Catch fish with Mike Ladle.

Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

SEA FISHING

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over several years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. As you see I also add the odd piece from my friends and correspondents if I've not been doing much. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff).

18 March 2007

Down to the sea.

The river fishing is finished for the moment and the weather has been incredibly springlike for the past week (it all seems set to change for the worse I'm afraid). Anyway, Ben and I decided that we HAD to go down to the coast to see if there were any bass about. It was up at 04.30, bleary eyed, if we were to to catch first light. By 05.20 we were walking along the shore eager to make our first casts. We arrived at our chosen spot to find the sea calm but a bit murky and spread out to make our first casts. It was still pretty dark but the glow of dawn was just showing in the east as the Maria plugs winged their way out and splashed down onto the surface.

"Fish!" I looked round to see Ben's rod bowed over as he reeled in. I quickly laid down my own rod and picked up the camera to see him unhooking a pollack. Excellent start! We chattered about how good it was to be down on the shore again and went back to our respective spots. A couple of minutes later I heard another shout and looked to see my pal playing another fish. This time it was a schoolie - we felt as though it was Christmas - fantastic. A few more pictures and return the fish then start fishing again. A little while later and again I heard the familiar cry as Ben latched into his second bass of the session.

We fished on for a little while with only a couple of knocks to show for our efforts then we hiked further along the shore to try another spot. The wind made it very difficult to cast or to control the lures and we soon decided that it was not worth the effort. On the way back we tried one or two other spots, of course we had to have a cast in the original places where Ben had caught his fish. Within a few minutes he was in again - this time a fish of about four pounds battled its way to the shore - were we chuffed??? A few casts later Ben had another good bite but to save my face he missed it and we packed in and went home for breakfast. It's MUCH colder this morning so I wonder if that will put them off again? Only time will tell.

If you have any comments or questions about fish, methods, tactics or 'what have you.'get in touch with me by sending an E-MAIL to - docladle@hotmail.com

First cast.

ben's pollack would have been sufficient reward for our efforts but there was more to come.

A bass.

Not big (remember Ben's a big lad - the fish look larger when I hold them) but a wonderful start to our plugging in March.

- and another.

This one's hooked on the tail treble. By now we were ecstatic - we'd expected nothing to be honest.

Another spot.

The cross-wind made fishing very tricky.

Back to the 'hot spot'.

--- and Ben's into yet another fish - is there no justice? I got up at 04.30 too.

Satisfaction.

That will do for a first trip of the year.

Back it goes.

Ben straightens up after returning his largest fish - still visible at his feet.