The White lady, Clifden, Co.Galway 070508

People:myself and slowarm

Duration:1pm-6pm

Tide: low and rising

Weather: i got a tan :lol: :lol: sunny with slight SE

Bait:mack squid sandeel herring, also had crab and razor

Rigs:various

Results:rays and dog

Report:

got near to the mark around low tide, wearing shorts and shirt i was set for the day, but then a slight precipitation intervened while on the trek to the mark. then the sun shone like it was on a mission.

with rods ready and hooks baited it was time to let rip, first cast i had a little fluff up :( but that was soon rectified and recast to about 90 yrds past a weed patch, i was making sure slowarm had a clear run of sand back to the rock mark to ensure he wouldn't lose any fish(all he had to do was catch something).
ratchet set it was time to try a bit of float fishing for any roaming pollock or wrasse, they were interested but just weren't taking the bait (fussy little buggers) then a click followed by a few more clicks, i was in no rush to deprive a fish from its lunch, plus i was chewing down on a chicken drunstick myself, sucked my fingers clean.. mm sandeel flavoured chicken :D..
i knew i was into a nice fish straight away, a nice little thornie.. a good start to the day..
a quick photo shoot release and re-bait and back to trying to coax a wrasse to go for a squid tentacle, but alas it wasn't to be :(
time passed and again the ratchet went.. this felt like a good sized fish, and with the current of the water pulling it gave the zzippy profile a nice bend, and also taking the ray into the rocks :( a quick change of position (any mountain goat would have been proud of my leaps across the rocks), and just as i was about to lift the fish up the snood couldn't take any more of the barnacles that covered the rock and decided to become two separate parts, also losing me a nice fish of around 5lbs (if this was a boat comp it would have counted :D ) by this time i was thinking 'i could be walking home' but i noticed steven's rod tapping.
when i say the ray appearing from the depths i knew i had a lift back home :lol: , this was also steve's first shore caught thornie, after another quick photo shoot the fish was released back swimmingly.

there were a few lads fishing further down, but all they managed to get were spider crabs :lol:
time to re-bait and someone brought a doggie to the surface sneakily :s
by this stage grip leads weren't holding bottom too well. then another bend in someone's rod... a quiet relief overcame me when i saw it was a spider crab :D..

a good day out, and will be doing that again, but try to get down at a good time for the tide next time, the sun completed its mission of giving me a good roasting, but at least i have more hair on my head than others, so i don't have a glowing crown :lol:

well done boys nice ray

Well done gents nice couple of ray, glad to see someone's catching over this way!! I've been out a few time's lately results below "warning" doesn't make pleasant reading....

Spiddal = blank
New Quay = blank
Black Head = blank
Spiddal = blank

Maybe this weekend... that's what i keep telling myself anyway!

Well done gents nice couple of ray, glad to see someone's catching over this way!! I've been out a few time's lately results below "warning" doesn't make pleasant reading....

Spiddal = blank
New Quay = blank
Black Head = blank
Spiddal = blank

Maybe this weekend... that's what i keep telling myself anyway!

if your around the weekend i'll drag you somewhere where you'll catch fish

p.s. your drivin :lol: :lol:

Cheers Steve i'll PM you my mobile.

nice report lads, just glad theres no photos of steves white legs :lol:

well done steven on you first shore caught thornie, may you have many more

Brilliant report mate. well done on your first thornie and I hope u have many more. blanked at the weekend myself which wasnt nice or enjoyable lol

lovely markings on that ray realy vivid

but at least i have more hair on my head than others, so i don't have a glowing crown

If you think it was glowing yesterday.. :D :D Coming up on radar this morning.

Thanks for all the comments lads, it was good to get my first ray... and spider crab. Along with the LSD it breaks my shore duck which has lasted mumble... mumble :oops: :oops: years.

nice report lads, just glad theres no photos of steves white legs

I hear you MC, I hear you. :shock: :lol: :lol:

It was a good day out and will be repeated.

Well done gents nice couple of ray, glad to see someone's catching over this way!! I've been out a few time's lately results below "warning" doesn't make pleasant reading....

Spiddal = blank
New Quay = blank
Black Head = blank
Spiddal = blank

Maybe this weekend... that's what i keep telling myself anyway!

reads pretty much like my fishing out west of late!

better luck next time salty

the two steves - fair play on the rays

nice fishing lads. as for steves legs - glad i didnt get to see them so far this year :)

nice fishing lads, well done steve on ur thornie :D