How different were the conditions on the water this time a year ago on the Hollands Diep. Due to the enormous torrential rains in the Ardennes and South Limburg, there was an enormous water discharge for weeks. Ruud and I then decided to put our plans to go fishing for sea bass into action. With a few boxes of lures and not hindered by any form of knowledge we went to the Europoort to return home after a whole day of fishing, two boxes of lures poorer and a handful of bites and one sea bass caught by Ruud richer. What tough fishing! And since it involves a 3 hour drive there and 3 hours back for me, it makes you think about whether this is worth it.
We are now a year further and the sea bass fishing continued to gnaw, but yes... that long drive; that tide that only allows you to fish effectively for a few hours, unfamiliarity with spots and all that lure that you lose. Until a few weeks ago a guide day suddenly was cancelled and I was able to go along with an experienced sea bass angler for a few hours to see the art. Okay, another long drive, etc., but at least an opportunity to determine whether this is a meaningful exercise. The answer: not for us anyway. After a few hours with 30 others on a pier pulling shads through mid-water and seeing NOBODY catch anything and not having felt a single bite, the decision was made to throw in the towel with regard to sea bass and shore fish.
Then take the boat. Ruud approached the whole of boat sea bass fishing guides in the Netherlands and one guide still had a spot available for us. Look..... that is fishing as it is meant to be (and as we are used to). Just drive up to the spot and start fishing. And they are just like zander, those sea bass, look for the current, press a soft bait against the ground and just hit them. Ruud already had a bite on the first cast and a few casts later I was able to land the first sea bass of the day and for me my very first sea bass at all.
And not much later Ruud is also his first of the day in the net.
What a geat fishing trip we had. The fish certainly didn't jump into the boat by themselves and every spot we had to look for the right weight to offer our soft baits just right to the bass, but then we also got at least a few bites on each spot and usually also a few fish out of the water. We really had a fantastic fishing day. Caught a lot of sea bass (with even a small horse mackerel) and we finished our day with a double hookup. Can't wait to go again.
