13/07/08 Wexford

People: Me and a couple of good anglers from Wexford

Duration: 3 sessions

Species: LSD, Flounder, Bass, Smooth Hound

Weight: Doesn't really matter

Weather: Day 1 breezy, day 2 flat calm

Method: Pennel & Pulley rigs

Bait: Sandeel, lugs, crab

Comments:

I had arranged to meet a couple of guys from the sea angling forum, Danny M from Wexford on Sunday Targeting Smuts and Cortaz from Waterford on Monday for the Bass & Bream. After a good days Toping on Saturday I came home to find the Sea Angling Website down, unfortunately I hadn't taken down either guys contact details so this left me with a bit of a dilemma. I searched various websites and checked the members list on a few forums and found one particular one that both guys visited so I chanced my arm and put up a thread, lucky Danny from Wexford sent a reply which gave me a life line and what a line it turned out to be.

Session 1 - Sunday 13th July
My family and I arrived at Wexford around 17.00 with a good southerly wind blowing, the beach we had intended fishing was chocked with weed so we opted for a stretch near to blackwater. Not only did I get the tides wrong (3am high water) but it turned out that the only bait I didn't have (lug) was going to prove to be the killer bait. Smuts prefer flat calm conditions so taking everything else into consideration my confidence had taken a bit of a battering but as I was with two accomplished anglers from the area I expected to see some sort of action.

We started fishing around 8pm an hour before low water and from the off we had doggie after doggie, once darkness fell it got more prolific and the first smut arrived which fell to a lug bait instead of the usual crab offering. Confidence had hit a new level but after a couple more hours and countless dog fish I was starting to loose hope.

Around 1am we had started to pack up when Danny's mate had a classic drop back bite and with in minutes a fine schoolie Bass of around 2lb was beached, caught with in yds of the beach (on lug) it gave us a different direction and it wasn't long before Danny had another Bass bouncing about on the sand. I cast in about 20 yds into the surf and managed to scoop a few flounders but after missing a few good bites it was time to leave before I was locked out of the local hotel.

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[img]http://shutter10.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/25/002/57/D7/0A/EB/6wV5W9rv-X4ROVrw3rP3T+1S8AmPlsh80300.jpg[/img]

Session 2 - Monday 14th July (Day)
I took it easy on Monday after a late night and headed back to the same mark with the family equipped with Mackerel, Sandeels and a few peelers, it wasn't long until I pulled a couple of doggies out but it was a lot tougher than the night before, I was amazed in the difference darkness had brought to the beach which got me thinking about some of the marks around home. I spent most of the 4hr session practicing my casting and ended up adding a further 30yds which wasn't that hard to be honest. As the beaches are golden with sand the family really enjoyed it and I managed to get some good snaps with my new Camera ;) .

[img]http://shutter09.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/25/001/3D/E6/FC/D5/0F7vuPYuRlqRD9gWFrW8mjIwiDtz8Hdt0300.jpg[/img]

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Session 3 - Monday 14th July (Night)
I had bought some rag and peelers from the local tackle dealer, I was unable to get some lugs which was disappointing but as the wind had died away the plan was to fish peelers at distance on one of the rods and in close using rag with the other. I started fishing at 10pm (turn of the tide low water) and after about an hour the rod doubled over and I was into a fish that was doing its best to stay away from dry land, I new that it had to be a smoothie and excitement mixed with anxiety started to pump adrenalin around the body, with in a few minutes I pulled a fine fish out of the water which proved to be me first ever smooth hound and the 20th Species of the year.

I had to wait a couple of hours until the next one decided to suck on my crab offering and after a good fight I had it beached, I put the remainder of the crab on the short rod and missed a couple of drop back bites which may have been Bass but I'll never know now.

The top pic is badly blurred as I took the photo under a timer in the dark, really looking forward to making the 3.5hr drive down to wexford in the near future as it has great potential, although I'll ensure I'm equipped with lug next time.

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Cracking stuff some super looking fish there well done :)

Im glad you had a result after and got yourself a nice hound, after the distance you travelled! Fair Play.
Nice pictures there, I hope the family enjoyed there stay in Wexford.
Hopefully the next time you visit we well get the tides bang on and I will guarantee you Bass.

And dont worry about bringing Lug , Il dig it for ya next time.

Great fishing well done. I'm heading down myself in two weeks, hope to catch a few smuts when I get there. How long more do they stay around for?
Well Done
Shane

Some great fish there well done :lol: :lol: ,,,,,and the little one handles the doggies better than most :lol: :lol: