North Beach Courtown 31-December-2008

People: Me
Duration:5:00 pm -7:30 pm approx.
Tide: rising (http://www.irishtimes.com/weather/tides.html)
Weather: mild, clear sky
Bait: lug
Result: whiting, dab
Rig: Single hook pulley.

Decided to do a short session at Courtown as I only had 28 usable lugworm left and didn't want to be out on the roads too late when the New Year's Eve nutters were about. Set up north of the river, having first admired the marvellous new installation in the car park - a fine piece of street art indeed worthy of Damien Hirst, Banksy and Rasher (a burnt out Toyota, sadly not an SUV).

Anyways, 28 lugworm resulted in 27 small whiting and 1 small dab. Just couldn't get away from the whiting - they were close in, far out, everywhere. One of them disgorged a small fish when I was unhooking him. Seems they were feeding like crazy. One small dab broke the monotony.

I was well pleased with the circle hooks I was using - first time I tried these - every fish very cleanly hooked and so easy to return. If you haven't tried circle hooks, then try a few (https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/Varivas.html). I thought it would be tough to bait them up with the worms, but it was no bother really. Also happy with the new GRX-S rod xmas pressie. Gave it a good work out and it performed very well matched with my old Ambassadeur 6500c.

So, not a great session, but enjoyed getting out for the last time in '08.

Happy New Year.

uvox

A bit of sneaky practice for sunday, I like it

Hope the whiting are not a sign of all we can expect though

I was well pleased with the circle hooks I was using - first time I tried these - every fish very cleanly hooked and so easy to return. If you haven't tried circle hooks, then try a few (https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/Varivas.html). I thought it would be tough to bait them up with the worms, but it was no bother really.

I've been using circle hooks myself for the last couple of months and have been surprised at how effective they are, like you say every fish cleanly hooked. They are much better for catch and release, its just a pity that they aren't as widely available here as they are in other countries.

Good fishing Uvox, I was hoping I might have my first session of 09 this morning as well but I'm still nursing a hangover from last night it might have to wait until tomorrow.

Right. Really pleased with the circle hooks. I had thought getting the lugworm on in some presentable fashion would have been a problem and so I ordered some semi-circle ones in the meantime just in case, but now I realize the full circles aren't a problem in that regard. I'm gonna change over all my made-up rigs to circles.

One small dab broke the monotony.

that was probably a whiting in dabs clothing

I don't know what was going on with the those whiting - and they were much smaller than you'd get at Roney Point or Donoughmore to the south. It was like a new hatch of the little beggars....

... and to make it worse, I didn't get home in time to see the Fair City Double Wedding episode.

yeah every year around January the mother whiting spawns a new batch of little infidels

Nice to get out for a while Uvox. At least with more of the little fella's it lowers the blank rate. Well for me anyhow!

Right. Really pleased with the circle hooks. I had thought getting the lugworm on in some presentable fashion would have been a problem and so I ordered some semi-circle ones in the meantime just in case, but now I realize the full circles aren't a problem in that regard. I'm gonna change over all my made-up rigs to circles.

Sounds like they kept you busy... it does my head in when they swollow deep... so pray tell the size of circle hook you found work best for you,

must get me some of them circle hooks, least the whiting kept you tormented

[quote="mann"]
Sounds like they kept you busy... it does my head in when they swollow deep... so pray tell the size of circle hook you found work best for you, [/quote]

For the day that was in it, 1/0.