[Simon L]

Ok, so as someone getting more & more into lure fishing . . . . some questions, thoughts . . .

When going bait fishing, im just as happy fishing a clean beach, a rock mark, or an estuary. I'd tailor my gear accordingly, and my bait, & would fancy my chances pretty-much equally (assuming that i've followed some basic principles around tides, conditions, etc...).

But, when heading out with Lures, i head for rock marks 99% of the time. I just wouldnt fancy my chances as much anywhere else.

So . . . . . . are rock marks the most productive areas for lure fishing? Can beaches & estuaries be 'as' productive, therefore opening up a vast selection of marks that i would currently not consider productive lure marks?

 

[Keith White]

So . . . . . . are rock marks the most productive areas for lure fishing?

I reckon ANY structure that stands out is worth fishing, and some structure's not readily visible can hold Bass in good numbers.

I like fast water currents, rocks or no rocks, rips, constrictions etc. Sure, rocks give the perception of being great but, behind every
rock lies a Bass ?

I don't think so.

 

[Dave Irving]

For me, be it beach, rocks or reef. There is one thing I look for - BAIT.
If the there plenty of bait (fish, shrimp, crab whatever) the bass won't be far away. A beach that Saltiga and I have fished several times this year, is a pretty clean sand/shingle beach. And yet it turns up several double figure bass (not to me sadly) every year. If there is a good food source available, the bass will use it until forced to find a new food source.
Open beaches do take more reading/casting/time to suss than rock marks. Also those beaches are forever changing due to storms/tidal drift etc. One way to think of it, is like this. If everyone is fishing the rocks around a bay, but the beach never gets fished. I wonder what size fish have had a chance to grow in that lack of fishing pressure. Like I said, there HAS to be bait, and concider anywhere that has 8"+ inches of water to be potential holding water. Oh and if you find a biggy, remember you will have a much better chance of landing it from the beach, rather than the rocks.

 

[Darren Edwards]

most of my fish have come from my surf beach this year.the sand is full of huge black and blow lug and have many bass on bait in the past.so one day went exploring a reef to the right with my boy.it was chocker with gobies,butterfish,shrimp and crab etc so started plugging it with amazing results.the size of the fish are much bigger caught on the plug than the bait caught fish which is interesting.i also find that the shoal work the reef at different zones at certain times of the flood and hang around an area before leaving.lookin at the reef it looks lifeless,very barran,no kelp etc just rocks of all sizes,pebbles and finer shingle but boy does it hold bass,cheers daz

 

[Mike Kennard]

An interesting post. Out of the original choices I would say I fish the rocks the least and the estuary the most. Just what I am used to.
I fish the estuary on all states of the tide but have found a dropping tide to be best. The estuary I fish has wide open mudflats which as the tide drop gradually drain into a narrower channel. This channel funnels anything into it. They either end up in the channel of high and dry. The trick seems to be to try and time when the fish are dropping back into the channel and I believe the bass ambush any baitfish doing the same.
On the beach as Tunny said, we are dependant on finding the baitfish. This year we had good size shoals of baitfish being herded by small bass. Unfortunately finding them was a lot easier than catching them. The baitfish we so small that trying to imitate them was difficult. The other problem was the fact the bass were constantly herding and chasing the baitfish. So one minute you had baitfish and bass in front of you, then they would disappear, only to reappear a 100M down the beach five minues later!
All good fun though. It just takes a bit of working out.....

 

[Nigel Gullon]

An interesting post. Out of the original choices I would say I fish the rocks the least and the estuary the most. Just what I am used to.
I fish the estuary on all states of the tide but have found a dropping tide to be best.

Definately true this statement. Fishing the ebb works best in the estuary I fish.
First of the flood is good in the estuary mouth as the fish push over the bar and then I usually go home and arrive back on first of the ebb at a mark that has structure. They seem to lie up here and pick off baitfish just off the main current.
I love fishing estuaries for bass on the plug, it can be very productive. :jump:
Cheers Nigel

 

[Simon L]

I really havent explored the possibilities of estuaries with plugs yet. There are plenty to try in this neck of the woods too !! Another item to put high in the list for Spring !!!

 

[trev]

one of the places i am going to give a good go next year is the conwy estuary,the only thing is that it carries alot of colour even in calm weather, especially on the ebb,so what lures would work best in coloured water? suface with alot of splashing? shallow divers? soft plastics? It gets upto a terrific speed as well but there are lots of bottle necks and bars etc.Plenty of bass come out to bait including doubles so they are there.Just have to experiment and work it out i guess !!!