Confidence is Crucial
Last week I journeyed out to Ireland for a quick visit and as usual the trip produced a whole bunch of things to think about. I would have relished the chance to chuck a fly, but the remnants of a hurricane dispelled any real chance of success using that method so the lure was the way to go.
Cian from Absolute Fishing has been fishing Wave Worms recently and so I decided to give them a go. First session and I pulled a fish, using a weightless soft plastic. Instantly I had confidence in the method and fished it hard throughout the session. But I am convinced that those fish knew the weather was on the way, because we all struggled for the rest of the day.
In fact the weather got so bad that we opted for bait during the next couple of days. I am into all sorts of fishing but so used to the active characteristics of fly fishing that two solid days without a fish (I was very good at missing bites!) meant that I was keen to get back to lures. Then Nick Roberts of Topwater Lures turns up and nails a fish on a Komomo 2. That was it; I would be stringing up the lures the next day.
Highly experienced lure angler Nick Roberts with an lure caught Irish Bass taken in murky water conditions - photo by Henry Gilbey
We arrived quite late in the morning to coincide with a decent tide and I was ready, tooled up with a new rod from Megabass (The Blackshadow) which to all intents and purposes is a fly rod which will cast lures. The water was dirty so I went for a White Wave Worm incorporating a pimped out Chartreuse back … colour bleed from another Wave Worm. Carefully wading into the shallows I cast hopefully towards fish movement which I assumed was Mullet, hoping that maybe there were Bass amongst them. Most of the fish spooked.
I continued fishing and then suddenly there was a huge bow wave heading straight for the worm, but no take? Was it a Mullet perhaps; spooked and rejoining a shoal? Nothing else happens for a good hour and by now both Nick Roberts and I have covered a fair bit of ground. I started changing lures, hoping to find the winning formula. I tried a Chartreuse Wave Worm in an estuary flow and did have one hit, but my confidence was dwindling. More lure changes.
Moving to some moorings (the same area in which Nick had caught the day before) my confidence climbed once more, especially as I had tied on a Komomo 2. Within a few minutes Nick had called over “crank it slower, feel for the action on the rod tip.” Really confident, I followed his advice and then I noticed a loop in my braid. “Damn, why now!?” At which point Nick hooked a fish on some kind of rubber minnow … my mind was all over the place. I didn’t have minnows, the worm had not worked and was I really fishing the Komomo correctly? Confidence back down and a tangle to sort.
He does it again - James Barry with a Bass on a Wave Worm. Photo by Henry Gilbey.
Then James Barry turns up and I begin inching closer to him as he throws a few casts. Fish with this guy and you will know this is wise; he rarely blanks. It was no surprise to see his rod hoop over and I set off to Boga a good fish for him. And guess what it had eaten … yes, a White Wave Worm! I was kicking myself! Why had I not just gone with my instinct and stuck to the method … suddenly the bow wave in the weeded margins seemed more likely to have been a fish.
The worm went back on and when James got back to fishing I watched his every move and asked questions. “What speed should I wind, should I add movement via the rod tip etc” As with all the guys over in Ireland including Cian, Ger and Paul they are only too willing to help. I learned a lot from watching James and once again felt confident, especially when he got hit again, tearing the worm clean off the hook.
Heading towards some rocks we had a particularly exciting few minutes when we could see Bass momentarily in the waves, gliding through murky water little more than 2 feet in depth. One of these fish rushed my lure but refused at the last moment. We continued fishing, following the tide and hopefully the fish, but even James wasn’t getting a take. We must have lost them.
I have fallen in love with Irish Bass this last year and catching them on soft plastics is just so much fun. Photo by Henry Gilbey
The rocks began covering and then my radio crackled into life as Henry explained that they were heading back to drive to a new mark. I could see them about half a mile away and said I would continue fishing until I could see them nearer the car. Waist deep in water I wasn’t confident that we were with the fish and began wading back towards the rocks, there had to be fish hugging this feature! A Tern dived nearby and I turned to shout to James … he was already shouting to me and motioning that I should get a lure in there. The Wave Worm goes out; I give it a moment to sink and then crank steadily, gently flicking the tip of the rod to impart movement, confident that any moment I will hook up. There is slight resistance; I just keep winding and then the fish hits. What a feeling, total satisfaction … confidence had once again won the day.
White Wave Worms, Bass love them! Photo by Henry Gilbey
It’s what I love so much about fishing; it’s about learning,observing, listening, trying stuff, using a bit of instinct and above all being confident. My instinct had been correct (the White Wave Worm, the rocks and the Tern) and who knows, had I stuck with my original plan maybe I would have caught a bunch more fish? That doesn’t really bother me, what does is becoming confident in a method and the only way to do this is to listen and observe those who already have confidence/experience in a technique… then try it for yourself. The result will be that you catch more fish! I have a lot of guiding coming up over the next couple of weeks but at the earliest opportunity I will be throwing a Wave Worm at a Devon Bass; I have total confidence in them!
My First Lure Caught Devon Bass
I had an entirely different blog post lined up for today. However it is fair to say that right now I am buzzing. The buzz that only fishing can give you. To be honest I really should have been sat at the fly tying vice sorting some sand eel patterns for James & Cian of Absolute Fishing … but instead I went fishing. Sorry guys!
Heading out to the North Devon coast with long time angling buddy Wayne Thomas the goal was to catch a Bass, not with flies, but with lures. It might seem like stepping backwards, using lure tactics when I have caught a stack load of Devon Bass with fly. But that’s not what this blog post is about. If you want to know my feelings on fly/lure crossover fishing then have a look here.
For this inaugural Devon lure outing I could not have been in better company. Wayne is a well known all round angler with a few books to his name and regular articles in the angling press. This guy knows his stuff, so much so that last week we aborted the trip because a strong North Westerly had “blown” the area we had hoped to fish. Believe me learning all about tides and weather systems is all important if you fancy tackling the salt; that is with fly or lure. So if you can find a sea fishing mate as knowledgeable as Wayne, hang on to their every word. There is a safety aspect too.
Wayne found us some awesome looking ground
All that stood between the mouth watering looking ground and our lures was a pretty impressive near vertical climb over a series of jagged rocks. I followed Wayne very carefully! It was well worth it as he had dropped us right on to some of the ground that I have come to know as Bass country through my travels to Ireland with Henry Gilbey. This place looked just right!
A "Basslet" got the session off to a good start. Wheres your mama?!
Within 5 minutes Wayne had landed a Bass on an IMA Komomo SF-125 in the Plasma Candy colour. OK, so the lure was almost as big as the Bass, but it was a great start in my eyes! At least there were some fish around. And then he moved! Always willing to experiment Wayne had gone off to have a play with some soft plastics, so without any hesitation I jumped into his spot and gave the area a bit of a pasting with a Feed Shallow (or is that a Shallow Feed?!) No joy.
Now that is one hungry little Bass!
Looking into the depths of my new Shimano lure box (thanks to James Barry for the heads up on that) my eyes settled on the Megabass X-140 GG in what I think is the Inakko colour. Don’t ask me why it is called Inakko, it doesn’t matter. All I do know is that it reminds me of a Sandeel, has a really nice action and is easy to use for a lure beginner like me. There was a fair bit of water clarity too so I felt that something not too garish which I had confidence in would be worth a chuck. It was!
I am not too sure who was more surprised, me or the Bass! What I did know was that it was a good bit bigger than the lure as it stuck a lovely curve into my Mazzera 742, (just 7’ 4” and a dream to cast) an ultra lightweight rod that offers real sport with these fish. Making sure the fish did not dive and cut my braid I soon had it on the surface, caught a wave and it was mine! We reckoned it was 3lb, a school fish by most standards, especially Ireland. But I did not care one bit and the fish might even have been 2lb. I wouldn’t have minded if it had been even less although I had better get myself a new BogaGrip, just in case!
My first ever lure caught Devon Bass - stoked!
I will always remember that fish it because it was my first lure caught Bass, on the coast of Devon. The light was not great for pictures but I think the grin says it all, moments later the fish was back home possibly wondering how it had been so daft as to take an X140 dangled b y a newbie! For the rest of the session I kicked myself that living so close to our glorious coast line that I have not been out there pounding the mile upon mile of wonderful ground available. Our session did not start and finish there because we had some more follows and in one excellent spot where the water really came to life as the tide flooded we rapidly increased our tally to 4 fish apiece. These were small schoolies up to a pound and a half although I connect briefly with another half reasonable looking specimen that shook the lure and we had a real thrill seeing fish chase the lures to the rocks.
Devon is home to mile upon mile of stunning Bass ground
Could I have caught these fish with fly? Quite possibly and next time maybe I will give it a go especially as the long range casting qualities of the lure fishing gear had helped to show where the fish hang out. But I have to say that once again I cannot thank Wayne enough because it was his knowledge regarding where to find those fish that was so important, leading to my first Devon Bass on a lure. We must have been on the right track as we bumped into Joel Squires who has had some serious Bass this season and operates a lure guiding service. Anyway I had better shut up waffling and go and do some work … and tie those flies … although I might just sneak a look at the tides first. Er Houston “we have a problem”.
