Cabin Fever?

When it started to get cold in 2017, I didn’t stop fishing, I just started wearing extra layers. I have read reports of cabin fever almost daily on Facebook groups and I just don’t know If it is getting to me or not.

I am lucky to regularly have access to the Plymouth coastline which is home to a wide array of species of fish to target and have a 10 year old who actively wants to get out there and fish and explore the coastline. So why stop fishing?

We have fished right through the winter including some of the very coldest weekends and have been rewarded with regular catches on LRF gear with the ever present micro Pollock making regular appearances and some real excite!ent as already mentioned in other posts with the schooling herring.

But with the end of the workday overlapping the start of darkness and my work life taking over somewhat. I have barely fished at all on weekdays. I have often used the time not working to read articles and blogs soaking up new ideas for this year’s warmer seasons to come. I feel armed and ready to target bass, Pollock and wrasse and would love to get Owen onto some bigger fish this year. A real trophy photo would be lovely!

I am still yet to get out and target bigger fish with the wonderful collection of lures Emily bought me for my 30th birthday in October. I am particularly excited about fishing withthe new plugs as I haven’t really had a go at it before in daylight. 2 maria lures as well as a Hokkaido that are so shiny I don’t even want to share them with the fish as well as some others are in my lurebag just waiting to be clipped on MD chucked out into the surf.

I also have a number of new soft plastics to learn with, including the larger 7 inch sluggos (I have been using smaller versions for a few seasons) and the 5 inch wave bamboo sticks both of which I am confident of picking up bass, Pollock and maybe even large wrasse on from a range of marks. The new approach for me with these will be to dead stick them or st least try to add as little movement as possible.

I haven’t really jumped on the bandwagon of using cabin fever as an excuse to buy a rediculous amount of new tackle as some others have. Apart from topping up with some replacement jig heads, some smaller clips for lrf lures and a top up packet of Isome, all I have really invested in was a pair of £5 gloves from Simon at Osborne and Craggs in Plymouth (has become my go to place for lure fishing tackle over the last year).

My gear has all been sorted/re-organised and tidied (maybe more than once lol) however and I am raring to get out and mess it up again.

With so many new targets this year as well as repeating last years catches (including a beasty sized bass), I really want that chub on a lure and my first seafish on fly pretty soon. Perhaps mullet if I can locate them as I think the fight on my fly rod would be immense.

I am driving myself mad when I have spare time to think so perhaps a little but of cabin fever has been setting in but then I have fished a number of times so I think it may more be just the excitement about getting back out there and catching something new and learning more techniques of fooling fish rather than being stuck in……

Oh who am I kidding…… It is killing me everyday.

If you want to find out more about catching UK fish on lures, I strongly recommend you try this great book here which provides info on everything you might want to know about lure fishing in the UK and how to catch a huge variety of species

Published by Lee

Born 9/10/1987. Plymouth UK Lived in Plymouth until 18 years of age . Ex Royal Navy Mad fisherman and Boxing enthusiast! Previously based in both Plymouth, Portsmouth and London in the UK, I now live and work out of Ash Vale, Surrey, UK.

Leave a comment

Active Angling New Zealand

For Anglers Who Want to Fish More Actively

Lee Russell Travel

A Taste of the World

DP Predator Fly Fishing

Take the next step in your angling adventure

Lines on the Water

The Blog of the Angling Trust Freshwater Team

Fishing Maverick

Gone Fishing

Ben Bassett - LRF Blog

Light Rock Fishing & More

Puttys Lure Fishing Blog

A Fishing Blog by Putty Bass and Lure orientated.

Hook•N•Surf

- Nathaniel James: Surfer, Angler and Writer -

"Different Swims"

~ An Angling Addicts Exploits ~

South Devon Bass Guide Ltd

Guided lure fishing for bass, from the beautiful south Devon coastline.

How To Trick A Fish

Lure fishing with Lee Russell-Clark