Folkestone

Folkestone Rotunda Beach 30th May 1998

Arrived around 5am, to find that the tide was just falling, and that there was a very light wind, with sunshine. Decided to fish the base of the pier, and use the J9's in blue/white and firetiger, rather than the J11's, as they would probably hit bottom. I also used a silver and orange toby.

5.20am Had a fish break surface about 15 feet away, but I couldn't tell what species, although I'd like to think it was a bass.

5.40am Started working the Rapala parallel to the old jetty... with the tide dropping and exposing it.. lots of white water and backwash ..... BANG...... rod tip dives down, takes me by surprise ..... the way the fish is fighting, I'd estimate that it was over two pounds plus...... the key word here is estimate, after 10 seconds of fun, the fish threw the treble, and I was left with maybe's and if's.......

5.50am Saw a few white bait in the water, that jumped clear of my Rapala on it's retrieve....... then THUMP..... well not so much thump, as pull/tug ..... up comes a small Bass ..... 28cm, photographed, and just as I'm about to put it back, up turns Tony Swain....

We continued fishing ....... I had one small bass chase after the Rapala around 7.30am, and break surface in so doing... but it failed to make contact :-(  ....... We saw no more bait fish/fry after 6am, no sign of any mackerel or garfish, and once the wind picked up and was blowing in our faces at 8.45am, we could no longer really use the Rapalas, and certainly couldn't see what was going on in the now clouded waters.... I had planned to try Samphire Hoe that afternoon/evening, but decided that Home and Bed would be a better option .... anyway Tony had family commitments, and couldn't do it either.... went Via Gary's Bait and Tackle, grabbed some replacement Krilletes, Redgills, and floats ...... guess I'm committed to the Bass this summer ;-).

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