Been in the water a few times since the last report. Tides are getting smaller this week culminating in 25ft neaps. Next week see's the return of BIG springs and hopefully fish too. The SE is pretty deviod of life by daytime from a shore anglers perspective and yet, by night, choose the right area and fish are present. They must be running in from some considerable distance to make those chosen gutters but they are doing it even on these small tides.

There seems to be an influx of Cuttlefish again in some of the Southern and South Easterly runs and these are around 1 -- 1.5 kilo. They are coming in mid water searching for suspended baitfish like Bass and Pollack would. This might be a clue as to why some supposed hookups on fish have ended in quick losses. Cuttles are notorious for hitting lures at night in the gutters.

Anyway, a few articles ago I promised I'd talk about a new theory I have. Actually, this might be a long article as I have 2 or 3 things I want to discuss.

First up, lets look at a few lures I've been using West of the Island to find Wrasse and Bass on the Skish in very rocky, weedy area's like were shown in the previous article.

DOA 4.5" fluke tail jerk on a 7g 1/0 with a brush guard.

I'm using these mostly in area's where the fish are bold biters amongst thick surface cover. The weight of the jighead might go as high as 12g, the lure is around 7g so we are working with nearly 1/2 oz sometimes. Even then, you might not break through the dense surface cover over the low slack periods when the weed thongs fold over creating a slick area in the water. It's also very difficult to feel bottom contact as your line isn't generally in a direct line back to the rod tip. It is interrupted by the weed and sometimes, you get a steep angle between weed and lure and a shallow angle between weed and rod tip. This means contact with your lure can be poor so...., don't overcast. Keep the casts short and the rod top high to give a more direct to the jig and lure angle.

Here is a lure I've kept a secret until now. I was given this lure to field test by the OSP distributers in the UK ( Plus-Fishing ). It's called a DoLive Stick as seen here in this video....

It is a very good lure and I've caught numerous Bass on mine and a few nice Wrasse have managed to EAT the supply I did have. It will be one I will personally replace. I don't do this with all test lures but this is one I will purchase in a  few colours for my Autumn Bass work when the Bass want a little more action than a Senko gives. I use them as the water slows a little and I shake the lure gently as it passed perpendicular to my position. However: They work great rigged wacky and shake whilst drifting through weightless too.

They have a great tail action that drives Wrasse mad without spooking them as sometimes happens with other tail actions but we'll discuss that later in the article.

They have a line on the top and underside of the lure which helps to rig them straight (essential to help to lure function properly)

There is that throbbing tail that has a bit of mass. It sends out the right signals without being too much 'In your face'.

Another lure I've had big success with in very weeded area's either rigged 'Stoopid' or on Straight Shanked and pegged rigs. They are heavy enough to cast a long way without any assistance from added weight. These are of course, Gary Yamamoto IKA's and are a very similar composition plastic to the humble Senko which I have come to love so much.

Again, been using these a while and, until I really started needing to work really thick and dense cover I had mixed results with these Tube Baits. Again from Gary Yamamoto but as with Senko's, loads of tubes are available from a myriad of manufacturers. The Decoy Bachi Head loved by blog and article writers when discussing Xlayer rigging was never designed to rig slug style lures. They are in fact 'Tube Skirt' jigs designed to slide inside Tube Lures like shown here. They rig inside the tube and some tubes that I'm testing have appendages like arms which then aid to rig the hook totally weedless. I'll blog those at a later date.

DOA CAL Jerk Shad (Fluke Tailed in 4 and 5.5") are proving to be superb weedless or rigged on a head for both Bass and Rockfish. Very dense lures with a long life (they take rigging a re-rigging very well indeed). We get our D.O.A supplies from Allan at AGM. if he has them in stock which at time of writing, he does. They are popular though so try a pkt or 2 you might be surprised. They display very little action but, what you think is great action often is too much for the fish...

Don't, really don't ignore the use of real crankbaits. I'll be doing a feature on the types available and how we use them in certain area's but Bass, Wrasse (love em), Triggers and even Bream nail em.

A nice neat little mouthfull for any BIG Wrasse or Bass. These crankbaits with the steep squarer lip have wide rolling actions but you can work them in weedy and very shallow area's due to their design and the way the wide bodied roll protects the hook points.

A deeper diving version that you hammer into the rock structure and then let it float back up to the surface. If it makes it that far LOL

So, now we come to a theory that has much foundation and proof whilst freediving and/or spearfishing. Diving shows you things happening underwater that leave you seriously guessing staying dry and above the waves. You'll note I keep making reference in articles to 'too much action', 'the wrong tail', 'too noisy', 'too bright'...Why ?

Agressive behaviour gets you nowhere underwater. Fish ? What fish ? You'll likely see none even if there hundreds around. Most people fish plugs aggressively and I'm now certain that, bar the times when fish are being competitive (not that often unless smaller fish or, you find a rare shoal of bigger fish) being aggresive more than once in any single holding zone will likely make your chances worse.

I'm even counting topwater, jerkbaits, soft lures, the whole bucket of tricks here so like I said a few articles ago, this will be controversial. However, come back at this all you like but....I'm making these remarks based upon months of actually seeing it happen. Assumption is the mother of mistakes when Bass fishing because, we aren't fish.

I do know that 1 aggressive move, loudish noise etc WILL draw Bass in. This is FACT.

But....

Make an aggressive move near a fish that is near to your lure after it has moved in to investigate will invariably spook it. So don't do it.

I caught this fish after it came in to an aggressively jerked (once) paddle tailed lure. The fish saw the lure and I left it to fall under it's own steam. The fish approached and inhaled from maybe 2ft away.

Now...onto the second part of underwater lure theory. Seeing too much lure. Look at the Bass shots above. Both were taken, without flash, 3ft under water ( a usual area for a lure to be in) and, I was between the Sun and the fish. Note how clearly defined the fish is even in what amounted to 3 meters of Visability at near dusk. The fish is lit up by the light giving clear definition.

Based on what we are thinking in this chain of thought, IF your lure is Sun side towards the fish AND it is moving slowly, the fish see's too much definition and will likely reject the idea of eating this bit of plastic. However, get the Sun behind you and place the lure between You and the fish and story is different. It will see the lure but, definition will be far less. You can make the aggressive 'Draw it in' move but, essentially rely on the fish not getting a full picture. Fighter pilots used to use the sun to similar effect remember.

I'll expand on all this stuff as I get more photo's of various lures underwater in different light.

Now, one area of concern regards HRF Rockfishing for Wrasse.

I have no proof but, I do have concern regards some cheaper lures and non bio-degradable types with Wrasse. I/We think Wrasse are Eating, actually eating the bite offs from missed takes. Remember, Wrasse have teeth and BITE the lures as opposed to Bass that draw the lure into their rear pharyngeal teeth by forming a vacum or vortex by opening their mouths creating negative pressure.

I think this is cause for concern. I've not lost a lure to a Bass so, IME, bass aren't an issue here but Wrasse, well, they do eat, bite and systematically destroy soft lures. Their is clear evidence of Trout and Freshwater Bass dying starvation death in North America due to the Ingestion of soft non-bio degradable soft lures. So, I'm thinking, we C & R 100% of these fish, take care to de-barb the hooks yet, we could be, in the long term, as HRF gains popularity, be doing harm to these great warriors of the reefs.

So, I'm going to work with hard to source bio degradable products for my HRF Wrasse fishing. Like I said, Bass, Pollack, Pouting, Scad, Mullets, and nearly all other British fish have, as yet prooven un problematic. This will be a an effort to take 'preventative measures'. Now, I know I have a ton of rockfish lures that I intended for Wrasse but, the other fish love em too so there is no loss involved really.

I have 4 or 5 bio degradable lures on order from various sources and will be testing them as they arrive. Gulp is the obvious and most readily available source of BD lures in the Britain but aside from the Gulp Alive I really despise the texture of these lures. They work of course and I personally know of Wrasse to well over 6lb taken on Gulp Sandeels.

Anyway, I hope this has give you all something to chew over and think about. I'm looking forward to next weeks BIG tides when I can get out with a few clients and fish/skish myself and have real hope of something BIG taking the game to us.

So, until next time....

Thanks for reading.