Client Catches – ‘Getting’ the Needle…

Client Catches – ‘Getting’ the Needle…

Ahhh the needlefish… What a lure when, as per all of the patterns we utilise, it is used in the right place, at the right time, and of the greatest importance in my view, in the right way. Most definitely, you need to understanding or ‘get’ what they can do for you therefore, I hope that this post helps in some way.

But much like the creature baits (such as the Megabass Sleeper Craw I’ve enjoyed success with since the turn of the year) that I will placing some serious fishing time into as the water temperature cools this winter, the needlefish is rather ‘misunderstood’ in some respects. Indeed, it can be the type of lure that if you don’t catch almost immediately can quickly find itself relegated to the bottom of the pecking order in regard to lure selection, due primarily, to and the confidence you have in them.

But they work, and they work very, very well, especially when fished on nothing more difficult than or straight or linear retrieve, with the smoothest rotation of the handle ultimately assisting the angler to achieve that ghosting, ethereal motion that I quickly came to release 7+ years ago now that the bass seemingly want at night, in clear, shallow water covering a reef, within a gentle surf over pure sand, or even ever-so-slow retrieve with the flow of a laterally-running current. And by God do they hit them hard at times!

Bigger bass anyone…?

If you’ve been following my blog posts of late then you will recognise the client (Rob) in the featured image from earlier this season, when he landed a 67cm bass on a ‘popped’ Whiplash Factory Spittin Wire here. Moreover, within my 2023 Year in Review (Client Catches) post he had his own personal gallery (I almost had a calendar made up too haha) because he caught so many bass with me – with some big ones to boot!

And talking about the big ones, in precisely the same way that I wrote about a surface popped lure, be it a hybrid popper/slider or a full-on designated popper (such as a recent find, the diminutive but deadly Fishus Lures Ubuntu 70 8.5g) the needlefish do seem to consistently ‘sort out’ the better-sized bass…

Mimic…

When it comes to attaching a needlefish (I routinely use the TC Lures Magnetic Weight Shifting (MWS) Ghost or the more elliptically-shaped and longer casting Marc Cowling/TC Lures Surf MWS versions) and actually fishing with it, during a recent guiding session, with no preconceived idea of how to use them, Rob was perfect participant.

The main thing here is to imagine what it is you’re attempting to mimic. As launce (greater sand eel)? A garfish?, Any slender-looking fish perhaps? Or maybe a cuttlefish (the side or profile view) or a squid? Whatever it is a bass ‘thinks’ a needlefish is, the fundamental feature or characteristic here is that the lure is doing virtually nothing in the water.

When I say ‘nothing’ what I mean is that it isn’t wobbling, vibrating, quivering or knocking – hardly any or zero noise or movement which, admittedly, takes a little getting used to if you’re more used to ploughing a hard minnow or metal through a turbulent undertow, and feeling that sensation of the lure reverberating through the blank.

Alongside the simply lethal technique of allowing a needlefish to level-sink on a tight line (which makes up a high percentage of what can be a savage attack) when the lure enters the water or whilst administering a controlled pause to the retrieve, all that is required is steady, full turn of the reel’s handle per second. In the case of retrieving the needlefish within a laterally running flow of current, or in a surf shifting towards you, then retrieve quick enough so that you maintain ‘contact‘ with it all all times.

The best job in the world!

I’m sure it is obvious that I absolutely love catching and releasing bass, with the only thing better being that I am in a position to teach, assist and then witness my clients catching them too! Honestly, it was such a pleasure to hear Rob shouting “Yeah, fish on, good one too!” from the sandy shoreline we were stood on (as I wrapped myself up warmly while still recovering from COVID) having just taken him through the full repertoire of ‘how to’ retrieve the pristine needlefish that I’d leant him. The best job in the world…? Yes, most probably!

Remaining 2025 and 2026 Dates/Prices

After a highly successful first season of weekend only guiding, my 2nd Guide Joe (who you can read about here) will be releasing his 2025 dates within the next 10 days – I will publish my remaining 2025 availability in tandem with this. Furthermore, within the next week I will also be releasing my confirmed 2026 3 Day Package dates, in addition to my Guiding Day and One-to-One programme to my regular/previous clients, before offering them to those people on my mailing and reserve lists.

Therefore, if you would like to be kept informed please do complete the Contact Form on my homepage here, or you can complete the Contact Form below:

Thanks for reading.

Marc Cowling

South Devon Bass Guide Ltd