Looking for reasons
The million-dollar question is why did my 2019 season last throughout the entire winter here in South Devon? I eventually came to the following conclusions:
■ Judging by the figures monitored by the Channel Coastal Observatory platform in Start Bay (South Devon), the sea temperature only fell below 10°C for around a week during early March. This is in stark contrast to the 2017/18 winter when it dropped to less than 80C and didn’t recover consistently above the ‘magic’ 10°C until late April. Furthermore, the Mean Average for March in 2018 was 7.940C and in 2019 it was 10.090C - clearly a massive difference. ■ Quite simply, I had a lot more time on my hands and therefore, was able to fish, on average, three or four times a week.
■ The winter was very mild. Yes, we had a number of frosts due to lack of cloud cover, but what this meant was that the sun, which can be surprisingly strong in February, was able to warm the foreshore and shallows during the late afternoon low tides (most of the fish were caught two hours either side of high water). ■ Moreover, the weather was kind, with winds generally light, bar a few short bouts of gales, and there wasn’t an awful lot of rain, meaning the sea remained clear for long periods throughout.
■ The venues that I concentrated on were a mixture of known marks (to me at least) that had produced some excellent catches in darkness over the previous two years ‘in season’, and that were in close proximity to very deep water – the type found near to imposing headlands, for example.
■ The most important and significant aspect to these catches (my fishing companions also got in on the act during February and March by the way) is that nearly all the bass were caught in complete darkness - even though I was also fishing during the day on the same makes on occasion. What is fundamental, I believe, is that this was the first winter in which I’d fished for bass, at night, with lures.
■ Overall then, I think all of the above contributed to what was my most successful winter chasing bass with pieces of wood, rubber and plastic. By now I imagine many of you would have stashed your lure gear away. I hope this article tempts you out of hibernation, for a couple of sessions at least. Good luck! ■