Catching Bass In Calm Weather

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General

Game

Coarse

Sea

Tough it Out! Catch Bass Despite the Heatwave. Clear blue skies, flat calm seas and a scorching summer sun – not ideal conditions! But Steven Neely has some tips on how to increase your chances of bass on a lure.

Coverstory

Tackle

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t’s not often we are presented here in Ireland with 25degrees, blue skies and glassy seas. For the holidaymaker this may sound bliss, but for bass anglers it throws up a whole new set of challenges. On a recent trip we were faced with the very same conditions. The forecast had given bright, warm conditions and a light southwesterly breeze – not ideal but still promising. Waking up to find no wind and a sea like a millpond was somewhat worrying. It’s times like this when you wish you had the knowledge and experience of the local lads – failing that there are a few steps you can take to boost your chances. Lure length and profile Our standard bass plugs usually range from 110mm up to 140mm. These are often the staple on the open coast, however the larger profile and loud rattles make these too aggressive – we need to think about a more subtle approach. Downsizing the lures to between 60mm-100mm will make less disturbance and produce a more natural presentation. Bass become incredibly picky and selective in gin clear water, so presenting them with a smaller, less aggressive lure, increases your chances. As well as length, the profile of a lure will have an impact on how the bass react. A slimmer profile will replicate small baitfish such as sand eels and baby mullet. Lures such as the Tackle House Cruise Pencil, IMA SF 95 slim and the Megabass Cutter 90, are all perfect candidates for calm conditions. Small metals and jigs can also work well in these conditions, but the fast sink rate can limit where they can be fished.

shad in the Illex I Bass hits

Do not feel restricted to only using hard lures – soft plastics can provide a deadly alternative, especially if the bass are becoming shy and lethargic. As with the hard lures, do not be afraid to downsize in both length and profile. Try using slim, 3-4inch soft baits such as the Illex Ishad and Pintail, Megabass X-Layer and Lunker City Sluggo. I have found the 70mm and 90mm Fiiish Black Minnow to be particularly lethal in these scenarios – the lifelike appearance and action prove irresistible to a feeding bass. The versatility of soft plastics will allow you to search the water column for feeding fish. Rigged weightless, you can try sub-surface and mid-water. By using a jig head you can try bumping or hopping your lure along the bottom. Do not be rigid – try a variety of approaches to locate the fish. Clear water and bright skies may send the fish to the bottom so work the depths and increase your chances. Colour choices A somewhat controversial topic! Everyone will have their own particular favourites relating to their own marks and knowledge. Some anglers will stick to the well known theory of bright lure, bright day and dark lure, dark day, but recent experiences have me leaning towards the use of semi-transparent colours given such conditions. The lures I use tend to have a transparent underside and a pale green/blue or olive top. Some have a holographic foil or plate in the middle, which omits erratic flashes – this applies to both surface and sub-surface lures.

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‘Waking up to find no wind and a sea like a millpond was somewhat worrying.’

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64 Irish Angler August 2013

After a strong fight – a bass about to swim away.

August 2013 Irish Angler 65


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