Beach Casting .

[Bren.]

This is the Gods honest truth I have never caught a bass . Eaten plenty but not caught by me . The last time I went boat fishing my mate next to me got into something just as I did . He pulled up a really nice size bass and I pulled up an equally nice black bream . Caught shed loads of bream why was it not me that caught the bass !!! ???

I think it's a matter of knowing your ground. A mate and I always go together and always to the exact same spot, we always fish the same bait, Lugworm, although never find any in their bellies, it's usually shrimp, or peelers, but we can never catch them using these as bait. It's a hard walk out there and is only possible at low tide, and once you're there, you're stuck there until the next low tide. Last week we went out and there was a big flock of Terns diving just off the beach. We set up double time, and both caught two Bass each on our first cast, by casting into the shoal of baitfish. Then it went quiet for a bit and picked up after about an hour.

We left in the morning with 29 Bass between us, a bloody heavy load to carry back across the channels and marsh.

[JonnyVine]

Bass are being caught on our local beach (west coast) at the mo, but its mostly night fishing we do, I prefer razor fish (dug up last year and frozen) on a Bass hook at the bottom of the rig and a piece of King Rag on a smaller hook at the top.

 

Makes a change from the boat

[Stubby]

Bass are being caught on our local beach (west coast) at the mo, but its mostly night fishing we do, I prefer razor fish (dug up last year and frozen) on a Bass hook at the bottom of the rig and a piece of King Rag on a smaller hook at the top.

 

Makes a change from the boat

 

Thanks for that Jonny . Will be going soon .

[spudulike]

Got a couple of Daiwa 13' rods and a couple of Abu Multipliers, the best one I have is the purple ended one CT Elite - I would advise casting over grass until you have a method that works well for you. I was pretty pissed when I measured my first attempts - 60 yards at full belt but cot up to 140-150yards consistantly with practice.

 

Seen lots of big fellas bust a gut and achieving 80 yards and a quick sling and I pop it out 130 - 150 yards - kinda makes them look a little light weight but thats life. Practice makes perfect.

 

If you are feathering then use a fixed spool set up and 4oz weights, but if you are using typical beach casting rigs then the multiplier is the favoured weapon - if you havent used one before then beware, start with the brakes wound on a bit and then take them off bit by bit, a real big learning curve but worth it in the end - the Abu mag elite is a good reel - easy to flip the magnetic brake up and down!

 

The fixed spool set up is perhaps easier to use for the novice but seems much bulkier when compared to the small multipliers. I use rubber inner tube on the thumb to brake the spool - otherwise it burns:thumbdown:

 

Clipped down rigs are also good and stop the bait exploding off the rig when casting. Make sure you learn how to join the shock lead to the normal line and be safe, those 6oz weights go off with a bit of velocity when walloped out.

 

Top marks are dungeness and Chesil Beach - due to the sever drop of the beach!

 

Not been for a while now but a good day out!

[Stubby]

Hi Steve . Thanks for the advice . The only multipliers I have used in the past would be totally unsuitable , more like winches . A big Penn senator and a Mitchel 624 . Still have them . Used to do a lot of wreck fishing . Beach casting will be new to me but I ubderstand what you are saying . Its all in the technique !

[felixthelogchopper]

Fixed spool reels are a lot easier to use but, if you have time to practise with them, multipliers will give you better distance. Best avoided if you don't have the patience to undo a lot of bird's nests though.

[harvey b davison]

Never done beachcasting as well. Thesedays i tend to just stick to pier fishing with the kids. As muttley says, a simple telescopic rod and small tackle box works wonders. I have been thinking about getting out on a boat again. Still got 2 big scarborough reels in the shed. Might dust them off and give em a clean and oil now.

[spudulike]

Here comes the technical bit.... when you bang the weight out, if you just do and over head lob, you literally just sling the weight out, greater distance is achieved by throwing the weight backward and away from you and then whanging the rod forward that compresses the rod and allows for greater distance.

 

We are getting on to pendulum casting here and that is how you achieve distance - I swing the weight round in a circle and as it is coming down to the bottom of the swing, lunge it upwards and this compresses the rod and allows you to double your casting distances.

 

Distance is less important on beaches like Chesil and Dungeness but more important on shallow drop beaches - autumn onwards is when the codling, Whiting and Cod start coming in but Mackerel can be picked up on feathers on clear still days this time of year.

 

Gotta say that Abu reels are works of art - durall and anodised end cans - beautiful:thumbup: