Around and about in Devon

[Pross]

Just back from my hols in Devon and actually got to do a bit of fishing at last. My first stop was Kingsbridge for the mullet but although the harbour was teeming with them they were doing that mullet thing of taking the mick, lying there an inch from the bait and showing no interest at all! My next outing was to Beesands fishing the incoming tide for bass and hoping for at least a few mackie. I fished for 4 hours using sand eel on a pulley rig and spinning but again nothing other than one missed bite!

My final trip was to a mark on the Dart estuary recommended to me by Devon Dave (so won't say where exactly unless he is happy for me to) which is full of mullet. I fished a bubble float with bacon as bait as it is heavily crabbed and that's what the mullet are used to. I was using size 8 hooks and 4lb fluorocarbon hook link. In no time I had a bite and had a small fish of about 6" long which, to my surprise, turned out to be a bass - my first ever. This was soon followed by a couple more which were slightly bigger with the biggest being around 6oz so not monsters! After an hour or so missing plenty of fussy bites that were probably mullet I hooked into something that pulled back and I thought I was into a decent bass or mullet so was surprised to pull an eel of around 2lb from the water. After this I missed bite after bite before hooking something heavy. I saw a large silver flank roll on the surface but it snapped me straight off as it dived back down and would have been a good bass or mullet . I was still getting plenty of bites as it got dark but it was getting impossible to see the bubble float. I eventually managed one last bass, the biggest at 0.5lb. I ended the night with 5 schoolies and a good eel but will back again and will try to get the bigger bass by fishing the bottom with some proper bait. Thanks to Dave for the tip, didn't get the intended mullet but the fish I got more than made up for it!

[devondave]

well done mate! im glad you gave the spot a visit.... i dont think there is any bigger bass there just millions of baby ones..... there is loads of mullet there too as im sure you saw!

i really wouldnt advise bottom fishing there tho... did you not see how many crabs the kids caught?!? the place has alot of eels too but i find they only tend to feed around that twilight hour in the evening then they are gone

[Pross]

Must have been a mullet that snapped me off then. Probably be a few flatties in there in a few months too. I was thinking of trying a ledger set up with some floating beads or something to just pop it up off the bottom as I was missing a few bites due to being unable to keep the line taut.

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Nice one mate sounds an enjoyable time

[devondave]

i fish it with a waggler rather than a bubble float..... i use those drift beater ones?.....with the onion type base and quill tip antenna with a small ball at the end....if that makes sense?.....

as u will find most of the bites will be mullet and they will lift the float....so carefull shot the float so that it stands up...then place a small shot much nearer to the hook so that it sets the ''quill tip antenna thing'' lol down to the ball on the top....so every time a mullet picks up the bait the float raises 3 or 4 inches..

i hope that makes sense let me know when your next down and i will try to get over there with you!

[Pross]

Thanks Dave, I was thinking of fishing it freshwater style. Won't be down there again before the end of October I doubt so the mullet will probably be gone but I might try to sneak a weekend before then.

[geejayy]

[quote=Pross;141656]. I was still getting plenty of bites as it got dark but it was getting impossible to see the bubble float. /QUOTE].

you could try putting a starlight inside the bubble but it would probably spook the mullet though

[Pross]

Next time I'll use an insert waggler with a starlight inserted but it was a spur of the moment trip this time and didn't have much kit with me (didn't even have a lantern or head torch so tried driving my car to the waters edge with the headlights on lol!)

[pingu]

nice one pross

dave