A week at Westward Ho! - Part two.

The following morning was terrible, the wind got stronger over night and had swung around so it was blowing straight onto the rocks, not good for fishing. I did a bit of asking around at the local tackle shops and had a few alternative venues to try later in the day once the tide had turned and started to fill the Torridge estuary where the recommended spots where. I purchased some Lugworms to use as bait, the estuary is full of sandbanks covered in the worm casts at low water so I thought this might be the best bait to try to tempt a bite. My trusty old Zziplex Bass rod was put in the car ready for later and we headed out for a days sightseeing at Great Torrington and nearby Bideford where I was to fish.

Once the tide had turned and eventually started to flood the estuary at Bideford we finished the day with a sort fishing session about a half mile up-stream from Bideford bridge where there's a bend in the estuary with easy parking and the spot looked good for a bite when we passed earlier and the tide was out. It took a good few casts to find a spot clear from the weed flowing in with the tide, as soon as one was found the bites started. They were from small school Bass which hit the lugworm bait with such speed you'd think they were much bigger but sadly they weren't but they were good fun.

Later in the week and after finding the bait that catch the local Bass I thought another go at Grey Sands at the mouth of the estuary might produce some Bass of a better size than the ones at Bideford. I managed to find and land several more Bass but sadly they were all a similar size to previously caught.

The weather improved towards the end of the week and I was able to get back onto the rock marks and try for some more dogfish or something a little better, I'd heard of some Smoothhounds coming out from these spots so I fished with the hope that I could connect with one of these miniature sharks. The bait was Sandeel but the catch was to be all dogfish and lots of them.

When the weather is this good, any fish will do!