[Matt Newcombe]

Had to be up early to drop the other half off to a friends as their off on a girly holiday. Perfect, gear in car and straight out to a local estuary mouth to play with some s.p's.

Never caught Bass on an S.P before, but after reading countless reports of people bagging up on fish I decided it was well worth putting the effort in (and I'm certainly glad I did!!).

1st up was a Fin's'Fish in smelt colour on a 10g head. First cast, within 5 seconds I struck into a fish! only a lb or so, but a spirited fight all the same. So nice being able to play a fish without worrying if it's going to snag you up on a rock or any other obstruction it can find on the way in.

Nothing more for 10 mins so started chopping and changing. ended up with a 4'' Shad in pearl, again on a 10g head. Couple cast and nothing... Oh well, keep trying, slow it down again and let the current do the work.... And then the shad is swimming away from me and taking line! Fish on! and it's going for it, taking line at will, I'm just doing my best to keep a tight line (after losing a decent fish a few weeks back) and not lose this one. Then she surfaces 30 yards away and I can see it's my best fish yet. After a couple more runs she's just tired enough to be bullied onto the sand.... And I'm shaking!!!

She's 65cm and a good wide fish, a nice 7lb!! :wackit2:

Sorry for the photo quality, but no camera today and luckily a surfer was there to take one on my phone for me!

Still buzzing now!!!!

 

[mike symons]

Great report Mat well done on the PB. Those SPs realy do work.

 

[Ben Field]

Yessssssss!!! Lovely fish mate!!! SP's all the way from now on then!! lol

 

[Stevie Quinton]

Congratulations focker! Well done bey!

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Yessssssss!!! Lovely fish mate!!! SP's all the way from now on then!! lol

Ha well yeah tempting and a lot cheaper than plugs!! but there's something about standing on a rock and twitching a plug back that takes some beating!

 

[Tim Murphy]

That's a cracker Matt, well done.

 

[Martin Barnard]

Awesome fish Matt congratulations!

 

[Peter Smith]

Congrats on your PB Matt, nice fish :-D

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Forgot to add, she went back (much to the amazement of an old guy fishing up river from me)

 

[Ben Pratt]

Nice fish mate!

 

[Stevie Quinton]

Forgot to add, she went back (much to the amazement of an old guy fishing up river from me)

What was my old man doing there???

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Hahaha imagine his face if he saw that going back!

 

[Dave Watson]

Fair play , nice fish

 

[Bagpuss]

Matt

Brilliant. I'm struggling on soft plastics at the minute & reading a report like that fires me up again.
Top marks for returning her, I have had some strange looks & comment for returning reasonable bass & mullet in the past.

 

[Andy Marquis]

Great work there!!

Are you just fishing them in a rip on the side of the surf or something like that?

I rarely consider a "clean" beach for lure fishing, don't know why, maybe I should try it more!!

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Matt

Brilliant. I'm struggling on soft plastics at the minute & reading a report like that fires me up again.

Keep going mate, success is only around the corner.

Are you just fishing them in a rip on the side of the surf or something like that?

I rarely consider a "clean" beach for lure fishing, don't know why, maybe I should try it more!!

It's an estuary mouth running into a surf beach, I was standing on the edge of the surf, casting up river and letting it arc round into the waves. To be honest it's only the second time I've tried, and if it wasn't for stuff I've read on here I wouldn't of had the confidence to try.

 

[Marq]

Nice fish well done Matt

 

[Nathan Taylor]

Very Well Done Matt!!

 

[Tim Griffin]

That is a beauty - well done. Hat off to you for trying something new and for returning such a lovely fish.

 

[Simon L]

Absolutely gorgeous Bass :clap: :clap:. That's a superb lunker that'll give you masses of confidence in s/p's .

Very well done on the C&R also :clap:.