December Stock Taking

[donal domeney]

Out again last Sunday on a rambler comp. With crab on the scarce side a lot of the anglers were heading to Cobh in search of whiting. The talk on the street was that there was a few over the 30cm been caught there. Well me, I couldn't turn my back on Youghal even though I would be fishing almost 5 hours of a dropping tide high water was at 08:20.
Arrived about 09:20 and got straight into action with a dog on the first cast quickly followed by a double cod over the 40cm mark

then followed by another dog. A good plan or so I thought things died a death after that and went 2 hours without a fish. The odd fish the size was been caught along with a few under size, minimum fish size 30cm.

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The anglers to my right were picking the odd fish at a closer range so a change of tactics was called for as time was running out. It was 15:45 and I had to be back into the city for 17:00 for the weigh-in. Well out they went 3 gentle lobs and in they came 3 nice cod all over the 40cm mark. No pics of the last 3 as I was under pressure loading the gear away.
Now as for the dogs the club rule is they must be seen by another club member to get fish points only. So with most of the other angler gone to Cobh I kept them alive in the hope that someone would turn up. You would be amazed who easy it is to keep them alive, a change of water every hour seem to do the job. After a bit of banter and rule quoting back at the bar I got a member to go out to the jeep to id them. The two dogs were still full of life when they were put down on the footpath. A quick refill of sea water and they were taken to the docks and released alive and lively.
It turned out that they were the fish that won the comp for me.
I still hate dogs.

[donal domeney]

Lovely looking cod there Donal, well done

[kieran]

Excellent tactics Donal, with you on the dogs.

Flounder are tough buggers too. I caught one on Keel and my daughter wanted to try it for dinner so bounced its head off a rock hard and threw it up near the gear on the shingle bank above the beach. Several hours later - granted it was bitter cold - the waves have pushed us back. I notice a flounder skittering away from under my feet, look around.... same fish!

[donal domeney]

Back at Ferrypoint again on Wednesday evening for a night session with the hope of landing some whiting for a change.
I’m totally burned out from eating cod.
Low water was at 17:20 and with it been a very slack tide I could not pass up the opportunity.
Baits were fresh crab and lug with frozen mackerel to entice the whiting not they would refuse the other baits.
Arrived about 16:30 and turned the jeep into the wind. After landing some fish at a closer range last Sunday I opted for the same again just to make sure it wasn’t a freak event. Out they went cast 1-5 and in they came each time with a fish on each time.

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With the tide starting to turn I opted to set up a second rod at long range again I was into fish from the off although a slower rate. Some nice pump fish coming in from both rods. By now I had a nice few cod on board so anything under 40 cm was going back.

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A switch of baits to lug on top and a mackerel on the bottom hook I concentrated on catching a few whiting. It would be interesting to see how the mackerel would go as they had been thawed out at least 3-4 times in the last month. In no time in came a double whiting that was that sorted. Ooh had a double cod on the other rod.

The rod at distance was still picking up fish including some nice doublers and this beast, my biggest cod so far this season weighing in at 7.1b.

Had a nice mix of whiting and cod at the closer range threw back a fair few fish.

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In the end I ended up with over 20 cod, 9 whiting and 2 dogs for my 3 hour session.

[donal domeney]

nice fishing donal. serious cod!

[cd07]

Well done that is a fantastic cod! Great to see them about in numbers too

[donal domeney]

Cracking fishing Donal well done, thats a fine Cod too.

[MC]

I wish the cod fishing was as easy up north

[johnwest]

I wish the cod fishing was as easy up north

Just the cod?

Donal, you'll have to buy half an acre for spuds to make all those chips!

[mawk]

Sterling work as usual Donal. Are you fishing frozen crab or managing to find some amongst the slim pickings?

[donal domeney]

Cracking fishing Donal well done, thats a fine Cod too.

My first big one this year. Looking back on last years pics I had 4 fish over 6lb by the 1st. of December.

[donal domeney]

I wish the cod fishing was as easy up north

Just the cod?

Donal, you'll have to buy half an acre for spuds to make all those chips!

Never bother with the spuds although I did have a feed of chips with the whiting.
The rest of the whiting got fried up and was put between well buttered slices of toast for breakfast.

I'd have all my fish bone and skinned before they go into the fridge.
For a feed of cod I'd put the fish into a small bag of flour and give them a good shake and into the pan with them, as much as I can get in.
When they are nice and crisp they get a sprinkle of salt and away I go.

Never bother with a plate no sense in having to do extra washing up.

[donal domeney]

Sterling work as usual Donal. Are you fishing frozen crab or managing to find some amongst the slim pickings?

Fresh crab, also used lug. The tide never went out far enough to get on the mussel bed. Manky mackerel did fine for the whiting.

[mickser]

Them cod are sure getting bigger won't be long before they 10/15 lbs
mickser

[johnwest]

Never bother with a plate no sense in having to do extra washing up. [/quote]

That's the difference between a Cavan man and a Cork man, the Cavan man eats his dinner out of a drawer and the Cork man eats his out of the pan!