Off the top, again. 16.8.12

Met at first light in Dorset, Joe, Mark333, Mark 11 and me.  Went straight to Mark 1, but the water was coloured and the sea was wild. Went onto Mark 2, but there wasn't any fish at Mark 2. Finally at 0700hrs arrived at Mark 3, Joe, Mark 333, Mark MK 11, and me.

Gave it 20 minutes working sub-surface lures without a take, while Mark 333 and Joe both picked up a fish each using the same. In my last post I stated the Gunfish was a quality surface lure and so it proved again today. 3 Casts after putting it on the surface exploded, ( Mark 333 reckoned he'd never seen a take like it) ( I had, see 79cm fish)   and after the best fight I'd had off a Bass, lasting all of 10 minutes, Mark got into the swell and landed my fish, 68cm, 7lb 2 oz. 

Moved around to a few other Marks during the day,but the 3 of us only finished with just 3 a piece. The guided client, Mark 11 Cider did much better with 9.                                                                       24

Summers Evening in Kent

Snuck off work early today and was on the mark at 6pm, 90 minutes after high tide. The sun remained bright right through to sunset, but as soon as it went the fish started taking the surface lures. First 2 to the Patchinko 100 500g, a mini version of the Patchinko II. People in the know are raving about the Sandeel pattern, but I was using the reddish Brown one with the pink underbody. First time out and 2 fish.

Then on went the Gunfish,  had 3 in quick succession, hooked into and immediately lost a fish of around 5lb, had a couple of other offers that didnt stick. The old faithful still cant be beaten. Class
 

Scorcher at Dorset

It was meant to be clouding over at Mid-day so Joe and I got to the beach for 1300hrs, having enjoyed our latest start ever in Dorset. Even the Olympic traffic never materialised, but the Sun did, and by the 1900hrs finish I was burnt.

Fishing was fast and furious from the off, I had 2 fish pushing 3lb and a tiddler, Joe had a tiddler. Then the fish remembered they shouldn't give themselves up during the mid-day Sun fest, and stopped. 3 Fishless hours later and a change of venue we met up with Mark, Richard and Neil.

The change of venue worked for  Joe who had 5 in a couple of hours. Mark had 3, I had another 1 and lost one at the beach after all the hard work had been done.                                                                                                                                                     16

It's not always BASS

Just back from a fortnight in Mexico and while there thought I'd have a go for a Tarpon on the Fly. Not the biggest fish in the world, but these things really go, and they also come off with frustrating regularity. ( I was told after if you land one in 10 you've done quite well).
First trip and after a Barracuda and a Jack, finally had a fish of around 5 lb, and a few moves later added another 2 to the tally. That was when we moved to the mouth of a Channel that I hooked and lost five 25lb fish in quick succession. One was on for 2 minutes and jumped 4 times so I was sure he was well hook, but it wasn't the case.

Second trip didn't go so well. Moved a decent fish, cast to several others, ( you have to hit them right on the nose) and was optimistic until first the biggest electrical storm I'd ever seen moved in,( the guide thought I should continue fishing) and then the engine packed up. With the light failing the guide punted us a good mile back to the same Channel we'd visited the previous trip, and in complete darkness the guide put me blindly into the best fish of the trips, at 10 lb.  I've caught many big reservoir trout, but this is something completely different       

79cm...11lb off the top, 27.6.12

Got the chance to get a couple of hours in this evening, with the wind dropping to nearly nothing, and the water starting to clear after a few days of strong gales.


 Started working a GunFish in the flattish surface and was rewarded with a nice 2lb fish which gave a good account of itself. Moved along to the rocky area and started working my way out onto the reef covering new and clearer water. About the 5th cast I decided to put one along side the exposed rocks, and 40 yards out a big fish hit the GunFish hard. I could immediately see this fish was something special, and 3 times it got me behind massive boulders scrapping the braid as it thumped seaward. No great runs, just the constant head-shaking and use of its weight. Finally I had no choice other then to tighten down the drag and Horse the girl over several rock formations and to the base of the rock I was standing on.

My inital appraisal of this being something special was confirmed and when breaking my camera after 2 shots and having to revert to the iphone, I felt the need to get the fish back into the water asap. Five minutes spent reviving her in a large rockpool, then I lifted her into the sea and she swam off strongly.

Only regret. Joe was fishing close by, but didnt answer his phone. I should have kept her in the Rockpool til I got Joe, then I would have had the glory shot. ,

A very wet Dorset 5.6.12

Joe and I left Kent at 1am to meet up with Mark at 4. The plan was to fish a mark that I'd never seen a fish come out of, so confidence wasn't high. 3 Fish in half an hour changed my view, then Joe started catching and finally so did Mark.  10 fish between us to 2lb, we moved onto site 2, having met up with Martin H and Carl from Somerset.
 The second mark looked ideal, Joe and I heading left and the others right. 2 Hours later we were in the Cafe having not added to our tally. Onto the 3rd mark which again looked spot on, but only produced a few Mackerel.
The fourth venue started fishing immediately, my first fish was a little bigger, and the average crept up to around 2.5 lb. Mark started closing the gap, Joe look the lead on the Bass count, Carl had 3 on softs and the rain got heavier. Then Mark hooked a better fish which gave a good account of itself in the strong current, and when beached measured 57cm.  A few fish later I had a 3 lb schoolie, and at the death landed a 61 cm on a Pearl Gateride.
Final scores   Joe and I 7 each, Mark 6, Carl 3, Martin had a bad day.

Excuse the photo, Mark again behind the Lens, but it was pissing down.

First fish of the year from Kent

Had my first trip out this year in Kent, never seen the water so clear. Fished from 1920hrs til 2200hrs and again in the same Bay I saw a Salmon leap last year tonight a big Sea Trout did the same.

Had a small schoolie on a Pearl Gataride and at last light a 2 lb fish on a Patchinko.