Eventually found the fish - 17th April 2011

I headed to the same mark as yesterday. The wind direction had changed to a light southeasterly. It was overcast and a bit of sea mist was present so it was quite chilly, although it cleared later in the afternoon and warmed up nicely. I started in the same spot as yesterday but this time there were no bites. I moved along the shore as the tide pushed in but nothing was interested in a broad selection of lures.

I worked my way through a series of small embayments and gulleys but there was not a fish to be seen. Eventually I reached a small cove with a lot of rotting seaweed mounded up on the shore. I reckoned there might be a chance of a bass feeding on maggots or small fish close to the margin of weed. I cast out a range of hard and soft lures but again nothing was biting. Then I spotted the outline of two fish, just submerged and crusing only 3 or 4 meters out from the shore. I moved closer to where they were and put on the Texas rigged Slug Go as there was a lot of kelp strands floating in the water, cast over the fish and retrieved just in front of one of them but it showed no interest. I cast a second time but when the lure hit the water it spooked the fish and they disappeared. I continued fishing there for some time and every five minutes or so there was a small splash so I knew the fish were still there but still I could not tempt them to bite. Initially I thought they were bass but it's possible they were mullet.

I had intended to pack up at 5.30 pm as I needed to be home by 6.30 pm. So at about 5.25 pm I decided to have one last try at another mark not too far away. I started off with an Xlayer. On about the second cast I was connected with a good fish about 20 m out. It gave a good fight and tried to get around a jagged ridge of rock which would probably have snapped my line had it succeeded but I managed to turn it and gradually coaxed it towards the shore. It was a good bass, about 5 lbs, and just under 60 cm. In my hurry to restart fishing I forgot to photograph it.

I had a few more casts with the Xlayer, but came close to been snagged a couple of times on a barely submerged rock about 10 m out. I switched to a Feed Shallow and cast it out. Second cast I was hit by another bass about 30 m out. This felt a heavier fish and was stripping some line. But when I eventually landed it I found the fish was much the same size, although fatter, with a weight of 5.75 lb. However, it was hooked in the side, one of the triples was set just below the gill cover. The fish must have lashed at the lure with its gill plate. That explains why it was so difficult to land.

A couple of casts later another bass made a grab at the lure but wasn't hooked. Then after a few more casts I had another savage bite. This felt to be another strong fish, and again stripped a little line. It was putting up the strongest fight of the day and it took a few minutes to get it in. It was just over 61 cm but weighed the same as the previous fish at 5.75 lbs. It was only lightly lip hooked on one barb of the lower triple so I was lucky to land it.

It was 6.00 pm at this stage so I reluctantly packed up. I reckoned I could have had a few more bass if I stayed but I was already late. But I can always get them the next time.