[Dave Irving]

Managed to drag my broken carcass out of bed in time for dawn this morning. at the first mark I visited, I was greeted by sinky May Rot. So back in the car and over to mark number two.
Clear water, and fish topping had me running down to the mark, and the Patchinko 100 scored a bass within a couple of cast, it was maybe 5 or 6 ...................................inches long. But yet anther blank dodged-Result.
The bass were after tiny bait that was shoaled up in an area of slack water between two flows. Time to try a lure that I had drooled over for most of last season, and finally managed to get my sticky hands on. Thanks to Mike Kennard and the Nantes Fishing Show. The Smith Chinupen, a 70mm surface lure weighing 7g.
It has a nice tight action when worked slow, and the action opens up as you work it harder.
A few minutes later, FISH ON!!!, and after a surprisingly good fight, and the little bugger trying to weed me twice, it was bass number two on the beach. About a pound and half, so no monster. But still happy to be catching while waiting for the may rot to disappear and reopen some of my favourate marks.

Sometime good things do come in small packetages!!!

 

[Tim Griffin]

Dave, looks like your winter plans are coming to fruition. Bravo for getting up so early and having success off the top. I prefer to fish evening sessions - more time in bed.....

 

[Dave Irving]

Evening session just don't seem to work as well here in the crowded and busy south east. Just so many on, in and around the shoreline. Morning session mean that 99.9% of the time no one has been there for hours. Gives the bass a chance to settle down and feed undistrubed (until I get there!!!)
I thought the Chinupen would do the business, I am scaling down lure wise this year, most bass prey items tend to be small this time of year. So matching the size of bait (in theory) should yeild more hits. So far so good.

 

[Dom Sheppard]

Dave that looks like a nice lure, where can i get one from?

 

[Dave Irving]

A good question Dom,
Sadly no one stocks them in the UK, you can order them from a couple of french mail order web sites, just google it " Smith Chinupen"
Can't wait to try it on the Mackerel and it should hold it's own for shallow clear water bassing later in the year as well.

 

[mike newman]

Well done Dave, you make me feel ashamed I opted for a couple extra hours kip this morning. I'll def be out this evening, and hopefully tomorrow morning too.
Mike

 

[Steve Lewis]

Well done Dave, enjoyed the report and it looks as if the fishing is starting to improve down your way !

 

[Pugs]

Beat me then, I went out over Shoreham way and May rot and stink everywhere. Not a sausage, spent more time travelling than actually fishing. My form last year is spiralling in to this season, loosing the will to fish!

 

[Keith White]

Great report and another example of showing that you don't need big lures to catch Bass.

 

[Alex Jordan]

Result Dave!
Keep em coming!

You do need to get up early doors - pain for me as I have to drive an hour plus to hit the marks!

 

[Dave Irving]

Pugs,
Don't get down Mate, Sussex isn't an as easy a place to catch a bass as it should be. Far too much commerical pressure on bass here.
I noted a few places last year that escaped the worst of the may rot, Most of them tend to be hit or miss, wind and swell direction seems to
control where and when the may rot is worst. Hopefully this hot sunny weather will help, by warming the sea and killing the rot off.
I still think the place we meet up last year is good bet, even now. Less rot further east.

Keith, not just that small lures "will" catch bass. Lets be honest, at times-ANYTHING will catch a bass.
But sometimes smaller lures will catch you bass, when larger lures will untouched.
Old trout fishing phrase applies to bass fishing to, " Match the hatch " If you can match the size, action and depth of the bait. Your in with a very good chance
of a bass. At the moment the bass in sussex seem to be on 2" baitfish (not worked out exactly which one) and also 4" mullet.
The larger bass seem to be holding in slightly deeper water, and Squid seem to high on their target list at the moment.
They will be inshore as soon as the May Rot dies off.

 

[Pugs]

As you say, got to try and get a meet up with forum members soon.

 

[Dave Irving]

Pugs,
Off down to Dorset next weekend over the bank holiday, but after that lets sort something out.
There are a few good guys around locally, so should be a good day.
Have you heard from Samfish at all??

 

[James Davis]

nice one dave for making a smart quick decision and not perservering with the first mark like I probably would have done for half an hour.

Nice fish too mate, you're going to have a good season me thinks!

 

[Izador]

well done for getting a couple.
The may rot is a serious pain, haven't even bothered having a go from the shore yet..
I still don't think the bass are here in big numbers, fished the last two days and had a fair few fish but still gunning between marks picking up the odd fish here and there, def not shoaled up and really having it yet.
Those smaller baitfish may well be sprats, still a lot of them around up this way..

 

[Dave Irving]

Beachalot,
Totally agree about the may rot being a pain. Hopefully not long to go till it clears up.
Plenty of bass "close" to shore, but seldom will they come onto the beach while the may rot is about-the bait stays in cleaner water, and they follow the bait.
Not sprats, too small, wrong shape and colour. Will try and catch a couple and make an i.d.
It is the bass hunting the 4" mullet that I am really interested in. Managed one of them the other day (3lb+) but happy to be catching so will scale lures accordingly, to the bait present.
Well done on managing to bag a few fish, get some pics and do a report. Helps everyone to know there are some bass around.

 

[kevin white]

nice to see your getting a few dave.

well done

kev

 

[Dave Irving]

Well had three more this morning, all very much schoolies (about a pound), A few larger bass were just starting to show further out. When two mullet anglers turned up and start chucking out huge balls of ground bait mix. Bye bye bass, almost instantly all feeding by the bass stopped. Oh well as much their mark as mine, so cut the session short. Back home coffee in hand, looks like it is going to be a beautiful day.

 

[Pugs]

Good luck in Dorset Dave. I agree will have to all get our heads together and have a decent go, what about our usual meetup haunts?

Samfish, I haven't heard a lot, think he to got to despondent after last years abysmal season (mostly due to the crap summer), did mention trying on the fly (i know a place well upstream that produces big Bass on the fly, they 'mull' around with TLM ;-)) but he said the effort aint worth it, so last i heard he was Piking around and going for Barbel.

Nice 1 on today.

 

[Tim Murphy]

Good Fishing Dave, it's starting to happen for you now!