Undisclosed Mark, Co. Waterford

You're not going to thank me for this but when you read what happened, you'll understand that I'm a bit miffed myself. I was contacted by a friend who said his father knew a great mark in Waterford if I was down that direction and if I was prepared to wade a bit. Into the boot went the chest waders and the beachcaster and off I drove, having work in the area in any case. Met up on Tuesday morning, and we headed off through some country lanes - I am not at liberty to tell to where but the locals may be able to figure it out. Over the fields and down to a sea cliff, down a very dodgy track, especially in chest waders, including a jump! :shock: Did I mention this gentleman is quite old. It no fun jumping a track in chestwaders with a beachcaster and a tackle box!

Anyhow down onto a shingle beach cum rocks with two offshore islands and off he heads into the surf. "Eh, where are we fishing?" "From the island on the left into the cleft between them". :shock: Right then, mental note - bring the boat rod the next time! Wade, ahem at low water over rocky ground and up to midriff in places and then scramble up the island - and finally tuck ourselves into a clearly well worn spot which drops right down. Right, he says, "lumps of mackerel as big as you like..." Out comes a two hook flapper 2/0s and a junk lead and down I drop it. He puts a mackerel head onto a 5/0 and drops it down. No casting required. Very quiet... few nibbles and suddenly I'm in - a nice coalfish, around the kilo mark. Back it goes, head first and rebaiting... then he shouts "Aha boyo" and he's bending into a very decent fish.

Five minutes later he's still bending into it and I've kept my line out owing to the tiny ledge we're kneeling on... Finally up comes a massive pollack, well into double figures... superb except there's something not quite right and we're both panicking thinking hisline will not bring such a big fish up through 10 metres of air. As it comes closer, the truthis is revealed. It is a COD! :D I think he was pleased. "You never know if these buggers are going to be here or not" he says.... which suggests he's caught them here before but he only winks when I ask him straight out and says "sure didn't I tell you it was a decent spot".

We spent another four hours there and we pulled nothing but coalfish out ... all around the 2 lb mark. Schoolies. And he missed a big conger which given I hate the damn things, was all right by me. He took a different route home, up another track around the base of the cliffs revealed at low water and I promised him I would not reveal the location, which is fair enough. It fishes all stages of the tide.

Gobsmacked I am, still... NB: If some of you do figure out where we went, please do not list it here or I will be shot, or more accurately never invited back. I would add that getting there is damn difficult and dangerous and to do it as a group.

Kieran,
Did you get my info on Cat Rock?

Hi George

A Bit busy with work at the moment but we will put the Cat Rock up shortly and even give it an individudal page in due course...

Thanks for the helop, it is genuinely appreciated.