Using up the leftovers - 7th April 2011

I had some lug left over from the session on Wednesday night so headed out to a local beach for a short early evening session. There was a fairly weak surf but this is a mark where you don't need a big surf to bring in the bass. It was a very nice warm sunny evening, with just a light onshore breeze. I set up two rods with a 4/0 pennel pulley and a 4/0 running ledger. After about half an hour I had the first bite on the running ledger, a small bass of 38 cm.

About 40 minutes later I had another bite on the same rod. The fish was pulling more strongly and I thought I had a bigger bass but it was only a few centimeters larger, just under 40 cm.

There was then a long period of inactivity, apart from the occasional bass breaking the surface about 35 m out, so I knew they were there. They seemed to be chasing small sprat, a few lept out of the water at one stage. I should have brought a spinning rod and some lures with me!!!

I had been saving the best worm for dusk, a big fat juicy black lug, I reckoned that would be too tempting for any bass to resist, I could almost eat it myself. I cast out and waited. After a few minutes I spotted gentle twitches on the rod tip, picked it up, waited, then felt a stronger tug, struck, but felt nothing. I reeled in to check the worm was still on the hook and found about the smallest coalfish I have ever caught - the little swine had made a meal of my best worm!!!

I had a small flounder shortly afterwards. I was nearly out of bait, just a bunch of very small lug left. I put the lot on the hook and had one last cast. Five minutes later I had a strong bite. It was another 38 cm bass.

So while the fish were small it was not a bad way to spend a nice warm spring evening.