Last cast bass - 10th May 2011

I headed to a local beach on Tuesday evening as the winds had eased off. I wasn't too hopeful of it been fishable at all due to weed but surprisingly it was almost totally weed free. As the wind had changed to a more southwesterly direction all the weed had been blown down to the eastern end of the beach. I didn't have time to dig lug, the prefered bait on this beach, so took a couple of packets of razor out of the freezer.

There was a good surf so I was optimistic about getting a few bass but the rod tips remainded stubbornly still. I did get a small 40 cm codling close to high tide but that was the only bite. At 12.30 am, an hour after high tide, I decided it was time to pack up. I had expected a better result given the surf and conditions but it was a nice, mostly clear mild night to be out. I lifted the first rod and held it for a minute or two (as I always do before reeling in) and suddenly felt some subtle tugs. I waited, felt a stronger pull, then struck, hooking into a fairly strong fish - a bass and not another codling I hoped. After a few minutes I hauled it out of the surf - it was indeed a bass, 48 cm, that glint of silver was welcome sight after a bass drought for the last ten days!

That was the first fish picture on my new FujiFilm XP30 camera, the ultimate waterproof, shockproof, freeze proof and dust proof fishing camera. It even has a GPS in case I can't find my way home!.

Of course I had to fish on a bit longer now. However, there were no more bites so I packed up at about 1.15 am.