Bumping plastics for Bass

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Bumping Plastics for Bass As the season pushes on, Steven Neely continues his search for bass on the south coast. This month he explores the use of soft plastics in our estuaries and back bays.

O

n a recent bass trip I found myself standing up to my waist in water, surrounded by a few friends and waiting for that unmissable smash of a bass when it dawned on me – despite its renowned open coast fishing, Ireland offers some of the best estuary and bay fishing in Europe. These places are not only a last resort for when the weather kicks up, they are legitimate marks in their own right. Standard plugging methods will work, but a change in tactics may well produce that silver wolf that makes the season.

‘The Black Minnow has a seductive rolling action which the fish simply cannot resist.’

62 Irish Angler October 2013

Current and moving water There are a few key factors to take into consideration when fishing these estuaries and back bays. Bass love moving water. Not only do they use it to move around but it provides the ideal spot for foraging for food. Tide rips, channels and outflows all generate suitable movement in the water which the bass will take full advantage of. Once you have located moving water it’s time to analyse what

features are present on the bottom. Like all predatory fish, bass like structure. Boulders, weed, sand gullies and holes all become likely ambush spots for a hungry bass to lie in wait. Remember big bass are relatively lazy. They like an easy meal – using structure and current to their advantage. As with all types of saltwater fishing, the tide plays a pivotal role in where fish are and when they feed. Moon phases influence the tidal height variants and in turn have a large bearing on the strength of the current – with spring tides providing the strongest flow. Determining the strength and direction of the tide and current will enable you to select a lure suitable for the task. Lure choice Once you have found moving water the next task is selecting a lure which can be presented in a natural manner to the fish. Presentation is key in these scenarios. Before choosing a lure, think about what the bass may be feeding on. Maybe they are chasing shoals of sand

October 2013 Irish Angler 63


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