Steve and I have shared a few e-mails over the past few years

I opened this one from Steve this morning.

___________________________________________________________________

Hi Jim,

Hope all is well in Ireland.

Do you remember last year I asked you about catching Gilthead Bream on the RA Pop.

As you was so helpful I thought I’d give you a little update on how my season panned out!.

Firstly I never managed a Gilthead although I had a couple of hits that didn’t connect. I also found that when I did find some Gilts they spooked very easily.

I’ll still be trying to get a bream this year so fingers crossed.

On one of my trips in July last season, I figured I had spooked the bream out of a shallow bay so I moved into an area of rocky ridges and worked a yozuri Arms Pencil. I had stayed back from the waters edge almost hidden behind some rocks, flicked the small yozuri over a submerged rock and then started to slowly work it back towards me. As the the lure came over the rock a large bass came up from the depths and took the plug heading straight back down. I tightened into the bass and it pulled like a beast…… I eased the drag slightly and after getting her up on the surface thought heck this is a real good one. After a bit more give and take I got the bass out and weighed it, 8lb12oz a new personal best for me. Took a few pictures and put her back, she took ages to swim away but did after a while. I was on cloud nine and it was almost unbelievable, a really bright day and calm. Lesson learned…… stealth really paid off.

As the summer progressed I had some good bass fishing at other marks in the dark, plenty in the 4lb size. Night plugging is still fairly new to me and I’m still learning. I had a trip in November at night and using a black sluggo had a solid take that resulted in another bass of 8lb6oz, a couple of pictures and back she went. I was hardly moving the sluggo in fact it was drifting slowly along in the current. I still cant believe it…… what a season I waited years to get a 8lber and then catch two. This one was much fatter and shorter than the other 8lber.

A couple of weeks later I was night fishing and could see movement on the surface, tried allsorts, put on a RA pop and had a light take that resulted in a violent surface slash with strong pulls. I thought it was another big bass and it really didn’t want to come in. When I did eventually get it on the shore it turned out to be a thick lipped mullet of 5lb8oz, a fantastic sight and welcome surprise. I’ve not had many mullet but that was a personal best.

That was 2011 and I am looking forward to this year. I will let you know if I manage a gilthead.

Good luck to you for this season and I hope you had a good 2011.

Thanks again for your advice on the RA Pop.

Many thanks, Steve.