I finally have a fishing slot for myself between my guiding sessions, which have picked up after my short vacation. Although trout fishing was closing soon, last Tuesday I decided to check out the bass in the estuary.
Bars on the prowl everywhere
No sooner had I arrived at one of my favourite spots, still with my rod mounted and my fly tied, than the bass were hunting in the shrimps.
I see a wave moving forward, then some eddies and then some small shrimps jumping on the edge. I quickly get into action and send my crab upstream of the small group of 4/5 bass, all meshed and very active.
My crab dives to the bottom and one of the bass speeds up to engulf it. I see its mouth open and strike, but too soon! Missed! Oh dear. Too bad, it happens.
The day starts well with these hunts, but I have to relax to strike at the right moment. Excitement sometimes gets the better of me.
Thirty meters down, same scenario. I move slowly then cast again in front of a small group of fish quite identical to the previous one.
The crab falls into the water, drifts and is immediately intercepted by a new sea bass. Again, my hooking is too hasty and I miss this sea bass again! The light isn't ideal, and even though I can see the bass opening their mouths, I can't figure out if they're not taking well or if I'm really not in the right timing!
I'm a little angry, but I have a feeling it's going to be a good day and the bars are present and very active!
A little later, a nice dark sea bass is posted on a sandy-muddy bank in a small current. I cast my crab 2 meters upstream, and it descends on him in the right vein. The sea bass moves forward a little, but at this point the light changes and I'm against the light, so I strike by feel. The timing is right this time and off we go! Water spray, rush! Great! A nice, fat 55 cm that made me bend the carbon. These bass are among the most combative.
I always go down the spot I know by heart and come across a lunker, i.e. a very big sea bass! The crab falls a little close to him, as I don't have much clearance to be able to cast as I wish. He doesn't appreciate it and goes quietly into the deep end. Damn, great opportunity on a first big 70+ sea bass as they say.
Shortly afterwards, a group of 50 to 70 cm sea bass were wandering around behind some rocks. Not much room to throw at the biggest one, and what's more he's surrounded by smaller ones, but all of good size. I decide to cast not too far from him, but not on another's head. In the end, it's another 55 cm that will be the fastest and take my crab! And here's the second one dry. Too bad for the big one!
Another very pretty one wanders off on its own behind some large rocks that I know well. It's not easy to present the crab on this post from where you can stand. Nevertheless, I manage to do it. He's just "sniffed" my imitation, that is, stuck to it and observed or sniffed it, as they know how, and refused! Normal, it's often part of the game with this size of fish...
Then the wind picks up and visibility really isn't good. I decide to change estuary.
Adapting and changing spots
I park my car, and no sooner have I arrived than some sea bass are chasing me in small groups. I hurry a little, because they're moving fast, so I throw as best I can. First come, first served! And here's another pretty 55 cm sea bass that takes off in the current towards the oyster beds. You have to restrain it to prevent it from going back.
Then, 5 minutes later, another group. It's crazy, and it's not often you get this much activity. It never stops. Bars are everywhere!
I cast upstream of the group. One of them sees the crab sink to the bottom and rushes after it. Here we go again! I can hardly believe it, it's so unreal. No lunkers so far, but the action is really top-notch and the fish are in great shape and size!
Then I'd pick up another pretty sea bass that would come and hide under the rock at my feet. I had to attract them that day. I throw him the crab, which lands on a seaweed. Drag it along, and it pops up and snatches it! I had to restrain him as much as possible, as he was stuck to an oyster bed. There's no way he's not going to keep me company. The blank is curved, but the SALT HD still does its job. Another 50-55 cm fish. What a morning!
Prospecting and discovering new corners
The session continues and, given the intense activity, I decide to discover new areas I haven't been to yet.
On a well-marked spot that looks interesting on the way up, I position myself and wait a while. The first fish, bigger this time, swims past me and under a clump of seaweed. I send him my crab. He comes to see it and refuses. Then a smaller one arrives. It hides under another clump, but doesn't know I've seen it. I place my crab in front of the clump, in the direction of his head, wait a little, then make a little animation. He comes out and jumps on it! He must be around 45 cm, the smallest of the session. Not very big, but meshed, and this kind of action is always great fun.
I skirt several posts and prospect. Nothing for a while, apart from some small ones that I leave alone. Then I come across a really big one. It must be 80 cm long! By the time I cast, he's gone a bit fast and tucked his head in a clump. I throw the crab near its tail to try and force it to turn around, but it doesn't react. He disappears, and I decide to leave my fly if he ever wants to change his mind...
A few seconds later, a very pretty bar passes by in exactly the same spot. My crab is at the bottom. I wait for him to get close to it and animate him just as he reaches it to provoke him. He has no choice but to eat it! He's at the end of his rope. He goes straight under the seaweed from whence he came. Impossible to restrain him. It's going to be a tough fight, because in this kind of situation, he'll run straight into the seaweed. You have to keep calm and tear them apart to get the silk out. I've had to do this on several occasions, sometimes with the line super taut and the leader at the breaking point, but the YGK in 8 lbs is tough! A superb bass weighing over 2 kg in great shape! A real pleasure to catch, especially on a new spot.
I'll end the session with one last bar, at the far end of a cove. A throw near a clump, waiting for him to come and rummage. A little animation will decide it without any hesitation. A fish still meshed and fighting.
A fishing trip I won't soon forget, as it's my record. 8 bass on sight, 2 misses, and a few big bass refusals, it's not every day! These situations are rare in a single day, and you have to make the most of them. The tide is full, and I leave it at that. With just one thought in mind, I'd like to go back and find new spots in these very interesting estuary sectors.
