county kerry bass and wrasse 13th and 14th oct 09

People: 13th me and k1 & k2. 14th me, k1, k2 and bob moss

Duration: about 20 hours in total

Tide: all states

Weather: 13th drizzley 14th excellent (even got sunburnt )

Bait: hardback shore crab, lug and razor and some sneaky rag worm

Rigs: floats and 3 hook flappers

Results: see below


Report: k1 and k2 had told me that i was welcome to come down for a few days fishing while they were away on their usual pilgrimage to kerry. so i got my thinking hat on and reckoned if i left belfast in the wee small hours that it would only be a 6 or 7 hour drive. wee buns!!!! my alarm went off at 2am, i left the house by 4am and was having my first coffee with k1 and k2 by 10am we were set up at the first mark by lunch time and ray were the order of the day but sadly they were'nt for playing ball with us all blanking at this mark . but on a positive note i did get to watch the famous FUNGIE the dolphin swim and splash about in front of us all afternoon k1 got loads of pics that i'm sure she will post when they return during the week . i had a bit of a nightmare to begin with as i snapped the top section of my 13ft beachcaster completely my own fault thow as i had'nt pushed the top section in fully when setting up rookie mistake or what . but not even this could get me down too long as we were in kerry and good fishing was a foregone conclusion . before we headed out to our evening beach mark k1 and k2 brought me round to bob moss's house for a coffee and a chat. a truely down to earth bloke if ever there was one we discussed tactics for the evening session and decided to hit the same beach k2 got a 7 to 8lb bass off the night before . bob could'nt make it that evening but we arranged to all get out early in the morning to collect some hardback common shore crab for a monster wrasse session at one of his favourite rock marks:P . not too much to report in the evening thow with k1 getting a pouting a a flounder i think and me and k2 blanking . but tomorrow was gonna be a new day and we all hit the hay as the 7.30am alarm wake up call would soon be upon us

DAY 2 14TH OCT
we met bob and headed out in the search of enough crabs to get a days fishing in and went straight to the mark. i could'nt get over how sunny and warm it was we even got a bit of a tan we arrived and got set up but bob reckoned there was a bit too much swell, but it would have to do. the next 6 hours flew by with us all getting about 30, 2 to 3lb wrasse between us and i got a new shore caught p.b. ballan wrasse at 3lb 14oz and bob, k1 and k2 got 3 or 4, 4 to 5lb wrasse between them as well k2 also landed the biggest male corkwing wrasse that i've ever seen at 25cm and just under a pound. if this was a run of the mill session at this mark i think i'd wet myself if we hit it on a good day when bob reckond 20 or 30 4 to 6lb wrasse would not be unusual but it was just the start of our bumper session that day with an evening beach session for bass still to come . we packed away around tea time and headed back to get the beach gear sorted out for the evening bass session and bob headed on home himself. it was great to get a session in with someone so knowledgeable as bob and i could'nt get over how grounded and down to earth he was with no ego what's so ever. i also took the opportunity to get him to sign a few books and dvd's for jordan which he did without hesitation or fuss truely top bloke .
so after digging some lug we headed off to what was gonna be my last session of my trip in the search of a silver fella . k2 was the first into a bass who weighed in at 5lb on the button and my hopes were raised as they were now in the area. i noticed a wee twitch on my rod and landed a 30cm flounder who was covered in scars from a net he must have recently escaped from. so a quick pick and he was returned to fight another day. i rebaited up with a lug and razor cocktail and was straight back out again. then it happened.... my rod lurched over and hit the sand so i lifted and struck into something that was pulling and head shaking. i carefully landed my first bass of 2009 who weighed in at just over 4lb. mission accomplished . i was shaking with joy so much that i did'nt even notice he had cut my hand to ribbons while holding him for a few pics for the album. and even getting my wellies filled with water when returning him to the sea did'nt fizz on me, i was just made up to have got my bass the night flew by altogeather all too quickly with me getting another flounder before we wrapped it up around 1 am. what a day's fishing an amazing wrasse session all morning and afternoon (many thanks bob) and i got my bass that evening it dose'nt get much better than that in my book . and i gotta say a big thank you to k1 and k2 who were excellent hosts for inviting me down and feeding me and putting me up while i was there and they would'nt take a single penny off me. (i'll get you both out for a meal when you get back up guys. milky bars are on me ) all in all one of the best trips i've had in a long time. so much so, that the 10 hour drive home just flew by all worth it but,,,, and i'd do it again in a heartbeat

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super trip and report, you made good use of the nice spell of weather, congrats on all the PB's, excellent photos to document it too, very well done to all

Great report and well done on the Bass . Some good looking Wrasse there too, definitely a worthwhile trip

cracker of a report there al, great reading mate. that was a thumper of a trip well done, and congrats on the bass

nice pic's too
sorry to hear about the rod al....

Great fishing and photo's.

Very Nice.

thats a lovely bass al and the wrasse ain't bad either fair play to k1 and k2 for the lodgings sounds like the place to be.poor jordan,left at home!!

Great read al nice one on the pb stonker of a wrass!! and a fine bass sorry to hear about your rod i know what it feels like only good that will come out of it is that ya can buy a new one

super trip and report, you made good use of the nice spell of weather, congrats on all the PB's, excellent photos to document it too, very well done to all

thanks man. i could'nt get over how hot and sunny it was a bit of a tan and some cracking fish. it dose'nt get any better than that

Great report and well done on the Bass . Some good looking Wrasse there too, definitely a worthwhile trip

cheers fenton. i'd do it all over again in an instant and bob reckoned that rock mark only fished below average on that day could you imagine it on a good day

8) cracker of a report there al, great reading mate. that was a thumper of a trip well done, and congrats on the Bass nice pic's too
sorry to hear about the rod al....

thanks don, i was'nt too worried about it as we have another identical one at home, so i now at least have some spare parts for it if it ever breaks and besides it was only a £30 rod any how, it would have been a different story if it was an expensive one

Great fishing and photo's.

thanks man. i'll not forget it in a hurry

Very Nice.

cheers colin. but as with all good trips away, it was over all too soon

thats a lovely Bass al and the wrasse ain't bad either fair play to k1 and k2 for the lodgings sounds like the place to be. poor jordan,left at home!!

thanks noel, the standard of fish down there takes a bit of getting used to . bob was getting them to about 5lb and did'nt think they were worth weighing as he knew there were bigger ones out there and k1 and k2 looked after me very well while we were away. i'll have to return the favour when they get back up the only thing missing from the trip was my wee fishing buddy who unfortunately had school to attend he was not the happiest bunny in the pasture, i can tell you . i got those dates for halloween, so i'll p.m. you later when we get back in from bait digging man

Great read al nice one on the pb stonker of a wrass!! and a fine Bass sorry to hear about your rod i know what it feels like only good that will come out of it is that ya can buy a new one

cheers tony, the rod has been replaced already man. k1 sold me a spare abu garcia 12ft exciter beachcaster he had for £20 bargin or what,,,, it's hardly been used just gotta christen it now

Well done Al , congrats on the pb wrasse and the bass, and fair play to the K's for sorting you out with accommodation etc,,fantastic trip

great report al well done on the fishies, hell of a spin but well worth it i bet

great report al well done on the bass,, get yourself some scuba gear, come down to wickla and you might find a zippy, poor jordan missing all that fun, is;nt school a bummer

Well done Al fair play, you got your reward for all your driving.I enjoyed reading your report, so good i felt as if was there myself

Well done Al fair play, you got your reward for all your driving.I enjoyed reading your report, so good i felt as if was there myself

But he said the kids were left at home!

Al great report and great couple of sessions bud. Those are beautiful wrasse really nice size. I'd say they really battled and rattled the rod.

well done mate, think after that seesion you might be dissapointed back up on the the Antrim coast . Cracking few days away man, lovely Bass and Wrasse you got. Bit of a bonus having a local guide on hand but i'm sure he picked up a few tips from you . well done mate..........i'll let you know how i do in cork if i get the chance to get out

Fantastic session Al, Kerry seems like the place to be to get a few decent wrasse. Jordan will be raging he missed that one.

Terrific fishing mate! Well Jealous! Goes to show if U put the effort in you'll get your rewards!

Well done!

Mighty session & report Al lovely Fish the big Wrasse are great scrapers, nice one on the Bass

Well done Al , congrats on the pb wrasse and the Bass, and fair play to the K's for sorting you out with accommodation etc,,fantastic trip

cheers dave, they were more than good to me and it's nice to get out with serious fishaholics like myself the first conversation every morning was all about how many sessions we could squeeze into a 24 hour peorid

great report al well done on the fishies, hell of a spin but well worth it i bet

more than worth it seanie and sure,,, what's 700 miles between a few friends

great report al well done on the Bass,, get yourself some scuba gear, come down to wickla and you might find a zippy, poor jordan missing all that fun, is;nt school a bummer

he was'nt too happy about it at all neil , but i'll make it up to him over halloween with a boat trip for big huss and blonde ray and a scoot up to mayo for a session with doggie3131 and the lads

Well done Al fair play, you got your reward for all your driving.I enjoyed reading your report, so good i felt as if was there myself

still pinching myself man the ones they call tiddlers in kerry are like the one's we call monsters up here

Al great report and great couple of sessions bud. Those are beautiful wrasse really nice size. I'd say they really battled and rattled the rod.

they did alright,,,, like i said ,,, i broke the beach rod on the first cast of the first day . so the wrasse and bass were all caught on my trusty spinning rod

well done mate, think after that seesion you might be dissapointed back up on the the Antrim coast . Cracking few days away man, lovely Bass and Wrasse you got. Bit of a bonus having a local guide on hand but i'm sure he picked up a few tips from you . well done mate..........i'll let you know how i do in cork if i get the chance to get out

sure was minty. we were back to our usual stuff today chasing 8oz coalies and pollack around ardglass harbour county kerry it was'nt

Fantastic session Al, Kerry seems like the place to be to get a few decent wrasse. Jordan will be raging he missed that one.

well he reckons if he gets a turbot in mayo and a blonde ray on the boat i'll be forgiven

Terrific fishing mate! Well Jealous! Goes to show if U put the effort in you'll get your rewards!
Well done!

cheers drew. unfortunately if you want to get the decent fish you gotta travel at this rate we'll need to get sponsorship next year to cover our fuel costs alone anyone friendly with an esso or bp executive

Mighty session & report Al lovely Fish the big Wrasse are great scrapers, nice one on the Bass

thanks FK. all amazing fun on spinning gear