Catch report - Ilfracombe - 28th September 2014 (8)

Date: 28/09/2014

Time of day: Afternoon

Location: Ilfracombe

Mark: Capstone

Low Tide: 02:34(1.30m) 14:49(1.40m)

High Tide: 08:59(8.90m) 21:14(8.80m)

Time fished from: 13:15

Time fished to: 17:30

Weather: Very good conditions, overcast with some sunshine, a bit of a breeze blowing to the left.

Sea: The sea was a little murky with a steady smallish swell throughout the session.

Method: Running ledger (rotten bottom) | float

Bait: Frozen mackerel segments, frozen dirty squid segments | mackerel strips

Caught (weight): 4 Pollack (0lbs 1oz, Guessed) | 1 Pollack (2lbs 4oz, Weighed), 1 Red Gurnard (0lbs 8oz, Guessed) | 1 Bass (3lbs 12oz, Weighed), 1 Tub Gurnard (1lbs 0oz, Guessed)

The Session: I baited up the first of two beachcasters with a section of dirty squid and the second with a mackerel segment. The rod with the mackerel segment was the first to register a bite and after two more missed bites I changed the squid bait on the other rod for a mackerel segment. The two Red Gurnard were the first fish I caught and they both gave sharp, plucky, bites. After missing a few more bites I decided to give float fishing a go for a while and caught the first two of the three tiny Pollock on strips of mackerel. The most exciting part of the session came when while thinking I had a quick bite on one rod the tip of the other one was pulled down sharply and hard and without thinking I picked up the rod and felt the pull of a fish that was definitely not a Red Gurnard, or a tiny Pollock. After a fairly impressive fight the Bass came to the top, and amidst a moment of a mixture of excitement from the moment and panic from realising I needed to land this fish somewhere, I set about finding a place suitable to bring the fish in on a decent swell. It took a few attempts but once I had the fish it was as good as gold through weighing and a taking a couple of photographs. It was about 16:20 when I released the fish and watched it gracefully swim off. Straight after came the last tiny Pollock on the float and I then packed that rod away. Despite the tide having turned a while before, a strong tow to the left had built up and my 4oz weights were no longer holding bottom much. It didn't stop the nice sized Pollock from snapping up the bait shortly after casting though and with that I was more than happy with the day. I lost one weight just before the tow calmed down and so packed that rod away and fished the last 45 minutes or so with the one remaining rod, but had nothing else. Apart from the Mackerel heads I'd ran out of bait by 17:30 so had to pack up. It was a very enjoyable session for me.