Location and Finding the Fish. In this section, we will be looking at finding our beloved bass, seeking out those silver bars of power. After all, that’s the whole point of why we spend our money on fishing stuff.
Remember, though, that’s a big sea out there. That bass could be anywhere, or they just might not be feeding.
Luckily for us, we know that bass can be creatures of habit and often return to their hunting ground on the new tide.
Bass love features like groins, gullies or even down the pier or harbour wall, but the harbour is not always suitable for lure fishing, so we’ll stick to the rocks.
Conditions.
I live in Broadstairs, Kent and can honestly say that here on the South East coast, the fishing can be awesome, to say the least. When the rocks are uncovered at low tide, you can see why bass would be coming back, especially when the shore crabs start their first moult in the spring.
This is for me when the season kicks off, but believe me, people still catch bass bait fishing as early as February. The bass also comes in for baitfish, prawns, and other vulnerable species that dare live amongst our rocks.
Weather
The only downside to our fishing on the southeast coast is the conditions. For us, Lure fishing can be hampered by the weather. The wind especially can make a major difference in the colour of the water around our coast. Winds in the north tend to favour the south side. Then, winds from the south seem to favour the north coast like Margate around to Herne Bay.
Clear Water
You can still find clear water at some of the low watermarks, but you need to know how the weather and tides work around our area. It may not be the same in other parts of the country. Some places have clear water all year round. We don’t.
It can be fairly frustrating to see that clear water line just out of casting range. You can bet your life that’s where the bass will be hunting. This doesn’t mean you can’t fish. You could always get a bucket of peeler crabs or yellow tails and fish the good old standard way with a Pennel rig or a flowing trace.
Finding the Fish
To me personally, there is no rhyme or reason for how bass fishing can turn out. That may seem strange after discussing weather conditions and how they can affect the fishing. It still doesn’t mean you’re not going to catch fish.
My point is there have been times when I’ve been fishing, and the fish have been jumping out of the water, and you still don’t get a take. Surely they must be feeding. I’ve seen the fish swimming around right in front of me, and they still won’t take that blasted lure, whatever you chuck at them.
Location And Finding The Fish
Fly Fishing
I can remember fly fishing a few years back, and that particular day I had caught 12 rainbow trout. It didn’t matter what fly I put on; they were just switched on and feeding. The next day, I fished the same spot with the same condition and never had a sniff. But the bloke on the other side of the lake had 15.
I wasn’t that bothered because I was still aching from the day before. The bloke fishing on the other side had just found the fish and used the right fly. What I’m trying to say is if you’re not catching or not getting any takes, then move to another spot. Have maybe 20 casts, switching lures occasionally, then move on.
Type of Lure
Another important point is to vary the type of lure. I love surface lure fishing because of the explosive takes you can sometimes experience. Seeing the fishtail splashing the lure, I have foul-hooked fish like this. But if nothing is happening, you must try different water depths; the fish could be feeding on the bottom, mid-water or the surface, as we have just mentioned.