A mixed week really here in Jersey. People reporting some Bass from locations around the Island but in general, schoolies. A few of the guys learning LRF and HRF techniques have had some pretty good results venturing out over this weeks pretty huge 39ft plus tides.

I have spent much time doing recon dives with Chris Isaacs this last week and it stands to reason that actually seeing what is there prior to any Skishing run is always going to be an advantage. It would have under normal circumstances but...as usual, Jersey weather is totally unpredicatable and during Fri night the wind picked up and swung North threatening NE 5's. This, combined with heavy rain ruined an mission I had planned out on the SE flats with some guys who are really starting to 'get into' this stuff. It would have been miserable for them trying to master flats LRF in driving wind and rain. It's great when people are flexible like that.

Anyway, needless to say, we'd planned this new 'looped route' Skishing trip well in advance of actually doing it and, with the knowledge of the drop tide gutters learned by Kev and myself over the decades and Chris knowing the outer rim like the back of his hand we set out into the blackness. It was an early 2am.

It was proper dark , just like we love it. Fins up and over the back of the shoulder, quickly make the last tackle and gear checks, and off we go.

We walked over a series of fast out-flowing gutters until we reached the mid point lagoon area which was much deeper but still flowing. Time for putting the fins on.

Now we were Skishing, still heading out and getting a ride by the still fairly strong ebb tidal lateral current. We approached a banked and enclosed constriction which Chris had previously marked as a potential hot zone. Drifting apart now to give each room we all caught the bar and started working Xlayers, Senko's and DOA Jerk Shads....

Seconds later.....

Kev is in. A tell tale rap on the falling lure signals a take. I hear the drag going and swim over to make the shot seen here.

A great start for the 3 Amigo's out on this new loop. Waypoint 1 holds fish, superb.

A great fish that went back unharmed using single barbless and weedless rigs. A great way to catch and release.

My turn. Xlayer Giant, no added weight, just drifted and boon-dogged in the outflowing current. Thump, Fish On !

I heard Kev in the distance call "Fish On"...the flash didn't quite make the distance...I started to swim to record the catch.

After wallowing through one hell of a dense Japweed bed, we hit waypoint 2. Kev is in again. Smaller this time but still a nice Bass.

It wasn't long before the species changed..

As the tidal flows slackened as we approached the outer rim the Pollack came in to play. Still brilliant fun.

We could just about see daylight starting to creep up on us now in the far eastern horizon. Damn it.

Still, lets make use of what darkness remains. We had about a dozen and a half more as the tide made it's transitional swing back. We held our ground to fish what looked like some of the best potential night skish constrictions we've been on to date. However, I will stress, without proper guidance, planning, proper equipment and navigation skills the average Joe would be on a one way trip out here.

This is specialist stuff make no bones about it. On the run in, at 2 hours up 2.5 miles out, in the dark, it would have been much easier to have GPS plots and triangulated compass bearings to waypoint the myriad of flows, secondary constrictions and rips that were forming all around us. It was like kids in a sweet shop.

Sadly, it was now full daylight, overcast but still daylight. When God made the Earth you'd have thought he would have given more consideration to Skishers needing more darkness in the Summer Dog days eh ?

Flow, opposing wind and secondary swell from the west created this slop. Chris, HRF'ing for the first time was into a Bass. He'd already had Pollack so now, species no2 on a new method. Note the attitude in the water  Chris maintains even under fish pressure. He is extremely 'Aquatic'.

I'm trying to wind in my rig, swim around and across the front of Chris whilst we are all getting blasted through at a fast pace. Camera lens totally swamped by now again, I get this action shot as Chris's Bass breaks surface for the first time.

Chris was bumping a 7g brush guarded football head to a UV shad Reins 4" G-Tail Saturn curly tailed grub. Seconds before he said to me, Keith, this is bumping great along this bank...Thump, Fish On !

Fish is now beaten as it comes to hand. This shot in it's watery out of focus glory pretty much shows you what it's really like being exposed out there. Safe, IF you prepare well enough.

Chris as usual, has a gadget for everything as you can see in this underwater shot. Yep, that's his shoes under his armpit for rockhopping should the need arise. I know he's going to buying a new rod after his first experience of trying to work lighter jigs and soft lures on the Skish.

There we go, HRF Skish Bass. Not optimum conditions but good, very good tidal patterns.

Now, when we get out there, dark out, dark in...

I'm expecting good things.

All in all though, a great first run through SR:1

It made all the planning and training worth it.

Until next time.....

Thanks for reading.