People: me
Duration: 11:00am until 3:00pm
Tide: 13:06 (0.8m) 19:20 (4.8m)
Weather: S breeze, brilliant sun and clear water. Very slight wave
Bait: Me: Eel and mackerel frozen
Rigs: pulleys 2/0 penels, 3 hook cascades, 3 hook golds size 2s
Results: I blanked. Only two fish caught a dog to Aiden to win and Ger a flounder.
Report: Lovely weather for a walk but not for fishing here. I was looking forward to this comp when I looked at it in calendar at the start of the year but weather conditions were against us. A spring low water which meant we could see the bank of rocks and kelp that encircle this beach at LW. The place I fished I had been able to cast out in the spring with very few snags and no losses earlier in the year. After an hour I was snagged on most casts and switched over to pulleys. I may have been a few yards to the right of where I was the last day but I can’t be sure.
I kept casting long even though I could see the kelp as there no one else getting bites and it seemed the most likely place to get fish. I only lost 4 rigs in all as I pulled out of most snags once I switched to 20lb line and 100% leader knot. No one else was losing rigs but I was probably casting a big longer. Over an hour into the flood I thought I could switch back to 3 hook rigs as we were pushed back well past where we had setup even though LW was the half way point in the comp. Also the previous cast had resulted in no snag.
With a half an hour to go I had a walloping bite and a few seconds later it was hit again. I struck a solid rock and the leader broke under pressure. This was made worse by the fact I had ignored half the leader spider loop after had broke on a previous snag pull out. After that Aiden had his dog to half a crab and a coaly lost in the water to the same bait. The flounder was caught on the last cast.
I was raging with myself for loosing the fish especially due to my own bad fishing. It could well of won me the comp but more importantly saved my blank. I had desperate head ache all day, partly due to drink and partly due to the watery sun which put my fishing right off. Between that and lack of preparation (I should of brought another 525 loaded with 20lb) as I was busy with the kids the days before.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Carig west Co. Kerry 10th-October-2010
People: me
Duration: 12:50pm until 4:30pm
Tide: 13:59 (0.3m) 20:21 (5.1m)
Weather: NE breeze, Cloudy mild with a mist
Bait: Eel, Squid and mackerel frozen
Rigs: Ledgers, pulleys, 3 hook flappers size 2s, 3 hook golds size 2s
Results: a dog and a strap
At this point I switched the paternoster to ledger and pulleys under the rock platform. This can give decent huss and straps. I was obliged by a small run after 3:30 that resulted in a small strap of around 1 Kg. After 4pm the weed started to run with the strong tide. After losing two rigs from the weed pulling the rigs into snags I kept everything close in and by 4:30pm even they were under threat. At that I went home. I didn’t take any photos but here’s one from the past.
Duration: 12:50pm until 4:30pm
Tide: 13:59 (0.3m) 20:21 (5.1m)
Weather: NE breeze, Cloudy mild with a mist
Bait: Eel, Squid and mackerel frozen
Rigs: Ledgers, pulleys, 3 hook flappers size 2s, 3 hook golds size 2s
Results: a dog and a strap
Report: I could have had my dinner mid-day and fished into darkness but with a 5.1m tide I could have been cut off or worse the water went around my car. The car probably would have been ok but the weed from the 5.3m tides the day before went over a lot of the road to this place and I don’t know where’s safe and where’s not. John Lynch used to reckon this was a low water mark but that could have been for whites and dabs. I’ve always had my best fishing on the flood but this would be a strong tide to fish the whole of the flood here.
I fished one rod with paternosters interchanging them and the other with pulleys and the occasional ledger. I fished in the middle and with the water being so low I could see the weed to my left and fished the paternosters to the right to avoid tackle losses. LW was a wash out. After an hour I did hear my rachet click on the big bait rod while I pulled out of a snag but that could have been anything. Around 3pm, the water had started to flood and I saw my pulley rod twitch. This had been mack/squid and when I reeled in with no weight I could see why there was no fish, the squid had masked to hook point due to the crabs as it was left out a long time rather than bad bait presentation. Squid sand eel penel was sent out to the same spot and after 5 minutes I had a doggy to the top hook of the 2/0 penel. I fired out the flapper in the same spot with sand eel as well as another penel but nothing
At this point I switched the paternoster to ledger and pulleys under the rock platform. This can give decent huss and straps. I was obliged by a small run after 3:30 that resulted in a small strap of around 1 Kg. After 4pm the weed started to run with the strong tide. After losing two rigs from the weed pulling the rigs into snags I kept everything close in and by 4:30pm even they were under threat. At that I went home. I didn’t take any photos but here’s one from the past.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The graveyard mark, The Estuary, Co. Clare 27-September-2010
People: 6 anglers from Shannon town angling club
Duration: 12:20pm until 4:20pm
Tide: 13:59 (0.9m) 20:17 (4.8m)
Weather: S light wind. Cloudy mild
Bait: Eel, Squid and mackerel frozen
Rigs: penel clip downs, up and overs and running ledgers
Results:
First place: Ger: 9 fish with a mixture of dogs and huss all around 1kg
Second place: Me with a 2.2kg huss, a 1kg huss and 3 dogs.
Third place: Peter: 1.7kg and 2.2kg huss and two dogs
Report:
I'd only fished here once before a few years back and came second in a comp with 11 anglers with the smallest huss I've ever caught, so expectations weren't great. Though the winner that day Neilus had a 12lb stinger. I had memorys of some snags but was unsure of how the ground would be on the day as in the Estuary marks can change so I had few different line strengths. I finally got time the day before to make up some namix 6 oz leads so that I wouldn't be risking expensive leads. In the end I only lost one.
I was in the middle and started casting about 70 or 80 yards. The lads to my left were getting bites from the start so I gradually moved closer in but should of done sooner as the best fishing was to be had 30 yards out as I eventually learnt. I was getting bites at 50 yards but no fish while Ger and peter to my left were bringing fish regularly over to me to be weighed and released. I also tried a 3 hook cascade rig which did give a slack line but no fish. As it came to low water I finally hit into a weight after waiting for a few pulls on my rod tip. This produced the best bend on my rod in a while, partly due to the shallow mixed ground, but also due to fish fighting all the way in. It turned out to have been a doggy on the top hook and the 3.2kg huss below on the lower hook.
As the flood came on fishing went quite but Ger was still getting bites though less regularly with alot of missed fish. I did get another dog to the penel rig with the above bait combo but nothing after that to them. I switched over to a ledger bolt rig with a 4/0 single hook that I cast 30 yards out with muppet copying Ger's tactics and fished off the rachet with the line wrapped around the back of the multiplier with mackerel squid wrap as bait. This produced the huss and dog out of two bites giving 100% hook ups to bites. The 30 yard casting distance was bit more snaggy so obviously had better fish holding potential. After that though no more bites and it was quite down to the left as well. For the last I went with the pulley a bit further out but nothing and another dog came into my left showing it was the wrong thing to do.
Duration: 12:20pm until 4:20pm
Tide: 13:59 (0.9m) 20:17 (4.8m)
Weather: S light wind. Cloudy mild
Bait: Eel, Squid and mackerel frozen
Rigs: penel clip downs, up and overs and running ledgers
Results:
First place: Ger: 9 fish with a mixture of dogs and huss all around 1kg
Second place: Me with a 2.2kg huss, a 1kg huss and 3 dogs.
Third place: Peter: 1.7kg and 2.2kg huss and two dogs
Report:
I'd only fished here once before a few years back and came second in a comp with 11 anglers with the smallest huss I've ever caught, so expectations weren't great. Though the winner that day Neilus had a 12lb stinger. I had memorys of some snags but was unsure of how the ground would be on the day as in the Estuary marks can change so I had few different line strengths. I finally got time the day before to make up some namix 6 oz leads so that I wouldn't be risking expensive leads. In the end I only lost one.
I was in the middle and started casting about 70 or 80 yards. The lads to my left were getting bites from the start so I gradually moved closer in but should of done sooner as the best fishing was to be had 30 yards out as I eventually learnt. I was getting bites at 50 yards but no fish while Ger and peter to my left were bringing fish regularly over to me to be weighed and released. I also tried a 3 hook cascade rig which did give a slack line but no fish. As it came to low water I finally hit into a weight after waiting for a few pulls on my rod tip. This produced the best bend on my rod in a while, partly due to the shallow mixed ground, but also due to fish fighting all the way in. It turned out to have been a doggy on the top hook and the 3.2kg huss below on the lower hook.
This was the third huss around the 3 kg mark this month but as I have never caught decent huss in numbers it was a welcome tally. All these huss fell to the below bait combo of sand eel wrapped in squid below.
As the flood came on fishing went quite but Ger was still getting bites though less regularly with alot of missed fish. I did get another dog to the penel rig with the above bait combo but nothing after that to them. I switched over to a ledger bolt rig with a 4/0 single hook that I cast 30 yards out with muppet copying Ger's tactics and fished off the rachet with the line wrapped around the back of the multiplier with mackerel squid wrap as bait. This produced the huss and dog out of two bites giving 100% hook ups to bites. The 30 yard casting distance was bit more snaggy so obviously had better fish holding potential. After that though no more bites and it was quite down to the left as well. For the last I went with the pulley a bit further out but nothing and another dog came into my left showing it was the wrong thing to do.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Favorite mark, Co. Limerick 19-September-2010
People: Me
Duration: 5pm until 9pm
Tide: 16:29 (4.2m) 22:34 (1.2m)
Weather: Sw moderate wind. Cloudy and warm
Bait: Eel, Squid, bluey and mackerel frozen
Rigs: Pulleys penels 2/0 to 3/0
Results: two dogs
Report: There was a blusterly wind when I arrived resulting in a small surf which is not good here. I stayed as these conditions often quiten down quite quickly once a squall has past and within a half hour II was rewarded by calm sea with a SW wind that created a good tide flow throughout the session.
Before 6pm I had the post high tide rip down stream that produced a burst of three bites but no fish. The doggies were being difficult. The tide relaxed and the steady tide flow upstream that is usual here on the ebb when a SW wind is blowing. This has in the past given me great yields of ray but all was quiet this evening.
After 8pm there was another burst of doggy bites this time I nailed two. The first bite was resulted in no weight when I went to retrieve so I cut short the retrieve and left the bait out there. After leaving the bait out a couple of minutes another bite gave me a dog to mack/squid. I had a second bite and another dog. I thought I was at last into some fish but the two next bites lead did not hook up despite being left out for a while.
As darkness settled in I hoped for better results but before 9pm weed became a problem and the place became difficult to fish. I could have stayed on casting very short, which can give great rewards especially when there’s weed around, but with the fishing so poor and work in the morning I gave up. Being honest I hate fishing on my own at night which will be a problem coming into the winter.
Duration: 5pm until 9pm
Tide: 16:29 (4.2m) 22:34 (1.2m)
Weather: Sw moderate wind. Cloudy and warm
Bait: Eel, Squid, bluey and mackerel frozen
Rigs: Pulleys penels 2/0 to 3/0
Results: two dogs
Report: There was a blusterly wind when I arrived resulting in a small surf which is not good here. I stayed as these conditions often quiten down quite quickly once a squall has past and within a half hour II was rewarded by calm sea with a SW wind that created a good tide flow throughout the session.
Before 6pm I had the post high tide rip down stream that produced a burst of three bites but no fish. The doggies were being difficult. The tide relaxed and the steady tide flow upstream that is usual here on the ebb when a SW wind is blowing. This has in the past given me great yields of ray but all was quiet this evening.
After 8pm there was another burst of doggy bites this time I nailed two. The first bite was resulted in no weight when I went to retrieve so I cut short the retrieve and left the bait out there. After leaving the bait out a couple of minutes another bite gave me a dog to mack/squid. I had a second bite and another dog. I thought I was at last into some fish but the two next bites lead did not hook up despite being left out for a while.
As darkness settled in I hoped for better results but before 9pm weed became a problem and the place became difficult to fish. I could have stayed on casting very short, which can give great rewards especially when there’s weed around, but with the fishing so poor and work in the morning I gave up. Being honest I hate fishing on my own at night which will be a problem coming into the winter.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Co. Limerick 12-September-2010
People: Me and Gearoid
Duration: 2pm until 5.30pm
Tide: 15:00 (0.5m) 21:22 (4.9m)
Weather: Nw moderate wind. Cloudy with light showers
Bait: Eel, Squid and mackerel frozen
Rigs: penel clip downs, up and overs and running ledgers
Results: a 6.5lb and a 3.5lb huss
Report: Had a bite early on in the session and had a weight on but my wresk AA smock pocket got caught up in my reel abd after untangling it the weight was gone. Gearoid arrived after 2.30pm and he had a slack liner. At low water I had a cast over 3/4s of the channel of eel/squid clip down we were fishing and had a bite producing the larger huss. My casting went to crap at that point but got the other huss from the center of the channel to eel/mack clip down. Gearoid headed off before 5 to get back to Dublin and I fished large penel ledger rigs with mack/squid for the large conger that patrol the channel at this stage of the tide. The wind had picked up causing a wave which along with the big tide caught bought my line at the edge of the channel where rocks and metal is scattered resulting in two lost rigs and most of my line so went home.
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