I don't make New Year resolutions because for one thing I'm hopeless at keeping them, and for another, you shouldn't have to! This year however, my friends and I resolved to explore further afield in our fishing and rather than stick to our 'comfort zone' venues, we would explore strange new worlds. and boldly go....well, you get the drift.
Lots of Bass have been caught recently between us, and I mean lots, but nothing of any real note size wise. It was time to get adventurous and so new spots were identified and explorations began. I missed out on one particular foray through sheer laziness, and rather than hike a long way I stayed in familiar spot while my mates went in search of Nirvana..Of course it was inevitable that they should return with reports of big Bass landed and Monsters lost...Bottom!! Serves me right and so I joined them the very next night wanting and expecting a piece of this amazing action....I blanked and they caught! What was going on? two blank nights for me while my friends were filling their boots?? Confidence started to dip so a couple of sessions at a reliable venue were sought, I caught plenty, including a good fish for this particular area and confidence was suitably restored.
So onto last night, and yet another new mark was visited. Now let me tell you, this place has all the hallmarks of great Bass ground. With some big spring tides at the moment, the full extent of the underwater topography was revealed in breathtaking splendour. Like excited school boys we began to explore. Within a few casts I had a small Pollock, and a short time later another small hit which was missed, and was most likely another Pollock. As the tide flooded in other areas began to show promise, so a short move to another likely looking spot. Again within a few casts my lure was taken by a small Schoolie, followed by a couple more slightly better fish apiece to my friend and I. Then it went quiet
Another move was in order. By this time it was getting dark, so we had to be careful wading about on unfamiliar territory in the dark, but we had some sightlines already noted during the daylight that we would be able make out in the dark.
First or second cast my lure was again hit straight away but I missed it so hopes were high.
What followed was probably THE most amazing and surreal nights Bass fishing I have ever had...
Again and again our lures were taken by good fish, reels screamed as the fish powered away in the darkness...the stamp of fish was excellent compared to our other familiar venues, with a couple of really good fish to my mate, I was expecting it to be my turn any minute for one of the biggies, not that I was complaining about the stamp of fish I had been catching so far, but it was obvious that there were good numbers of large fish around...
Then it happened..I thought I'd hit weed and the lure didn't want to come out...the weed started to pull back...hard. The braid was torn from the reel as the fish powered off on a thirty yard run, the rod bent hard over. Moments passed as the fish tried to escape, making several more runs. After a while it came around in front of me, and thrashed hard on the surface, then it began another run....and then the line parted. My heart sank and I almost screamed long and hard into the dark night. My friend couldn't believe my luck, and on closer inspection it appeared that the Flourocarbon leader had been cut through right on the eye of the hook. A badly finished hook eye had cost me a good fish.
Things quietened down shortly after that so we called it a night, though we would happily have carried on had it not been a week night.It had been an exciting, enthralling evening and a fabulous start on a new venue, not to mention a true reward for our efforts.Naturally we will be returning to this one throughout the season, hopefully the fish will be there again. We shall see.
Here's one that I did land.
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