Totally new to bass fishing

[The_Blanker]

Hi bassalisk

Thanks for the reply.

I will take a look at the book and take your advise.

Keep you all posted as soon as I catch....

[rigmaster]

i'm a sea angler or just becoming 1 and i havent caught a bass yet although its on my species list , anyone have any advice on how to catch them, although i have a good advisor wen i go fishin who knows like everyfin to do with fishin it nice to gain more knowledge so i know wot to fish for and where 2 fish for them. Any feedback would be great cheers.
Tight Lines!

[Portland Jon]

Rob

Have a read of Doc Ladle's book "Operation Sea Angler" here http://www.docladle.fishermen.co.uk/osa.html

It's a great read and very informative.

Jon

[barbelblanker]

Welcome to the forum THE Blanker . I do occasionally catch the odd fish so I am not entirely rubbish, it just seems that way (hence only mentioning the one species I just seem incapable , at the moment, of catching). Anyway I digress.

I have given bass fishing (though not the bass) on the plug a good bashing and can say it is a very enjoyable way to fish. My only sizable fish came two feet off Thorness bay (IOW) beach at low tide off the little ledge just below the caravan site. OK it was only probably about two or three pounds but b@@@er me it took off.
I was going to recommend operation sea angler as a quite fantastic site, seems I'm not the only one to think that. Mike also talks about fly fishing for sea fish too. What with the friendly advice from other posters and that site, you will need to change your sign in.
Anyway, welcome abourd and tight lines.

[PAULLAP]

Hi I am going to do some Bass fishing in Spain very soon. I am also a new to fishing the lure . The general feeling is to use braided line. If so what breaking strain?. Can anyone advise please. And what is a good make. Shore fishing in the med is totaly new to me so any input would be greatly appreciated. paul

[Devon Born & Dorset Bred]

Originally Posted by PAULLAP

Hi I am going to do some Bass fishing in Spain very soon. I am also a new to fishing the lure . The general feeling is to use braided line. If so what breaking strain?. Can anyone advise please. And what is a good make. Shore fishing in the med is totaly new to me so any input would be greatly appreciated. paul

The highest breaking strain I use is 15lb for Braid in these circumstances. The more you can afford the better the quality. I'm using Shimano at the moment, and hardly had a problem. Would always wash your reel, due to salt making the braid stick together! Not that this has ever happened to me!!!

[Portland Pirate]

Originally Posted by PAULLAP

Hi I am going to do some Bass fishing in Spain very soon. I am also a new to fishing the lure . The general feeling is to use braided line. If so what breaking strain?. Can anyone advise please. And what is a good make. Shore fishing in the med is totaly new to me so any input would be greatly appreciated. paul

Hi Paul.

I currently live on the Costa Blanca and fish regularly with lures from the rock marks. The Bass fishing is starting to die off at this time of year. However you can pick up some very nice Amber Jacks and Dolphin Fish. You need to use much smaller lures than you would normally in the UK. 9cm is about the biggest I would use. The other thing is not to use brightly coloured braid as the water is much clearer and it spooks the fish.

[fishbonkers]

Hi The Blanker, I suggest you do the conversion from Carp with a mate - you can both analyse what's right and wrong, keep each other motivated, and two people fishing can cover more ground than one. I echo most of what has been said. Also you are on the right track with most of the tackle you mention. Suggest you use a 400-size carp reel with 20 lb braid on it. You should know with the carp how to set the clutch. I prefer a front clutch but only because the plates are bigger and I feel more comfortable with that. I use Fireline, or Spiderwire, but there are plenty of makes - read up on the pike websites for makes and knots. This will be springy at first and liable to 'wind knot' if you cast wildy, but after a couple of sessions of moderate casting it will be quite limp and will lay nicely on the spool and cast out straight. Its surface will get slightly hairy in appearance - don't worry, it doesn't seem to make any difference. Just cut off a foot or so at the end of each session just to get rid of any weakness caused by plug movements, fish scales (!) whatever. Ignore the sea fishing magazines and get a few good books on the subject - 1 suggest you get: Hooked on Bass see Amazon etc Bass fishing on Shore and Sea see Amazon etc Bass and B.A.S.S. www.anglersbookcase.com Join the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society www.ukbass.com It's worth it just for the 4 magazines per year. And the Forum information is priceless and will save you much time and money. To start with, try to fish : - shallow water (to say 4 feet) - rubbly ground (plenty of loose lumps of rock the better) - an incoming tide with some surf and/or white water - near to 'structure' e.g. single rock sticking out of water, jetty piles, bridge support, groyne, dip in the bottom, 'finger' of rock, bait bed etc. (All these will harbour immature fish / crab / weed etc which will interest the bass) - Dawn or dusk (bass are sight feeders most of the time and so these are prime times) - clear water (don't waste time with silty or sandy water - bait fish in those conditions, using your spinning rod and a float, with a juicy bait like rag or crab) - overcast sky & rippled surface (so the bass can't see you standing there doing all that casting) - don't plug too early in the season - at many venues the bass seem to go for crab and rag till July (then the immature fish are around, which means time to simulate them with your plug) Get yerself a pair of thigh waders, talk to other anglers, and tackle shop people on quiet shop-days, and, like carp fishing, put the hours in !! And when you're in the B.A.S.S. society, go to a 'fish-in'. Somebody will be only too pleased to help you to improve on making poppers work (quite a specialised technique), selecting plugs, and so on. One last message - don't take chances. Be safe, keep an eye on the water cutting off your retreat, look out for that odd rogue wave, don't be on the rocks in the dark,and don't get your foot caught in anything - as I said, fish with a mate !! Good hunting.

[oilyal100]

Have only been out once this year, do a bit of plugging but a live sandeel in fast moving shallow water is a winner. No terminal tackle, just a skin hooked sandeel, if theres Bass about they will take it. Keeping the sandeels alive is the hard bit !!!!! Most of my fishing done in Channel Islands.