Gonna try Shaldon "beach" tomorrow night for bass

[Plod]

I would say about 6' is about right. Either use a ball weight or one of those small sliding clips and a small weight above the swivel that attaches your trace. If you are seriously looking at fishing live sandeel regularly it would be worth investing in a bait bucket with a small battery powered pump fitted to keep the oxygen flowing through the water. Jackmans in Teignmouth sell them for about £19, or get a normal bucket and buy the pump seperately. This is also good for keeping live prawns as well. A good alternative is one of those big mesh bags you get for putting your socks in for the washing machine. Get a long stake and a bit of rope, then let the sack float in the water while you fish.

You can get the sandeels on the Teignmouth back beach ie the bit that faces back up the river. There's usually a sign up near the ferry point to go across to Shaldon. They sell 'em from a beach hut, in fact, Luke who is on this forum works there. I think its about £4 for 20-25 which will see you through a session. If you don't use them all, take them home and freeze them.

Hope this is of some use,
Darren

[luke6661982]

Sounds like you are getting the right advise, the only thing i would say is to stay away from using any weight. If you do need to cast out that little bit further just add a small split shot, otherwise you will get crab problems and weed problems.

After reading you had caught nothing on thursday, i wouldnt worry about it, i spent most of the morning on the salty trying for bass along with several other people. with no one catching, and that night on the birdge no one caught. so it seems like they just werent feeding.

If you were going to use live sand eel alot, it would be a good idea to do what darren suggested, it is worth it in the long run. Normally we are a little bit more generous with the 20-25 eels for £4, its more like 50 eels per £4. And at the moment they are nice big eels which the bass cant refuse (hopefully)

[devonutopia]

OK - I might consider getting one of these pumps. Sounds like they might work on fishing trips on boats too, eh? (battery operated pump right?)

When are you normally around there, Luke? Its just I've only tried the Shaldon side once, never the spit. From memory, its the spit side, that those huts are on.

[luke6661982]

At the moment i am there for an hour or two around 8 9 or 10, and then i will be packing teh eels into frozen packs.

when the summer comes i should be down there earlier fishing throughout the day. nothing better than being the only people down there with all the fish hitting the surface