Bass baits other than live-baits?

[JeffB]

Good afternoon all,

 

Following up from my first thread I am now hoping to target the better bass that I know lurk around Southend Pier.

 

As much as I am happy to use livebaits I will not always have enough time to spend catching them before a bassing session as I sometimes only get out for a few hours here and there...

 

With this in mind I wonder if there are any other methods I can use to get ammoung the better fish, I am thinking scaled down mackerel flapper or large Red-Gill type rubber lures fished in a running tide so to give them movement...

 

What's you thoughts on that guys?

 

Cheers,

Jeff

[Salar]

I would try lures rather than static baits where you are fishing. Its not done much here, but our American friends catch a lot of stripers (bass) around piers and bridgers on lures. You won't get much advice on type of lure from locals, they are more likely to recommend natural baits, so you'll have to try various ones. Try a 2" shad, or a 4" if you know bigger fish are present, also plugs, bucktail lures and eel-like jelly worms. Neighbours permitting, try casting along the pier rather than out from it, as the bass will be working the piles, and at this time of year bass could be at any depth so try all levels. While you are doing that, put a mini sabiki rig down (size 7 hooks or smaller), tip baited with shellfish or worm. Use a coarse angling swim feeder above the weight filled with some form of groundbait/chum - mushel shelfish for preference. You can catch live bait while you are lure fishing!

[JeffB]

Cheers Salar,

 

Some nice ideas there buddy and I right fancy some of that artificial fishing as it gives me a lot more freedom to explore the pier instead of being tied to one spot...

 

I suppose the mackerel will be in again this summer, they have seemed to be getting smaller and smaller as the years go buy with most practically being joeys nowadays. I don't like taking such small fish for the pot but one or two used as lives might do the trick, what do you think?

[Norm B]

Salar:

I would try lures rather than static baits where you are fishing. Its not done much here, but our American friends catch a lot of stripers (bass) around piers and bridgers on lures. You won't get much advice on type of lure from locals, they are more likely to recommend natural baits, so you'll have to try various ones. Try a 2" shad, or a 4" if you know bigger fish are present, also plugs, bucktail lures and eel-like jelly worms. Neighbours permitting, try casting along the pier rather than out from it, as the bass will be working the piles, and at this time of year bass could be at any depth so try all levels. While you are doing that, put a mini sabiki rig down (size 7 hooks or smaller), tip baited with shellfish or worm. Use a coarse angling swim feeder above the weight filled with some form of groundbait/chum - mushel shelfish for preference. You can catch live bait while you are lure fishing!

:cool: If you want big bass use bait, live or dead but big bass are scavengers as opposed to hunters and conserve their energy by scavenging around the sea bed, not chasing livebait. All my big bass have come to a large dead bait fished in quiet, still water. Best tactics are to ground bait heavily for a couple of days prior to fishing.

[fisherman]

Have to agree with Norm B, all my big Bass (12.75 the biggest) have come to whole side or whole small joey mackerel. A couple have even been on the float drifting it along the harbour wall.

Good luck

Dave

[MrWiggly]

Have heard that a nice stip of Squid, or even Cuttlefish, has accounted for some decent Bass.

[Slashley]

I have used whole peeler or softie from Southend pier and had a few medium size fish. They are fished more or less straight down. This will depend though on the current and direction of the tide, as a couple of times I have lost gear when the direction has changed and taken the gear into the snags underneath. Good luck........

[Slashley]

P.s. I was fishing there on the days of the Airshow and saw a couple of mackeral caught then. That was the end of May Bank Holiday............................

[Norfolkdan]

Dexter Wedges seem to be good for bass these days, as well as garfish, pollock and mackerel.

 

Good luck :cool:

[sam-cox]

unless the water is gin clear forget the lures, large peelers and softies, very large king rag, ammo blast frozen mackeral head and guts, big bunches of sqid on 6/0 hooks.

most days pout can be caught on small hooks from the pier but not always. blast frozen ammo sand eels float fished at slack water may be worth a go.