East Cork beach - 8th November 2008

People: Me

Duration: 10.00 am - 1.30 pm

Tide: HW at 1.00 pm

Weather: Strong southwesterly wind, becoming very strong, dry at first then very heavy rain

Bait: razor, mackerel, mussel, frozen black lug

Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulley, 3 hook flapper (size 1 and 2 hooks), single hook flapper (size 4 hook)

Results: 2 flounder




Report: As the weather forecast for later in the day was for strengthening winds and heavy rain I dragged myself out of bed earlier than normal for a Saturday morning and headed to my usual East Cork beach. As the wind was already quite strong I decided to fish the western end thinking it might not be as exposed (stupid thought ) and there was the possibility that there could be a lot of weed on the eastern end with the westerly/southwesterly winds.

When I arrived there was a big surf rolling in. I got set up, cast the 3/0 pennel out as far as I could against the wind (which wasn't very far), the three hook flapper was in fairly close and the single hook flapper in even closer.

Every so often there was a extra strong gust of wind which would blow the rod stands over so it was a bit of a struggle to keep the rods upright. the 5 oz gripper leads were usually torn up within minutes. Fortunately I had a few 6 oz weights with me - they held much better, although the one on the pennel rig tended to get ripped up fairly regularly. With the wind whipping the rod tips around and the pull of the wave action it was very difficult to see bites.

I got the first bite at about 11.30 pm - a 32 cm flounder caught on the 3/0 pennel baited with razor.

About 40 minutes later I got a second flounder, this was a good size, 38 cm, and again taken on the 3/0 pennel with razor.

The weather got worse after that - the wind picked up even more and there was persistent very heavy rain. I reduced down to two rods, to try and focus on what might be bites but every time I thought there was something hooked it turned out to be just the wave action or a ball of weed. The weed became worse close to high tide as the tide lifted off the seaweed that was lying high on the beach. Eventually at 1.30 pm I decided I had enough and packed up. The rain was still p!ssing down, and there was a new river flowing down the slipway onto the beach. I had intended to fish for at least three hours on the dropping tide but the conditions were too grim and it looked like there would be no let up in the rain.

Got home, had an shower, opened the curtains and the sun was shining

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Well done rockhunter, you did well to get something in those conditions, 2 nice flounder, wouldnt mind getting some that big

well done for braving it,i couldnt find the heart for it last nite

Nice size flounder there Rockhunter. 3/0 's???? Those flounder will swallow any size of a hook!!

a bit mad is the word to go out in those conditions but a less you didn't blank

Thanks guys.

2 nice flounder, wouldnt mind getting some that big

That beach often throws up some good size flounder - I have had a bunch over 40 cm from there.

a bit mad is the word to go out in those conditions

I was thinking the exact same thing after the rod stand blew over for the fifth time and the rain was pelting down. If I had thought it was going to be that bad I wouldn't have ventured out but it seemed fairly calm in town that morning and the bad weather was forecast for later in the day - it just got there sooner than predicted. I should have tried a more sheltered mark.

3/0 's???? Those flounder will swallow any size of a hook!!
Nice size flounder there Rockhunter. 3/0 's???? Those flounder will swallow any size of a hook!!

Flounders are greedy feckers they will cram anything that resembles food into their mouths - I had big baits on the 3/0 pennel too.

Good size Flounders i got a small one on a 4/0 with mack and squid ment for Thornies greedy we buggers.