It's been a while since I managed to wet a line so to get out for a few hours after work yesterday evening was an opportunity grabbed with both hands.......
Hitting the road with Rory, the plan was to head way out west and fish for ray, with the intention of tagging a few of them for Inland Fisheries Ireland's elasmobranch tagging scheme. We would also throw a couple of lures in the hopes of hitting a hunting pollock or wrasse. The sky was bright, spirits were high, fish were anticipated.
Launching from the beach onto a flat sea, we paddled towards a point where we figured we could pick up a few pollock 'just to get us going'. Turns out that Rory, an avid fly fisherman who is branching out and having a go in the salt, hadn't yet experienced the fun that pollock on light spinning gear can be. Within minutes we were both locked into fish. Rory's struck first with a lively fish of around four pounds. My first was considerably smaller but welcome all the same.
We got lost in the fun and before long we had managed a succession of pollock, the best falling somewhere in the four to five pound bracket. Small lures led to the downfall of the fish and pollock really show their power on spinning gear. A light spinning rod for trout is perfect to experience what these hard fighting fish can do.
It wasn't all pollock, I did also manage a full string of mackerel. Oddly enough when I dropped down for more there were none to be found. Looks like I caught the only six mackerel on the west coast in one drop! I managed no images of the mackerel, thinking that after a full string that there must be more present. Lesson learned!
We really got distracted by the fun we had chasing pollock. So much so that by the time we thought of fishing for ray that time had overtaken us and we felt that our best option was to head home in the fading light. A return for a full day/weekend beckons......
