PB Flounder, North Donegal, 8th December 2018

[johnwest]

In my last report I suggested I was due a good trip, Chuckaroo suggested seeing “what tomorrow brings”. After a few calls and texts, we picked a spot which should give us some shelter from the strong winds and heavy showers which were forecast, but we brought our beach shelters as an extra precaution. I was up before the crack of dawn, can’t remember the last time I did that, and was on the road by 7.45am. I arrived at our spot, a new mark for both of us, to be greeted by a downpour accompanied by a strong, squally wind. I tackled up while convincing myself we weren’t mad. Chuckaroo arrived soon after sporting a new water-resistant jacket so, booted and suited, we headed for the beach, en route, Chuckaroo met a welcoming committee of the North Donegal Chuckaroo Appreciation Society. A couple of rods were set up before we worked to get the shelters up. I was using a light 2-4 oz rod and a standard 4-6oz rod for distance with 2 and 3 hook flappers baited with frozen lug, mackerel , prawns and sandeels. Chuckaroo was fishing bigger baits hoping for something bigger, silverier and spikier than flatties. We barely finished in time to avoid a serious deluge that would have had Noah heading for his toolbox. Charlie was well tucked in to his Chuckaroogloo, I was peering out from mine watching a rod tip start kicking, bend over and then my tripod and both rods keeled over onto the sand. I ran down, stood the tripod up again and tightened into some extra weight on the rod. In came a good 37cm flounder plumping up nicely for the coming spawning season. A cocktail of lug and prawn did the trick. I was well pleased with this but there was better to follow. About an hour later, the rod started kicking again and another good flounder came flapping through the suds. It was noticeably bigger than the first and when put on the measure, reached 41cm, a new p.b. I have been stuck on 39cm for about 5 years with 3 at that size so I was delighted to break through the 40cm barrier at last. A quick measure on the scales gave a weight of 1lb 15oz, not quite a 2lb’er but I wasn’t complaining. After a few pics it was released and departed with a defiant flick of the tail and a splash. This fish took a small strip of mackerel. Both fish came to the lighter rod fishing in the suds so it was great seeing good bites and feeling a few kicks on the way in; the distance rod produced only a small coalfish (taken on half a sandeel) so after a couple of hours it too was fished in close. A while later it registered a few rattles and in came a 30cm flounder with another small coalie for company. The hunger was on us by now so we moved the shelters to the top of the beach, same with the tripods, and left one rod each fishing while we had a quick snack back at the car. On return, I retrieved my rod to find a 32cm flounder which had also gone to lunch. In the meantime, Chuckaroo persisted with the big baits which returned untouched. I had another rattle on the light rod caused by a smaller 27cm flounder before a small turbot hit the other rod. Darkness was early, hastened in by the heavy black clouds but we did our bit for Christmas with a colourful assortment of tiplights. I was expecting a plague of small coalies to add to the 3 I had in daylight but I had to settle for just one, but it did stretch to 37cm, a nice fish to finish the day. The heavy showers continued through the day, some with a hint of hail, so the effort put into the shelters was well worth it. Despite this, persistent heavy rain finds a way in and Chuckaroo was learning the difference between water-resistant and water-proof. Damp exacerbated by wind starts to chill and as the bites died away towards hightide, we packed up. I was well pleased with 4 flounder over 30cm including a new pb along with a few other fish to make up the numbers; Chuckaroo? Well, someday his big bait tactics will pay off bigtime. The new mark will definitely be visited again…..

[johnwest]

As always, a few more pics.

[kieran]

lovely fishing Chuck, especially like the igloo.
Bit of a monster flounder there. Nice one.

I spent an hour thrashing the water near Mulranny on Sunday between hailstones on the coming tide with lures to no effect, hoping for a silver fella.
The intention was to stay later and do it on the first of the ebb into darkness but the miserable conditions beat me back into the car.

Very decent coalfish too. Well done.

[johnwest]

Great report again well done on the personal best.. 41 is a beast must of been a nice scrap with that fish and species points for coley and turbot.. the shelters great this time of year.. hopefully chuckaroo gets the big one soon

[chuckaroo]

good report Paddy, describes the whole day well
That was a fantastic flounder. Not a common catch by any means on exposed sandy beaches like those, as you well know. Cracker. I though that it was a big american 'summer fluke' whilst you walked up the beach with it. ) Still think that it was a fluke
That fish alone was worth the trip despite my lack of success.
Thoroughly enjoyable day out. Looking forward to a return there, I'll be using different rigs and bait presentation next time though..

lovely fishing Chuck

thanks Kieran. But I only got a small coley at the end of the day.. johnwest cleaned up


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[mackfish]

Nice fishing.... I've had a few nice flounder of that beach.