snatcher
Well-known member
Well it was my fifth day at the caravan and I had not got the rods out yet. Time to try for that first bass of the season I thought to myself !!!! Low water was around dusk so I jumped into the car about 22.00 and headed off to one of my favourite lw bass marks.
To be honest I half expected to blank on my first bass attempt of the season as they can be a very fickle fish at this time of the year. Well I got to my mark and set up my normal spinning gear with a Drennan controller float and 6" holographic sandeel mounted on a 2/0 baitholder hook at the business end.
On my very first retrieve I thought I felt a tentative take but was not totally convinced. Had a couple of more soft plucks at the sandeel before I eventually had a thumping bang and I had my first bass of the season on. It was only a schoolie of about 2lb but gave a spirited fight. Time for a quick photo and back in it went to fight another day.
For the next half hour I had no more plucks/takes and was thinking about packing in as was nearly asleep on my feet. I had been up at 03.00 for a couple of mornings on the trot looking for some Drummore/Luce Bay sunrise shots. It does catch up with you eventually. Was it worth it though ??? What you reckon ???
Anyway I decided to go for the "last 3 casts" routine. On the last cast I hooked into another schoolie which was again photographed and safely returned to the water.
After this went through the "last 3 casts" routine again and on my second cast was hit by a much bigger stamp of fish.. I had the fish on for about 2 minutes and in that time it made three strong runs. On the third run the hook pulled out. After much cursing and swearing decided to call it a day as I was totally "cream crackered" and it was a fair trudge back to the car.
My first bass session of 2010 had not been a blank after all. The "bass bug" has bitten me again so I will be out again within a day or two looking for that big one !!!
John
To be honest I half expected to blank on my first bass attempt of the season as they can be a very fickle fish at this time of the year. Well I got to my mark and set up my normal spinning gear with a Drennan controller float and 6" holographic sandeel mounted on a 2/0 baitholder hook at the business end.
On my very first retrieve I thought I felt a tentative take but was not totally convinced. Had a couple of more soft plucks at the sandeel before I eventually had a thumping bang and I had my first bass of the season on. It was only a schoolie of about 2lb but gave a spirited fight. Time for a quick photo and back in it went to fight another day.
For the next half hour I had no more plucks/takes and was thinking about packing in as was nearly asleep on my feet. I had been up at 03.00 for a couple of mornings on the trot looking for some Drummore/Luce Bay sunrise shots. It does catch up with you eventually. Was it worth it though ??? What you reckon ???
Anyway I decided to go for the "last 3 casts" routine. On the last cast I hooked into another schoolie which was again photographed and safely returned to the water.
After this went through the "last 3 casts" routine again and on my second cast was hit by a much bigger stamp of fish.. I had the fish on for about 2 minutes and in that time it made three strong runs. On the third run the hook pulled out. After much cursing and swearing decided to call it a day as I was totally "cream crackered" and it was a fair trudge back to the car.
My first bass session of 2010 had not been a blank after all. The "bass bug" has bitten me again so I will be out again within a day or two looking for that big one !!!
John
