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Wexford Harbour
This is a definite nursery area with lots of small Bass - please obsereve the bye-laws and put back all fish under 40 cms. Bear in mind there is a daily catch limit of two fish per angler and a closed season from 15th May to 15th June each year. If you see or suspect people breaking these rules, please report them... Mark Details: The butt of the old
bridge (1) just at the start of Kaats Strand offers spinning
opportunities at mid to high tide for Bass in the channel. This
is where Richard took his fish, no more than forty metres out, and
doubtless legering baits on the bottom will produce Flatfish. Further
along, past the small wall and "around the corner" you have
the Kaats Strand proper (2), a famous sheltered match competition
venue that produces the odd Bass amongst large quantities of
Flounder. The odd Dab and Plaice can show up too but here it is
mostly Flounder. Recent rain will stop the fish feeding.
Directly across from the old bridge there is the railway station,
inland from the new bridge. Across the tracks (look both ways
for heaven's sake!) there is a rock wall (4) offering deep water
spinning, indeed the wall extends all the way down to the tennis club
(3). The small island is the prime Bass mark with flatfish taken
on the bottom. The remaining marks are to the seaward side of the new
bridge. You can fish off the bridge itself (5) but with the
volume of traffic, both cars and pedestrians, it is not
recommended. A dropnet with a long rope is essential.
Again Bass and Flatfish are the main quarry, with some Codling and
Whiting in the winter. On the southern shore, there is a new marina
arm (6) opposite the Ballast Bank (7), an island with the remains of
rock armour and masoned rock walls. This is the prime Bass mark
in the harbour and boats will routinely troll with plugs and spinners
on both sides. Nobody uses electric engines but the Bass do not
seem to mind! You can also leger baits here, and in winter you will
pick up small Codling and Whiting with the odd Freshwater Eel and
Rockling thrown in for good measure. John Diamond adds
that small Pollack and Coalfish have also succumbed here. Here the Flounder often
give way to Dabs, the water being considerably more saline.
The quays fronting the Talbot Hotel (8) offer
Codling fishing in winter, especially after dusk on a flooding
tide. Cocktials of peeler crab and lugworm take the fish on
30-50 metre lob casts however it is a rocky mark and you may lose some
rigs. Rottem bottom links and junk leads are recommended.
Further seaward there is a derelict section of land with a sea wall
called Maudlintown (9). This gives further opportunities for
spinning and plugging for Bass, with again Flatfish routinely taken on
the bottom. Finally if this is not enough, you have Ardcavan, an
excellent flatfish venue beside the hotel north of the new Bridge. Overall, the bass can range from schoolies that must be returned through to the fish of a lifetime - those double figure 10lb plus monsters, which should - if you are an angler - also be returned.
Probabilities: Flounder (resident); Bass (summer); Codling (winter). Possibilities: Eels, Whiting, Rockling (resident) Rare Exceptions: Dabs, Plaice (summer) |