TOPE FROM THE SHORE

I have been thinking of my main goal this year!!, spurdog and tope from the shore.

I think I am grand on the tactics and rod and reel outfit. I know these are closely guarded secrets but is there anyone going to target them this year and maybe I and couple of buddies tag along and try and bag a tope from the shore. thanks in advance and all info will be in the strictest confidence.

cheers
stevie

stevie why dont you just ask for bank account details it would be easier mate.!!!¬!!! john

stevie why dont you just ask for bank account details it would be easier mate.!!!¬!!! john

I know I'm not asking much am I lol.. . . . I have a feeling you have a couple of cheeky spots up round the swilly john lol

'I am calling from a database to tell you have won a cash price .. . . . . can I have you sort code and bank account number to wire the monies .... . ..

Next time you are round our way round_ourway. You can try mountcharles pier.

Should be up that direction sometime in june or july anthony so i will take you up on that offer. I seen that clip of some fella in scotland with a skate from the shore.
It also means I would have to invest in some heavy gear, I'm thinking a big century kompressor.... or should I say a big durty century kompressor.
I think there were some guys that tope from the shore about three years back, they didnt have any success but gave a good go up in donegal.

I have a 30lb boat rod with about a mile of line on a Brutus reel.

I'd say that would be enough.

I was down at Carrickfergus catching some mackerel last august and got talking to a guy, he went into one about how he had caught tope in the lough about twenty years ago, i had heard this speech before from my dad who also said the same thing, but these catches where from a boat, however the guy then went on to tell me that him and a friend where fishing torr head from the rocks just spinning for pollack round about june (2008) and getting knowhere decided to rig up a rod and try and get a conger( i know what your thinking, rig up a spinning rod for a conger!!! so was I but didnt want to disturb this yarn ) he said he got a bite and battled for 10 mins with what he thought was a conger only to see a tope break the surface of the water before he lost it, he said it looked the best part of 20 lb. This story did little to convince me to try torr head for a tope as I have fished here before and it can be a bit of a nightmare both the fishing and the journey down. I think your best bet would be the swilly, but you would need some local knowledge which wont come cheap I would reckon. Best of luck on your hunt

JULIO

Had a good few tope from wexford beaches last year. None over 25cm i'd say though . Sounds like a good goal for the year. Hoping for something similar myself. Been looking into spurdogs a bit. Don't hear of many at all from the shore. Have to wait and see i guess....

i recon theres some spots around belfast lough or strangford lough. never know until you try it.

What myself and round_ourway were organising was for me to take large mackeral baits out on the kayak and drop them beyond his casting distance.


could even try for skate. With huge baits.

I was down at Carrickfergus catching some mackerel last august and got talking to a guy, he went into one about how he had caught tope in the lough about twenty years ago, i had heard this speech before from my dad who also said the same thing, but these catches where from a boat, however the guy then went on to tell me that him and a friend where fishing torr head from the rocks just spinning for pollack round about june (2008) and getting knowhere decided to rig up a rod and try and get a conger( i know what your thinking, rig up a spinning rod for a conger!!! so was I but didnt want to disturb this yarn ) he said he got a bite and battled for 10 mins with what he thought was a conger only to see a tope break the surface of the water before he lost it, he said it looked the best part of 20 lb. This story did little to convince me to try torr head for a tope as I have fished here before and it can be a bit of a nightmare both the fishing and the journey down. I think your best bet would be the swilly, but you would need some local knowledge which wont come cheap I would reckon. Best of luck on your hunt

JULIO

I have only fished torr head a couple of times, your right its a bit hairy. I have heard a few of those stories myself when out fishing. I think the swilly is the most likely of destinations, there is bound to be tope caught really close to the shore up around there. By the way anyone wanting to come along to try for them is more than welcome.

Had a good few tope from wexford beaches last year. None over 25cm i'd say though . Sounds like a good goal for the year. Hoping for something similar myself. Been looking into spurdogs a bit. Don't hear of many at all from the shore. Have to wait and see i guess....

well a tope is a tope hehe. There is a couple of fella's on this site that have had big tope from the shore. yeah it's not that im asking for much lol......... ''Dear santa , I really really want a tope from the shore and a spurdog would be nice as well'' hehe

What myself and round_ourway were organising was for me to take large mackeral baits out on the kayak and drop them beyond his casting distance.


could even try for skate. With huge baits.

yeah, I can barely cast with any bait never mind trying to cast with a mack flapper. I can't wait until the summer now. I have even said to the missus ''i'm going away for a couple of days chasing sharks in the summer''.

Anthony have you ever tried for tope on your kayak?

Not yet, but its definitely going to be tried this year. I'm in a species competition.

Here's my plan
1) Spinning/fly fishing for pollock/coalies ( 1/2 day).
2) Wrasse fishing (1/2 day).
3) General ground fishing + Mack flapper/Mack head(3 days).
4) Sea-trout fishing (1 day)
5) Fly fishing for macks(1 day).

That's the initial plan anyway, hopefully I get the weather for it.

12 sessions between October and December last year on Wicklow venues that have produced fish in the past. Result - three runs (in one session) : no fish. Article is TSF last year suggested a success ration of one fish for every ten sessions which seems about right!.