Bass Fishing Reality

[Crevan]

Pleased to say that after two years of very hard fishing experienced by myself across Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Clare & Galway, during which I repeatedly blogged and posted about poor fishing, this year locally has been slightly better largely due to changes in tactics (Night fishing) but I'm still very worried by the overall trend highlighted by the valued opinions of those who've posted to this thread.

On night fishing it certainly is effective but not really what I want for my Bass fishing, I have been able to guide a number of visiting friends and family members to catch their first fish with regularity this year under the cover of darkness such is the ease of the process, it should be possible with a few years experience in which a lot of time has been invested, along with the superb equipment I'm lucky enough to have, not to need to resort to it in order to have a reasonable return for my efforts.

There has been some quite ok daytime fishing locally also (Within the context of this era) but from what I'm reading here and can 100% believe based on those who are writing it's very bleak out there in places. I do hear the bass festival numbers and average sizes were quite good considering the conditions...

[Pat]

Its quite obvious from reading the posts on this topic that the fishery in Wexford has collapsed. Something fundamental has gone wrong. This could be disease in that segment of the population or commercial interests have found this populations over wintering grounds....who knows.

This experience hasn't been reflected along the entire coast. In this neck of the woods this season has been quite good so far. After three seasons of dropping numbers (not to anything like the extent seen in Wexford) the numbers this year seem to be back to 2010 levels. What is this in terms of bass per rod hours - in my case its equating to 117 bass per 100 hours. I'm very happy with that. However, I'm not complacent. Commercial interests have had a big impact in these parts over the years. I know from talks with IFI they are not complacent either. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to try and protect this resource. Jim Clohessy through UCC is doing tremendous work in a tagging survey in Cork Harbour. Studies like these will more accurately determine bass movements. Armed with such knowledge the task of bass protection is very much enhanced.

I would agree, though, that more co-ordinated efforts right across the bass fishing community is required. In this context, the suggestion of modelling Irish Bass org along the lines of UK Bass is a good one and should be explored.

[Tanglerat]

Well then. Hands up everyone who's an member of IrishBass and who is takes an active role partipicating in its activities? Far as I can see, it's the usual old story - most don't bother, a few are interested, even fewer are active, most of the work is being done by a very very very small number of anglers.

Offhand, I can think of six individuals who are bearing the entire burden to us. And thank God for them too, otherwise nothing would've been done.

[Bass Dad]

Quote " In an unregulated environment mercenary guides from both Ireland and the UK appear and disappear often offering various business models founded on reduced rates or a no catch no fee basis – this does nothing for the guiding occupation as a whole and in fact has a further negative impact on the environment and the fishing."

Thanks for the mention . Just for the record I haven't disappeared infact one of my clients catches is reported in this http://fishinginireland.info/news/sea-r ... macsherry/ article.


I am happy under the radar and I choose not too shout from the roof tops these days as it provides too much information for other maybe less scrupulous anglers.
I also do not want to be a full time guide as taking people day after day, week after week and year after year all over the West Cork area would lead to a big decline in my catches .
I do not believe anyone in any area/county could keep up this level of pressure on their local stock without eventually suffering consequences . Their own effort would be enough to spook areas let alone the effort from others watching through binoculars to see where Mr Catcher goes.
Does anyone else think otherwise ? Really ?
The bass population in Ireland does not have an offshore stock to replenish areas that are fished-out , it takes years for an area to come back if it does at all. The more you catch today the less you'll have available to catch tomorrow , even if the fish are returned. They also get a bit wiser to lures.

The bass angling pressure in Ireland has been enormous over the last few years , it makes my head spin just thinking about it. Hill, Hendricks and others have quite rightly shown the world how good Wexford can fish and its easy to get to geographical location has made it the go to place for many visitors and residents.
I'm not saying that anglers are entirely to blame for the down turn of the quality of bass fishing in Wexford , that would be stupid as I don't actually know, I do think though that the angling pressure has helped in its demise and wouldn't be at all suprised if this trend continued around our coast as anglers move in search of silver . There is hardly a safe gully for our beleaguered bass anywhere without a lure landing on its head, and maybe Ireland losing its tag as "The Bass Mecca" wouldn't be such a bad thing for the species we all love.

[Crevan]

Hi Tanglerat.
I've visited the Irish Bass website many times before but could not see where or how to join. Perhaps you might provide a link to those who may be interested.

A quick look today shows that it looks like a long while since the website was updated too.

[MAC]

Interesting notes on perception & I think our sport in general suffers a lot in all area in this regard.
TV / Celebrity Anglers such as Henry Gilbey and others have over the past 4 - 5 years brought a lot of new anglers into bass fishing. IMO, these anglers have been fishing through some of the worst Bass fishing this country has had. When they get a few fish from time to time, they perceive the fishing as being excellent as the reference data is only a few years old. Speak with anyone who has regularly fished for Bass over the last 15 - 20 years in any part of the country and they will tell you the species is not there in good numbers any more. There may be one or two decent pockets of Bass fishing in a one or two areas, but in General I believe that the stock is collapsing in most areas. I used to spend a lot of time and money chasing Bass around the country, but to be honest I find it harder and harder to drive 3+ hours for lousy fishing.

Without an interested TD or Government in General, All Angling has left is to sell the craic and Ireland had plenty of this, but if you are looking for good to excellent fishing, take your hard earned cash elsewhere.

[MackDublin]

Well then. Hands up everyone who's an member of IrishBass and who is takes an active role partipicating in its activities? Far as I can see, it's the usual old story - most don't bother, a few are interested, even fewer are active, most of the work is being done by a very very very small number of anglers.

Offhand, I can think of six individuals who are bearing the entire burden to us. And thank God for them too, otherwise nothing would've been done.

I think we all appreciate that it's easy to talk a good game and another thing to roll up the sleeves to get involved. Possibly if IrishBass had some kind of open membership that might be a start in getting voices on the ground from around the country. I don't know TBH.
I've been down to bass conservation meetings in Wexford, across to Clonmel to meet with the IFI (once), written letters at various times against opening the commercial fishery. I suspect that is not uncommon activity among a lot of the posters to this particular thread and no doubt others have done heaps more. I'm also a member of BASS in the uk. Why? Because it has an open membership, I like their ideals, albeit applicable to the uk. If there was something similar in Ireland it might be the catalyst to draw consensus.

There is good work going on around the place. Pat mentioned the tagging program in Cork. Jim Hendrick has been a consistent realist and great barometer when it comes to bass fishing along the Wexford coast.

The collapse in Wexford is also felt in Dublin. I suspect you won't find may on here who can say they are catching as many bass off their marks in Dublin that they did 4+ years ago. So there is something going on.

I suspect if there was some kind of conduit into the Bass Policy Group so we could establish what their sense/concern is of trends around the country and the plans they have to address these issues, it would be a great help.

[John D]

Hi all,
I fully comply with Crevan, Danny M, and Jim H, I too am saddened to hear what Jim H is contemplating stick with it Jim I hope you reconsider, I am also a Wexford based angler I would fish on average twice a week and like the others I have pounded the Wexford coastline since the Bass ban and I can say honestly that I have caught not one single Bass I would judge myself to be a decent enough angler I use the tides as I have in past years but the fish just are not there, my thoughts for what they are worth are as follows, in the past 4/5 years I have witnessed on an ongoing basis so called anglers in the vicinity of Splaugh Rock area and most of us from the Wexford coastline will know where I am referring to, these people would arrive at night sometimes as many as eight or ten and fish that area all night until morning I have witnessed them with keep nets around their wastes with 4/5 fish then they come ashore kill the fish gut and fillet then return to the water and carry on fishing and before anybody says why did you not report what was going on I did on numerous occasions and so did many others and on one occasion had the headlights on my car smashed for my efforts, so if you add up on average 7 fishermen catching on average 7 fish per night for six nights that’s the bones of 300 fish per week this has to have a serious impact on any fishery, anyway these are just my thoughts maybe I am way off the mark.

[Pat]

Well then. Hands up everyone who's an member of IrishBass and who is takes an active role partipicating in its activities? Far as I can see, it's the usual old story - most don't bother, a few are interested, even fewer are active, most of the work is being done by a very very very small number of anglers.

Offhand, I can think of six individuals who are bearing the entire burden to us. And thank God for them too, otherwise nothing would've been done.

I think we all appreciate that it's easy to talk a good game and another thing to roll up the sleeves to get involved. Possibly if IrishBass had some kind of open membership that might be a start in getting voices on the ground from around the country. I don't know TBH.

I think this is a great idea C. The bulk of the work done by the Irish Bass org has been done by John Quinlan. One man can't do all the work. If Irish Bass were reconstituted as a Club or a Society with a fully functioning and working committee that represents the interests of its members, acts as you say as a conduit for all the voices of concern, and feedbacks news and relevant info to its members then more cohesion amongst the bass angling community may result. I'd have no problem rolling up my sleeves and helping out. I have done in the past but only on a ad hoc basis. I'll certainly admit I could do more.

[Crevan]

I caught a fish last night!

Yes. I did. It took me 15 days of between 6-8 hours each day divided between morning, evening and night fishing.
So approx 100 hours for one fish, fishing in marks that I am very familiar with.

Now tell me there is nothing wrong with the Wexford bass fishery!

[Divisadero]

A lot of people are in favour of Irishbass.org morphing into the Irish version of UK Bass. But Irish Bass is basically a one man show (John Quinlan and a few others who pitch in). John may come on here and contribute but unless his views have changed he may not be in favour of opening it up to members. He mentioned in a previous post that he finds it easier to get things done working alone (no committees and politics etc). He has done great work in the past but is it fair or wise to leave it all in the hands of one man? I hope he will continue his work as he has great contacts and knowledge. But if he wants to continue working alone or gets to the stage where he no longer has the time to continue the fight it might make sense to have something else in place. I still think bass anglers would have more power if they could unite with other anglers. There are not as many of us as you may think! Not in the eyes of a Minister or state body for example. UK Bass have aligned with the Angling Trust. We desperately need something like the AT here. But we have to start somewhere so some kind of bass group could be that start. I hope I have not misrepresented John as the above is mainly based on a post he made on here a while back.

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[RockHunter]

I have done very little fishing since the end of the ban (no time between work, the World Cup and the garden - I grew a lot of vegetables this year which has taken up nearly all my free time). I have had a few bass but have found it tough going. I also fished a couple of pollock marks which normally produce plenty of fish at this time of year, blanked at one, and just got two small fish at the top of the tide at the other. So it not just bass that are absent. The lack of seabird activity is also remarkable. I think one of the principal factors in the apparent decline in bass fishing could be the lack of bait fish close to shore. The predatory fish are going to be where the food source is.

[shortcircuit]

I have done very little fishing since the end of the ban (no time between work, the World Cup and the garden - I grew a lot of vegetables this year which has taken up nearly all my free time). I have had a few Bass but have found it tough going. I also fished a couple of pollock marks which normally produce plenty of fish at this time of year, blanked at one, and just got two small fish at the top of the tide at the other. So it not just Bass that are absent. The lack of seabird activity is also remarkable. I think one of the principal factors in the apparent decline in Bass fishing could be the lack of bait fish close to shore. The predatory fish are going to be where the food source is.

I have blanked on my last three occasions out. Now this is no doubt down to my own inexperience than anything, or fishing the wrong/weak tides (I can only get out now and then)
That being said, I have seen absolutely no baitfish along my normal East Cork spots. I remember in June of last year being down in Ballycotton for mackerel and the water was full of sandeels, they looked like vast swarms of insects!

Frank is right, I haven't seen one seabird diving either.

[Pat]

I have done very little fishing since the end of the ban (no time between work, the World Cup and the garden - I grew a lot of vegetables this year which has taken up nearly all my free time). I have had a few Bass but have found it tough going. I also fished a couple of pollock marks which normally produce plenty of fish at this time of year, blanked at one, and just got two small fish at the top of the tide at the other. So it not just Bass that are absent. The lack of seabird activity is also remarkable. I think one of the principal factors in the apparent decline in Bass fishing could be the lack of bait fish close to shore. The predatory fish are going to be where the food source is.

I have blanked on my last three occasions out. Now this is no doubt down to my own inexperience than anything, or fishing the wrong/weak tides (I can only get out now and then)
That being said, I have seen absolutely no baitfish along my normal East Cork spots. I remember in June of last year being down in Ballycotton for mackerel and the water was full of sandeels, they looked like vast swarms of insects!

Frank is right, I haven't seen one seabird diving either.

Bear in mind that the inshore water temps are now, and have been for over a week, either at 20c or over. The lack of oxygen in close inshore waters is now a big contributing factor to low catches. This happened again at this time last year and can happen every Summer to a certain extent.

[MackDublin]

Thanks for the mention . Just for the record I haven't disappeared infact one of my clients catches is reported in this http://fishinginireland.info/news/sea-r ... macsherry/ article.
.

In fairness Bass Dad, I don't think anybody for a minute thinks that Jim's letter, which is very well balanced IMO is having a crack at a particular individual. Far from it.

As a recreational angler I would definitely see the difference in a guide that is targeted in his clients versus a guide who will take all comers (again, talking generally because I don't know you from Adam , opening up the fishery in a very short time.

The approach taken by Jim looks sensible and sustainable to me "Inclusive of the years 2003 – 2007 this was largely achieved through keeping a tight lid on advertising of services which was directed entirely at a European and US target audience through various magazine editorials. These were wide ranging and spread with the help of IFI and Failte Ireland between France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, the US and Denmark. Up to this time, end of 2007, both the Irish and UK markets were not where I felt large number of ‘profiled’ customers lay, the market didn’t exist in the UK at this time as ‘modern’ Bass lure fishing techniques only began to develop there from late 2007 / 08 in both the UK and Ireland."

Anyway, lets keep the thread on track. I think IrishBass could be the focus to gather more people through a membership scheme. As Pat mentioned, John Quinlan has a thankless job on his own, I could do more myself and would be willing to help out too.

[Bass Dad]

There is not enough recruitment in the Irish stock to sustain the level of angling pressure that the bass receive.
Where are the shoals of schoolies ?

This coupled with the illegal commercial catch off the Ballycotton area are diminishing the amount of fish anglers are able to target. Bass gather in number off this area at the end of the season and can be targeted by the netting fleet, it is the only area I know in Ireland where bass gather on wrecks.
It seems the mullet gather here aswell if you remember "The Rachel Jays" enormous haul last year. Maybe this is not a coincidence , there could be higher or more stable water temperatures or some other kind of quirk that is unique to the mid south coast that makes over-wintering more comfortable for these species?

Either way that's the general situation , all this has been talked about before many times but the situation unfortunately continues for various reasons. By the time I get information from my contact its too late, I pass it on all the same. Others put in a great effort in this area aswell but don't have the power or back-up to be searching vessels and vans in the middle of the night and the IFI haven't the manpower to keep up with these crafty poachers either.

We will all be here again having a similar conversation about December time because we're all talk and no action.

I personally would like to see a complete ban on the taking of bass for a good period of time or maybe tags could be issued similar to Salmon , if its badly hooked its left on the shore to go back into nature as any grey area wouldn't work.At least us anglers (and spear fishermen etc) would be doing our bit to offset the huge increase in angling pressure,...... I can only dream though .

[John D]

I'd be absolutely more than willing and actually delighted to have to pay an annual fee to have the privilege of fishing for bass. I am privileged enough to be in employment but believe you me even if I was on the social welfare I would still gladly pay an annual fee to fish for bass. They are that unique, low in numbers and that special!

We can do it!

John D.

[John D]

Hi.

I would just like to add that to become a member of Irish Bass there is a section on the left hand column of the home page where you can 'become a friend'. As far as I know the reason Irish Bass are not becoming an official club or anything else similar is for insurance reasons. Once an organisation becomes an official club it is required to pay insurance for its members. Irish Bass do not have the time or money to do this.

I could be wrong but I'm nearly certain I'm right.

Thank you,
John D.

[Divisadero]

I don't think so John. Please see my post number 51 above. Also a bass conservation/lobby type group or association (whether Irish Bass.org or a new group) would not require insurance. But the only one who can really answer these questions regarding the future of Irish Bass.org is John Quinlan or at least someone authorised to speak for him.

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[Steve]

He's busy with HG this weekend I believe.....