Bass PB

I was out chasing the bass with lures again last Tuesday, the final day of a few days of hot weather was breaking as I got to the base of the North Yorkshire cliffs. I had a few casts with some metal lures in spots close to where I scored my sea trout and then headed out around the rock edges. I swapped to a shallow diving plug to try and avoid the kelp and only succeeded in losing the plug. As darkness wasn't far away so out of the box came a white soft plastic weedless and weightless paddle tail lure. I wanted something I could work very slowly over the weed without it sinking and snagging up.
My plan paid off as I worked the kelp beds and 4 bass to 4lb slid on to the rocks and I was over the moon. All the takes came in a space of around an hour and a half up to dusk.

A Big Cold Blank

I was hoping for a bass on my local beach but the title says it all...

Another First

I was back on the river again last night armed with my two lure rods. I managed a small chub on my light lure set armed with my new Rapala BX Brat plug. I alternated between the light set up and heavier pike gear all the way up to the top of the stretch without any luck. Even the top peg where Jay caught his pike a few weeks ago gave me no joy.
Dropping back downstream I was retrieving my lure when a pike lunged and missed the lure, I quickly recast and the fish had a second go and nailed the lure.
After a brief fight a small jack slid in to the net, at about 4lb its not even close to being the biggest pike of my life but it was my first pike on a lure and my first off the Tees.

Fin Nor LT 40 Spinning Reel

I decided this spring to try a bit of saltwater lure fishing, I already had a pike lure rod so just needed a reel to go with it. Dan, in the local tackle shop, recommended the Fin Nor reel and I already know good anglers who use the brand for winter cod fishing so decided to give it a go.
The reel has an aluminium body and spool, a smooth carbon washer clutch and brass main gear. Being a saltwater spinning reel there is no reverse gear which as a freshwater angler takes some getting used to.
I loaded the shallow spool with 20lb braid and took it out for a ... well a spin! The reel was smooth and lightweight and did the job without any dramas. Good reels aren't cheap but if they do the job I can't begrudge the price at under £100.

Another First

I headed down to a local reef last night to try my hand to saltwater lure fishing for the first time, I wasn't overly confident but it was nice to be out on a beautiful evening. My lack of confidence seem to be justified as time ticked on and the sun sank towards the horizon and to add to my woes I seemed to be losing a couple of lures.
I worked my way around the rock edges trying different modern lures but nothing seemed to be interested. Finally I found a wide gully between 2 rocky outcrops and selected a blue and silver Abu Toby and immediately started picking up some small Coalfish, known locally as Billet. Finally my rod hooped over and a decent SeaTrout led me on a bit of a scrap. After a quick photo the fish was measured at 52cm and released.
All in all it was a great night and I can't wait to get back out there.

Rapala BX Brat

Following my trip to the Tees I invested in a small perch plug with a shallow diving action as an alternative to the soft rubber lures.
The BX Brat from Rapala has a shallow action and is made from balsa wood with polymer coating.
The lure is reported to dive to around 3 feet making it ideal for shallow snaggy venues.

River Tees Lures

I was on the River Tees trying to catch my first River Tees pike last week and kind of succeeded... in a fashion. I had my light lure rod set up for perch and chub with a heavier set up for pike. I made the rookie error of not having a wire trace on my light lure rod and got bitten off by a pike on a small rubber shad, next I lost a decent fish on a J13 jointed lure before a good friend of mine 'borrowed' my rod and landed a fish about 7 or 8lb. A first Tees pike for either of us.
I learnt the following...
1. I must get some light wire for perch lures when pike are present
2. I now have a fairly good idea where to fish with deadbaits this winter
3. I love lure fishing
In between the pike escapades I landed a couple of perch to about 8oz but also lost a better perch or chub on a small rubber shad.