Catch fish with Mike Ladle.

Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

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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).

Bass at last.

I've had two early morning sessions at the coast in the past week. At this time of the year I'm usually fishing by about 0400hr and, if there's a bit of cloud cover it is often pretty dark. My first session was a bit of a fiasco. I managed just three bites in an hour, on my Redgill, and only managed to hook the first one. It was a good bass but after a few seconds of give and take it simply came off the hook. I went home for my breakfast feeling pretty disappointed.

Two or three days later I went again. It was flat calm and gin clear so again I tried the Redgill. My first cast in pitch darkness produced a double knock so I was greatly encouraged. In the next ten minutes I missed two or three tentative plucks and then, suddenly, I was into a fish. No monster but certanly a bass. I played it almost to the water's edge before it dropped off - shades of the previous trip, I thought. I checked that the hook still had a sharp point and, muttering to myself about the unfairness of life in general, I cast again. Immediately I was into a bass. Thank goodness for that! I landed my fish and took its picture. I didn't care that it was no monster, at least it was a fish. In the next hour I had five more fish, all of similar size and with a few more missed bites it made for quite a hectic session. Feeling well pleased I packed in and returned home for an hour's sleep. I wonder what the coming spring tides will bring?

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

Got one!

At last I'd managed to land a bass. The hook dropped out after it was on the rocks.

-and another.

This one was firmly hooked, just as they should be on a single-hooked lure..

-and another

Notice the clarity of the water even in the early morning gloom.

Ready to release.

A bit bigger but even fish of this size often seem to yank the tail of the lure without being hooked.