Just returned from an interesting day afloat at Sandsend. Not lots of fish, but I managed a news species for me, a plaice, and a nice pollack on the float and 2 bass over 3lb.
I had managed to source a few lugworm, some sandeel and some squid from Rods and Reels shop in Whitby so I started with a bit of bait fishing at low water just off Sandsend. I anchored up and shot a big bait out in hope of a Thornback or 2. An hour later I hadnt had a bite so I untied myself and did a bit of drift fishing with a 2 hook flapper rig. First drift resulted in a small dab. This isnt what I was after really so I decided on one more drift and if I was still getting dabs I would change tactics and go plugging.
On the next drift my luck changed and I landed a double shot of Plaice. Both good sized fish, but I had no use for them so I returned them. I quickly dropped back in and tried again and not long after I had another plaice - this one was a beauty and looked near 2 pounds although I never bothered to weigh it. I had now been joined by a chap called Kev in a surf kayak who was fishing for mackerel. As he said he liked to eat fish, I gave him the plaice for his tea.
With the tide now pulling through I decided on a bit of plugging for bass. I trolled around for a couple of hours and there wasnt much doing, but the 2 I did get were both nice sized schoolies that went 3-10 and 3-6 on the scales.
As dusk approached I decided I would try a bit of float fishing for bass. I put on a set of sabikis and rounded up 2 small sandeel for bait. I managed to keep them alive in the footwell. I hung one on a 1o hook at a depth of around 9ft and cast it in, an waited......, and waited and waited. Twenty minutes later the float slowly went from site and I had a bite. I struck hard but met thin air and the fish had gone, when I wound in the sandeel had gone too.
So on with my second and last sandeel. Sadly the smae happened again and I had no sandeel left. I decided to try a piece of mackerel strip. Almost instantly the float was under again. This time I connected to what felt to be a very nice fish. After a bit of a scrap I landed the brute. Not a bass but a pollack of 7lb 4oz, what a beauty.
I persevered untill dark in search of a bass on the float. Sadly, depsite several good bites, it wasnt to be. So all in all it wasnt a bad day and sure beets working.
