Smoothound Wexford??????

Has any one come accross any Smoothound in Wexford yet? I understand the season is Spring time and just wondered if they have appeared yet or is the weather too cold? When did they start to appear last year?

Thanks,
Don.

The first fish from the shore were about May last year from Clones beach which apparently throws up good numbers of smoothies and bass for shore anglers given a decent surf and high tide coinciding with darkness (top bait being fresh peeler).

Luke Scully & Pat Hicks took several smoothies & some big thornbacks in early June around Cahore last year aswell.

May is definately the real start though there are always pups around in late April from Ennareilly south so the big mamas must be around somewhere. I would look south of Arklow in May and the fish move northwards as the month progresses. June and July are the prime months from the Wicklow/Wexford beaches. Smoothies have been spreading north generally and every year they appear to travel further. There is a real fishery from Dublins South Wall and Howth Head. I would not be surprised to see them landed from the sandy North Dublin venues and I think they would turn up with more frequency from new venues if specifically targetted. The only bait worth considering from the shore is peeler and distance can be critical. From the boats rag can take fish and hounds have fallen to hermit and hard backed crabs. Some have been recorded on mackerel but I would not deliberately go after them without crab of some sort.

Howth Head??????!!!!??? Not from the shore though surely?

I've caught bull huss around the Bailey alright, but no other hounds. Then again I've never fished here with fresh peeler so what do I know!

Thanks for the information Brian and Alby. Can I ask you what rigs you would use for the smoothies and what sort of distance you are talking about?

By the way is there any local source for peelers in the Arklow/Gorey area?

Thanks,
Don.

Without a doubt Steve. I took a Smoothy last summer, scorching day in June I remember. I made the hazardous jourbey down to Glenaveena Beach (very rarely repeated, might I add). Using Peeler and Lug cocktail, if I remember rightly. Casted out beyond the small reef, bout 90yds in all using a one up one down. Was the only other fish taken apart from a few Mackerel caught by my mate.

I think a 1 hook clipped down rig would probably suffice for distance and simplicity purposes, hook size from 3/0 to 6/0. I've got peeler before from the bait shed/house on the left of the main road as you head into wexford town (just before the Peugeot garage i think), theres a small sign on the road, it's the same turnoff as wexford wildfowl reserve.

Also Murphys in wexford town might have some if you order early. Hope this helps. Also put the ratchet on your reel on, i've heard of guys chasing rod's and reels down beaches when getting runs off smoothhounds.

Local boats regularly catch smoothhounds off the Baily during the summer . A friend of mine caught one weighing 10lbs a few years ago while fishing in a boat just off the Baily. I know for a fact smoothies have been caught off Lions Head in Howth during the summer . Again distance can be crucial and peeler is the best bait . A friend once told me that they use to catch pup hounds while fishing off Dollymount Beach at night during the summer .

Were these hounds off Dollymount caught recently? I heard they used to catch them regularly here about 20 years back but have heard of none since.

Wes - were is Glenaveena beach?

Re the Lions head, I was planning a few night sessions for conger there during the summer, so I reckon I'll pack some peeler for the smoothies now as well!

I'd love to give Dollymount beach a go on a summer night too, but can never find a friend that's brave enough to fish it with me. I've tried during the evenings before, but with someone approaching you every ten seconds with the usual "you'll get nothing here" (even though most of them confess to never fishing before) I find it's just not worth it!

I generally favour a single hook clipped rig with a 2/0 or 3/0 Viking style hook. From South Wexford beaches, distance can be the critical difference assuming you're using peeler. Travelling northwards, distance becomes less necessary from the Wicklow shingle venues but you are still talking about 70 yards plus minimum. Deeper water such as Howth or Kilmichael give fish at shorter distances. I am talking here about the bigger fish, the pups can turn up at all distances.
As pointed out, big hounds are no respecters of tackle and will happily drag rod and reel into the sea. I had a double figure fish from Ennareilly last year that literally tore the rod from the tripod. Had I not been standing there in a position to grab it, I'm certain it was heading seawards.
I know one friend who lost a much loved Conoflex Black Adder and Abu 6500 c to just such a fish.

Hi Steve,
Glenaveena is the beach east of Lion's Head. As i'm sure you've seen, its a steep and slightly dangerous pathway down, and be sure you're able for the climb back up. Yes, you can have a good cast and get into the area I mentioned from Lions Head, but coming back in is very snaggy and nearly sure to loose your gear each time.