So a bit delayed as have been somewhat pre-occupied with normal life(yep there is such a thing)but the real topic of the last week has been bass. As a few of the more competent anglers predicted the last 10 days have produced some fantastic catches, not only on the WEST wall area’s but also the lower section of the east.
Top bait? live prawns, live anything and even them mackerel 🙂 add to all of this and you have bass hitting lures in quite a frenzy.

The night fishing has been good for bass thats for sure but what about other species ?
Bream I’m told are on the increase, slower than id like tbh but we do still have may rot issues but with the last few days and wind pickups and a look infront for a few days at least there is going to be some disruptions to the west wall and when its open… or not as the case may be with a few southerlies pushing through.

Now some would see a few nights or possibly days shut down on the west a bad thing but a blow of any form is sorely needed to put the nail into the coffin of that yellowish “MAY ROT” Things finally look right to break it up and disperse it once and for all this year and then, oh yes, and then we should see the fishing pick right up on the species front but…. I will sound a warning.
Expect the mackerel to fade away. If my estimations are right we are still getting the flurries of what I suspect are the last of the mackerel that come up yearly from the bay of Biscay, ya know, them big fat ones from last year that many refer to as “harvester” mackerel.

I’m not claiming to be any sort of expert but some years back a stock report concluded that mackerel were moving further and further north to breed under the polar ice as sea temp averages rose/rise. This resulted in a slight change to migration patterns with the huge summer shoals taking a day or 3 longer to reach the south coast… Add this up on a yearly happening and over 15 years say an average of 2 days per year change we would be looking at 30 days change in due dates for the summer shoals.

Has it happened ?
I would say yes, where many remember shoals in the summer month of July/August we are now seeing them August/September with them slowing in October and with any decent weather hold often there are plenty of mackerel and gar about not in shoals but there for the catching into November. Indeed I have seen years were they have been caught in singles to bait every month of the year.

What does this mean other than mother nature having a stretch and a change in natural patterns ? Well (again my opinion) while bream, wrasse, gurnards plaice and the likes increase I expect mackerel to tail off as the month comes too an end and we drift into July and bait angling becomes the common thing with many who have come for mackerel simply staring at the water in a forlorn hope of seeing them.
This is when other anglers can do their good Samaritan bit. eh wtf you say ? well….
Do you remember when you started too go sea fishing?
Did you start like many with a new (or even a 2nd hand rod) rod a set or 2 of feathers and weights ?
When mackerel were in how good did it feel taking your 1’st pile of fish home ?
Now spare a thought to those that started angling this year or late last year, when things die(as Im sure they will) in July that is when the average “feather flinger” as some call them will need anglers help.
This is one reason why I bang on about chatting to the ppl in the next bay to yourself. So many will now be in need of a friendly anglers guidance. You will be able to spot them from the blank stares and tired arms wondering where the fish are while others around them bait fish for Bream, Wrasse, Gurnards, Rays, plaice, yep you get the picture.

So often the rush to catch mackerel in the spring comes to a crashing halt sometime in July and its a great time for anglers to come into their own. To teach, to chat and to simply show someone another way to fish, It can also be rewarding when someone that was simply seen as a fluff chucker is taught how to fish for other stuff. Ive seen the joy on “newbie’s faces as they realise there is more to fishing than mackerel…. when the time comes .. go on, give it a go and sow someone another way than just feathering :).

Now at this moment you are probably thinking whoa, where is the fishing report. Well its not been a great week, the species are there and a decent mullet or two has been caught, along with that there have been cuttlefish, a few bream as I said but things are a little lean. The quid run seemed to pass us by this year also thus I thing the winds we have coming in rapidly (prob shut fri pm) should go a long way to busting up the rot and the walls finally getting the wide range of fish we are used to seeing on the marina. … but.. for now the night fishing is eclipsing the daytimes although them bass on bay 1 east are getting a lot of attention 🙂
Thats it from me for now so will sign out with the familiar ADIEU
F