[Keith White]

Jeez, what a weekend.

Inbetween finalising my boys adoption (this fri should be it :mrgreen: ) I've been out eging, LRF'ing, Bait fishing, Plugging etc in short targeted trips at all hours when really, I should have been sleeping etc...

In general, the fishing has been pretty awful with a few bright sparks in amongst the smouldering fire.

Eging:

Cuttles have dissipated, to the point of making it hard. However, Naory is still bringing them to the net at optimum times. Either....
The storm (s) have sent them running for cover or, the spawning is over and they are starting to back out naturally.

LRF:

Scad, Pollack, Snipe...

Scad ? not had too many. Pollack ? coming back and starting to pick up fish to 2lb again. Snipe ? Everywhere in known spots. Had loads the last day or so to small metals and small soft paddles (quick retrieves).

Bait:

Took a decent Bass mid storm in a fast gutter run. The gutters have held up in these storms (how ?) and 1 fish in a 45 minute session to a freelined hard crab. Fish just over 6lb. In 2ft of water, just a little foam superglued to its shell and fished just like a SP.

Plugging:

Fished a mark I know fires in N N/E winds for 3 hours. No cuttles and no Bass. Water conditions were 'good'. They just either weren't there or, I had it wrong.

If this weather backs off then hopefully, this weeks 39ft tides will clear away all the rubbish (runs are full of weed etc as the tides are building) and we can start to hit the better Bass runs over this New Moon Phase.

I'm still thinking that based on the years pattern, late Oct--Nov will see the better catches IF the weather allows for it.

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Can't fault your enthusiasm Keith! Very intuitive with the Crab!!!

 

[Simon L]

It's a long way away from my 'weekend only' fishing excursions . . . . must move closer to the sea . .. must move closer to the sea . . . must move closer to the sea . . . . :rollineyes:

 

[Mark Sleep]

You've been a busy man. My fishing this week has consisted of looking at the windswept weedy gutters and not fishing them. I cannot believe the amount of hardbacks that potter round the gullies when you're wading though. Some big ones as well. Vicious blighters.

 

[Ritchie Campion]

went lrfing last night, 4lb line and a solid tip carbo-star and had one bass and my mate Pete had a decent mullet. If you used a gulp crab would that work? or is it scent more than presentation?

 

[Keith White]

You've been a busy man. My fishing this week has consisted of looking at the windswept weedy gutters and not fishing them. I cannot believe the amount of hardbacks that potter round the gullies when you're wading though. Some big ones as well. Vicious blighters.

Yes Mark.

Hence the desire to add some buoyancy to a few and letting them come through the wind and storm swept waters like one might caught out naturally. I just add a very small section of foam from a decoy hook box or some fly popper foam. I use superglue gel, try to dry the back of the crab towards one corner, usually the back left or right. Add a small section of this stuff and it stops the crab easily grabbing the bottom. Sometimes, you can actually hook the foam but, I find it better to hair rig with a larks head knot around a back leg. If the crab survives a few run throughs, the foam might have come off as wet and superglue often doesn't last long. Just let whatever crabs you have go after a session. Finding new ones is EASY this time of year. Bass don't check for peelers in fast gutters, they just inhale and crunch. Normally viscous takes. Great method for checking gutter pathways and how fish run, as is freelined sandeel on ebb tides.

Secret weapon is a huge chunk of *u****** *e**

LOL It works great.

Ritchie:

Gulp crabs work fine. Use ones from the pot, not the bag. I think it is profile recognition and it IS what they are looking for after all, especially on incomers.