Q: With deteriorating sea conditions on the way, how do I maintain the ‘feel’ of the lure and stay connected? JACK BEESLEY, BY EMAIL

HG says: This problem can rear its head any time we go bass fishing with lures in rougher and windier conditions.

First off, use a grippier lure, or rather a hard lure that casts well, dives that little bit deeper, and really ‘grips’ the sea – my choice here is the IMA Hound 125F Glide.

It might help to use a slightly more powerful lure rod because I find that the tip on these rods tends to bounce around less in the wind.

It is also worth thinking about weighted soft plastics, such as the Fiiish Black Minnow. In bouncier conditions, I really like the 120mm body with the 20g Shore Head that is meant to go with the 140mm body.

Lastly, we simply have to accept that when it’s windy and the sea is rougher, the feel we get is dramatically lessened and, in my opinion, that’s usually because our mainline just can’t be quite as tight or direct to the lure.