When is often a more important question than where if you are fly fishing for bass on the south coast. Not only must we be cognisant of season, but also time of day, time of tide, time of moon phase and even ‘time of weather’. Within these parameters there are also the questions of when should I use a particular line or a particular fly? When should I begin to make my first casts, when will the fish be here? So many whens !
There is no doubt we should fish as often and whenever possible, if only life was that simple! And of course if the activity of fishing is more important to you than actually trying to quantify your catch rate or success then when is a considerably smaller priority. Some of us just like to get out there and spend some time fishing full stop.
For those of us who take things with a view of continuous improvement then when plays a more important role. Below are some simple rules for people beginning to bass fish on the fly in Ireland
Ask when for season -
Season is April to December - with key times of June to October
Ask when for time of day -
A good time is during a change of light from dark to bright or bright to dark (dawn and dusk)
Ask when for state of tide -
Spring tides produce more fish than neap Tides
Ask when within tidal run -
Some locations fish best at the beginning of the tidal phase other at the fall of tidal phases - always look for water movement and motion.
Ask when during different phases of weather -
Bass are susceptible to changes in weather conditions, temperature, barometric pressure, wind direction. GET IN TUNE WITH THE WEATHER
Ask when do you change your fishing tactic, colour of fly, type of line.....
Never stay doing the same thing in the same place - keep on the move, observing, learning, changing and adapting and most of all enjoying the freedom that flyfishing creates
Next Month (December) - Seven over looked tactics
