Chasing Silver in Stormy Conditions – A Weekend with Phil
Conditions at a Glance
Pressure: Falling through the week
Wind: Strong, swinging north during the session
Rain: Heavy, non-stop on Friday evening
Tide: Evening flood and ebb
Coefficient: Mid-range
Moon Phase: Early waxing
The Plan
It had been a rough week for bass fishing in Wexford: broken rods, lost lures, and relentless poor conditions. Still, the hunger to get out and chase silver never goes away. My mate Phil made the long 4.5-hour drive down to fish with me for the weekend.
We knew conditions weren’t ideal, but the plan was simple: hit different types of ground, put in the hours, and see if we could find some fish.
The Ground
Friday evening saw us out in non-stop heavy rain, exploring open coastline. These kinds of marks — where current, structure, and tide shifts can switch bass on — are a big part of why shore lure fishing for bass in Ireland is so addictive.
The Action
Despite the rain, Phil managed to get off the mark with a fish. The following day, we explored more varied ground and both picked up a few more. Just as it looked like the bass were starting to become active, the weather turned against us again.
The wind swung north, the temperature dropped, the sky blackened, and the heavens opened. That was the end of it — fish gone, conditions shut down, and another test of patience for the angler’s spirit.
The following evening, though, with weather easing, I couldn’t resist another quick session. About 15 casts in, I had my first hit on the top. That fish shook the hook, but it was enough to get the pulse racing. A few more missed takes followed before I finally connected with another bass on the surface.
As darkness fell, I clipped on the black Pirate Lures teaser and was rewarded with a couple more chunky fish into the mid-50s. After a run of small schoolies lately, these better fish were a welcome sight.
Lessons Learned
Persistence pays – even when conditions look grim, keep casting.
Weather rules the day – wind swings and pressure drops can shut fishing down in an instant.
Adapt with light levels – when the sun goes, black teasers often come into their own.