Cork Harbour - 6th January 2009

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 8.30 pm - 1.00 am

Tide: HW at 1.00 am

Weather: Cold, frosty, calm

Bait: Mackerel, squid, mussel, sandeel, lug, razor

Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulley, 4/0 pulley, 2 hook flapper, 3 hook flapper

Results: 25 whiting, 1 sea scorpion




Report: As the very cold, calm conditions with a light east wind were not conducive to beach fishing I decided to try a sheltered mark in Cork Harbour. I reckoned I should get a few whiting at least and maybe if I was lucky there might be a codling about. I think the last time I fished there was in June.

After de-icing a thick layer of frost from the car windscreen I was wondering was I completely mad. But nevertheless I headed out. Parked the car and walked down to the mark with the crisp crunch of frosty ground under my feet. But at least it was well sheltered from the easterly breeze.

I set up one rod with the larger hooks 3/0 or 4/0 with large baits in the hope of a codling. I used 2 and 3 hook flappers with small hooks (size 2, 4, 6) on the second rod. It was very quite for the first two and a half hours. I tried a variety of baits but nothing was biting. I was beginning to think that a can of beer in front of the fire was a much more attractive proposition. Then at about 10.45 pm I got the first bite on the two hook flapper - the whiting onslought had commenced. The first whiting was hooked on a sliver of sandeel, but it was small, about 20 cm. I had been feeling very cold but I soon warmed up as the bites were almost non-stop - sometimes within a few seconds casting out and I was getting a few doubles. I broke a hook on the two hook flapper so switched to a three hook flapper. Unfortunately the whiting were all small, typically in the 20 -25 cm range with just one above 30 cm. Mackerel slivers were the most productive bait.

The other rod remained motionless. I tried live baiting a couple of whiting for a while in case there was something bigger out there but still nothing was biting. I eventually switched back to the frozen bait. Then I noticed a small knock on the rod - I thought it was just a crab and reeled in it - and was surprised to find a sea scorpion with the 4/0 hook in his mouth and the bait completely devoured I don't think he was actually hooked - I think he had just clamped his mouth on the hook to suck off the last of the bait - the greed little fecker.

The bites slackened off close to high tide. In the end I caught at least 25 whiting - including about 6 or 7 doubles, which is more than twice the total number of whiting I caught during all of last year. Shame they were all small with one exception. Unfortuantely quite a few of them didn't survive after I released them as some of them had deeply swallowed the hooks.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.

well done frank least the whiting have a purpose...........keeping warm with the action. im going out tonite to try my luck same kinda mark and probably do the same ....chuck out a live bait on one and try and keep busy with the minis on the other rod

that sea scorpian looks very like a fish i caught a while back except i was told i had a weever fish by the guy i was with and another guy that was passing and i sh** myself. i had a glove on and was trying to wangle the hook out with a pliers. eventually got it out and the fish went back alive. do they have a sting??

Nice one Frank, you had more fish than me last night and the sea scorpion was a nice bonus I bet.

Thanks Seanie,
Good luck tonight - hopeful there will be something big out there.

that sea scorpian looks very like a fish i caught a while back except i was told i had a weever fish by the guy i was with

Weevers are very different - look more like a whiting with a poisonous spike on their back.
I dont know if the sea scorpion has a sting - they do have horn-like spikes on the head which are probably best to steer clear of. They also have a tendancy to clamp their mouths down tight on the hook - and refuse to open it. And they making a croaking noise

Thanks Lee,
Just a shame they were all so small. But the sea scorpion was a welcome surprise alright - I certainly wasn't expecting that.

Hi Frank,
nice to see a few fish about.I looked out at the frost last night and was thinking my god i was glad to be in by the fire,fair play to you for getting out and braving the cold.Well done on the scorpion fish i only ever had one before and never from the mark you were fishing last night,and i'd bet that not many will get one to add to their species list so well done,suprised there were'nt any small codling down there its normally good for throwing a few up.
I'm hoping to fish a rocky area near that mark in the next week or two i'll let you know in due course and if your up for an adventure we could give it a lash.
Tight lines

I dont know if the sea scorpion has a sting - they do have horn-like spikes on the head which are probably best to steer clear of.

Sea scorpions are completely harmless

Nice fishing Frank love the sea scorpions think they're a brillaint looking fish.... they remind me of a little terrier who thinks he's bigger than he really is!!

the more i look at the pic of your scorpion and at the pics in the sea scorpion thread the more i think that was what i had.
ah well, a new species for me.

fair play to you for getting out and braving the cold.

It was sheltered at that mark so it wasn't too cold - and I had my walking boots on. They keep my feet reasonably warm - but when I wear my waders my feet can get very cold in that sort of weather.

I'm hoping to fish a rocky area near that mark in the next week or two i'll let you know in due course and if your up for an adventure we could give it a lash.

Definitely - give me a shout when you are intending heading out that way.

Sea scorpions are completely harmless

I thought as much but I wasn't 100% sure - I quite like them myself - their body looks more like a bird, a thrush or something, than a fish - like some kind of evolutionary joke - and they make that odd croaking/growling noise. Very strange fish.

Fair play frank you go to the top of the class for trying

there is cod in amongst those whiting just not able to get a sniff in

[quote Unfortuantely quite a few of them didn't survive after I released them as some of them had deeply swallowed the hooks.[/quote]


nice to see some one on this site that likes whiting,alot see them as a plague
good report and nice session

sea scorpion nice bonus too,lovely fish

Nice work Rockhunter shmae about the small whiting though but i suppose they went to a good home that scorpion fishs looks amazing i wouldnt know what to do if i caught one maybe drop the gear and run lol