Yesterday morning I got to see what I believe was the first March bass I have seen caught on a lure in UK waters. My mate Mark had a nice fish in March a few years ago but we were a long way apart on a big reef and I didn’t get to see the fish, so unless I am mistaken then yesterday was a first for me……………
And luckily I managed to keep my “no bass caught by me on a lure in March” record 100% intact - because I blanked! Marc Cowling (of South Devon Bass Guide) and I had been planning to meet up for a while, and with the unsettled weather and spring tides we arranged to meet about halfway between us at a location I know he keeps up his sleeve for this time of year. It’s a place which to be honest I would not really have thought about trying for bass, but I give Marc so much credit here with how he thinks about lure fishing for bass.
Anyway, so we grabbed a bass fishing session together yesterday morning and Marc landed a really plump fish which was easily 4lb+. With me trying to obviously hide any reference to where we were I know that my photos don’t do any justice to the fantastic condition of the bass, but you know the score with protecting fishing spots and all that. I could not believe how alive the location felt for this time of year and at different times during the session we both saw good bass swimming around as clear as day.
I had a number of plucks and half-hearted bangs on my 13cm Slender Scoop Shad, but nothing remotely strikeable. Marc got one really solid hit on the Ayu coloured MegaBass Spindle Worm paddletail (lethal lures!), and the result was this bass you can see here. He hooked it really close in and I was really pleased to see how hard he fought the fish and how quickly the fish was beached and then secured in the water for a few photos. Most anglers are terrified to put a bend in their rod when they hook a bass. Respect to Marc on many levels!
So you will be pleased to know that my 100% March record remains intact, and with the state of the coastline at the moment I am wondering whether the end of this month might well see me maintaining those perfect percentages! It was a hell of a thrill to see a bass landed yesterday, but to be honest I’d have been surprised if one of us hadn’t caught something with how alive the location felt. That might sound a bit daft for March, but if there is one thing I trust it’s Marc as a bloody good bass angler and professional guide.
I am about halfway through his new bass fishing book - out soon, keep an eye on the South Devon Bass Guide website/blog and Facebook pages for full details - and I don’t personally think there is anybody currently writing anything as remotely insightful and intelligent about modern lure fishing for bass as Marc Cowling. I am completely blown away by his thinking and analysis and progression, and I cannot tell you how much I respect somebody who shares his thoughts and findings like Marc does.………………..
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