28th November - Bassing with Stuart and Michael

Stuart with 3lb Surf bass

Stuart and his cousin Michael came and collected me, for an afternoon/evening in pursuit of Winter spikies. The numbers of bass around are starting to thin out, but it seems to me that its mostly the smaller ones that are off doing other things at the moment. The number of takes generally has dropped, but when that rod does go, its likely to be a better fish. And so it was to prove at our first venue. The only take between three rods, to slipper limpets, and this fine 3lb fish for Stuart.

As the water increased in depth, so fine chestnut weed that is haunting our coastline since the huge gale a week ago forced us off, and on to the next mark. With a strong wind, and big swells, the open beach was out of the question. But I had a spot in mind that would allow us to fish back up the beach, behind the swells, in a place where slippers collect on a westerly wind.

Hard going, I had the first bite, and landed a small schoolie. Stuart had the second bite, and hit into a splending fish. It gave a good account of it in the big seas, but Stuart has some good experience under his belt of battling spikey ones, and made a good job of getting it into position for handlining. With supercharged waves roaring along, deployment of the dropnet, or beaching the fish, were out of the question. I leant over to see a 5-6lb fish, head up. I also spotted a roaring wave heading straight for it. And brutally, Stuart had tightened his drag to get more control at this late stage. The wave grabbed the fish, the rod doubled over, and the line snapped. All in slow motion. And that was the final take of the day. As the tide turned, the swells got even nastier, and the chances of landing any fish dissapeared.