[James Davis]

Apologies to all of those who have seen the above named programme, its just that I haven't so it was quite an insight for me

The host caught a schoolie (his first ever bass and I think he's a scientist, not a fisherman) from the shore. He then went out on a boat in the channel islands with a bloke called Roger and another called Mel. The caught some sandeels for bait and then went for some bass off the bottom. This blokes first fish was a 7lber! What a lucky rotter.

The 3 points that stuck out for me were:

1. Bass can swim 15 yards per second
2. Bass are almost at the top of their particular food cycle as their only real threat are sharks
3. There's an aquarium in Hastings where you can watch our sw bass (big bass) swim! :wackit: :wackit: :wackit:

After that was another predator programme where he went out with Matt Hayes for Zander on the plugs. He didn't quite get the hang of working the plugs even after Matt Hayes told him what to do. Still caught what looked like 6-8lber though during daylight hours in coloured water... Beautiful looking fish.

 

[Vidar Thomassen]

After that was another predator programme where he went out with Matt Hayes for Zander on the plugs. He didn't quite get the hang of working the plugs even after Matt Hayes told him what to do. Still caught what looked like 6-8lber though during daylight hours in coloured water... Beautiful looking fish.

I have fished that particular stretch of Severn (between Upton and Tewkesbury) many times for Zander and besides Grafham and parts of the Fens it is one of the most productive spot for big zander in the country. Lure caught fish to well over 15Ib has come out from that stretch of river.

 

[Keith White]

1. Bass can swim 15 yards per second

That is nearly 27 knots ?
31 mph ?

I don't think so.

Maybe burst speed, for a split second but sustained...
no chance.

Where or how did they measure that.

I might be wrong but I want to be convinced first.

 

[Dave Irving]

Keith,
Burst speed over a dozen or so body lengths. Wish it was cruising speed :jump:

 

[Gary A]

Maybe it was one of those american greyhound basses, they go pretty quick :badlol:

As regards bass being eaten, I believe dolphins take their fair share as well.

Gary

 

[Tim Griffin]

Yep - seen that show. The presenter is a bit of a wally, but I'll watch most fishing on TV! Also seen the big bass at several of the Sea Life Centres including Hastings (well you have to take the kids as part of the education don't you?!). I can believe that speed quote for bass although as Tunny states only for bursts. A couple of times last year when fishing in clear water I saw bass dart up behind my lure before veering off. They were so fast they were almost a blur - like a grey ghost - and you almost had to ask yourself whether you had imagined it or not.
One example - I was fishing a small pencil popper at range and after a couple of pops I realised the line had fouled the front treble. As a result I cranked the lure in as quickly as I could wind the reel handle (Shimano Exage 4000) as I knew it wasn't fishing properly. As a result the lure came back just sub-surface, swerving and porpoising slightly. As the lure came over a rock at my feet, a good size bass came roaring up to the lure and changed it's mind as it saw me (max 2 feet of water). It was heart stopping as it was so close and a bigger bass than I have ever landed. Point being, the bass easily overhauled the lure that was being retrieved as fast as possible rather than actually fished.
Possible Conclusion for discussion: no matter how fast a lure is retrieved a bass can always catch it if wants to?

 

[Nick Phillips]

There is a place on Anglesy that you can watch Bass swimming around,I think its the sea zoo.
We go several times a year as my son loves watching fish.
You can also see 'Seahorses'.

 

[James Davis]

1. Bass can swim 15 yards per second

That is nearly 27 knots ?
31 mph ?

I don't think so.

Maybe burst speed, for a split second but sustained...
no chance.

Where or how did they measure that.

I might be wrong but I want to be convinced first.

I would 99.9% imagine he was not referring to sustained speed. That would be unbelieveable. Must be 15 yards per split second on the attack, Keith, or as it darts away after stunning a bait fish? Your post made me think "did he say feet?" but then I remembered that because I am such a sad bugger that I made a mental note of yards, as in the old 100 yard dash, because I wanted to post about it today.

 

[Dicky Smith]

As regards bass being eaten, I believe dolphins take their fair share as well.

Gary

The seals around here certainly have an appetite for bass. :wink:

 

[Ben Field]

As does the infamous CFish that hunts Cornish waters!! :muhu:

 

[James Davis]

Well I think its fair to say in that case that the scientist and the bloke who's boat it was didn't really know that much about bass then!

 

[bob jameson]

Bassorama ...james

The guy you are talking about is called Kevin Green !!!! the channel island trip was to Alderney , He was fishing with probably one of the best

Skippers in the uk Roger Bayzand ( now retired ) Australia........ The other guy is Mel Russ editor of the Sea angler mag ...

Agreed some of what was said takes some believing Bass on speed :laserswords:

 

[Retired]

Possible Conclusion for discussion: no matter how fast a lure is retrieved a bass can always catch it if wants to?

Yes Tim. No doubt in my mind at all, especially if they are within 10 metres or so.

Underwater you can watch bass and when they decide to disappear quickly (usually once they take fright from working out that the weird thing in neoprene is a threat) they go with an audible bang and you can't see them go. There one minute, just gone the next. They are able to move that quickly out of the range visible underwater, sometimes (but rarely in these parts unfortunately) over 10 metres....

I doubt that they can do that for a sustained burst, or that they can do it against a firm drag.

 

[Andy Welch]

Bassorama ...james

The guy you are talking about is called Kevin Green !!!! the channel island trip was to Alderney , He was fishing with probably one of the best

Skippers in the uk Roger Bayzand ( now retired ) Australia........ The other guy is Mel Russ editor of the Sea angler mag ...

Agreed some of what was said takes some believing Bass on speed :laserswords:

Got to agree with you there bob, been out on sundance with Roger on a number of occassions he is a first class skipper..

 

[Tim Griffin]

Paul, I've only seen that turn of speed from bass when they have chased (and then declined) a lure, but it is electrifying when you do see it. You wonder how often it happens when you can't see it?

I only fished once on Sundance with Roger Bayzand just before he retired. Not the cheapest day I've had on a charter but boy did he know his stuff. We had a good haul of pollack in less than ideal conditions. His reputation is well deserved in my exerience.

 

[bob jameson]

Tim .
As you say , and i agree with paul the speed a bass generates is something too see .
A trip out last year on our boat mick myself & a guy called dangermouse ( WSF) days ..we were fishing a long drift passing several uncovering reefs , heads
Mick made a cast , then myself , on splash down of the lures , bang fish on for mick a tidy bass by the look ... so here it is the third member of the party is
not in the water so we make a call for him to get the net ready !!!!!
What does he do ?? casts his lure , now three in water one good fish coming to the boat !!!!!!!!!
So i said to mick play the fish, i`ll reel in so cranking like a thing posesest ( spelling ) 145 sld tide minnow , within yds of the boat smash bass on two fish
Both over the 5lb mark ..The look on the other guys face was a picture ,,

 

[James Davis]

Bassorama ...james

The guy you are talking about is called Kevin Green !!!! the channel island trip was to Alderney , He was fishing with probably one of the best

Skippers in the uk Roger Bayzand ( now retired ) Australia........ The other guy is Mel Russ editor of the Sea angler mag ...

Agreed some of what was said takes some believing Bass on speed :laserswords:

Doh!

Bassorama

:stupid:

In my somewhat limited defence, it was Roger who said that bass are at the top of the food chain as its only really sharks that eat them. I know now he was generalising and of course he must have known seals etc go for them.

It was the scientist who remarked that some bass can reach warp factor 4!