from the perspective of a newbies first months fishing

14th July

New road and reel first time casting in 12 years never mind fishing!
Took up eoinmags offer of a night fishing in greystones after joining the forum
Very nerve racking for the first 20 mins “a live crab you’re taking the piss” “now I remember why I hate rag worm”

2 dogs later (man they are horrible things when you not used to them) but at least I’m catching not fishing

Lessons learnt
Couple of knots
Couple of rigs and there best uses
Some casting tips
Bait and bait presentation

31st August
2nd new rod and a multiplier (gulp)

With my brother who has never fished and his father in law
Passage east

1 dab very small
Still catching even if it was only one

Multiplier not easy but I will keep trying

Lessons learnt
I need better bait
How to untie bird’s nests
My brother is dangerous when casting never stand to his right

1 September

With my brother and his father in law
Dunmore of the rocks

Mackerel Pollack


Lessons learnt

A beach caster hurts after a while with feathers
How to fillet mackerel
Pollack have a curved line on there side
Beware of flying leads
Don’t carry so much gear to the rocks (I’m a gadget addict)

7th September
Beach in Brittas
Dbrock from this website and others

Dab whiting and a dog that which I thought was huge (I really don’t like dog fish)
Dog was caught on my first ever home tied rig
Cast improving

Lessons learnt
When you keep getting snagged move!!!!!!
The knot to the shock leader hurts your thumb when casting.
Whiting are slimy
Again bait and bait presentation is important
Waves splash over your wellies when you stand in the water.



Last night
East pier dunlaoire

With my brother

Very low tide
Couldn’t find any where suitable to fish out to sea so tried into the harbour (so many people drinking and shouting playing music was not comfortable here at all)
Really wasn’t expecting to catch anything here so was content to just practice casting.


Sixteen Mac in 2 hours 1 small Pollack ( not exciting for a lot of you guys but for some one who eats mackerel and just wants to get practice it was great fun)


Lessons learnt

Stay away from asholes
Keep your gear close to you at all times
If there’s water there’s fish
I need a smaller rod for pier/rocks (arm sore again)



To sum up with the help of a lot of people on this site I have been out 5 times and caught something every time dab, whiting, Pollack, dog, mackerel.

Really want to catch a bass.
great site
Thanks lads for all the help lads

sounds like youve got the bug - now just get yourself some good rain gear for the winter!

and get some blank experience :lol:

youll need it for when your standing drenched in a gale in semi darkness - and you had waited all week for some time off to get out and have a cast!!!

welcome to our world mate and i find that every trip i go on i learn something, its usually something i have forgot, like why i dont like fishing with some folks(no one on this site so stay clam lads :lol: ) as for the leader knot when winding in try and put it to the edge of the spool, have lost some skin from my thumb too :lol:

Great post Derek, for a newbie you're doing really well. I think I know what I'm doing half the time and still blank so weldone and it's great that you're learning with each session too!

Keep up the good work and progress reports.

well done mate, sounds like your hooked haha.. best of luck

thanks lads
realy enjoying it

will try that with the knot for the sake of my thumb
raingear you mean it actualy rains when your fishing never seen that i must be really lucky

would love to know how to handle the dogs properly
and how to fillet a mac and take the bones out at the same time

thanks lads
realy enjoying it

will try that with the knot for the sake of my thumb
raingear you mean it actualy rains when your fishing never seen that i must be really lucky

would love to know how to handle the dogs properly
and how to fillet a mac and take the bones out at the same time

Dogs aren't too bad, they tend to ball up and wrap themselves around your hand/arm which can hurt! Try to grab them by the tail between your middle and index fingers, and behind the gills between your thumb and index finger - that way the fish can't wrap around your arm, and you have the other hand free to unhook the fish.

even better tha winding it to the side make a strap.

inner tube from a puncture. cut 6-8 inches long, half down the middle (now you have 2) round of the ends. cut 2 slits to fit the reel seat at one end. slide over reel seat and excess should stretch over spool.
use this to cast and when you release your thumb becaused its stretched it will fly out of the way. gives great grip in the wet and dark also.


good post by the way.

dale

Nice one Derek,

On getting the bones out of the mackerel, think the easiest thing to do is take off head and tail, slice it open underneath, gut it and open it out flat with its topside still upwards.
Stick it down on the table and press hard along the back of it with the flat of your knife (or similar instrument if you are safety minded). Turn it over and you should be able to peel it off the bones. Works pretty well if you do it properly and it's not too hard.

even better tha winding it to the side make a strap.

inner tube from a puncture. cut 6-8 inches long, half down the middle (now you have 2) round of the ends. cut 2 slits to fit the reel seat at one end. slide over reel seat and excess should stretch over spool.
use this to cast and when you release your thumb becaused its stretched it will fly out of the way. gives great grip in the wet and dark also.


cheers dont suppse you have a photo this by any chance

i dont i'm afraid.

off on my travels in the morning to cortaz land for 2 weeks but if no one has posted by then send me a pm and i'll do it when i come back.

Hello Derek,
Catching fish is what it's all about, and you're managing that with great success!

On the filleting, I asked the same question and I follow this advice, it works very well

Cut around the fish's head/neck but do not cut the bone or the intestines. Slit the fish down the belly line avoiding the anal vent. Flatten the fish out and pull out the back-bone (and most of the the others) and the guts using the head.

It's probably the same as what thescotsman's telling you

Very good recipes also from that thread
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... hp?t=11542

Good Luck

Blackie

Have a look at the bottom of this page:
http://www.striperinc.com/rigs.asp

Not sure if its the same thing Iona is talking about but it looks similar.

thanks scamper understand it now

Glad yer enjoying it Derek, I hope to get out at some point again myself, but at the moment it's non-stop bottles, nappies and washes.....we'll get there eventually.