Beara Peninsula - 14th September 2008

People: Me

Duration: 12.45 - 2.00 and 3.45 - 7.00 pm

Tide: HW at 5.30 pm

Weather: Rain, persistent at first, easing off then dry, Moderate NNW wind

Bait: rag, sandeel, prawn

Rigs: 1 hook and two hook paternosters, various lures, feathers

Results: 1 ballen wrasse, 2 pollock, 24 mackerel




Report: Having had some good sessions last month on the Beara Peninsula I decided to head back there on Sunday. It was dry when we were leaving town but the rain started and then became more persistent as we drove west. I got to the first mark, a rock mark between Eyeries and Allihies where I had caught half a dozen good size wrasse the last time I was there. However, the sea was a lot roughter this time. Swells were almost breaking over the spot I set up previously so I moved down a little. The rocks were very slippery, it took a while to get down to the shore, sliding down on my ass most of the way. I set up one rod baited with rag and cast out, almost immediately there was a bite - a small ballen wrasse. Then realized I had forgotten my camera

I rebated and cast out again, and then did some lure fishing with the spinning rod but no bites. I got a strong knock on the other rod, probably a much bigger wrasse but it broke free before I could get it to the surface. I decided to move to a higher rock as some of the swells were getting close. However, that wasn't such a good move. The sea was more turbulent below and more snaggy, I had several bites but nothing hooked and I lost some tackle. And it was still raining

I decided to move on to Dursey Sound. When I got there the sea was quite rough and waves were crashing onto my usual mark so I moved to a more sheltered spot. Again I baited one rod with rag and did a little spinning with the other. After about 20 minutes I got a small pollock of about 30 cm on rag. After that I kept getting bites, but nothing hooked. Probably wrasse stealing my bait. Nothing on the lures. I tried about 8 different lures and sandeel but no bites at all.

At about 6 pm with nothing more to show for all the effort I decided to try a bit of mack bashing. There was nothing in close with the spinning rod, so I put the feathers onto the other rod and cast out into the middle of the channel - and got a bite. I didn't want a load of mackerel so I used an old set of feathers with only two hooks. I passed away an hour at that, getting one or two at a time and ended up with 24. Some of them were quite a good size, bigger than the mackerel I got there last month. I also got another small pollock - probably the smallest one I have ever caught.

I packed up just after 7 pm. When I got back to the car, the girfriend has stayed in the car listening to a match on the radio, she told me the radio had stopped working. Thinking she had just pressed something, I went to start the car - not a flicker - the battery was totally dead. I had left the ignition on and the fan had been on - it had drained every bit power. At that stage there was nobody about - no mobile phone signal either

Fortunately a bunch of guys turned up - they were transporting sheep across from Dursey Island on the cable car
They gave me a push but there wasn't enough slope to get the car going. Luckily one of them had some jump leads - that got it started.

So not the best days fishing I have ever had, no camera, flat battery and crap weather too.

At least I have next week to look forward to - off to Lanzarote with a fishing rod

Hi Rockhunter sorry to hear about the car (leave the missies at home)

Can you bring rods on Airplanes on holidays? Like the package holidays? I was in Lanzarote in March and I never though of it


I don't do sitting by the pool!

I hope so - I did ask the travel agent and they phoned the tour operator. However, they didn't give a definitive answer - It probably depends on the airline - but I am sure they will take it if they can charge excess baggage for it.

If not then I can always buy a cheap rod while I am there - better that sitting on my ass for a week.