3 bearded rockling.

Caught one of these on a full mackerel fillet and a 7/0 hook whilst fishing the deepwater quay at Cobh on friday night with phanover. I popped it back without taking a picture as I didnt think it was too out of the ordinary, fish in question would easily have gone over the 2lb mark. I see from reading other posts that this would indeed have been a good fish. Is this close to specimen size? Only asking for my own information, its not that I intend slaughtering potential specimens. Just if I had known at the time I would have made damn sure to get a picture!

Pete,
1.75lbs is the specimen weight so it sounds like you had yourself more than a specimen! Rockling though is one of the fish that the Specimen Committee ask for the actual body when the claim is submitted, it would have been a shame to have to kill it.

Pete

nice fish ! specimen weight is 1lb 12 oz ,seems to be alot more big ones around this year .

Tried fishing them last night but had no joy. Conger are frequenting the same ground so I'm having a bit of a dilema in choosing a hook choice & bait size. Anybody have any opinions on what is best set up for gettin them?

Pete

Specimen size in 1KG. No need to downsize hooks for rockliing and it needs to be presented for identification. A 1lb fish will easily swallow a 6/0 hook with fish bait meant for a conger.

Donagh

If I'm not eating it, I'm not killing it regardless of size weight etc. I have no bother taking fish for the pot from time to time but not for recognition. A picture would have been a good idea but I'm sure phanover will hear me out on the story! :D

Have only caught 2 of this particular fish and both times they have made short work of 7/0 hooks on wire traces baited with full fillets of mackerel intended for conger. Greedy little sods!

Cheers lads, going to use 4/0 or 5/0 I think and put on decent strip of mackerel then.

Pete

I think that Pete was a little cheesed off at drawing a blank at Inch Beach earlier and didn't realise what a decent fish he had. T'was indeed a decent size. I have to say had I caught it I'd be more than happy!

As the song said "We don't know what we had till its gone!"

Paul

You could be right on that Paul, have to say was mildly disappointed after watching the rod tip bouncing and expecting to be lifting into a nice conger considering the size of the bait that went out! Ill know for again, still, was nice to get a fish anyway. Hopefully, the next trip out will be more productive. If only this damn weather would lighten up a bit. :(