Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:48 am
We have caught these fish from the west coast of ireland for a number of years (well 12 to be exact) including a fish in 1994 of 3-12 which would have been the record at the time (if only we had known!) . The places that we have caught them tend to be your typical rock marks both deep and shallow.
They like the cover of the rocks but seem to be attracted to marks wher there is some sand in the viscinity too . They tend to congregate along the sand/rock line and once you have located them its usually easy to bag up .
They are agressive and will take most baits .methods but we favour crab in the bottom inched back in until you feel the reef . Wrasse can be a problem! We used 20lb nylon without any real problems and size 4 kamasan. they do straighten a few though so if you get a shoal of bigger ones try some of those carp hooks ...short shank to avoid the straightening issue.
Ballinskelligs there are a few places and dingle harbour entrance is a well known hot spot . best usually later in the summer and when calm , they dont like the ruff!
and finally ....like most meditteranean species they do respond to a twitched bait .....oh and if you hook one at short range as you are likely to do on rocky marks ....hold on they fight stink !