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It was beautifully calm and sunny, hanging out on boats with friends, living the dream! Not long after they gave me the heads up of a pod of Rissos dolphins cruising my way.

I quickly baited the hook with a large grain of corn and flicked it towards the the bush. The cast was rushed and not quite on the money. However, I spotted a previously unseen fish come from a different direction that raced toward where the corn was sinking and the float slid away without hesitation.

It was at one of the marks I discovered last year that I caught the first Bass of the season. There was nothing huge but it was great to see these spikey, silvery beauties once again. There are a few more spots in the area that I think will better in different states of tide but the only way to find that out is to get out there and try.

We talked and talked and talked! A complete stranger was rapidly becoming a new fishy friend. We are cut from the same cloth. We have an appreciation for what I suppose many would now consider, “old fashioned” etiquette and we both recognise that being quiet is just about your number one asset when on the bank.

Joss’ rod in particular had a lovely tip action that bent into a beautiful curve as he landed a string of great fish. Nothing massive but we’d found a weather window and we were in the fresh air catching more roach in January. That’ll do for me.

On balance it was a pretty good year. Every month there was some interesting variety and a bit of success. The boys joined me several times throughout the year and catching anything with them is fun. It’s a useful reminder to keep it fun and simple.

When you’ve been catching fish of around three ounces for a couple of hours, something approaching two pounds looks and feels like a monster!

I never gave up and pushed the limits of my time out there but eventually had to turn my back with my tail firmly between my legs and with my belly full of humble pie. Turns out the giant eating machines aren’t always easy to catch and I have got a lot to learn!

It doesn’t matter what species of fish it is, I just love catching fish when you can see them feeding and taking the bait. For me it just makes the whole experience more exciting.

It is a a mind-blowing experience. A day tuna fishing typically involves close rides with dolphins. With keen eyes you’re likely to see Minke whales. With patient eyes you’ll spot a Fin Whale and if you’ve got anything left there will be Sun Fish, Sharks, thousands of birds and if you’re lucky, a tuna or two.