Large bass on lures

[Snatcher]

Have been told off a couple of guys to try lure/plug fishing in the surf at Ardwell Bay,Mull of Galloway,Scotland. The crack was they were catching fish to 12lbs. Any advice on the type of lure to try,state of tide,time of year etc

 

Tight lines

[Snatcher]

http://www.mikeladle.com/ has just answered loads of my questions,recommend it to anyone

Tightus linus

[gonefishing]

whilst we're on the subject...can anyone describe a rig for wieghting the lure...often i've tried plugs from rocky ledges and marks above the water and there's always the problem of keeping the plug down even if its a sinker...

 

just out of interest, what sort of distance do people get of a spinning rod...is it much more than a beach caster?

 

ive never had much success with plugs...

[Leon Roskilly]

Some light lures are designed to dive down deep (try a Fat Rap).

 

Some sink slowly to the required depth (called countdown lures).

 

Some heavy lures skip across the top (ie Dexter wedge).

 

For bass, you don't need to cast far, most of mine come close in, just two or three rod lengths out. And bass feed near the top - poppers (which splash across the surface) can be excellent.

 

Most lure rods are designed to aid working the lure (the angler parting the right movement to make the lure attractive), not so much for casting distance. If you do need to get out a fair way, I'd use a carp rod, rather than a beach caster.

 

If you aren't doing well with plugs, and you are already using lures that are know bass takers, look to changing your retrieve.

 

Could be too slow/too fast, too consistent a speed (try stopping your lure now and again and just twitching it, try to make it behave like an injured fish).

 

If you are going for distance, it could be that the lure is spending too much time out past the bass. As I mentioned above, the bass are likely to be close in, cast parallel to the shore, and work the lure along the beach.

 

Also try fishing more around features. Over rock and weed, around groynes, in the tide race between sandbanks, anywhere there might be bass food!

 

Tight Lines - leon

[gonefishing]

thanks leon...ill give that a go

 

does weather make a difference, ie is the ideal sunny day for us to spend on the rocks the best for bass to be around?

[Snatcher]

Top tips Leon will follow your advice

Tightus linus

[spasor]

Leon I must agree with you on several points.

Big bass are not into expending un-neccessary energy. Unlike the shoals of juvenile bass that will chase a shoal of bait fish. They like to hide behind a feature and suddenly attack any unwary creatures that come into range. I think that`s why we have days in the Portland race when you can`t miss catching bass, but they`re all small, chasing sandeels etc.

Secondly. Beachcasters are a waste of time when fishing for bass? Yes, I know that they`ve been used to catch bass. But as you correctly state, you could most probably spit on the nearest bass without realising it was there! They tend to patrol the surfline looking for easy pickings?

And I most certainly agree with plugging or spinning across a beach, rather than casting straight out to the horizon.

[Dan]

Try using an abu toby they come in various weights, i use the 28 gram and can be tied straight to the main line, they cast well even into the wind and catch well esp when the bass are feeding on sprats etc. The seem to generate the hunting reflex in all sorts of fish I have cleanly caught a whiting smaller than the toby! and launce, even tho neither would have had a chance to eat it if was prey!

Dan

[Si Oz]

Like Dan I generally use a toby like spinner because they are so simple to use. The simplicity of lure set ups means if you are not catching on one lure you can try another almost instantly.

 

Unlike bottom fishing where bass fishing is more productive with a bit of swell, i find lure fishing is best done in a calm spell, on summer evenings with the most productive time just as the last light is fading.

 

Like has been mentioned before rocky gullies are most productive but deep shingle beachs, casting over rocky ground, can be just as good if the conditions are right.

 

Lastly i wouldnt get your hopes up of catching a 12 pounder. Over the last few years i have caught quite a number of bass spinning and niether me or my companions have never had one other 4 pound spinning from the shore

[Snatcher]

So has anyone out there caught a double figure bass on the Mull of Galloway or is the bass fishing potential still untapped or is it all some ruse!

 

Tightus linus