Well the fishing is really rocking and rolling now with some great reports coming in. With the warmer weather of late, the fishing has been excellent. Bass have now become a staple with plenty of these hard fighting bars of silver showing at numerous marks along the channel.
If you’re a bass fishing addict, visit the shop for some therapy. We’re having fresh ragworm delivered 3 or 4 times a week at present and have a freezer full of frozen baits too. Crab, as expected, is thin on the ground with every shop around the country wanting them. They are coming in sporadically so best to call in advance to avoid disappointment.
On a bass fishing front we have been hearing of them being caught all over but most notably in the creeks and marginal water over mud flats. They are creatures of habit and whilst bass fishing can very quiet for long periods of time, when they do bump into your bait it can be frantic! Be prepared, ensure your drag is set correctly and never stray far from your rods. These fish will pull all your gear in to Davy jones locker if you aren’t ready.
As for tactics, this is very personal with some anglers preferring running ledger rigs and some more fixed lead setups. The same goes for hook choice and ways in which baits are presented. The main thing is to ensure that you have bass in front of you and to be prepared when they do come through. Most bass tend to feed more confidently on flooding tides when they come in to search for food that is exposed by the incoming tide. Crab play a big part in a bass diets in the upper reaches of the channel but don’t be surprised if you find shrimp, small flatfish or baitfish in their gut too. Whilst takeable bass need to be a minimum of 42cm’s in size, with a daily limit of no more than 3 per person, consider catch and release especially if you find yourself with a larger specimen or fish that looks like it may still be holding spawn. Not every bass that swims around in the channel at present has yet spawned.
If you plan to fish in clearer water for bass using lures, check out the new Savage Gear Sandeel V2 colours and sizes. They are looking on point and were getting some great feedback already. The old faithful FIISH Minnow patterns are also worth considering if you want to go soft plastic for that deadly natural movement. For surface lures, on a budget, check out the AXIA Vulcans which are available in a range of colours. Some great lures at fantastic prices, in store now.
Encouragingly we are now hearing a few reports of sole being caught, very early but a species worth considering targeting especially over the lulls in tide around high and low water periods. Last week we heard of a nice sized sole caught from the area near Portishead lake grounds as well as a report or two of fish from Brean/Berrow beaches. Anglers have also found a few in the upper channel both on the English and Welsh sides with a couple caught in our most recent Reel Fun Summer League match. Flunder being caught too. Ragworm is really the top bait for these fish and a flapper or clip down will normally do the job. Bait heavy but keep hook sizes relatively small, don’t miss that opportunity by masking hook points or using too big a hook if that early season opportunity arises.
We’ve not heard of hounds up this far quite yet but they will be around any-day now. They are already showing from some south wales marks and further down the channel around Minehead/Watchet etc. Don’t dismiss prawn as a bait if you cant get crab, it’s a worthy contender for catching hounds.
Rays are increasing in numbers now with some lovely specimens showing. No signs of blondes on this side but there have been reports of them in south wales. There are some quality thornbacks around though if you fancy fishing local. Try around the Weston/Clevedon area using fish based baits. We’ve some lovely large launce in a present a fantastic bait for ray fishing. Grab them whilst they are here!
Further south were hearing of a few macks starting to show. We’ve just replenished our feather selections along with some great value sabikis for launce. The old faithful daylite feathers are hard to beat, ask our team for advice if you fancy trying for some mackerel. Always remember to fish responsibly, look after your catch and only take what you need. This is a species that is under a lot of pressure and the days of seeing large numbers of mackerel shoals swimming close to shore are few and far between.
Plaice fishing has been patchy down south and it appears that spider crabs are now starting to frequent some of the prime plaice grounds. Try using a braided hook link to avoid bite offs from these feisty crustaceans.
On a freshwater angle, your commercial carp waters are warming up now and fish are beginning to feed hard. Try floaters or bread on the warmer brighter days where top water opportunities may be had. Zig rigs will be worth a try too, we’ve just taken delivery of the new Mainline Zig liquid a great addition for your hookbaits, check it out in store.
Tench fishing has been popular of late, smaller drilled pellet or a humble worm presented just off bottom often works well at this time of year. Keep feed going in to build numbers of fish in your swim. Check out the new range of Sensas ground baits and pellet in store. They represent great value for money.
As always, enjoy your fishing wherever you decide to fish. For all your tackle and bait needs, call us on 01275 848652 or visit us in store.
Tight lines!
The Reel Fun Fishing Team