and it is simply Majorcraft, Majorcraft, Majorcraft!! Ok I am a little biased here. For me the Crostage range of rods are a thing of beauty. Very well priced these rods are affordable, cast like a dream and handle both plastics and plugs with class. For all my HRF angling I currently use a MC Crostage Hard Rock at 7'6". This baby tames Wrasse with finesse on the plastics and still has the guts to bring home a disgruntled Bass on hard plastics! I have had both Wrasse and Bass to 4lb on this rod and I know it will push me further this season. I have had so many people cast this rod and be amazed at the distance and power produced by this little hidden gem. This rod will be my angel on my shoulder until I can afford my dream HRF rod, The 7'3" Century HPR.. Im in love with this rod!! I have used it for a number of sessions and its the ultimate Wrasse rod in my opinion. Designed with a particular role in mind JBG's Keith White has helped produce a superb piece of gear. Texas rigging, weightless worm rigs and still capable of handling the hard plugs, this is my end game rod for HRF.

Other rods of mention in each price bracket are

Entry level rod - Shimano Beastmaster and Speedmaster in 7' and 8', Sakura Shinjin 782 and 862, Spro Vortezza S80ML, Garbolino Magister Allspin 240 and the awesome Savagear Bushwhacker.

Mid level rod - Majorcraft Crostage range, Hearty Rise Bass force range, Sakura Mazzera 742 ML, Anyfish Anywhere range and Lucky Craft ESGII.

Upper level rod - Century HPR 7'3 and 7'7, Tenryu Injection range, Tenryu Super Mix range, Nories Rockfish Bottom Jighead Snapper, Nories 'FlatFish Program' Rough Surf 88, Megabass XOR XX SXX-85L

The list is endless so I have taken some of the ones I see out regularly or talked about in the circles I mingle :) Now I have purposely left this very simplistic. When it comes to HRF your rod choice CAN be very dependant on the type of fish you are specifically targetting. Some rods are designed more to be used with Bass, others with Wrasse etc. Again you cant go wrong talking to your local dealer or local anglers to get an idea whats best for you, your budget and your style. I use my Crostage for the majority of my HRF angling, however if I want to go Bass specific and the conditions are a little rougher than I would like or Im casting surf off the beach I do have a Graphite Leader Argento RV 9'6" to assist with the conditions. It allows me to casts heavier weighted plugs into winds and allows me to get the line up out of the surf should I need to. This is an example of how HRF rods can differ in function.

Ok so we now know I fish the MC Crostage HR and to start I was using the Rarenium 3000. This reel has now been moved to exclusively LRF trips out as I purchased the delectible Daiwa Caldia 3000 to take over my HRF fishing. Now I came about this reel purely by accident as my intention was to go with the Theory 3000, also from Daiwa. Due to some unforeseen circumstances I ended up with the Caldia.

On its merits its a super smooth retrieve and casts very well. Mag sealed, a process developed where a magnet and mag oil creates a barrier betweenthe  opening of the body and the rotor of the reel causing a seal between the inside and outside of the body. This stops salt water getting inside the body of your reel causing potential smoothness and repair issues later on. It has quite a large body, which I like and balances just as well with my 7'6" as it does my new 9'6".

My main concern about this reel is spools. It comes with a spare spool which is great but Im a bit dissappointed with the build in the drag plate. Compared to other reels I have had this seems rather weak in regard to the strength of the components and I find I have to swap my spools over carefully so not to cause metal spurs developing on the section of the drag plate which runs the reel spindle through. Not ideal for someone with my patience, it isnt a strong trait of mine :) However that aside the reel is light and comfortable to fish for hours at a time. Very good reel for the price, which I was expecting to be much higher than what I paid for it.

So there we have my current HRF setup. The MC Crostage HR with a Caldia 3000 loaded with a spool of Sunline Castaway 1.2 PE with 16lb siglon leader for Bass and a lighter Sunline Castaway 0.8 PE with 12lb Siglon leader for everything else.

Im going to be sensible and split lures into two later posts. Wrasse fishing on plastics is a particular passion of mine and I will write endlessly on the subject. Bass on the other hand covers the world of Hard plugs and some interesting plastics so Ill cover that seperately.


To finish with, a quick run down of the extras and how I carry them.

Due to the nature of HRF fishing I tend to find myself out on the rocks in numerous types of conditions so quickly switched on to the safety aspect of this fishing style. As a measure toward that I hooked up with the RBB flotation vest as my main luggage option for HRF fishing. This vest is the ultimate carry all for the gear you require to fish effectively. The front pockets are good for small sized lures boxes or small bits and bobs boxes. It has a holder for a flask and a rear "backpack" for lunch or more of your favourite gear. I usually wear mine with a small Snowbee lure box in one pouch and a pouch for leader, scissors and bits. I also have a Spro Boga Grip mounted on the side of the left front pocket which does not hinder my fishing in the slightest. On the right pocket I have a pair of small pliers and Rapala Carbide Pro Pliers, these are a do it all set of pliers and I havent required anything over and above them. A further luggage option.. which will likely be my replacement purchase for my RBB is the Ultimate Fishing Vest. This vest appears to have better pocket placement and no "Backpack" which I do sometimes find annoying on the RBB vest. And for those calm days in the sun with low risk of being swept away to Davy Jones' Locker then there is the awesome slingbag. This is an alternative to the vests and believe me on hot days I would rather be carrying my essentials in one of these over wearing a heavy vest. My slingbag of choice comes from snowbee. Easy to carry and easy to access all your gear there isnt many better options out there in my opinion.

To finish.. a means to stay dry. HRF can mean wading through gullies to get to a particular mark, standing in the path of sea spray or just plain falling around in the drink (this is me btw!!) so my final piece of advice is get a pair of waders and boots. This was the single most important purchase I made as it makes HRF more accessible.

I personally use the Scierra CC3 chest waders with the Riptide boots and have found them to be everything I require. Both have already given me a good year of service and I dont expect ill need to replace them this year either. Now you can spend anything from £90 - £700 on waders and boots. It is purely down to your choice but I can point you in the direction of Glasgow Angling Centre HERE if you wish to have a look at some of the styles available. I would also suggest you look local, as I did. I found it invaluable to try on before I bought as the sizing chart is confusing at the best of times. A recent article from Henry Gilbey also spiked my interest as it was on the subject of waders so Ill include the link HERE.

So here we go. HRF rod reel and arsenal covered. The next few posts on Rockfish Rookie will be around HRF lures and how to rig/use them. Ill start off with Wrasse HRF on soft plastics and I cant promise a short post on that subject :)

Till then .... tight lines and happy fishing!!