Beach near Killiney 5th Jan

People:me, Stephen8wood

Duration:8.30pm 'til 11.30pm

Tide: On the way out probably nearly fully out by the time we left

Weather: Mostly clear night but pretty cold but not as bad as I expected

Bait: Lug & Mackerel

Rigs: me: 3 hook flapper. Stephen8wood 2 hook flapper (1 up 1 down) & 3 hook flapper ( I think)

Results: Me; 1 Rockling (4 bearded I think), 1 Coalie, 9 Whiting. Stephen8wood; 1 decent flounder, 6 Whiting

Report: I’m new to this fishing malarkey so please excuse any lack of lingo. I’m also fairly new to this site and have been reading the odd report and decided to take the plunge and do my own. Started fishing a few months ago and am really quite enjoying it. Went to the beach last night despite the cold and it was pretty much non stop action with almost constant bites. Caught my first rockling and first coalie. Otherwise it was pretty much all Whiting apart from the only real decent fish of the night which was the flounder. Can’t do photos I’m afraid and don’t carry a measuring tape so I don’t know how long the biggest or smallest fish were. Most went back; kept the Coalie as he was a half decent size and I’ve never tasted one.

Well done a good mix of fish there. Welcome to the board.

happy days on the new species - best of luck at it

Yep welcome to the site and well done on the fishing. Have to say coalfish wouldn't be my choice of one to eat. What did you think of it.

Welcome to the site, nice mixed back of fish there and well done on the new species.

Was it whiterock you fished?

If so, that place fishes well on the drop

Decent enough fishing though, welldone

FMCN,

Cooked the coalie tonight. Ok so it spent a day and half in my fridge and probably would have been nicer cooked straight away, but it wasn't bad at all. I'm also just starting to get the hang of filleting. The fish I've brough home have been ok size but not worth doing the whole gutting and boning shebang so I've just been cutting the fillet off the full fish. It was an ok sized coalie but even then the fillets I managed to get off were pretty small. I cooked one just with a bit of flour just to taste it and it wasn't bad. I cooked the 2nd with some breadcrumbs and put a bit of lemon juice and salt on it once cooked and it was quite nice. Not sure I'd want a full meal of it though, Could eat the fresh whiting all day though. Very tasty.

Off again tomorrow night; after a flounder this time.

are you polish or russian?

beebub,
well done on the fish. Ate a coalie a couple of weeks ago and have to say it wasn't bad at all .
what part of Killiney beach were you fishing?



steve

I'm new to this site so I don't want to appear stroppy, but I actaully find Ahab's comment just a little offensive. Not that I mind someone suggesting I'm Polish or Russian, but 'joke' or not I don't particularly like the undertones of the comment. Is that type of 'humour' now acceptable to people?

I'm new to this site so I don't want to appear stroppy, but I actaully find Ahab's comment just a little offensive. Not that I mind someone suggesting I'm Polish or Russian, but 'joke' or not I don't particularly like the undertones of the comment. Is that type of 'humour' now acceptable to people?

I don't want to start anything here..... I think that Ahab asked this question as the majority of the Irish people turn their nose up to species like carp, bream, pike, etc. (I'm talking about eating them) I presume that is the same thing for the coalie.
I often hear (or read) comments about eastern european people and the fact that they eat fish that are not usually eaten in Ireland.

Diego

Hi Diego,

If it's the case that Ahab was genuinely enquiring if I was Polish or Russian then I retract my remark. However if he was genuinely interested in my nationality would he not have asked me where I was from rather than presuming I am either Polish or Russian just because I took home and ate a Coalie??

Hi Diego,

If it's the case that Ahab was genuinely enquiring if I was Polish or Russian then I retract my remark. However if he was genuinely interested in my nationality would he not have asked me where I was from rather than presuming I am either Polish or Russian just because I took home and ate a Coalie??

Only Ahab can answer to this question

I know plenty of experienced (and conservation minded) irish anglers who would take the odd coalie for the pot, supposed to be a half decent fish to eat.

So to say AHAB has made that presumption (polish or russian) based on species is incorrect in my opinion, I would say he's having a dig at the fact that beebub clearly stated that the fillets were not very big once the fish had been prepared.

We all know that there are far to many FN's taking far too many juvenille fish which will undoubtably affect fish stocks in years to come, particularly on a local level.

Personally, I'd not take home a round fish under 40cm or so, with the exception of bass obviously, and flats would need to be 30cm + really, dependant on the species.

Just my thoughts on the matter

give me a decent coalie before cod anyday.

and i am 100 percent IRISH.

Yes, I did say that most fish went back by the way. The reason the fillets weren't very big is because I'm new to filleting and don't do a very good job, leaving sizeable portions of fish on the body. The two whiting I took with me didn't survive the hook.

Wow, didn't expect quite so much grief for a first attempt at a shore report; might just leave it that.

Here we go again. I seem to remember a photo of a bucket of whiting that appeared a little on the small side. As we all know although most of us don't specifically target the smaller fish they do happen to take the bait. Often despite best efforts the small fish are too dammaged to survive a return to the sea. I was there when the coalie was caught. He was small to medium, probably 25cm or so. despite Beebubs best efforts he was not in a condition to return to the sea after the hook had been removed. Is it not better that he was put to some culinary use rather than being dumped in a bin or thrown back dead. If Ahab has another more careful read of the first report he will note that most of the whiting were returned as they were small despite the fact that they taste better.

I think we are all agreed that aiming to catch juvenile fish for the pot is a bad idea. A worse idea would be to waste those that cannot be saved. We should also remember that enen fully grown whiting are still quite a small fish. As for the Polish/Russian thing I think that is an insult. Everyone knows Beebub is from Khazikstan!

shamoo hit the nail on the head.we all know that most small seed dont go back,so the simple answer is dont target them.i never use smaller than 2/0 hooks,fish 2-3 times a week,blank 80% of the time but when i catch its a proper buzz.anyone can use size 6 hooks and catch all day but wheres the challenge and the fact that most of what one would catch floats away just seems wasteful.

anyone can use size 6 hooks and catch all day but wheres the challenge

eh your wrong,

anyone can use size 6 hooks and catch all day but wheres the challenge

eh your wrong,

i use them down to 16's and its still a challenge.