Double Bass Is Music To My Ears
Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth, Dorset. UK
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| Beautiful View, Preston Beach |
A long weekend trip to Weymouth, and an opportunity to fish the famous Chesil Beach, but just like most my plans, they get twisted and changed, and this was no exception. I had done a quick recce of Several fishing marks including Chesil Beach, some rock marks off Portland and the North and South harbour walls in Weymouth where I watched 4 anglers try their best to catch something else other than a crab, and due to recent weather and winds, I had come to the conclusion that Portland and even more disappointingly Chesil Beach were practically unfishable due to the gigantic waves and ferocious swell which was littering the beaches with 1000's of unopened but waterlogged cigarettes, dog food and even fetter cheese, which were obviously the consequence of the recent storms or flooding claiming someones cargo. Having come to terms with the fact Chesil was off limits at least for the time being, it was time to get some advise and local knowledge, I went to Weymouth Angling Center, where luckily and almost to my disbelief I was advised to fish for Bass from Preston Beach about a 1 minute walk from my hotel door.
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| Benny The Blenny |
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I arrived at my mark at 3pm with the intention of fishing till dusk which coincided with high tide, armed with my 14' Vercelli Spyra Fiamma coupled with a Shimano Ultegra 10000 XBS loaded with 15lb mono, 15lb to 50lb tapered leaders and a simple running ledger with a plain 4oz lead and a single 1/0 Mustard Big Gun hook on a 1 meter 10lb flowing snod. I had almost kicked myself after leaving the tackle store as I had taken frozen Peeler crab even though I was told they had live ones, remembering the unsuccessful Smooth hound sessions that I had in the past with poor quality washed out frozen peeler crabs, but these frozen peeler were top quality, once defrosted they were still juicy, orange in colour and even come ready peeled! they even restored my faith in frozen baits, well a little, I'll still try to avoid frozen baits if I can.
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| Biggest Bass Of The Day |
Baited up with a whole peeler crab wrapped with bait elastic holding it into position on the shank of the hook, I cast out about 40 yards into the sea, a bit further than I would have done for Bass, but I knew from a earlier visit at low water this was a clear patch of sand and small rocks and would give be the best chance of not snagging on the larger weedy rocks and boulders which surrounded it. After a few little taps and knocks keeping me focused on the rod tip, it slammed down hard and then started to bounced violently, a classic Bass bite, I gently struck, and immediately could feel the knocking of what was on the end, my first cast had resulted in a beautiful little school Bass of about a pound. I rebaited and recast to the same spot, no longer than 5 mins waiting and the rod slammed down hard again, followed by a big wobble, I struck, and attempted to reel in, but a loop of line had gone under the spool, as quick as I could, I pulled line off the spool and untangled it from the shaft of the reel. I took up the slack and lifted the the rod putting a curve back into it, and luckily the fish was still on, it was another Bass, this one was bigger at 2lb 4oz and a new personal best for me.
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| Big Balls For A Tiny Pollock |
The rest of the session was quite, the Bass had disappeared, only leaving the crabs to pick the bait off the hook sending tiny tell tale vibrations up the line to the rod tip, whilst moving my bait with each cast trying to locate some fish I managed to foul hook a tiny Blenny, not quite what I was after but something different and a very pretty little fish. After no joy fishing close in just managing to not lose any tackle to the rocks, I was down to my last Peeler crab, I had decided to cast this as far as I could. As soon as I settled the rod in the stand the rod tip rattled, tiny little rattles, I wasn't sure if this was the current, and was reluctant to reel in as it was my last cast. My rod tip had now been intermittently rattling away for 10 minutes, I was now sure it was a fish but it had to be very small, I reeled in, I couldn't feel anything fighting on the end, but I wasn't surprised to see a small silver fish wriggling away on the end of the big hook as I swung the rig towards me, I thought the fish was a familiar Whiting, but upon closer inspection and under shot lower jaw of the fish, I then realised that this was in fact a tiny Pollock, and a 3rd new species this session taking this years tally up to 10.
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| Asian Cigs Washed up At Chesil |
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This had been a lovely little session, fishing a unknown location and not only managing some fish, the view over to Weymouth with Portland in the distance during the sunset was breath taking. And whilst the rod stood still my attention diverted to scanning the beach for hidden fossils amongst some of the most beautiful stones and rocks that I have ever seen which make up the Jurassic coast of South England. The weather had been extreamly changeable, from sunny with blue sky to overcast and rain within minutes of each other, whilst the clouds raced across the sky in the strong off shore winds, and for once and a welcome change, I was sheltered behind some cliffs, over which a kestrel was hunting, Sarah managed to
get some magnificent video footage of it hovering watching the ground
for prey to attack. I did get to visit Chesil a few days later and have a few casts, but even though the wind had gone, the swell and waves were still rough, and even as far as I could cast and with the stand on the high water ridge, I could not get past the violent surf, which threw the heaviest 6oz breakaway leads and my continental beach caster which I had bought with me around like rag dolls. Which left me returning to Preston beach where I caught one of the biggest 3 Bearded Rockling I've ever seen at 14oz. But one day I'm sure I'll return to fish Chesil, but better equiped and with a bit of luck the weather will be on my side.
