North Beach, Greystones, 13-10-08

People: Myself & Corbyeire

Duration: 18.30 - 00.00

Tide: Incoming to full

Weather:Fine, warm, then showers last hour

Bait: Rag, lug, frozen mack, re-frozen mack , peeler

Rigs: Pulleys & Flappers

Results:
Me : 1 Bass, 3 Flounder
Brian : 10 fish - (not quite sure how many of what ?!), inc dogs, flounder, (1) whiting, (1) rockling




Report: After a poor days/nights fishing down in Wexford yesterday and with the good weather I had decided to put Sundays demons behind me, so after a quick call to Brian we decided to get out quite early in the hope of maybe a plaice or too before dark. After a bit of discussion on the journey south we had decided to give the North beach at Greystones a shot, as neither of us had fished it before and with all the construction work going on around the harbour making access to the beach difficult we felt the fish wouldnt have been under much angling pressure recently.

Arrived (after a lengthly walk) and set up at the bottom (nearest) end of the beach, close to the harbour, looked a nice spot and a fairly steep beach, sand mixed with shingle, but not much surf as such, but it still looked quite promising.

We were set up in no time, both fishing a flapper from 50/60 yards inwards and a pulley at distance. I noticed a few taps on the distance rod, reeled in to find myself snagged.....but pulled it free, bait gone. I suspected crabs had been at it. Rebaited and cast back out. Retrieved the flapper next, to find I was snagged and lost the rig. The only other flapper I had in the box had extremely long snoods (made up by accident), nearly 5ft , but anyhow decided it would do whilst I atleast made up a flapper with more sensible snood lengths.

Fishing was proving to be slow, with both of us encountering snags anywhere from 30-120 yards, so after I had lost 3 rigs to snags, we chose to move a little further up the beach. This seemed to help. I had just finished making my new 3 hook flapper, when I said to Brian (jokingly), I better reel in and see what I've caught......to both our shock I had a flounder on the flapper with 5 ft snoods

Well atleast we were off the mark, it had been slow to that point but this gave us renewed optimisum.

Brian was next in then with another flounder., hopes raised even more as it was now coming into darkness

It slowed down again then, until Brian caught a lovely rockling around the 40cm mark, maybe 45cm even, which we think was a 5 bearded, but neither of us were absolutely certain. Any help from the lads on this one would be great, but please excuse the poor quality close up photos which are probably no help at all Anyway a cracking sized rockling whatever type is was. Welldone Brian, not too often you get one over on me , but nice for you to be outfishing me, makes a pleasant change..........but wait..................

As we were stood chatting by Brians tripod, we heard my tripod crash to the ground, and after a quick 30 yard sprint I arrived in the nick of time as my flapper rod was being dragged up the beach and out to sea

Managed to get a hold of the rod, to find it tangled around my 2nd rod, but did manage to feel a good pull out of the fish which lucky was hooked, still on, and giving a good scrap. My first though was Bassssssssss , and as I got him in the suds and beached him, I was right, lovely condition fish. Didnt have a measuring tape out with us last night, but Brians rod has a measuring guide on its butt section, so we knew he was easily over sized. Measured him at home this morning and he came in at 51cm, weighing 3lb 15oz (gutted), so I presume he'd have been around 4 1/4 pound pre-gutting.

The bass had taken a strip of re-frozen mack on a size 4 hook on the 3 hook flapper, which was fished around 5/10 yards out. Nicely lip hooked aswell.

It kinda made the night for me and I'd have been satisfied if I didnt catch anything else really as it had been a slow night upto that point. I did however manage another 3 flounder over the next few hours, but as the tide reached full the fishing in close really died off.

Brian was kept busy with bites on the distance rod, missing a good few bites (maybe crabs ), dropped a few fish also and did get a decent whiting and a few dogs, he also added a few flounder to his overall tally on the flapper including a double shot. The size of the whiting seems to have really improved just lately.

Brian had a great bite late on, it knocked his tripod over, but the fish didnt connect and Brian was unsure which rod the bite had been on but alas the fish didnt return.

One last decent bit of action for Brian, he got a good take on the distance rod, the rig seemed snagged, he managed to pull it free, got a good bit of pull of the fish for a short while, then the fish went to ground, pulled him free again, then snagged again....unfortunately while trying to haul the fish out, the rig gave way and he snapped off, Brian thinks given the rough ground on the beach it was likely to be a conger, and that sure would have made his night.

Took the cheeky route back to the car, commando style under the security fencing through the construction site, back out under the security fencing right next to the car, took 20 minutes off the walk home easy......happy days

All in all not a bad nights fishing, would definately like to try the beach again as I'm sure it has potential, but maybe need a bit more surf and try a bit further up the beach next time.

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NICE fishing there lads well done

Fair play to ya's lads! I've been fishing greystones for years and never had a Bass off it and now there been 3 in the last 2 weeks i might give up!

and now there been 3 in the last 2 weeks i might give up!

I half thought there might be a chance of a bass, but in all honesty didnt really expect to get one

My best yet aswell, so its all good, I aint doing bad for a lad thats only been fishing since feb this year

I guess all the construction work around the harbour has disturbed the local marine life, changing water flow, currents etc and maybe creating a more widely spread feeding area for some of the more predatory fish......thats my theory anyway

You cant just turn up and fish, you gotta put a bit of thought into it Al

What was interesting to see, was that Brian had been preparing some of his mack and throwing the head/guts/waste etc into the water, this was approx an hour before I caught the bass....when I gutted him, he had been feeding on the mack that Brian had disgarded.

Makes me wonder whether it would be worth groundbaiting your swim prior to or whilst fishing.

Maybe get around to trying that out sometime soon

Well done on the bass. I guess thats tonights dinner

You are certainly doing well for somebody thats only been fishing since February. Keep up the good work.

jesus thats some report mark!

how long did it take to write that

yea i found the lie of the terrain interesting - it was like there were small reefs or patches or rock followed by clean ground alternating 3 times before you got to the clean run at the waters edge

the fact the rockling was about was a good indicator of the rough ground - aswell as the lost rigs!

mark forgot to mention the precision ground baiting i had done with a load of chopped up mack heads and guts - guess what the sliver lad had been eating first

i was fairly happy with evenings fishing - i havent had a rockling that size in about 7 years - i was having great craic holding the short rod for the bites at distance

the take from the whiting was instant - i thought it might have been a decent enough coalie - and was surprised to see a single lad of this size round the 35 mark

they whiting have been getting bigger over the last month or so - but i would definitely prefer an odd rougue of this size rather than the usual plague

the dogs could be felt picking away at distance on the pulley - i reckoned it was saving me alot from lifting out of snags etc.

i had 2 this way

then there was the missed bang and then after the fight i had a distance - the fish had basically bitten through the 50lb line on the pulley just leaving me with the swivel onto the main line

the fight just felt like a conger getting pulled out - then pulling back then wrapping himself behind rocks or weed - there was a nice bend on the short rod it would have been great to fight him more and get him in

the last fish was another dog on a nut and bolt weight with a ledger formation - on a 10cm snood - a junkie making up a rig in 2 seconds for that one last cast - and sure enough he obliged - again striking as he was picking at it

the flounder were all counters bar the 2nd one at 16cm

they all had that distinctive white patches around the edges before the fins that they do round greystones

the mack definitely outfishing the rag 4/1 and the old mac and ultra fresh stuff about even

was wondering what they are building further north on the beach - with large concrete blocks going from the field into the sea - if its a groyne its bound to change the lie of the beach and make it a bit shallower on one side

was wondering what they are building further north on the beach - with large concrete blocks going from the field into the sea - if its a groyne its bound to change the lie of the beach and make it a bit shallower on one side

Maybe building a bit of a defense to take the swell/water pressure of the north side of the new pier.

mark forgot to mention the precision ground baiting i had done with a load of chopped up mack heads and guts - guess what the sliver lad had been eating first

What was interesting to see, was that Brian had been preparing some of his mack and throwing the head/guts/waste etc into the water, this was approx an hour before I caught the bass....when I gutted him, he had been feeding on the mack that Brian had disgarded.

jesus thats some report mark!

how long did it take to write that

You gotta put the effort in and make it worth reading

How d'ya get on today with your study work?, is it good (or bad) news?

good report.

well done.

looks like you got yourself a shore rockling

more than likley a lost congor they are quite often caught on this beach.

Well done Mark and Brian, nice fishing .Thats a nice bass Mark, nearly as nice as mine . The shore rockling is fab too. It can be snaggy on that stretch of the beach. How far up did you go, did you go as far as the Arch? Have noticed the whiting getting bigger alright, got a few 30 cm ones the other night.

I was down there on Friday night hoping for a bass. I lasted two hours in the rain and blanked. I lost a couple of rigs too. The weed was a killer and I was hopping it would clear off but never did. My line was getting dragged back in every time stuck in weed.

I'm going to try Bray Saturday morning all going well. But well done lads nice catch.

How far up did you go, did you go as far as the Arch?

Didnt see any "arch" on the beach

We set up originally right by where they have the first set of big concrete blocks, approx 200 yards north of the new pier. We soon moved another 200/300 yards up the beach due to the snags.

Yeh, the bass wasnt quite as big as your own, but hey...still make a nice dinner tonight

Hadnt seen a report from you previously Dave from the north beach, when did you fish there? Have any luck?

The weed was a killer and I was hopping it would clear off but never did. My line was getting dragged back in every time stuck in weed.

Didnt have a problem with weed at all, didnt even see any washed up on the beach to indicate it had been heavy previously.....you sure fished the "north" beach

Well done lads,nice fishing at a relatively unpopular mark.
Caught some good size codling last winter on N.Beach; but as you indicated
gotta be prepared to find the right holes....north of beach/harbour works interface,
otherwise rough ground is a cannibal for gear!

I keep a close eye on fishing in general Greystones area and note well-written feature article in current issue of the Irish Angler, gives up-to-date picture on seaangling here. However, I suspect that water quality and disruption is effecting fish landings.

Tried the Harbour on Sunday night, but 6-9inch whiting and rockling on a rishing tide. Full moon was nice though!

Well done again
Aidan

, How far up did you go, did you go as far as the Arch? Have noticed the whiting getting bigger alright, got a few 30 cm ones the other night.

the arch has been demolished as far as i know.

getting bigger alright had quite a few on sunday biggest 32 cm.

stop telling fibs eyes who was it that caught the 30cms whitting? , a number of good bas have been taken off the north beach over the years, its snaggy utill you get to the old bridge, the clean ground is at the sandmartins,wheres your report on wicklow eyes? good nights fishing lads

well done lads good session & report, nice bass and rockling

stop telling fibs eyes who was it that caught the 30cms whitting? , a number of good bas have been taken off the north beach over the years, its snaggy utill you get to the old bridge, the clean ground is at the sandmartins,wheres your report on wicklow eyes? good nights fishing lads

Report is in the pipeline, and you'll get due credit, dont worry.Dont you remember that mine were too big, i didnt measure them. Just agreeing with Shamoo as to the general improvement in size of whiting lately , wasnt trying to steal your thunder ,,,,,oh by the way, did i mention i got a bass lately

Didnt have a problem with weed at all, didnt even see any washed up on the beach to indicate it had been heavy previously.....you sure fished the "north" beach

To be honest I'm not sure what beach it was. We parked near a pub and went through to the beach under the rail line through a big stone wall. I'm not used to Wicklow but drove into Greystones and saw a sign saying beach and pulled in. I was hoping for a good night but Friday was very bad and the rain never let up. As it happens myself and the wife are staying in Wicklow this weekend on a freebie! So I'm going to pack my gear and sneak out very early and try hit Bray for a few hours.

Also planning a nice weekend the following week in Wexford without the boss in Morriscastle for some night time fishing. Probably bring my doggie count well up

Oh if by any chance you now what beach I was on will you let me know? I can't remember the name of the pub but facing the beach was an old stone wall the ran a good distance where we parked.

then there was the missed bang and then after the fight i had a distance - the fish had basically bitten through the 50lb line on the pulley just leaving me with the swivel onto the main line....

TOPE !!!

That Beach throws up some big ones from now until December !!

dfella its sounds like you were on the south beach alright there

last time i fished it not far from the gap under the railway - there were huge rafts of weed ebbing round alright


paulb your getting me excited with this talk of tope - but it was more a conger fight

heres to lobbing out joey mac flappers there next time

Ah cheers for that. I must have a look for the other beach next time. Funny it was on the flooding tide that the weed was killing me. I really thought it might pass but the weather got the better of me.