It's just not meant to be

If you are following this fool you will know I've missed hooking up to what I believe is the same bass on at least 4 separate occasions now. I've been fishing the same venue, same state of the tide and I believe it's the same bass working along the shoreline on its own. This particular bass (if I'm right) takes the bait in the same slow deliberate manner with all the hallmarks of a bigger bass - and I've managed to miss it each time. Well last night it happened again within five mins of my first cast, but this time I hooked into it, for about five seconds...

The bass surged off to my right heading for a groyne, I stopped it and the bass stayed deep feeling powerful and heavy. Then the line went slack giving me the impression it had turned, but frantic winding eventually revealed it had spat the bait.

I was gutted and sat down dejected like we all do after losing a good fish, in fact it took several moments before my hands would stop shaking. Roughly 40 minutes later I received another run, which apart from being unexpected, was fast and schoolie like. The initial run was soon dealt with and I returned a 21" consolation bass (may have scraped 4lb) and that was it for the rest of the night.