West Cork Beach 18/10/07

Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:20 am

People:G.Wyse and myself

Duration:1800 to 2300

Tide:High Tide 2230 approx.

Weather:Cloudy - Wind SSE

Bait:Mackerel, razor and sandeel

Rigs:G. 3 Hook flappers. Myself. 3 Hook flappers, 1 Hook pulley

Results:G. 5 whiting. Myself. 1 dogfish, 6 whiting and 1 bass.

Catch and Release:: Yes, all returned safely ( including the dogfish who had to be returned 5 times)



Report: Collected G. and headed west. We decided to try a beach that has been a bit of a bogey for us both in the past.
When we arrived at the beach we found it to be a bit lacking in surf but the wind was strong enough to put a bit of chop on the water so we decided to give it a go.
We set up fairly leisurely as the few people walking the beach seemed to have half of Crufts with them and we were in no mind to be chasing round the beach trying to get our baits back. Eventually we wet our lines, I was fishing two rods putting a pulley rig with razor out about 70 yards and a 3 hook flapper with mack and eel in the suds, G. put a 3 hook flapper with razor and eel roughly between both. A couple of casts later I had the pulley into about 50 yards and the flapper out to 20 yards with G. still fishing between both when the rod at distance finally gave a rattle and the doggie was landed soon after. Unfortunately the doggie had suicidal tendencies and kept trying to beach himself until the 5th time he was pointed out to sea he got the hint and swam off. Soon after I caught the first whiting of the night on the flapper about 30 yards out.
We thought the jinx had descended on G. for the night when his rod bent with a massive hit and when he went to lift it from his tripod his line snagged on the tripod head and he lost the fish, a half hour later he lost another decent fish in the suds when the knot of his rig tied to the hook opened. Thankfully the jinx was broken soon after when he landed a decent whiting. Things continued steadily for for a while with us both taking taking a few whiting.
About 2130 I was in the process of moaning to G. about some rafts of weed and how the furthest baits didn't seem to be catching when I saw the line go slack, reeling in the slack the line suddenly tightened and took off at speed. Because of the fight and the weight I thought I had a double-shot of doggies until I realised it was a one hook pulley rig :oops: Finally walking backwards up the beach and using a wave to bring it into the suds. G. went out to help beach it, and swearing for all he was worth came back with a lovely bass (He claims the swearing was because the bass stabbed him with his dorsal spines :lol: :lol: ). My first of the year and the species I most wanted. We quickly measured it and released it.
Over the next hour we picked up a few more whiting before calling it a night at 2300 because of the amount of weed in the water.
It was an enjoyable nights fishing but we were made to work hard for our fish.
The dogfish was 55cm and taken on razor.
The whiting were all between 28 and 35cm and taken on mack and sandeel.
The bass was 68cm and taken on mack.
All fish were hooked between 25 and 50 yards from shore.

Re: West Cork Beach 18/10/07

Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:05 pm

Seancelt wrote:All fish were hooked between 25 and 50 yards from shore.

Will i ever try to cast further then this :shock: :lol: :lol:
As for the swearing,it's the second time this year i've been spiked by someone else's Bass in the line of duty,you'd think i'd have learned from the first time :oops: :lol:
Well done on a nice bass :)