If  you are like me and long for the day when I can sell up and move to warmer climes, you will be surprised to hear John, the  chap below, is seriously considering moving back to the UK from Thailand and relocating his young family in south Devon. Don’t get me wrong, I adore South Devon but, come on!!! Anyhow, I’m sure John has his reasons but before he finally commits he wanted to be sure there are bass in these waters. Already a keen fresh water fly fisherman, John wanted to hedge his bets and get to understand lure fishing and in particular for bass.

So, there we have it. My job was to put John on the bass so he could be sure if he does finally relocate, he can enjoy some good sport in the waters around South Devon. SIMPLES!!

So checked tides, moon, and forecast and Thursday evening was looking great. Two out of three ain’t bad I suppose. Tide waits for no man, and the moon is always in the sky, the Met Office on the other hand is a very different thing. We met at 6pm by which time the forecast 14mph Westerly had increased to 22mph with gust up to 30mph and now with more than a hint of southerly involved. Casting practice was fun!

We made our way out across the rocks and began to feel the full force of the brewing storm. The swell was picking up and looked good enough to bottle and drink but the bloody wind was threatening our guiding session big style . Fair play to John though, he fronted both wind and waves as we worked our way through a session of lure enlightenment, always listening and attentive and within an hour or so he had settled into a good casting distance with about as much accuracy as anyone could have achieved given the conditions.

Despite amazing sea state the wind was causing us problems. The tide was dropping and I knew the schoolies would be in on the beach gorging on sandeel on the edge of the rip tide. So we made our way back in. As we did so my good mate Andrew Walker accompanied by gorgeous Sarah, put in a surprise appearance and with Johns OK, they joined us for the last hour.

I explained to John the rip tide and the channels in the sand out of site below the waves so he could get a mental picture of the seabed and the current. And boy did he get it quick. He was casting into exactly the same places I would have and the result was ……………………..  A BASS!  He actually had a few but set them free before I could get the camera out. Ok not the biggest in the world, but given the conditions he did exceptionally well to cast , let alone catch.

Well done John mate. You really earned that one.

Lots of fishy chat at the bar, a few beers and then home to bed.

The best thing about guiding is the people I meet. John has kept in touch and we email regularly. If he does relocate I feel certain we will be doing a lot of fishing together.

John, it was my pleasure.

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