Winter bass sessions; Cork - 12th & 16th January 2011

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration:12th January: 10 pm - 12.30 am; 16th January: 7.30 - 11.30 pm

Tide: 12th January: HW at 10.35 pm; 16th January: LW at 9.00 pm

Weather: 12th January: moderate southwesterly wind, persistent rain; 16th January: mild, dry, clear

Bait: Razor

Rigs: 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0 pennel pulleys, 2/0 two hook flappers

Results:
12th January: 3 bass, 7 Codling, 1 Coalfish
16th January: 3 bass (to 6 lb), 3 Codling, 2 Coalfish




Report:
12th January: A bit of a southwesterly wind had picked up so I reckoned it would be worth having another shot at bass on a local beach. I got there about 8 pm. When I opened the car door I could hear the roar of the surf - that was a good sign, but couldn't see it as there was quite a dense fog/low cloud shrouding the beach. I got down to the beach and there was a nice surf. I sent up the first rod and cast it out, but as I was getting the second rod set up the first began to gradually bend over - the sure sign of weed. I hauled in a big bunch of kelp. I hoped it might be a isolated clump and cast out again, but the same thing happened. I move further down but again I ended up strugging to retrieve the line after a few minutes.

I was going to have to move elsewhere. I reckoned the other beaches close by might be equally as bad so decided to try a mark I hadn't fished since last winter. It was a bit of a drive and I didn't get there until almost 10 pm, so with high tide at 10.30 pm it didn't give me much prime fishing time. I quickly set up the rods again and as soon as I cast out the first I was into a codling, nothing to get excited over, about 1.5 pounds. Shortly after I had another smaller one. I set up a third rod and cast it in close. About ten minutes later there was a strong tug on the rod in close - I grabbed it and felt a bit of a pull and reeled in a small bass - only 37 cm, but I was happy with getting another Jauuary bass seeing as I didn't get my first one last year until well into April. It was taken on razor on two hook flapper with short shank 2/0 hooks with short snoods.

Another smallish codling followed again on the rod in close. Then I had another strong knock on the same rod. This time it was giving a better fight and turned out to be a 45 cm bass

I had another codling, again small, but not long after there was another good tug on the rod in close - a third bass this was also quite small barely over 40 cm.

All of this happened in the space of about an hour and a half, but the bites died down as the tide began to drop. I had a few more codling, one close to 2 lb and a coalfish. I packed up about 12.30 am.

16th January: After the storm on Friday night and Saturday I reckoned Sunday would be a good night to get out. I arrived at a beach to fish the last few hours of the ebb and early rising tide. There was a great surf, not too big, and it was totally weed free

I set up three rods again, so as to cover a range of distances, with one rod lobbed a short distance out into the surf. I put a two hook flapper (2/0 hooks) baited with razor on this and pennel pulleys on the other two rods. It was quite for about 45 minute then suddenly there was a sharp tug on the rod in close. I grabbed it and struck into a good fish. It was putting up a bit of a struggle. I reckoned it had to be a bass. I eventually hauled a well fed 52 cm bass out of the surf

Less than half an hour later I had an even stronger tug on the same rod. I grabbed the rod, but the fish was running a slackliner, I retrieved as fast as I could and caught up with it. It was pulling hard and putting a severe bend in the rod. It was fighting strongly especially as I got it into the shallows and I could see a good size fish splashing about in the moonlight. It was a 62 cm bass and weighed just under 6 lb. Again it was a well fed fish so a bit above average weight for its length.

The bites died off over low tide. I was now fishing all three rods in close but nothing was biting apart from a rather happy looking coalfish. As the tide began to push in I started to fish at varying distances again and began to pick up a few codling in the 1.5-2 lb range. They were feeding on lug, one had his mouth stuffed with about 4 lug and the stomach of another I kept was full of lug. I was about ready to pack up when I had another good knock on the rod in close - the third bass This was rather smaller at 43 cm.

I was tempted to stay longer but I had a lot of work to do Monday morning so I just had one more cast and caught another coalfish.

I was very happy with those two sessions, better than I had been expecting. I would probably have had an even better session on the 16th if I had the time to dig lug that afternoon.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:06 pm, edited 4 times in total.

More photos

just another great report in the life of frank.well done.

More photos

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Another fine report and fine fishing The razor seems to be doing the job!

Great fish

Im looking at them in envy

2 great sessions frank brilliant to see so many bass about early

You some man for catching the fish,do you ever blank. . . . ?if i had a tracking device id clip it to your box

Great read as always Frank. Well done.

Very impressive fishing Frank, well done. Good to see the old faithful razorfish still working it's magic

It's good to see you hitting into the bass so early on in the year, your well on course to beating all of your previous year's bass tallies if you keep on going the way you are. You seem to be catching a high percentage of your bass from quite close in, it just goes to show that there's no need all of the time for casting long distances, at the majority of marks (not all mind you) the fish will usually be found swimming close in the shallow waters feeding on any weed, rocks, etc. I myself have found when out bass fishing that when using two different rods alongside eachother that on most occasions the rod closer in has been the one I catch the fish on. Just as well mind you because my power casting skills leave alot to be desired!!

Excellent report, very detailed. And great pictures too, well done.

Frank thats fantastic fishing. Well done on mighty fish. id swear i was on same bech monday evening without a bite.

I'm jealous.

Well done Frank, some cracking fish and photos.

great fishing

Great report as always some fine bass there.

very well done frank great report and photos, im well jealous

great report great pictures great fishing,well done

super fishing once again frank keep it up well done

Fine fish Frank well done send them up this way

Frank thats fantastic fishing. Well done on mighty fish. id swear i was on same bech monday evening without a bite.

If you were fishing directly in front of the slip you may have been .

Well done Frank, you're giving us all the incentive to get out and give it a shot.