Going to Shell island with the missus in a months time and although Ive already had my "fishing quota" from her this month from a few days salmon fishing on the river Kent. Im gonna sneak a rod into the boot

There doesnt seem to be any trout fishing (bar sewin fishing, which no way will i get away with, she'll castrate me if i spend a few nights fishing),. However I am lead to believe that shell island has some nice bass fishing.

Ive never swwff before apart from for mackerel so I could use a bit of advice about the area and some gear to maximise my fishing potential in the brief periods whilst the missus is washing her hair

I was going to take an old 7 weight 9 1/2 foot resevoir rod and an old floating line with about 200yds backing on it. What lb cast should I use? will just nylon do? was thinking maybe 10lb nylon.

Where do i want to be fishing the flies? I was thinking about a 10 foot cast with a heavy weighted fly?

Was thinking of maybe wading out upto my knees and fishing just out by the second breaker (into maybe 6 foot of water?) think this is where the bass would be? failing this the channel into the Estuary seems to swell as the tide comes in so if it wasnt crowded maybe fishing from the bank here?

Does anyone know the area and could reccomend as few spots for me? preferably ones i dont need to wade for, so I dont get *******ed for packing my waders.

On the subject of flies I dont really want to buy any but was thinking of grabbing some decent size 4 (?) sea hooks and tying some streamer type things onto them? Maybe a dumbell to fish the hook upsidedown, an olive zonker strip and some pearl dubbing (would this be a good sandeel imitation?) probably about 2 inch long?

Could i use marabou? or am i better staying to hair?

Anyhow cheers in advance any help is appreciated

that all sounds like the right plan to me in terms of tackle and flies, just can't help about where to fish as I'm only just starting to investigate Kent for SWFF myself. perhaps 3rd to 4th breaker for Bass though? perhaps a slow sinker or sink tip if you want to get a bit deeper in a heavy flow

Also I would recommend some sort of line tray, if you don't have a real one then washing up bowl on a bungee will be better than nothing

good luck! let us know how you get on

Try a 2/0 hook and tie some flies that look a bit like these.




Clouser style (dumbell and hook uppermost) I don't like zonker, however well it looks in the water - bucktail and hackles tied in full to give plenty of movement are my preference.

I tend to use baitfish patterns, including sandeel profiles without the weight and an intermediate line - in faster or deeper water I use a sinking line.

Tippet/leader strength depends on the terrain, over sand 10lb is fine, over boulders I would use 16lb fluorocarbon - and fluoro DOES have a benefit. I would prefer an 8-weight, but your 7 will do. Size 4 will hook, but tie LONGER than 2",especially for the time of year - later = bigger in the sea. By September I am using 8" flies.

The rewards:




and first light is the time to go, even though this isn't Wales.

Nice fish and flies @tailing loop what part of the country are you fishing?

I am planning a proper go at something a little larger than school bass (& maybe also my first mullet) this summer. I have all the necessary gear & some swff experience but need a little more confidence in terms of likely areas as the sea is a big place and I have found that it's easy to blank with a fly rod in your hand. I live in Kent but thinking of a few days in perhaps North Devon? Anywhere else you would recommend? I would guess both rocky areas and surf beaches have potential (particularly anywhere where obstructions or gullies create a fish-holding area), first light or dusk on a rising tide.

Thanks, really nice looking flies.

Im just trying to do it with the gear I already have, I cant really justify buying up a load of materials i may never use again. (Im lucky to get to the sea once a year).

I do have a shedload of blue/black ringtailed (stoat?) hair its kinda blue and black striped, also ive some synthetic white fur and a hank of green flash synthetic hair that i use to add to streamers. Maybe i could knock something up from these.

Out of intrest why isnt zonker or marabou used? because it cant take a pounding in the sea?

I sometimes wonder when you look at spinners / plugs / artificial sandeels that they look pretty unrealistic and wonder if there is such a need to make lures to fish on the fly quite so exquisite. Id bet a bass would snap at an oversized ctas whisker if it passed close enough to him?

If you go to the far right of the Island you will find the outlet from the lagoon.
Its not very wide and it flows out with some force.Theres always bass there on the out going tide waiting for small fish ect being washed back to sea.Fish it like a river ,across, mend and let your fly swing with a bit of a strip,and it should produce.Also on the beach across from there,you can walk across few hrs before low theres usally some bass crusing and further down you will see loads of bolders verygood there for surface flies and poppers at times.Hopefully this month will be moving not far from there and if your there when ived moved can meet up and give you some pointers and some tips.

zonkers - because they are damn aweful to cast. You need bigger flies han you are talkng about, that is whay I said don't use zonker strps, the size you need to be really effective (small flies will catch, but not as well as bigger ones) will be too waterlogged ot cast.

If you were a bass and a spec of food came past, you might bother to eat it if it wasn't too far to go. If a decent sized baitfish is washed by, you snaffle it! Bigger is better. the old siz 4 skinny clouser is Ok for twinkies of 10", but if you want decent fish each cast, you need a bit more meat on the hook.

Nice flies tailingloop.

What are the ones with the grizzle wings? I loikes the look of they and might knock up a few if there's a pattren or SBS anywhere

cheers
Will

They are my own. The recipe has been proven over time and incorporates quite rare materials. I hope to get some more this year. If I do, I'll let you know!

Thankyou so much for all your advice.

Youve really wetted my appeitite for a blast here now.

Just to make sure I dont bottle out and end up plugging the area im going to leave all my sea gear / salmon spinning gear at home so im forced to fish it on the fly!!!

Just out of intrest do bass tend to run or fight doggedly deep? Only ever towed them in on beachcasting gear before. Im hoping I can find a niche to fill my salmon/seatrout fishing bug which I just cant afford anymore!!