Back on the bass trail with my old city boss Tony, and his friend and colleague Phil. I explained that the fishing had been a bit patchy, locally, and that, as they were coming all the way down from Bedford and Essex, I would take them to a spot I dont normally guide on, out of deference to locals not wanting the mark blown. Its a special spot, a few miles east of Brighton, that has a knack of throwing up big fish on new moon springs, especially in calm and settled seas. Its a fairly inaccesible spot, with a heavy walk of half an hour involved, so a real leads in pockets, no shelters or seats, and off you go. We made it out there without issue, and began the task of securing a spikey. We all had a few tugs, but I was writing that off to pouting, one of the few other species that comes up the shingle here. After three hours, and with no fish taken, we were back on the long walk to the car. On the way back, I spotted a fish splash above a bridge. We killed our lights, and crept up to the bridge, where three or four bass in the 2-3lb mark were intercepting food items swept down by the swiftly moving tide. Having stripped everything down to the minimum, I wasnt even carrying a single shallow dive plug, for just such emergencies. We couldnt not have a go though. Cuting some long slim lashes off the mackerel I was still carrying, we attempted to freeline mackerel strips down onto the waiting fish. Second run down I had one come across and intercept my bait, but as is so often the case when visual fishing for any fish, I got overexcited, struck and pulled the bait clean from its mouth. Our clumsy efforts were too much for the wary fish, and with the water rapidly dropping away, they dissapeared with it, and we returned home fishless.
However, there is a footnote. A friend of mine, Simon, went to the same spot the following night. He too experienced tugs and pulls, but instead of writing them off to Pouting, he changed tactic to freeline, to see if this could get a better response. End result, a new personal best of over 11lb. Well done Simon, for reacting to the situation, and getting a most excellent response.