Is This a Record Irish Bass

Here is The lure ,,the De La Lande GT Shad Blue with Black Back weighted to a 10g articulated jig head and a 3/0 vaviras sharp as you like hook,,normally a crab hook but perfect for the shads

Here's my mate Brian with a absolute stunner of a Bass Caught on a shad in Ireland it has took me a long time to get this picture from him(getting drunk at my bar in the BandB and various calls) of what we both agree was close to a Record Bass Caught in Ireland in November 2008

The fish was 930mm long and that was calculated off a flat beach picture along side Brian's Rod and measured after ,,also there was no allowance for a very well fed November fish with our estimation of size,,

All i can say is that i am in awe!! of a great angler that after this picture was taken gently cradled that magnificent fish in the sea to recovery and then slipped her back to the estuary waters from where she came,,

i will certainly remember this fish for the rest of my life,and the arguments after!!

Thank you and Well Done Brian for sharing your photographand the fish of a Lifetime

Dicentrachus Labrax the Stuff of Dreams

A Handsome Bass Posing for the camera and first up this is picture of a darked backed Bass is one of my favourite ever bass shots

Today was a dream this wonder of Nature was a double figure fish that complimented a 25 plus fish day on a wild Irish Estuary

An Early morning start for a plug caught bass been revived after a long hard fight ready for the release

Another deep bodied plug caught Bass very dogged fighting machine off the rocks

Just Two Mates having a laugh with a 9.8oz Bass coming between them

Bass time another stunner of a early morning Bass ,,what a joy!

A Early morning start is required for any success at fishing for Dicentrachus Labrax the European Sea Bass a great looking fish and this was my little tribute to the joy these magnificent creatures have brought me over the last few years hunting them down to the point of obsession,,

And finally my mate Mark Padfield doing what he does best ,,,,,,catching and laughing
all photographs with permission of Henry Gilbey and Adrian Rodgers

Delalande Shads a great alternative

Below are the brand new110mm buster shads in pearl and blue i know a lot of UK anglers seem to be reluctant to use these French made Plastics but i can assure you that fished in the correct way at the right time these delalande shads are deadly picking out the larger fish too on many occasions for me,,i rig the shads with a 2/0 hook joined to a channelle 5g to 30g ball lead head this is a articulated head that gives the shad its very attractive action,,,

the channelle heads come in various sizes 5 to a pack of 5g,7g,10g,12g,15g,18g,20g,25g,30g
the golden rule with these action baits is to use as light a ball head as your fishing conditions will allow this enhances the action

Below ,a Mega Bass spindle worm that nailed fish from Chesil Beach with a 30g max ball channelle articulated head to a 2/o vaviras hook,,just check out the pebble damage on the head as the lure was bounced up the steep shingle banks of the Dorset Beaches

Delalande fury shad with a twinpoint hook attaced to the lead head this rig up will increase your hook up rate superb presentation of a plastic bait is created when these lures are fished on rough ground in and out of cavernous holes where the Bass and other species lurk,

Here is a example of a 130mm GT Shad with the single vaviras 3/0 large mouth hook connected to the old faithfull articulated head,a little drop of super glue will make this rig up complete sticking the shad to the ball lead,,

designed to imitate sea trout and mullet this lure fishes at its best in estuarys by what i call a trotting method do not cast these shads and retrieve ,cast and hold in the flowing water then holding your rod in the air start letting line off and stop checking every so often,just like trotting a float down a river keep control of the shad in the flowing water,,even when the shad is stopped in the water it will still be working in the flowing water , as i have said use as light a head as possible for the best results,,,

Finally the pearl delalande with the deadly 2/0 twin point hooks all ready for action,,this lure costs around £3.25p complete for a professional bit of kit now that is value in the day of the twenty pound lure

Teasers

I am by no means a fly fisherman but these works of art can still be used by Bass anglers , over the years some very talented bass and trout angler gave me the odd fly the result been i have quite a collection of flys of all shapes and sizes


This little shrimp pattern below was made for me by my good friend Paul Ashbridge what a talent to make such a life like artificial bait by hand

Teaser ahead, below,i tried the give the effect of the lure following the fly ,,i have caught Bass this way on many occasion but using a teaser may increase your chances of a hook up but beware of the double hook up you may loose the fish of a lifetime,,your choice!!

this is a sea trout pattern lure the detail is just stunning with the red flash under belly to the ayu tail and back this fly plus many others was given to me from a great angler and friend from Co Mayo Ireland,, Brian,, thanks mate

I just had to show the world this little devil,,and dont you just love it ,,i call it the fluffy prawn so cheeky any fish just could not resist,

thanks to Paul and Brian,,