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Finally a fish for me off the RIB

After a few teething problems with the RIB it was finally seaworthy as I went to Cancun.  On arriving home the first news I receive is Joe and Mark hammered them the night before out on the boat, 2 fish in excess of 13lb, 2 over 11, 9 fish each and nothing under 5. They were out again next evening as I gave in to jet-lag, and did awesome again with Malc getting his first double, one of 2 landed.

So it was that Joe and I went down a week later, not really expecting to do as well, but hoping we'd get some fish. I wasn't easy, lots of milage looking for some, but eventually a couple of decent fish surrendered.

First Trip 2014

Got out today for a couple of hours in Dorset before going down to Portland to work on the RIB.
With no Fish mentioned on any of the forums we felt we'd get amongst them.

Joe hit a fish after 20 minutes which fought well for what was meant to be a lean over-wintered spawned out  Bass. At 4.5 lb this fish showed none of the signs of winter fasting and looked more like a back end fish, well fed and reeved up.

Pressure on, so I caught one as well, again in Prime condition showing no winter weight-loss. 67 cm on the tape, around 7 lb, and hopefully a good omen for the coming season,

Spent the rest of the day crammed into the Bilge Tank, re-wiring the RIB.

In the water

2 weeks after we handed over the money the RIB was put in the water. Still a couple more weeks before it goes on the mooring,  but the 4 of us just had to give it a run out ( and optimistically took the rods too).

Captain Joe.!

This thing really shifts, and surprisingly takes on very little spray flat out.  Visited several marks around Portland, Weymouth and had a few casts around the Harbour.  Just a few Pollock to show for our efforts fishing wise, but the outing high-lighted the few minor adjustments we need to make before it becomes our ultimate Bass Fishing Platform. Still need to fit the compass, Navigation lights and the new Dragon-fly plotter which looks awesome. Cant wait for the Bass to arrive.

Nothing is out of casting range now.

Another approach, for those days when the fish are just out of reach.  Expensive option, but just can't chuck a Dexter.

Syndicate of 4, picking it up next week. Ex diving rib, few Mods and a fully kitted- out Bass Boat due for first trip mid March.

2013 draws to a close.

With the weather being so un-settled the past 3 weeks any hope of getting down to Dorset with a realistic chance of a fish has been zero.  I'd happily make the trip if I felt clear water could be found on some of the big fish marks, but the neigbours fence littering our lane this morning tells me the gales won't be abating any time soon. It might be windy, but it certainly hasn't been cold. It's the 30th December and we still haven't had a serious frost here on the North Kent Coast. The Arum Lilies in the back garden are still growing with the occasional flower coming out, and the Banana plants I wrapped in November keep forcing themselves through their straw winter coats.

 So after wrapping up in Thermals, Fleece and Gortex it shouldn't have been unexpected I was "sweating buckets" when I went for a walk this afternoon at the far end of the Island.  I got a couple of shots of one of my favourite Bass beaches on "Bait".  Not hard to nail the "hot time" on this mark, it's so shallow the waters only on the shingle one hour either side of High. It's never clear enough to work a Topper over, typical of to many local marks.

             

It was so nice to get some fresh air after the indulgences of Christmas that I didn't calculate until it was too late, 1540hrs plus a 4 mile walk back to the car equals 20 minutes total darkness across the Marsh. And the pub was shut for a private function when I got there.

So as the sun goes down on another season……………...

December the 8th, thinking it may be over for 2013.

Thinking it may be the last trip of the season, and the odds were not in our favour, the drive to Dorset was hardly enthusiastic.
The first mark proved us right, the second proved us wrong when a 57cm fish banged into my lure in the oxygen rich white water and fought like its life depended on it, which it did.

Joe took a pic.

Breakfast, another couple of marks, last chance saloon as dusk fell, and Joe strikes back with a 45 and a 52cm. Not a bad day for December.