Westward Ho!Bass an extract from our Bass leaflet.
Nick Laws
I thought you might find a couple of extracts from our Bass fishing leaflet
interesting I hope you enjoy them and one day come and visit us.
How to catch the famous Westward Ho! Bass?There are just a few basic rules
that will Help you in your hunt for this the most famous of our most sought
after salt water fish.
The first thing to remember is that they like to swim and play in the waves
so you musn’t try to cast to far. If possible it’s always best to fish in
the early morning or after sunset. Westward Ho! beach is what is known as a
classic North Atlantic storm beach where the waves of the North Atlantic
come crashing onto the shore these beaches have always been famous as places
where the big Bass swim. No won knows why they spend there lives in the
waves for there is little food on Westward Ho! beach but the Bass are there
and in great numbers at times if you want to see a Bass swimming in it’s
natural environment walk onto the beach at sunset if you look into the
curling waves just before they break you may be lucky enough to see this
powerful fish swimming through the curling wave.
There are endless theories on catching Bass but there is no doubt in my mind
that the simple approach is the best this approach however varies from day
to day depending on the conditions so it’s always best to check at
Summerlands Tackle on the best technique and bait or lure for the tide you
wish to fish.
So lets tell you a bit about some of my favourite fishing spots. Appledore
Quay most famous for it’s children's crab fishing contest does produce some
very fine Bass fishing of North Devons newest hot spot stand by the big
anchor on the point which runs out from the new parking ground the tide runs
fast and you may be plagued by crabs but when the Bass are biting there are
few places to match this it’s worth noting that you are less than a stones
throw from Appendage's famous Seagate Hotel (Pub)! Geoff Heard for many
years Summerlands famous rod builder is an expert on all our river estuary
hot spots and is well worth having a chat with. in his young day he was
Apledore's most famous charter boat skipper today he is more famous for his
tall stories about his young days as Appledore's; most famous charter boat
skipper!
Other marks worth trying at Appledore are the old life boat slip and tipsy
point another of Geoffs particular favourite not that he ever cathces
anything there but it’s further away from his wife.
Greysands is a particularly bueatiful part of our river estuary soft sand,
sheltered from the west wind and fishing over ancient muscle beds spells all
the ingredients for magical Bass fishing the memories of my first Bass at
the age of five after walking with my Father across Northman Burrows at 5 o’
clock on a summers morning as the sun rose will stay in my memories forever
. All of the fishing marks so far should be fished using rig 1 as the bait
must be kept away from the crabs and be allowed to flow above the bottom in
the tide. In July and August their feeding habits change they become
ferocious predator and hunt high in the water, chasing sandeels by mimicking
the sandeels wonderful sport. Extract from page1
To finish off our bassing trip which started on Appledore Quay it seems only
right that we finish on Westward Ho! prom, it may seem an unlikely place to
catch bass and in truth great quantities are not caught of the prom yet
hundreds of anglers love the spot, is it the Fairway Buoy pub which is the
attraction or the wonderful views of the sunset which make this the
favourite evening mark or is it the fact that you can park your car within
yards. Perhaps its the company or the chance to tell the story about that
bass you caught down at the south gut, so what's the answer, why is it so
popular, its obvious its the closest fishing mark to Summerlands Tackle home
of fine fishing tackle, tall rods and even taller stories. Every fisherman
has a theory, has a secret technique or a secret hot spot so let me finish
this leaflet with a little gem I haven’t seen anybody do this for years but
Teddy Bizzel Westward Hos! first fishing tackle shop owner and a great story
teller (now 94 yrs old) and still telling whoppers used to fish this way!
With his mates, wade out in the waves till the water was nearly up to his
armpits he would cast a little ball lead and a nice bunch of fresh lugworms
no more than 30feet in front of him and let that little lead bounce along in
the current and he would walk slowly through the waves till WACK there but
that's another story! Extract from page 2
If you want to know more just ask
Good fishing
Nick Laws