Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society

Fighting for Bass and Bass Anglers’ since 1973

Touché

Having read Matt’s account of the disturbance I caused in the Spence household on Saturday morning, I almost felt guilty … but not quite. Although I may have to arrive bearing gifts next time I appear on his doorstep.

There is a breed of bass anglers that seem to spend every waking hour, and quite a few slumbering hours, plotting and scheming plans around locating & landing big bass. It’s an obsession. Matt is very much one of that group.

Following an early start and a decent session on Saturday morning, of course I was back up and out looking for a repeat performance on Sunday morning. Again I found myself bathed in moonlight on the coast, and was fortunate to find some quality bass. I left the coast soon after dawn, and was welcomed home with a large bowl of hot Flahavan’s porridge courtesy of a fine Irish wife ! With a warm full belly, & wearing a comfortable BASS Hoody after a hot shower, I curled up on the couch to watch TV with my daughter.

I was awoken some time later by my phone buzzing in my pocket. I looked at the screen to see the old ‘No Called ID’ display, so concluded that it was those infuriating parasites hounding me about PPI or chasing me about an accident I’ve never had, so popped the phone back into my pocket, and snuggled up again. Then I heard the buzz of a voice-message. Ok, so the PPI guys don’t normally leave a message, so I best listen to it. The voice-mail was a jibber-jabbering Englishman with a classic case of ‘Basshma’. I looked at my iMessages, & saw I’d also had a couple of those from Matt, one of which was this sight ….

Matt taking a selfie of a freshly landed double-figure bass !
Matt taking a selfie of a freshly landed double-figure bass !

I fired him a quick message to tell him to try again, as I couldn’t seem to reach him, and moments later the phone rung. We spent a precious few minutes discussing the gentle ‘take’, and heavy thudding fight, and the fact that Matt knew from the off that this was a quality girl on the end of his line ! I longed to be there on the English Coast partaking in the elation of the event …. a double-figure bass at hand … the holy grail for many ! For Matt this was an additionally significant event, as an English Double was required to finish his set of previous Irish and Welsh doubles. Nothing like a home-ground quality capture.

It was time for Matt to get a lure back in the water, just incase her twin-sister was around, but it scarcely mattered tbh, as the day was already made. He fished on, & I think I managed another hour contented on the couch dreaming of lunkers.

Matt cradling a double-figure bass
Not all selfies go to plan in the heat of the moment, but the emotion is obvious.

Mission accomplished for autumn for two of the Blogging Team on consecutive days, with the 3rd member landing a large Irish Double just a week or so ago, it’s been a fine run of form for those who do their best to keep these pages populated.

Plenty of time this autumn for more though, so I hope that more sleep will be disturbed over the coming weeks. Thank goodness for understanding wives !!!

SL