Planning a trip to a local beach tommorrow to try a bit of bass fishing can anyone give me any tips for trolling bass i.e what lures to use etc and does it work?? i have fished this beach from the shore with reasonable sucsess, how close to shore should i try ?? all advice would be greatfully accepted.

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Anyone??

Hi there Thurso,
I was a bit surprised at the lack of response to this topic. I held back because I am no expert on troling near the beach, just rocks.

On my last boat I had a 4hp reserve motor and used this for trolling. If you have an electric motor (quiet) or a little outboard then 4 knots is an ideal speed IMO.
We let the lures trail behind about 100 yards and close to the bottom and the crew had some nice Bass.

If you were catching from the shore then that is the distance you should be off shore, the advantage is that you cover more ground.

Again, not one to give advice, only just caught my first one so as there is nothing coming from AN, think it out for yourself. Noise scares Bass.


Good luck and please share with us what you did rite or wrong.

Alan

[ 12. August 2004, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: Alan Taylor ]

as Alan says if you have had success there would probably suggest plugging with raps and poppers use your boat as a platform to drift and cover more ground or drift just out of casting range. If you must troll due to tidal direction etc keep your lures well behind the boat, usually one run over them with the engine running is all you'll get unless they are so preoccupyed hearding bait fish

[ 06. August 2004, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: chappers ]

Find a harbour entrance with sand bars at LW ....

fish the flooding tide from LW (be aware that if you don't know the area well, you might get cut off).

I'm lucky to have two such harbours within 2 - 4mls from my house.

Trick is to be prepared to wade and to keep on the move.

My main rig ('cos it's clean sandy ground) .....

5" natural looking redgill ..... 4'-5' clear trace .... boom and 2 - 4 oz leads.

Make sure you touch bottom, then a medium retrieve .....

never strike ...... keep to tried and tested 'redgill methods' ....
just keep the retrieve going until the fish puts a bend in the rod .....

this method only really works in relatively clear water from May - September, locally (E Solent).
I had a magic day at the entrance to Chichester Harbour in 1999 ..... lost count - about 6 schoolies, 10 mackerel, 4 scad, a garfish and a small (3/4lb) tub gurnard .... my last fish was an approx. 2&3/4lb bass .....

all returned except for about 4 bait-mackerel.

Went home to a nice fry-up breakfast (there's a clue there) .... early and late.

If you have rocky, clear water as in Dorset and the West Country, try small spinners (30g) or plugs.

Good luck