Wrasse Bashing - Beara Peninsula - 3rd & 4th August 2008

How strange! I was down in Beara fishing that weekend itself, and I also picked up rag to target wrasse off my favourite mark.

The float was in the water a matter of minutes before I struck into a big wrasse. My tackle was too light, so he snapped the line and took off with my float attached. Very 'Jaws'...

Changed to stiffer rod and rotten bottomed the lead to fish off the bottom. Bite detection was difficult as it was a bit choppy (I was on the south side between Allihies and Castletown) and I soon struck into another wrasse. I barely managed to get him off the bottom, and landed him. Unfortunately he had swallowed the hook to his stomach (poor bite detection) and his swim bladder had blown (I assumed thats what it was coming out of his arse) so I killed him. I'll make a fish stock with him, which is less waste than feeding the seagulls. I also noticed a shitload of tiny worms around his gills and head when I took him out later - did they crawl up from his stomach or were they parasitic? It was my first wrasse, about 2.5 pounds, and I'm already addicted. I dont usually target fish I dont eat, but these lads are too much fun.

Hooked a few nice pollock and lost a specimen for the third time. I'll have to use the feckin beachcaster no matter how tired my arms get.

[PollocKing]

My cut line is sticking out of its mouth

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Last edited by PollocKing on Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[PollocKing]

double post

Last edited by PollocKing on Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Hi Rock Hunter,
A charter skipper gave me that tip before about piercing the swim bladder.
He used to do it on pollock. They did go back down ok when released but it is hard to say if it works as dead fish tell no tales.

As a compromise try float fishing in shallower water. You will get as many fish but not necessary as big and it is much better fun. Also if there is a rock pool let them recover there first before you drop them back.

i was fishing in florida nd most of the fish we caught had their swinm bladders hanging of their mouths.so the skipper would use a hollow needle to realease the air nd the fish seemed to swim off fine

But surely the fish can no longer function with a pierced swim bladder? Doesnt it use it to regulate its depth and buoyancy?

i think they say tat thesefish eat very sharp nd bony animals so a tiny hole will heal pretty quickly nd get the fish down without seagulls eating it

I was also fishing down there over the weekend but from the boat, one of the best sea fishing spots in Ireland,double figure Pollock 200 yards offshore and 30 pound plus Conger and all the wrasse and pouting you could want, we also fished inside the harbour and got spotted ray and some nice Thornie's,great location for a weekend away for angling clubs.

Yeah, it's totally underfished. I've been fishing there for 20 years and still cant believe more people dont fish there.

Were were you getting the double figure pollock 200 yards off shore?

We were on the northern side of black ball head fishing into about 120 foot of water, but I got them before just under the light house at the entrance to the harbour. This is my 7 year fishing it and I can't say enough about the place and the 2 local skippers John and Adrian are one of the best in the country :) ........

I have been doing a bit of reading up on swim bladders - from what I have read fish taken from even 6 or 7 m of water will have problems with decompression, the swim bladders overinflate causing internal organ damage - the swim bladders extruding from the wrasse were just a outward sign of this - the fish may have suffered internal injuries as well.

Puncturing the swim bladder - known as "Fizzing" or "Venting" does seem to be a common practice, but involves sticking a hypodermic needle or hallow point needle into the fish at a 45 degree angle generally in the centre of the fish above the anus - but there is the risk of piercing other organs. Then pressing on the fish to release the gas - this allows the fish to return to depth and the puncture is thought to heal within days.

However, the inflated swim bladder may have damaged other organs, reducing the fishes chance of survival. The decompression may have also produced gas pockets in other organs such as the brain.

So it does throw doubts on the merits of catch and release of fish taken from deep water from the shore and especially from boats. They may appear to swim away but they may have serious internal damage and may not survive.

We were on the northern side of black ball head fishing into about 120 foot of water, but I got them before just under the light house at the entrance to the harbour. This is my 7 year fishing it and I can't say enough about the place and the 2 local skippers John and Adrian are one of the best in the country :) ........

You mean you drifted north east from Blackball to Castletown harbour surely? Very deep there alright, never tried for conger though (no anchor).

What is the shore fishing like around Black Ball Head?
I have never been out there - I was thinking of heading back over that way on Sunday - I would like to get a few pollock this time.

It's very deep underneath the tower, but there are pollock there, nothing spectaclar. White Ball head (opposite) known locally as 'the ledge' is much better. There is a ledge about 40 feet down running about 150 feet out from the tip. Great fishing on the drift here.

Thanks PollocKing,
I did head over to Beara on Sunday - but the wind was a lot stronger than I expected- tried to find some sheltered spots - fished 4 marks without any great success - 4 fish in total - I will post a report later.

Cool, look forward to it.

FWIW I went over to Cleanach between Allihies and Eyeries the last time, which has well known and signposted marks. I have never seen so many fishermen there, must have been at least 5 groups :lol: . Still plenty of room for everyone, maybe Beara is starting to catch on...