So Close

Another evening afloat and another go at finding a better bass meant an hours hard graft trying to find some bait! Those mackerel are starting to thin out now and certainly can't be relied upon if you don't have much time. Eventually though, we had a dozen mackerel and some fishing to do!
We timed it perfectly really, anchored up on a lovely new bit of ground just as the light was fading.

It wasn't long before something took an interest in my uptide bait and proceeded to run me into some rock and snag me up. Despite still having a fish on it just wouldn't come free and eventually I had to pull for a break.
While I was sorting that out, Dave had latched into a decent fish that had bass written all over it. Unfortunately his worst fear was realized when it briefly surfaced behind the back of the boat and spat the hook.....it hurts when a decent fish does that but it's all part and parcel of angling....he took it pretty well considering!
As it got dark the bottom must have been crawling with congers. They were on the bait in seconds and becoming a real menace. Over the next hour we must have had well over a dozen eels to the boat and bitten off by the same amount again. 
Amid the carnage I hit into another suspect eel that had me wondering if it was one or not.....I kind of a knew a bass would surface but was still surprised when one actually did!
A panic grab for the net followed as a very good fish went about shaking it's head at the surface doing it's very best to throw the hook.....heart in mouth springs to mind!
Thankfully after some awkward moments she went in......if it wasn't, it was very close to a double figure fish. This bass had a massive head with a lean body and had it fed, would have gone more than the 9lb 12oz we weighed it at. So close......but if it ain't 10, it ain't a double! Cracking fish though.

We had a move for the flood and within the first 10 minutes I had another bass on. Didn't feel as big but half decent none the less. Feet from the surface this fish spat the hook and at the same time my second rod took off......which I missed completely...two fish lost just like that.
Dave and I both missed a few fish over the next twenty minutes as a result of heavily weeded lines. Large amounts of stringy red weed was coming through thick and that coupled with an ever increasing wind meant we wouldn't have long.
A bullhuss had me wondering if an even bigger bass was on it's way to the boat, but no....nice bully though this one, around 10lb.

Dave had another big conger and I got bitten off by another suspect huss before we gave in to the weed and howling wind. 
Made up with the bass...not quite a double but more than enough to put a smile on anyone's face.....we'll get one!