Lighter winds......

• OK, so the skies may be grey, but at least the winds have eased off and are forecast to be fairly light for the rest of the week - here's hoping they stay that way !! I am off tomorrow morning to shoot a wrasse fishing feature off the shore, something I love doing - these scrappy fish have always been one of my favourite fish in the sea and I am hoping that a few nice ones might show themselves tomorrow.

• Above is a photo of a wrasse that was taken on a bass lure last week out in Jersey, around the vast Minquiers reef system. The successful lure was the Duo Tide Minnow SLD-F, see here for where you can get them. The mind boggles at how good the wrassing must be out there - next time I am going to take a bucket of bait and a heavy spinning rod and have a proper go. I also heard about stingrays, blonde rays, tope, turbot, brill and of course serious bass fishing when it all comes good.

• As you can probably tell, my one and a half days on the Minquiers really got to me in a big way - I find it incredibly reassuring that there are still truly wild and desolate places around the UK that can still be visited, that are away from roads, cars, mobile phones and other people. As I always say, fishing is arguably the world's greatest excuse for visiting cool places.

• Then I am out on Thursday photographing some local bass fishing, the stuff that I was meant to be doing last week before all that rain killed it stone dead. I heard of a few fish over the weekend on live mackerel and sandeel, so it should be a bit of fun. I am really hoping that the sun comes out for this one as big blue skies on a boat really make things look a whole lot more impressive.

• Above is Steve Mullins from Jersey, casting a plug off a remote sandbank that we dropped him off on out at the Minquiers. This expanse of sand only uncovers around low water and it looked awesome - I only wish I could get to the skies and photograph this kind of place from the air, then it would look how it should. That is the coastline of Jersey that you can just see in the background.

• I heard of some really big bass from the south coast of Ireland recently, including a fish of just under 13lbs and another near 10lbs, all on lures. As to where, the bloke was not telling me, but once again it shows how productive this coastline can be when conditions are right. I am heading back out there in mid-September again, right after I get back from Canada, and I can't wait. I am even hearing rumours of an Indian summer...........

• I am right in the middle of trying to clear a load of work before heading out to Canada next Tuesday morning, including the processing of all the photos I shot out in Jersey late last week. Above is the Minquiers just after low tide, early in the morning, and you can see just why this place is so revered for bass fishing - check out the mass of rocks, gullies and tide rips. At high tide there are nothing more than a few rocks poking their heads out. Boats beware !!