I am spending Christmas and New Year up country in north Buckinghamshire. That is about as far from the nearest coastline as you can be therefore, sea fishing over the holiday period is out of the question. If the lakes and rivers are not too flooded, I planned to do some Pike fishing instead.
Before leaving for Buckinghamshire this weekend, I was keen for one more sea fishing session, which would be my last of 2012. Work commitments meant I would not have enough time for a kayaking trip therefore; it had to be a few hours on the beach with bait or shallow rough ground with plugs. I decided on shallow rough ground with plugs.
In the late autumn opportunities for shore plug fishing are limited mainly due to the clarity of the water. The autumn seas colour the water making lure fishing difficult and it is probably better to fish with bait. However, on the occasions when the water clears it is still possible. The Bass are still around and I target them to the end of December and sometimes into January.
On Tuesday, the seas calmed down, and the shallows cleared, and I was hoping that today it would still be clear enough. I decided to fish a shallow rough ground mark that I had highlighted in a previous post Shore Bass Fishing with Plugs 17/11/12.
It was low water was at 16:00 and I could make it to fish an hour before low water and fish up to dusk. Previous records had shown that around the low water period to be the best time.
When I arrived, the water was clear however, there was a lot of floating weed, which was going to make plug fishing difficult. It would be a case of casting into the clear sections of water and hoping I did not pick up bits of weed on the retrieve.
When I fish this mark I usually cast over the weed covered rocks or into gullies but this did not produce any takes. Another feature is a very narrow sandy beach that runs between the rough ground. This had large amounts of loose weed washed up from the previous rough seas.
In the past, I have seen Bass patrol just behind weed similar to this. I think they look for small baitfish that swims into the weed at the water's edge. I sometimes see Cormorants diving amongst the weed after the same small fish. From a side vantage point, I decided to cast the plug just beyond the weed and retrieve along the edge. Within two turns of the reel bang, a Bass was hooked and landed.
The fish took a Tackle House Feed Shallow.
It never ceases to amaze me that you can catch Bass in such shallow water. Sometimes you have to keep telling yourself that they could be there rather than thinking deeper water. If there were, one thing I could pass on regarding shore Bass fishing it would be think shallow not deep. This Bass was caught in no more than a foot of water.
The Bass was 41cm so not a monster. My last two shore Bass fishing trips had produced six undersized Bass that were returned therefore, this one was for the Christmas pot. No more fish were landed on this trip.
With regards to Bass size limits there are many calling for an increase from the 37.5cm to 40cm and higher. Based on my own catch record over several seasons there appears to be plenty of Bass available to the rod and line angler over 40cm therefore, if there was an increase I believe there would still be plenty of opportunities to take some for the table and it can only make it better for the rod and line angler. I only target Bass from September to December and sometimes into January. This season to date I have caught 35 Bass that have been over 40cm. I have not taken all of those Bass but have had more than enough for the table.
I am looking forward to next year's fishing both from the shore and from the kayak. I am also looking forward to getting together with some of the Cornish kayakers from the Anglers Afloat forum. In the meantime, it is up country for some Pike fishing.
There was a time when the only Bass fishing I did was from the beach and mainly at night. These days most of my Bass fishing is during the day with lures either from the shore or from the Kayak. This is usually over rough ground which has proven to be far more productive with better quality fish than open sandy beaches. That said, I have caught many Sea Bass from sandy beaches and still occasionally enjoy this type of fishing particularly in the Autumn/Winter when it can be difficult to get out on the kayak. In Cornwall, Bass are caught on the beaches right into January but over the years, I have found the best time is September to December.
It is generally known that you give yourself more chance of catching Bass and other species from sandy beaches if you fish after dark. However, that is not to say you cannot catch during the day because you can including bright days especially if you choose your spot on the beach carefully. By that, I mean fishing near features, close to rocks at one end or the other, near isolated rocks on an otherwise featureless beach, gullies, river outflows and strong currents all seem to attract Bass. Time of tide is also important which varies location to location but in general I have found around the low water period to be the most productive time.
The beach I am fishing today is a small south facing bay.It has a fresh water river outflow, rocks at the left and right borders and a couple of isolated rocks exposed at low water.The current on the far left and right of the beach is stronger than the rest of the beach and during spring tides there is an outgoing rip even on an incoming tide.
I fish this beach as close as I can to the left rocks where there are also a couple of isolated rocks on the beach itself. The most productive time is two hours either side of low water.You do not need a big surf just a steady surf of about four to five breakers. I have also caught Bass when it is flat calm but fishing close to the rocks.
At times, the biggest problem is weed which I find incredibly frustrating as it can make fishing impossible. If there was one reason I would give up beach fishing altogether it would be because of the battle of weed infested surf!
The food generally available to the Bass is sandeels, crabs, brown shrimp, white ragworm and razor clams. I have caught with sandeels but these days I use razor clams. The scent is fantastic and for me it is confidence inspiring bait. I know from the past that if the Bass are around they will find it and take it. They love it and if you have to buy it, it's a great deal cheaper than peeler crab!
Razor Clams Excellent Bass Bait
Being soft razor clams can be difficult to work with. I find it easier to prepare them at home by first threading a baiting needle through the main meat section.
Then fold the rest of the meat up to the foot and bind with bait elastic to make a sausage.
Then cut to the required size.
When baiting up, thread them on the hook the same as you would a worm and secure with more bait elastic. Because the meat is already bound with elastic it's much quicker and easier to bait up.
The rod I use is a 12ft Greys 2oz to 4oz Bass rod with an Abu 6500 multiplier loaded with 15lb nylon and a 30lb shock leader. The fish hook themselves but I enjoy holding the rod and feeling the bites and this rod is very light.
The rig is a pulley rig with a short 10" to 12" snood and a 5/0 Varivas Big Mouth hook. I find longer snoods tend to tangle. Bass seem to take quickly in the surf I do not find any need for longer snoods. The leads are 3oz or 4oz Breakaway's, heavier leads are not needed at this location.
I arrived about 1 hour before low water and the surf looked good. There was a bit of weed but it looked fishable.
After baiting up I cast out about 70 yards from dry land. I have never found any need for distance casting when surf Bass fishing. On this beach they are usually within 100 yards and at times only 20 yards out. I like to vary the distance in an effort to find the fish. On the ebb tide they tend to be a bit further out but usually still within the 100 yards.
No fish were caught on the last of the ebb and as the tide turned I shortened the distance to about 50 yards. I had a couple of bites that did not materialise but it was a sign that there were some fish about. I changed the bait regularly to make sure of a fresh scent trail and as the tide really started to move the first Bass was landed.
The following couple of hours produced four more fish.
None of the fish were big enough to be keepers and all were returned. There is always a keeper around the corner and it was good to see plenty of small fish that may be keepers next year.
It was a while since I last went beach fishing and I enjoyed the trip. I admit I would rather be out on the kayak Bass fishing over a shallow reef knowing that I stand more chance of a decent sized fish but to me being in the environment fishing takes you to and catching fish big or small is a pleasure.
I had been patiently waiting for a decent weather forecast that coincided with my availability since my last kayak-fishing trip on the 20th October and today, it finally arrived.
I love the sea but I also fear it and I am scrupulous when it comes to checking weather forecasts. I usually check three forecasts, the Inshore Shipping Forecast, the XC Weather Forecast, and the Wind and Swell Forecast. The forecast was a slight to moderate offshore wind with a swell of less than 2.0m decreasing as the day went on. For the area I intended to fish this was ideal.
My plan was to drift fish over a reef that lies about half a mile out. The reef is an oasis in an otherwise baron sandy desert. At high water spring tides in lies in about 40ft of water.
An oasis in the middle of a sandy desert.
I fished this reef from May to August this year and caught Wrasse, Pollack, and Kelp Cod otherwise known as Kelpies or Red Cod. Kelp Cod are Cod that take up residence on inshore reefs in the spring and summer months and take on redder colour that matches their surroundings.
Kelp Cod caught in the summer.
I was yet to fish this reef in the winter therefore, was not sure what to expect but I was hoping for Pollack and Cod.
You can check all the forecasts but you can never be 100% sure of the state of the sea until you arrive at the location and I am pleased to say on this occasion it looked good.
Conditions looked great.
My intention was to drift over the reef jigging lures on the bottom. I set up rods with different lures for two reasons, one so that I can quickly change alternating between drifts, and two if I get snagged and lose the lure I already have another rod set up to quickly resume fishing. I also set up a rod for trolling. I use this rod when paddling back up tide/wind to reset the drift, which means I am always fishing.
The lures I intended to use were Savage Sandeels, Savage Sandeel Slugs, and a 50g metal jig fitted with an assist hook to reduce snagging. On that rig, I also position a Norwegian Gummi Makk about 50cm above the jig. The method used is simple; the lure is lowered to the bottom, jigged a few times, reeled up a few turns, and lowered back down again. Most times the fish (particularly Cod) take the lure on the drop just as it is about to hit the bottom.
Savage Sandeel Slug Savage Sandeel and Metal Jig with Gummi Makk
Once the gear had been loaded on the kayak, it was ready for the launch.
Ready to launch.
On the way out to the reef, the sea looked wonderful.
Perfect!
On arrival, I first worked out the direction of the drift, which is usually a combination of wind and tide. I then positioned the kayak just of the reef and deployed the drift chute or drogue to slow down the drift and give more fishing time.
Drogue deployed.
The first drift produced the first fish a Ballan Wrasse. You can always tell when it is a Wrasse. You get the initial pull followed by a few shakes of the head, then a dive as it tries to get back down to the reef after which they tend to come quietly. At first, you think it could be a Cod but the difference between the Cod and the Wrasse is that the Cod's head shaking or banging just keeps going!
Wrasse taken on a metal jig.
Subsequent drifts produced two more Wrasse.
No Cod or Pollack were caught which was a bit disappointing. Wrasse are abundant mainly because there is not much of a market for them however, I believe some are being sent from Cornwall to sushi restaurants in London. There are good eating and I do take a few each year. They are filleted and the tough thick skin removed. I then use them in fish stews or fish cakes.
Despite no Cod or Pollack, it was great to get back out on the kayak. The weather was good and paddling back with the setting sun was a pleasure. There is something about looking at the Cornish coastline from sea.
I am hoping to be able to get out again over the winter and maybe pick up some Cod and Pollack then.
I have not been able to get out on the kayak since 20th October. The marks I tend to fish are rather exposed and it does not take much of an onshore wind to make you decide to stay onshore particularly in the late autumn and winter months and recently the weather has been awful. There is no doubt since I started kayak fishing my catches have improved in quantity, quality and variety of species however, it can be frustrating when you just can't get out! That is one reason I would never give up shore fishing, another is that I can go for short spur of the moment trips when time is limited. If I go out on the kayak it tends to be for at least half a day but more often the whole day.
I had an unexpected couple of hours free and decided to do some plug fishing for Bass. It was low water at 15:20 and I could just make it to start fishing at low water minus 30 minutes and fish up to dusk/darkness at about 16:45 therefore, a very short trip.
Once again the mark was a shallow rough ground mark and fortunately only ten minutes from my home therefore, very handy for a quick trip. The great thing about shore plug fishing is that you can travel so light and it takes no time to put the gear together, get in the car and go and I usually have my gear on standby for such an occasion.
When plug fishing I like move around but due to the limited amount of time, I could only try a couple of spots. If I strayed too far from my starting point I might have a bit of a problem getting back over the rocks in the dark and having once fractured an ankle slipping on the rocks, I am much more cautious now! Not to be recommended I can assure you!
At one point it looked like this trip was to draw a blank but just as the light was about to go I hooked and landed a small Bass which took the plug just a I was about to lift it out of the water.
Undersized Bass Returned
The fish was undersized and returned however, any Bass is a pleasure to catch and better than nothing at all. The fish took an IMA Komono SF 125 over shallow rough weedy ground.
IMA Komono SF 125
Bad light then stopped play and it was time to head home.
Most of the shore fishing I do from September to January is for Bass. I either plug fish over rough ground or bait fish from the beach. Hopefully, I will be able to get out on the kayak this winter and if so will be targeting Cod and Pollack.
We all have our favourite lures. For me a top lure is one that consistently and repeatedly catches rather than it looks good and should catch. That tells me there is something about the lure that entices the Bass to take as opposed to just following. Here are some lures that I have found do just that.
Savage Prey 130 Psycho Sandeel
The Savage Prey 130 is a floating diver that dives between 40cm and 80cm. It casts well although as with many plugs, you get the occasional spin mid air that kills the distance but most times, it stays straight. The main thing is that it catches and I have caught a great deal of Bass both from the kayak and from the shore using this lure. It also catches Pollack and Mackerel. The bonus is now at the time of writing it is half the price of most top plugs!
Tackle House Feed Shallow 128
As the name suggests the Tackle House Feed Shallow a very shallow diver between 5cm and 30cm. I mainly use this plug from the shore when fishing very shallow rough ground when most floating divers just dive too deep. It is a great alternative to using a surface plug. It casts OK but not as well as the Savage Prey when there is a bit of wind. Once again, the main thing is that it consistently catches.
IMA Komomo SF-125
The IMA Komomo SF-125isanother very shallow diver 0cm to 30cm. If need be, this plug can be made to work just under the surface by holding the rod at an angle and the action will be just as good therefore, another great alternative to a surface plug that consistently catches. It casts very well and in my opinion, a better caster than the Tackle House Feed Shallow.
Megabass Zonk 120 Gataride Hi-Pitch
The Megabass Zonk 120 Gataride Hi-Pitch is a great casting lure and the one to use when there is a bit of wind about. It has a hinged front lip that straightens in flight to make it aerodynamic. It dives to about 2 - 4ft has a great action and catches! From the shore, I only use this lure when there is at least four foot of water and in particular, when it is windy. It can be used anytime from the kayak for trolling or cast and retrieve as long as you are aware that, when kayaking in the shallows, this lure will dive down a bit deeper than the Savage Prey.
The hinged front lip can break under pressure when snagged. I picked up a tip from Graham Hills blog that prevents that from happening. The two small nodes that are designed stop the lip from hinging right back can cause it to break under a lot of pressure. These are filed down to prevent this from happening. See the tip here.
14cm Savage Sandeel Slug with 16g Savage Sandeel Jig Head
I use the 14cm Savage Sandeel Slug with 16g Savage Sandeel Jig Head when drift fishing from the kayak and what a great lure it is. The Sandeel slug and the jig head are purchased separately. The head of the slug is cut off and replaced with the Sandeel jig head. On the drift over rough ground, I cast the lure down wind and jig back to the kayak. I have caught a great deal of Bass using this method. The action is so realistic particularly if you give the occasional double jig. Aside from Bass Pollack, love this lure as well.
10cm Savage Saltwater Sandeel with 16g Savage Sandeel Jig Head
The 10cm Savage Saltwater Sandeel with 16g Savage Sandeel Jig Head is used in exactly the same way as the Sandeel slug. The action of this lure is slightly different due to the paddle tail. Out of the two, I would say the action of the Sandeel slug is more like a real Sandeel in the water however, this is also a great catcher of Bass. I use the heavier 42g jig head with the 15.5cm Saltwater Sandeel when vertical jigging in deeper water and have caught several Cod.
Six Top Bass Lures that Catch!
When purchasing lures there are so many colours to choose from it can be difficult to decide on which. I really do not know if colour makes any difference. Maybe the action and shape is more important or a combination of all. What I have seen many times when using different lures is Bass showing interest but not taking. I do feel I have to go on something and I like to match as closely as I can the colour of the baitfish the Bass feed on. Sandeels, Smelt, Mackerel, Pilchards, Sprats, and Anchovies all have coloured backs with a light underside. The backs are either light green, dark green, light brown, dark brown, light blue, dark blue to black. The undersides are either white to silver. There is of course the red of the gills and blood. Take the Sandeel as an example, it has a green or sometimes light brown back with a white silvery flank and underside.
The sprat has a dark blue almost black back with a silver flank and underside.
You will notice the lures I have shown all follow a similar pattern of a coloured back with light underside. I would much rather spend my £20 on a plug that is similar to the colours of the bait fish that swim in UK waters than something that looks like a fish that swims in my tropical fish tank or because my favourite colour is purple but as said, I cannot really be sure if it does make any difference. What I do know is that if I keep consistently catching then I must be doing something right.
Update August 2014: Below is a video about plug fishing for Bass over shallow rough ground.
When I first thought about adding kayak fishing as an extension to my shore fishing frankly, I did not have a clue. I had never been on a kayak before let alone fish from one. The first thing I did was hire kayak for a couple of hours and armed with a fishing rod and some Mackerel feathers set out just to get a feel of what it might be like. The kayak was an Ocean Frenzy and although it was fun and I enjoyed the trip, it was soon clear to me that if I wanted to do some serious kayak fishing I needed a purpose built fishing kayak rather than a general touring kayak such as the Frenzy.
After a great deal of research on the Internet using kayak fishing blogs and You Tube thus, picking the brains of others that had been there and done it, along with sourcing various kayak equipment suppliers the following is my current set up.
The kayak is an Ocean Prowler Big Game Angler. I chose this kayak because of its stability and storage facilities. It has a wide platform with a flat surface along the sides, which is ideal for mounting rod holders. It has plenty of legroom and at 6' 3" that was important to me.
Working from stern to bow the white container is used as a dry box and is fixed with upright rod holders. This idea came from another blog and what a great idea it has proven to be. The container is a watertight pet food container purchased from Amazon. I use this to store anything that I want to keep dry. I believe it can also be converted for use as a live well however, as I am not interested in fishing with live bait its sole purpose is as a dry box and it works brilliantly. The four upright rod holders have been added using stainless steel screws, washers, and lock nuts with some marine sealant to keep it watertight. The rod holders and hardware were purchased from H2o Kayaks. The container is secured to the kayak using a mix of webbing, buckles, and carbine hooks.
The blue box is a Flambeau Waterproof Marine Box, which I use as a tackle box. Secured just behind the seat it is ideal when I need to change tackle.
The kayak came with two flush mounted rod holders. These are positioned behind you and the rods point backwards. I find these of no use when fishing and use them as holders for my net and my priest.
The net is a Greys GS Scoop Net. It has a rubberised mesh which makes it easier to untangle trebles when lure fishing. It is fitted with a lanyard to secure to the kayak and has a short handle, which is ideal. For me it is a must as it is so easy to lose a decent fish close to the kayak particularly Sea Bass who are masters at freeing themselves just when you think you have got them!
The priest is just a length cut from a thick broom handle. It is marked to various fish size limits. If I decide to take a fish, it is dispatched before the hook is even removed. Personally, I hate seeing fish die gasping for oxygen and much prefer to dispatch them quickly.
Ram Rap-119 Tube Rod Holders are mounted each side within easy access from the seat. I use these when bottom fishing with bait at anchor. I have tried to use these when trolling lures but have found that they slip too easily when a decent fish strikes no matter how tight you clamp the tube onto the ball mount. Research on the Internet suggested roughing the ball up with sandpaper but they still slip with the slightest pressure. I find them OK for holding the rods at anchor but as a precaution from slipping, I secure them to the kayak at an angle with some cord and carbine hooks. This makes sure that should I get a heavy bite the tube will not slip down to horizontal.
For trolling, I use a Scotty Orca Rod Holder with an extender to raise the holder higher. Unlike the Ram tubes, this holder has a ratchet locking mechanism to hold the required angle and the rod is enclosed in the holder. The rod can be quickly pulled out of the holder when you get a take. The holder is positioned in front of me and beyond the forward position of the paddle when paddling yet within easy reaching distance from the seat. This is an excellent rod holder and perfect for trolling.
The Prowler Big Game has a centre hatch which gives access to the inside of the kayak when seated. I use this for storing the anchor, spare paddle and storing the catch. I have two containers for the catch. One is a foldable fish bag for larger fish and the other is a washing up bowl. Both are laden with ice blocks to keep the catch a fresh as possible.
Forward from the centre hatch there is a cockpit tray with moulded in cup holder. This has a strapped down cover and is usually used for housing a bit of tackle and holding a drinks cup. I use the cup holder for my compass and the cover as a bait board. The bait board is just a kitchen chopping board cut to size a secured with nuts and bolts. Using the cup holder for mounting the compass was again something I picked up from another blog.
Along the right side of the kayak is an anchor trolley. The are several videos on You Tube that show how to fit an anchor trolley but basically it is a pulley system that you can operate from your seat enabling you to position the anchor either from the bow or the stern. Unlike a boat, you cannot stand up to drop and secure the anchor hence the need of a pulley system.
I now realise I made a mistake when fitting the anchor trolley pulleys. Following another blog with the same kayak, I used existing pad eyes. Those pad eyes are 56cm from the bow and stern, which is too far. This means that when at anchor or using a drift chute the pull is slightly sideways on causing the kayak to swing more than it would if the anchor was positioned closer the bow or stern. I intend to correct this over the winter by adding some new pad eyes closer to the bow and stern and reposition the pulleys.
The anchor itself consists of a 1.5kg anchor, a meter and a half of anchor chain, an SMB diver's ratchet reel with 60 meters of line, a buoy, a meter and a half of anchor rope, and some carbine hooks.
A carbine hook is tied to each end of the anchor rope. One end is for attaching to the anchor trolley the other is permanently clipped to the dive reel. The line from the dive reel is thread through the buoy and tied to another carbine hook which is clipped to the anchor chain which is turn is attached the anchor. When you drop the anchor the ratchet on the dive reel is used to release the line until enough line, (about three times the depth) is out. I mark the ratchet reel line with a permanent marker pen at ten-foot intervals to help determine how much line has been played out. The anchor is positioned at the bow or stern using the anchor trolley and secured by a zigzag cleat. Should I need to, the anchor can be quickly released from the trolley using the carbine hook and collected later. Its position is revealed by the floating buoy.
The majority of the fishing I do is on the drift. One of the best purchases I have made to date has been a drift chute or drogue. This really slows down the drift over a chosen mark giving much more fishing time. The drogue is connected to the anchor trolley and positioned from the bow, the stern, or the middle. Positioning from the bow or stern will slow down the drift even more by turning the kayak into the wind. When casting lures on the drift, I find it particularly useful to position the drogue from the stern. This turns the stern of the kayak into the wind, which means I am facing down wind making it easier to cast the lures down wind.
The paddle I use is an Aqua-Bound Manta Ray Paddle. Due to the width of the Prowler Big Game plus my height, the paddle is 240cm about 20cm longer than the average. This stops me banging the side of the kayak when paddling. The majority of my fishing is drifting over a specific mark, which means constantly having to paddle back up wind/tide to reset the drift therefore, a powerful light paddle is important and the Aqua-Bound Manta Ray fits that criteria.
The rods and reels I use depend on the type of fishing. For casting lures when drifting, I use 7' 10g to 35g spinning rods and 4000 size spinning reels loaded with 20lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader. For vertical jigging, I use 8' 15g to 45g bait-casting rods and Abu bait-casting reels loaded with 30lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader. For vertical jigging with lures up to 50g the bait-casting outfit is excellent because you can jig one handed which is very comfortable. For trolling, I use an 8' 15g to 45g rod with a small multiplier loaded with 15lb nylon line. When bottom fishing with bait I use a couple of 7' 6" 12lb to 20lb boat rods, Abu 6500 multipliers loaded with 15lb nylon and a 30lb nylon leader.
I do not use braid when trolling because when a fish takes a trolling lure the lack of stretch combined with the forward motion of the kayak can pull the lure from the fish's mouth.
Future projects include fitting a fish finder, a GPS and a VHF Radio. The fish finder is not necessarily to find fish but to obtain a reading on depth of water and in particular to identify rough ground. At the moment, I use Google Satellite Maps and lobster pot buoys to find rough ground but it would be nice to know exactly where the rough ground starts and finishes. The GPS would be for marking waypoints of fishing marks and for navigation and the VHF radio for safety.
Update November 2013:
I have now created a kayak fishing set up video (November 2013) shown below.
Below is a sample of a few fish taken in 2012 by either casting lures on the drift, trolling or vertical jigging. All were taken over rough ground.
10lb kelp Cod and a couple of Pollack caught jigging over a reef.
Another Cod and a surprise John Dory jigging over a reef.
Bass caught casting and trolling lures over rough ground.
