My lure season has officially started….

I am three sessions into my lure season in Wexford, having put away the lure outfit back in November save for a impromptu Waterford session back in January. I was surprised at how stiff the limbs had become over the Winter break while out clambering over weed covered rocks and ledges..

During the first two sessions, various marks were scouted but no signs of  fish activity, the water was still quite cold but gin clear.

Early morning stroll

Can you see it ?

Great conditions for the Black Beetle

Wheres Barry

Looked fishy....

Incoming

The third session kicked off with an early rise but fishing did not take place until several hours later due to a lengthy discussion between Crevan, Pat and myself over freshening weather conditions…

We made the decision to gear up and go fishing. We met Andrew, Barry & Damo members from The Lure Forum  and had a bit of craic before we let the lures loose on the ebbing tide.

I set up a Storm Sand Eel on a 10.5g jig head & worked it with the tide, the end result was a nice Sea Trout a few casts later which fought well for its size. When I first saw the flash of color beneath the surface I thought it was the first Bass of 2012!

My first Sea Trout of the year

Sea Trout being released

No other action was encountered over the next 90mins so we took a break before deciding a change of location was in order.

On location and first cast I felt two sharp tugs, seconds after the SP hit the water, I said noting and gently tightened the bow in the line and connected with the fish. I didn’t hang about getting the  fishes head up, and I was greeted with a great flash of silver!.A Minute later and I had landed my first Bass of 2012 , 4lb of perfect Spring Silver. Happy Days.

My first Bass of 2012

We fished on but no more Bass showed for Crevan Pat or myself. Crevan had a fish snatch at his lure but failed to hook up. Pat did have a follow by a Sea Trout to his feet on a blue & White Jig. I hooked and quickly lost another Sea Tout on an SP when the fish became airborne after the take.

The day was rounded off by young Patsy bent double into a fish that was really giving it to him. I went over for a look and low and behold true to his building reputation he had foul hooked a fine Mullet !, this fish was not impressed at all and gave Pat a good work out.

Mullet Turning Hard

Pat with his Mullet

While only one Bass was landed between the 3 of us, it will give us great incentive to push on and explore other marks as the warmer weather continues to heat things up.

Here’s to a successful and plesant season 🙂

Your next one could be your best one.

 Danny.

It Baits All In March…

The lads have been running down their gear over the last few weeks in the run up to the early season madness. Lures have been bought/prepared and fired out over various locations and tide states in search of an early Bass on the Wexford coastline, without a hit unfortunately. Sea Trout and some Mullet have resulted in by-catch only, but on the flip side it is only early March.

In light of this a bait session was arranged, I dusted down the bait rods, serviced my reels and hit the lug beds with Pat and Tom after work a fortnight ago. Digging was tough going but we managed enough to keep us plus Barry and Crevan who would be joining us later going for a few hours.

The forecast was for a strengthening Southerly wind on a rising neap tide into the cover of darkness – conditions which fished well on our chosen mark historically.

We arrived on location, got geared up and hiked on, descending the cliff face we were met with the full force of Southerly which would make for an uncomfortable nights fishing echoed by the thundering surf pounding the shallows in the distance.

We set about anchoring tripods and loading lug on the 4/0 pennel pully rigs as the tide pushed in, careful not to birdie the multipliers faced with the gale that was now blowing hard. Lines in the water and it was lights to code red as we waited for our quarry….

Tom let fly with his first cast, but not in the direction he intended..’ I dont know weather that landed in the water or the beach’ says the lad ….. 30 seconds later it was confirmed it had hit the water alright as the rod lurched forward trying to free itself from the confines of the tripod. ‘TOM’… he looks around & quickly and engages the fight… Fish On 🙂

Tom eases to fish in through the tumbling surf with precision and slides the fish onto dry sand, his first Bass of 2012 landed on fresh lug. Happy Days.

Toms first Bass of 2012

Good man Tom

A great condition Bass posses for the camera, it looked to be full of Roe pre-spawn, a few pictures and the Billy was off on its way to plant its seed.

Billy going back in.

Off ya go.

Crevan arrived awhile later armed with fresh crab and set out his stall, only action the rods encountered for the next couple of hours was that of hitting the water due to the wind getting the better of the tripods.

I appeared to be the only one losing hooks at an alarming rate, my snoods were being snipped off by an invisible force…. then I landed an edible crab, which indecently ended up in Pats hood for a good 20mins before he realized followed by him doing a bit of a dance along the beach 🙂 .

The tide was nearing its peak as the conditions worsened, rain was now hitting the flotation suits with the velocity of hail stones. During the arial barrage Crevan gets hit, he waits a bit before the slack line signals a hooked fish heading for the shallows. A short while later Crevan poses with his first Bass of 2012 before it is sent back on its way again.

Crevan's first Bass of 2012

Crevan's Billy makes its way back out.

Conditions soon got the better of us so we called it a night.

Observations:

5 Anglers

3 hours

2 Hits

2 Bass

1 Month before the madness begins….

Your next one could be your best one.

Danny