Keen angler Andy Kish moved to Ireland from the USA 4 years agoΒ – he fishes the east coast for bass and here is a great write up he sent us detailing a recent trip:
I grew up fishing for striped bass (rock fish) on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, USA. I moved here 4 years ago and was delighted to learn the wild Irish bass are a distant cousin to our rock fish. I saw a lot of anglers using live bait, such a rag worm and peeler crabs. However, I decided to use the same gear I use for rock fish back in Maryland; medium action spinning rod with soft plastics, Rapala crank baits, and spinners. Lo and behold the local bass loved it! It took me a while to learn the tides and when and where to go. But through trial and error Iβm finally dialled in.
I caught this guy at 9:10 pm, about 45 min after high tide. There was a slight offshore breeze which led to calm and clear water. I fished for about an hour before he took the blue fox spinner. There is no better feeling than getting hit on a slow retrieve, feeling the rod tip bend over and the head shakes beginning. At 60cm, he pulled drag and fought hard. Truly a beautiful species that fights like a boxer and pulls like a freight train!
I usually catch and release but I kept this guy to feed the family. And he was delicious cooked on back yard Weber!
