Silver Bars From Heaven
Hythe, Kent. UK
Well it should be winter and the Cod season should be in full swing, but it isn't. With a long warm summer, the sea temp is still very warm, and of coarse the wind direction is completely coming from the wrong direction, all though this wouldn't stop me from at least trying. My rigs are ready, reels serviced, batteries all replaced, new line, and with 60 finest Dungeness Black Lugworm and a box of Squid, I made my way to my intended mark, looking out to sea the surf was awesome, with a ferocious side wind of 35mph gales, this was gonna be a tough little fish I thought, I phoned a friend who was possibly coming fishing, and found out he was all ready fishing at Hythe, Mackerel were bubbling in the sea, he and his friend were catch Mackerel with feathers and using them as live bait and getting bites from big Bass, well what could I say, I looked out at the mean sea at Dungeness and thought, a more sheltered fish where I had company and fish were showing now! It was a no brainer, especially combined with the fact I really wasn't confident of catching a early Cod. I set off with speed and great expectations to Hythe.
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| Perfectly presented whole squid on 6/0 pennel |
As I arrived at Hythe, my friends had both caught a Bass each of around the 4lb mark, unfortunately they had lost a fair few too, but things looked promising and the Mackerel were still along the shore line, obviously being corralled against the beach by the Bass and giving their location away by the diving seagulls hitting the sea. Dam I didn't have feathers, why would I? I was going Cod fishing! Alas, I set up my rods one with 1 single large Black Lugworm, and the other with a whole Squid, both on 6/0 pennel pulley rigs. both cast out at 10 and 20 yards, I sat and waited. I had 1 bite within 10 mins, but I missed it, the Mackerel shoal seemed to dissipate all though a few brief show in front of me gave me hope, All was quiet, then the joyous screaming from my friend Warren, I knew something was up, so I ran over to see him just land a monster Bass, and the biggest Bass I'd ever seen, A new PB for him at 9lb 8oz, a beast of a fish, I was made up for him, so happy, that's what I love about fishing is it doesn't matter who catches what, I like the banter but I've never been jealous, it's the joy it brings to other people, that make me happy too.
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| First Bass of the night |
The next hour was quiet, apart from the odd Whiting I dragged in. A very happy Warren had not surprisingly decided to call it a night. All though it had gone quiet, I decided as I had bait and time, I was out for the night, I prepared for the night, and decided to revert back to try for a Cod, big Lugworm and Squid baits to be fished at range. The Lugworm seemed to attract Whiting and Pouting one after the other, whilst the whole squid bait seemed to be left alone, I soon got fed up of the pesky Whitings, and both rods were now baited with whole Squid, one at range and one close in, because as low water come and past the wind picked up dramatically giving rise to similar surf I saw earlier at Dungeness, I sat there thinking this now looks like perfect Bass fishing, and I sat quietly confident. It wasn't long before I had landed 2 Bass, one from far out, and one from close in, they were both around the 2lb mark, but even still, I had a feeling I would either get a Cod, or a Bigger Bass and maybe even a Ray.
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| Gonna need a bigger tape measure |
I wasn't disappointed, the rod at range had a few sharp pull downs, then a classic slack line, I reeled in to take the slack, and immediately the fish on the end was pulling back hard, I was using my 7oz big bait casting rods, and not the most refined fish rods, but I knew that the fish was pulling very hard to put a bend in the rod. I first though a big Cod, the fight was pretty short lived with the end tackle I was using, as I dragged the fish out the water up the shingle, I had to look twice maybe 3 times?!? first I thought it was a plastic bag, then I though a strange shaped fish, as I focused and worked out what it was, I realised I was just looking at a very big round fishes head straight on, with it's mouth opening and closing, the reflections of the scales and darkness inside the mouth was quite distracting. I literally threw my rod down, and run over to the fish and then I realised what it was, the excitement took over, I grabbed the fish, it was a monster of a Bass, definitely the biggest I'd ever had caught, a new PB for sure, I weighted and measured the fish, it came in at 72cm long and 9lb 8oz. It was immaculate, a pure beast of a predator, a perfect silver bar, I struggled taking selfies with the fish, and I wish there was someone to take my trophy photo of the fish, but after working out my phone didn't have a timer mode, I made my way to the water and released him without a second thought.
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9lb 8oz Bass, a 72cm bar of silver, beautiful!
Wow, what a fish!, I was in shock, and my heart was still pounding, I laid my back on the beach, in the now howling wind, I looked up to the stars, and I believe I spoke to and thanked my god. What a night, I had seen 2 of the biggest Bass I'd ever seen, and had caught maybe a fish of a lifetime! I had no intention of continuing fishing, yes I may have caught more, but I didn't care, I didn't fish, I didn't even go home, I just sat on the beach with my tackle in a total mess around me, my 2 rods laying badly on the shingle like matches throw down, without a care in the world, savouring the moment for as long as I could.
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