11th & 13th of May reports

[bassmanrob]

Been a busy week for me so need to catch up on a couple of reports. On the 11th I headed to Hurst castle via the ferry for a picnic with my girlfriend and some daytime fishing. It's one of my favourite venues, great for float fishing and spinning. It's also good for bream on the smallest tides when you can fish into 'the hole'.

As soon as I was fishing a large salmon or sea trout jumped twice about 10 yards out! The weed which has never really been a problem for me when fishing here was going to be today. It made fishing on the bottom for bream impossible for most of the flood and kept clogging up the trebles on the lures.

I only had a schoolie to show for about an hours fishing. Time for a change of tactics and a bit of float fishing for any gars that should be about. It took a while but a gar jumped clear of the water by my float before the float buried. After a good scrap I had my first gar of the year.



A second garfish soon followed on the dexter wedge and a few more bounced off it. Terns were diving in front of me and coming up with sandeels, the annoying weed had also seemed to ease right off. On a retrieve about 5 yards out the rod hooped round as a better fish took the wedge. A good fight followed and I could see a bass in the clear fast water. Soon had a 2lb 5oz bass on the beach.



The beachcasters were being a bit neglected and despite a rebait they remained motionless and still picked up a bit of weed. I did also manage a scrappy mackerel to add to my species list on the dexter.



Friday the 13th saw me back out looking for the small-eyeds and spotteds again. Conditions weren't ideal for rays (windy and rough) but the tide was so it was well worth a go. I set up in daylight and tried for a bass close in but the weed was a bit much. I decided to sit it out and wait for it to clear before carrying on.

A guy set up next to me, an experienced angler but new to the south. Very nice bloke and it passed the time chatting whilst waiting for the weed free time to come. The weed started to ease and sandeels were deployed on long and low rigs. I quickly had two dogs before a better bite. Felt like ray and sure enough it was a little small-eyed.



Things then quietened right down for ages. There was no weed but no fish either. Then out of nowhere things came to life for another 15 minutes or so and the pattern repeated. This time it was two dogs and a little spotted ray.



Fished on for a while afterwards but again things went dead and nothing else showed. Chatted to my mate Scottish and Mental after the session (we were supposed to fish together but ended up about half a mile apart) and he only had a white umbro sock to show for his efforts! A new species for him I believe though.

[scottish_and_mental]

yep, never had a sock before - let alone a white sports sock
amazing the difference 48 hours make - same venue,same tactics and almost identical weather but not even a bite ! i guess either the bigger moon or slightly bigger tide left the rays with other ideas . glad Rob found a couple of littleuns tho

[MRG2000]

A busy couple of days Rob , nice fishing ....

[pingu]

finding a good assortment there rob

dave

[fishypaul]

well done rob,some good fish there mate

[scottish_and_mental]

I just realised i fished that beach with the ghosts and had no idea it was Friday the 13th !!

[dovorian]

Nice fishing bassman!