Christmas Joy

Out with Callum today as Derek is laid low in Hospital. We actually turned right out of the harbour and headed west, we tried a number of marks with nothing doing and we moved out a bit into about 35ft of fast flowing water. I was using a metal Duo, jigging just off the bottom.

The first drift produced nothing whilst the second drift I got hit by a fish, at first I thought it was a wrasse as it did little in the way of fighting. As it came to the surface we could see a flash of silver and also another larger bass swimming with the hooked fish.

After a neat bit of netting from Callum a nice 5.5lb fish was landed


The fish was measured at 62cms and tagged and released



Callum later managed a couple of wrasse but this fish was the only bass caught in the few hours we were out.

Winter has arrived

As winter fast approaches the fishing seems to be abating, especially on the eastern side of the island, Although Derek tells me that there was a lull last year in November.

Well Friday came and it was a beautiful day and anticipation was high, unfortunately it was not matched by the fishing.

we managed to get two bass at an offshore reef with all the other spots proving negative. I had been trying a new surface lure which has been made and designed by Keith White. I had one rise to this, I have to say this lure worked well and has a tantalising wiggle.

A beautiful scene at Seymour.

Yesterday I ventured out, solo this time and tried all the way up the coast with no luck apart from a few pollack. I made my way back up to town and proceed further west. I fished an offshore reef and immediately landed two bass on a madness shad.

This was about an hour after low and I then noticed a large number of gulls feeding well inshore. When I arrived I could see fish on the surface. Using Keith,s bone idol Percy lure I immediately hooked a small bass and this was quickly followed by four more. The fish and the light soon disappeared but it was fun whilst it lasted

Catchup

It has been a few weeks since I wrote up my fishing trips and have been out a couple of times with Derek. Derek has continued his success with his Savage Gear Eels until today that is.

fishing seems to have slowed and we have been catching at the point as the tide has turned, most of our usual spots being devoid of fish.

Today was totally different and perhaps means that the fish are turning their attention away from eels to larger profile bait.We were late going out and did not get out until around low tide I had my z claw on whilst Derek continued with his Savage gear Slugs.

It was not long before I had the first fish on, and it turned out to be the best fish of the day, It was really fat and weighed around the 5lb mark

I continued to catch fish as the tide began to flood whilst Derek struggled missing a number of goes at the various surface lures he tried. However we ended up with 15 fish not bad for a couple of hours fishing

A few bass and a defective pollack

I have not posted for a while as the weather has been bad and getting out has proved to be more difficult. However I got out today at just after first light. It was two hours before low.I failed to find any fish before low but as the tide turned I picked up 3 fish just past gannet gully. Fishing a z claw in about 8ft of water a number of fish were snapping at the lure.

I then moved offshore to fish on a reef were the pollack would be, fishing a metal lure I picked up about 30 fish, nothing big but it did include a disabled pollack

A few fish over the last week

with Autumn fast approaching or actually here it is important that we make the most of the good days left. So with this in mind I ventured out with Derek on the high tide last week in thick fog. We managed to locate the mark and I was using the madness shad whilst Derek stuck to the savage gear slug.

Fish were difficult to find but I managed to hook a few on the shad

The fish later changed their feeding preference and began taking the surface lures. I think we had a dozen fish that day. The quiet period was half an hour either side of high tide,

Yesterday we had a break in the strong winds and again we were out this time over the low. Fish were again sporadic and Derek managed to take a number of fish on various reefs. I kept missing bites but I was using the largest savage gear slug whilst Derek was using the medium sized ones.

After the tide turned we moved to another mark where we picked up a few more fish including a nice 5.5lb fish for me

Heavy metal fan

having returned from my holiday and also being ill, I ventured out by myself today to try a few different spots. I decided to use a metal 28gm P Booy and using a sink and draw method soon hooked into a number of pollack.

I then hooked into a lovely bright red wrasse which weighed in around the 5lb mark

I moved west and noticed that netters had laid nets all around Elizabeth castle and St.Aubins. But fishing a mark I know off Portelet I picked up a number of bass around a head that was just uncovering

A nice day out in calm conditions

Fishing with Monster Tackle

I went out yesterday morning with Tom from Monster Tackle the tide had just started flooding but there was a nasty easterly wind blowing up to a force 4 which did not help matters

Surface lures seemed to be the order of the day as they were cast over a reef that was getting covered by the incoming tide.

We began to pick up a few bass

Tom seemed determined to try every lure that that they stock but as the sea was choppy it seemed that the surface lures that produced more splash was the order of the day.

Tom managed to keep catching pollack which was somewhat strange in the shallow water.

I managed to hook a nice 5lb fish on the surface lure

We moved to another mark where Tom picked up two more bass, The days total was 10 bass including the 5lb fish

Plagued by Snipe

Here in Jersey we call Garfish snipe and they were a real pest today. I took around 30 snipe today in what can only be described as a feeding frenzy for all fish.

An early start and the tide had already been flooding in for two hours but when I arrived at the location fish were feeding everywhere. Using my Ima skimmer I quickly hooked up to a bass around the two pound mark. This was interspersed by more snipe,mackerel and wrasse

 I caught fish on the surface and also on savage gear magic eel which managed to hook a few Bass. I ended up with 18 Bass over this set of reefs, and as the tide had risen somewhat so I moved to a head with the tide flooding past. Out went the surface lure and as it drifted past the head bang a fish around 5lb took the lure next drift another fish around the same size.

A visit from Fisheries

Out by myself yesterday as Derek had decided to go off on holiday, I decided to try two new lures a chatterbox from Illex I got from Monster Tackle and the other a Pee Boy I got from Mr Fish.

 The first few casts produced swirls behind the lure and these turned out to be Snipe and I was pestered by these most of the day.,

I moved out to deeper water and tried the Pee Boy metal lure in a jigging fashion. I changed the rear hook to a single. I had soon hooked a smallish bass

I was then joined by fisheries who came to inspect my catch, I told them I had tagged some fish for them and they told me about a large bass caught in a fishermans pot a short distance away

I moved up to some offshore reefs that were just uncovering and took a number of fish up to 4lbs on the chatterbox, before miscasting and losing it on some rocks

Bass some days and none on others

As the year ticks on, the fishing improves as Derek and I found out the other day, slow to start but picked up as the tide flooded in. We had numerous fish following our lures and sometimes they refused to take anything.

However we ended up with 32 fish including tow 5lb fish for Derek

The following day I was out with Paul and we only managed one fish

Fish and a seagull

The fishing has been pretty good over the last few days with a good number of fish being caught with Derek last Saturday. Most were caught on savagegear slug sandeels fished on the surface. 32 fish came to the boat on this occasion although none were big. The following day we were fishing further west and only took 4 fish Derek managed to catch a seagull.

 A text message and photos are just reaching me to tell me that Derek and his son have taken a double and a 6.5lb fish

Both fish were caught on savage gear slug sandeels fished on the surface. Both were tagged and returned. Well done to the Buesnel boys

Catch Up

I am sorry that I have not kept this blog up to date as I have been busy fishing with numerous fish coming from all areas, I have been out with Bev and catching quiet a few fish at LHG as the tide is flowing out and just after low tide. The fish could be seen chasing bait on the surface. Derek meanwhile has been fishing with Stuart Gowland and has taken a number of fish including a nice 7.5 lb fish at the point. He also has been catching near S Rock about an hour before low.

The fish being caught about an hour before low and all fish have been taking savage gear slug eels.

Yesterday I was out with Derek and had 19 fish including a lovely fish of 7lbs taken on a small slug

Derek also took a damaged bass which was missing most of its dorsal fin

a Couple of Nice Fish

Went out with Derek a few days ago and it would appear that the Savage Gear Slug Eels fished weightless on the surface are taking fish.

We had a number of fish during the day including one fish I took on a fly fished with a casting egg

Derek took a 3.5lb fish on a weightless eel fished right up against a rock, We moved to the point where Derek took a nice fish that was 6.5lbs

 I think we ended up with 21 fish including a 4lb fish on a weightless slug, unfortunately it did not survive

I went out yesterday and took 4 bass during a pleasant afternoon. All caught on sakura magic eels and savage gear slug eels

Too Rough for my wife

out with Beverley yesterday but the wind was a force 4 from the south with a huge swell made it difficult. As a result Bev decided it was not for her so I dropped her back at the mooring before heading out again.

I ventured west to some reefs towards Noirmont and using a Sakura Magic Eel on a 7gm jig head took a small bass, This was soon followed by a fish of around 5lbs

I moved back towards Town and fished GDA I again hooked a small fish followed by a fish of 4lbs

 I was then hit by a torrential downpour

Not a bad day for the difficult conditions

Plenty of fish

A rough start yesterday choppy seas and a heavy swell, but it soon appeared that it was going to be a good day. A lot of bird activity all around the area, We started off at our usual spot with Derek taking a fish within two casts

We moved onto a small rock off the point and immediately began taking fish that were waiting there. They were taking mostly Sakura eels and Savage gear slugs, I think the fish remained there until the tide dropped too much.

We took some more fish at the point

. Again terns were diving at finger rock and fish were caught at this point. We continued to catch fish throughout the day and ended up with around 40 fish.

Delay in reports

It has been a while since I submitted a few reports. The weather has now been hot and the winds calm making fishing difficult. I have been struggling to find fish  in the more western marks picking up the odd smallish fish. Mostly at LEH. However Beverley moved further east the other day and picked up a few fish off S Rock where Derek was fishing.

These fish were caught at least an hour before low tide

My son had an unusual catch the other day, following a strong off shore wind

Night Needlefishing

Having been impressed by the excellent results that Keith White of Jersey Bass Guides has been enjoying fishing needle fish lures at night, I was invited to attend and learn how to fish these seemingly simple lures.

We met just as the darkness was setting in, Keith White, his brother Kevin and Stephen Olsen and Dave.I was a bit apprehensive as I was trying something totally different. Not night fishing but using needle sticks. The wade started as the tide began to  drop and clearly everyone was up for a goodnight.

I took some ribbing for the bright pink rucksack that I had found in the shed. We were soon on the marks where sand eels were splashing in the water. It was not long before Kevin had the first fish on followed by further shouts from the others that they were getting bites. I had to remember the instructions given to me about the lures and found it difficult to keep the rod in the required position.

I was using a shorter rod than the others and could not cast as far as the others. This was a minus as the fish were some way out due to the calm conditions.

Eventually the first fish was hooked by myself and released followed a short time later by a small fish. It may be small but it proved to me what the others had been telling me. That needles do work.

40 fish came ashore last night in the space of less than an hour. The tide had turned and we had to return back to the shore.A good night and shows what can be achieved. I am looking forward to my next trip, thanks a lot guys for the invite.

Small tide poor weather

The poor weather continues with rain and strong winds becoming the norm. Derek and I managed to get out on the high tide yesterday on a 26ft tide and resulted in a couple of nice fish one at 5lbs and one at 4.75lbs. My was caught on a Sakura eel fished slowly in the current whilst Derek's fish came on a gulp, fished in a similar manner.

Both fish were tagged and released, we also had two other fish.

 

Bass are funny feeders

The weather continues to be poor but the fishing has improved, no where near as good as last year. I have been out with Derek a couple of times over the last couple of days. Fish were well localised on our usual first and last marks. They have been taking surface lures. The interesting point is that one minute they will only take skimmers the next only z claws.

It seems that they switch within minutes.I have been trying needlefish lures having been inspired by Keith White of Jersey Bass Guides but have not caught as yet on them.

I have been catching on the Sakura eels that Monster Tackle sell, fished with a 7gm jighead. We have also been taking a few mackerel at the point and finger rock.There have been load of sandeels at finger rock so many that it sounds like rain on the sea.

I also took a nice wrasse of 4lb on the Sakura eels

The offshore reef has been disappointing and so has the lagoon with most of our fish caught on the first and last marks we have been using

Poor Weather Continues

what a summer we have been having, the rain continues to come down. Every few days the wind blows. We ventured yesterday to fish the 35ft tide. We started at our usual spot in about 15ft of water. Fish were difficult to find but by moving a couple of hundred yards we quickly landed 3 fish. This included a fish just below 5lbs caught by Derek on a black worm.

I had a fish on a sakura eel. The next drift resulted in nothing and it would appear that the fish were moving quickly on the fast ebbing tide.

The heavy rain did not dampen our spirits and we picked up another fish at finger rock, one at the point and the last were we started.

News is coming in that one of our tagged fish has been caught very close to where it had been tagged a few weeks ago

Top Water Fun

Out with Derek during the afternoon, Nice and calm but a small tide fishing bo . we had a total of seven fish caught on a mixture of surface lures and shads.

I was using a slugo fished across the surface which attracted a number of fish. I have just received some hogys which I intend to use. This one was on a castaic lure

The drizzle set in and we returned back home

Jersey Bass Guides

Having read Keith White's blog at Jersey Bass Guides http://www.jerseybassguides.com/bassfish/blog1.php
It is impressive fishing during the hours of darkness.

Our fishing yesterday was pretty meagre  during the daylight hours yesterday with only 5 small fish coming to the boat. It is clear that the fish are not feeding much during the day due to the clarity of the water. It looks like I am going to have to consider a few night trips and see if I can get into the fish.

Well done Keith and his band of fisherman, credit where credit is due

Wife teaches me a lesson

Having had a poor day out with Derek yesterday I thought we could go out on the low at lunchtime today. Bev was using a 7gm sakura  eel. We had taken a couple of pollack before moving into lhg towards bev rock. The tide was begining to move and all of a sudden Bev said she thought she had a fish on.

I could see it was a bass and it began to take line. Eventually the fish came to the net when it spat the lure out.

A nice bass of 5lbs, her best ever. Well done Bev. The fish was tagged and returned