Bass Fishing with plugs off the shore

[MikeT]

I’m planning to do some shore fishing for bass later on this year, but I’m pretty clueless about it. Please could someone give me some basic advice about the gear I’m likely to need?

 

I want to use plugs and surface popper lures from the rocky outcrops along the Purbeck coast in Dorset- which I understand is a great place for bass fishing like that. I have a 2.4m (almost 8’) medium-weight Shimano Beastmaster spinning rod, which I use for pike and perch fishing, and I wonder if this would be suitable. It casts 10-30g lures, and I can reach fifty or sixty yards easily enough with it. It has handled pike to 12lb without too much struggle, but should I be looking to buy a longer and heavier spinning rod for bass lure fishing?

 

I'd be very grateful for any advice.

 

Many thanks!

 

Mike.

[n4lly]

Sounds like your good to go, but you will need a reel

 

[arbocop]

I’m planning to do some shore fishing for bass later on this year, but I’m pretty clueless about it. Please could someone give me some basic advice about the gear I’m likely to need?

 

I want to use plugs and surface popper lures from the rocky outcrops along the Purbeck coast in Dorset- which I understand is a great place for bass fishing like that. I have a 2.4m (almost 8’) medium-weight Shimano Beastmaster spinning rod, which I use for pike and perch fishing, and I wonder if this would be suitable. It casts 10-30g lures, and I can reach fifty or sixty yards easily enough with it. It has handled pike to 12lb without too much struggle, but should I be looking to buy a longer and heavier spinning rod for bass lure fishing?

 

I'd be very grateful for any advice.

 

Many thanks!

 

Mike.

 

From one Mike T to another - when I fish in the sea (not very often but inthe areas you are) I normally fly fish for bass, but plugging is successful too, particuarly off the rocks where you can't get a decent back cast. I sometimes go with both kits. Your kit sounds like the right kit to me, particualrly if you haven't tried it before. However, you might find a longer rod useful when there are rocks around - it will help you manouver the plug aroun dhte rocks and play fish in diificult places. Remember to clean the salt off the rod and reel afterwards.

 

You might want to try plugging from beaches as well, shorter (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUK308&=&q=devon&lr=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl) shingle and sandy beaches with rocks at either side are good as there is plenty of variety and in two hours you can explore all the water available. I find that the bass go for sunken plugs and flies far more often than they go for poppers and surface lures, but the surface lure fishing is far more satisfying. Watch out for seabirds though. If you have handled a 12lb pike you may find a bass a little disappointing. The fight is slightly overrated in my opinion but they are still a fantastic fish, I would rather fish for bass than pike. Pollack are good too.

 

Tide is important. I find the last two hours of a rising tide up to high tide are the best for fly and plug.

[Leon Roskilly]

Don't worry about casting too far.

 

Bass are often feeding very close in.

 

If you are throwing your lure out past them, a lot of fishing time is being wasted cranking the lure back through dead water.

 

If they are taking close in, cast parrallel to the shore, and the lure will spend much more time in the 'strike zone' leading to more fish being taken during a session.

[Snatcher]

Yep you are good to go by the sound of it.I do my bass fishing over in Luce Bay.Have just been plugging for bass for about 5 years but love the challenge.At present I use 15lb mono on my spinning reel but thinking about giving braid a go.

 

Everyone has their favourite popper but was put onto the Yozuri Aile Magnet by Maxman and done fairly well with it.

 

 

Just started experimenting with the use of Storm Sandeels in conjunction with a controller float or a bubble float last summer.Was picking up bass,mackerel,pollack and coalfish on them.Need to experiment further this coming summer.I found that on some days the bass were relustant to take a popper but pounced on a sandeel slowly twitched along just below the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to your catch reports

[glennk]

Have you seen this one snatcher ??

 

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/fishing-...-eel-bass-plug/

 

Leon you must have been reading that Mike Ladle book again.

[Snatcher]

Have you seen this one snatcher ??

 

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/fishing-...-eel-bass-plug/

 

Leon you must have been reading that Mike Ladle book again.

 

I need to try those out,what an action.Any ideas?

 

John

[MikeT]

Thank you for all the excellent advice- I appreciate it very much. Nevertheless, I’ve now bought a new rod for the purpose- despite all your kind instruction that my little 8-foot spinning rod would do perfectly well. When it comes to fishing tackle, I find I have insufficient sense to prevent me from buying what I probably don’t need, but my excuse is my wife would appear to own two thousand, four hundred and eighteen more handbags than would appear absolutely necessary for her continued survival.

 

So, my plan is to use both the light and supple little 8’ Beastmaster rod for small lures, when casting shorter distances and moving about on the rocks, and my new rod for when the surf is choppier and I need to cast heavier lures a little further, straight from the beach.

 

The new one is a Shimano Lesath spinning rod, at just under 11 feet in length, with a heavier action that will cast lures up to 50g a good distance. I was told (by the tackle shop, of course) that it makes an excellent rod for the sort of bass fishing I have in mind, and I must say it does look very nice. It’s extremely light, despite looking strong and robust- weighing not much more than many spinning rods at a much shorter length, thus I can have my length cake and eat it.

 

I’m now eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the bass (which I guess will be around May- is that correct?). I’m planning to search the archives here for tips on how to approach this exciting looking branch of our noble sport, and would of course appreciate any more advice you may be able to offer (as long as it doesn’t involve resisting the temptation to buy tackle, of course!).

 

Many thanks again!

 

Mike.

Edited February 24, 2009 by MikeT

[Steve Coppolo]

Thank you for all the excellent advice- I appreciate it very much. Nevertheless, I’ve now bought a new rod for the purpose- despite all your kind instruction that my little 8-foot spinning rod would do perfectly well. When it comes to fishing tackle, I find I have insufficient sense to prevent me from buying what I probably don’t need, but my excuse is my wife would appear to own two thousand, four hundred and eighteen more handbags than would appear absolutely necessary for her continued survival.

 

So, my plan is to use both the light and supple little 8’ Beastmaster rod for small lures, when casting shorter distances and moving about on the rocks, and my new rod for when the surf is choppier and I need to cast heavier lures a little further, straight from the beach.

 

The new one is a Shimano Lesath spinning rod, at just under 11 feet in length, with a heavier action that will cast lures up to 50g a good distance. I was told (by the tackle shop, of course) that it makes an excellent rod for the sort of bass fishing I have in mind, and I must say it does look very nice. It’s extremely light, despite looking strong and robust- weighing not much more than many spinning rods at a much shorter length, thus I can have my length cake and eat it.

 

I’m now eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the bass (which I guess will be around May- is that correct?). I’m planning to search the archives here for tips on how to approach this exciting looking branch of our noble sport, and would of course appreciate any more advice you may be able to offer (as long as it doesn’t involve resisting the temptation to buy tackle, of course!).

 

Many thanks again!

 

Mike.

 

You've got some fantastic bass fishing around your neck of the woods. Try to get hold of a copy of the book that Glenn refers to - it's called "Hooked on Bass". Lots of info on lure fishing for bass in there and a lot of it was written about the area where you will be fishing. It doesn't give specific marks away, (most of the satisfaction is to be had finding your own, anyway), but will tell you what sort of features to look for when walking the coastline.

 

Good luck.

[Portland Jon]

Mike

 

I'm itching to get out again after the elusive Bass, give me a shout when you want to get out and I'll show you a few marks.

 

Cheers

 

Jon