East Cork beach - 15th October 2008

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 4.30 - 8.00

Tide: HW at 6.30 pm

Weather: Light westerly breeze, dry, mild

Bait: Rag, mackerel, razor

Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulley, 3 hook flapper (size 2 and 6 hooks), single hook flowing traces (size 2 and 6)

Results: 5 flounder




Report: As there was a very low tide in the afternoon I got out to a rag worm bed that is normally submerged even at low tide and collected a good supply of rag. There was a strong tide in the evening (4.4 m) with a full moon so I was hopeful of a good session. Arrived at the beach at about 4.30 pm but there was only a fairly weak surf rolling in. Set up two rods with 3/0 pennels, one baited with 5 or 6 rag and a few mackerel strips, the other with mackerel, filleted and turned inside out and then bound on to the pennel with bait elastic - I thought that should provide a good scent trail. They were then cast out different distances. I set up the third rod with the three hook flapper, baited with rag, mackerel and razor and cast it close in.

There was not a bite for ages - the rod tips stayed motionless. Not even small fish nibbling on the bait I tried various other rigs, hook sizes and bait combinations on the rod in close but still nothing.

It was only after dark that I began to get some bites. About 7.30 pm I got the first bite, a small flounder of 25 cm taken on the rod in close on the three hook flapper baited with rag. Shortly after that I got a knock on the rod out furthest with the 3/0 pennel baited with rag - a 31 cm flounder caught on the smaller upper hook of the pennel. Another three flounder followed in quick succession, all caught on the three hook flapper in close. The first of these was 26 cm taken on rag tipped with mackerel, the second was 24 cm caught with razor and the final flounder was the smallest at about 22 cm, again taken on rag.

I packed up at that stage as the tide was dropping fast - I had been hoping that a few bass might show up but the surf was probably too weak - if any had been about I think I would at least have had a bite on the pennels as both had big baits which should have given off enough scent to attract any passing bass.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Nice to see the variation in colour/patterns in the flounder.

Regarding the bass, I dont tend to agree fully that you need a stonking surf to catch them, i got one earlier in the week in flat calm conditions. I think its more a case of right place, right time

Shamoo - You are right on that - last week I got a bass on the same beach with a fairly weak surf and a much weaker tide (3.0 m as opposed to a 4.4 m tide last night). Maybe if there had been a better surf it might have brought them in last night - who knows

As you say you have to be in the right place at the right time - if it was totally predictable we would be catching them all the time

Here's a photo of how calm it was yesterday evening.

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Maybe if there had been a better surf it might have brought them in last night - who knows

Sure, it aint meant to be easy, thats why its called fishing...and not catching

Quality bait on 4.4m tide high tide around dusk. You would think there would be a few bass about. Its supposed to come a bit more southerly during the weekend. Things might pick up.

Quality bait on 4.4m tide high tide around dusk. You would think there would be a few bass about

That was what I has hoping - but that beach is a bit hit or miss - sometimes the bass are there, sometimes not. I will probably give it another bash on Saturday if there is a better surf. If it is still calm then I may try a new mark off the rocks that I was looking at on Google Earth - seems to be a narrow sandy channel going out to sea - just have to see if it is accsssible without serious cliff climbing.