Waterford - 10th & 11th January 2009

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: Saturday: 4.00 pm to 1.00 am; Sunday: 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm

Tide: HW at 4.40 pm (Saturday)

Weather: Saturday: strongly southwesterly winds to gales, Sunday: Dire

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

Rigs: 2 and 3 hook flappers

Results: Saturday: 1 Dab, 16 Whiting, 4 Dogfish, 2 Five bearded rocklings
Sunday: 12 Whiting, 7 dogfish




Report:
Satuday: I picked out two new marks to fish. With strengthening southwesterly winds I decided to check out a beach in Waterford that would be relatively sheltered (Plan A).
Plan A: I got to the beach close to high tide - there was a good surf and it was relatively sheltered from the southwesterly winds, although a bit blustery. However, the first 30 m of sea was thick with weed. I thought if I cast out over it that I would be OK but there was still plenty of weed further out. Within a couple of minutes the rod was buckled over with a mass of weed caught on the end of the line. It took me about 20 minutes to retireve the line. So it was now time for Plan B.

Plan B: I went to a pier that I had never fished before. I had thought about fishing there many times but never got around to it. It was well sheltered from the wind. I set up two rods, one with a two hook flapper and the other with a three hook flapper, with a variety of baits. Shortly after setting up I had a small knock on one of the rods - it was a dab - the first one I have ever caught, taken on lug So that was encouraging; a fish on the first cast.

I had a few whiting after that, but the fishing was slow until after dark. Then there was a steady stream of whiting. Some of them were of reasonable size, around 30-31 cm, although the majority were in the 20-25 cm range. I had a few doubles and at one stage I thought I had another double of small whiting until I looked closer and realized that one of the fish was a five bearded rockling - a new species for 2009

There were also a few dogfish about - I caught four, they all put up a bit of a fight. The second dogfish was a double with a small whiting. Shortly after that I got another five bearded rockling (which I was well pleased with as I only managed to catch one in all of 2008).

Mackerel was the most productive bait, although I did get some of the whiting on lug.

Close to low tide the bites slowed down - I stuck it out until 1.00 am and managed the occasional small whiting. I was happy with that session, 23 fish, and four of the whiting were above 30 cm.

Sunday: I woke up to the sound of howling wind and lashing rain - it didn't look good for fishing. The winds were even stronger than Saturday. I thought I would try another Waterford beach, it would be affected by a cross-wind but I reckoned it would be relatively weed free.

I arrived at the beach - there was a very big surf rolling in but there didn't appear to be any weed. However, there was a very strong cross-wind. I set up one rod but had to hold it as the tripod would have been blown over in seconds. I also had to place a large rock on top of my tackle box (a Sheakspear box containing plenty of weights so it wasn't light) to stop it been blown down the beach. Then the heavy horizontal rain started. I was using 6 oz grippers and surprizingly they were holding but after the second cast I asked myelf was I having fun - the answer was NO!!!!

I packed up and headed to the sheltered pier I fished on Saturday. It was rather more blustery compared to yesterday but much more pleasent than trying to fish the beach. I set up two rods with 2 hook flappers. Close to dusk I got the first fish, a 31 cm whiting. After dark the bites increased - the whiting were on the feed, again I got about four above 30 cm. There was also a lot of dogfish about. I had several dogfish/whiting doubles. I caught seven dogfish all on mackerel bait.

When I first set up there had been a little light impersistent rain but it got more persistent and much heavier by 6.00 pm. Close to 7.00 pm I was about ready to pack it in. I had dismantled one rod and was cleaning the bait off the rig when I spotted a stong knock on the remaining rod. I struck and started to retrieve - there was something quite heavy on the end, as I got it close to the pier I could see two dogfish - my first dogfish double

I saw in a few recent posts that people were wondering where all the dogfish had gone - well I think I have found them. So despite the weather it was a reasonable weekend's fishing - a total of 42 fish and three new species for 2009.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:19 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Some more pics from Saturday

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Some pics from Sunday

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Good sessions! At least the whiting weren't small.

Diego

Nice session well done great to see the doggies making an appearance

Well done. Couple of nice sessions and excellent report.

I know that pier the Rinnashark sac Juv,s fish most nights of the pier take a lot of dogs and flounder on the sand on the inside.
I live at the top of the road easy fishing for me but not this week end you did well to stick at it.

Excellent Report Rockhunter and nice to see that you are into the doggies. Someone was saying that they are getting scarce now as they are getting used as a bait??????
I hope not as there has been many a day on the East and West coast that I was thankful of the numerous doggies!!!

I cant believe you went out yesterday
Weather was savage, fair play to you.

fair play to you for heading out yesterday. i was working out in the wind and rain and i was nearly crying it was so bad. at least it was a good session for ya, id have been at home in front of the fire if i wasnt working.

Well done rockhunter thats alot of fish in two sessions and Im no expert but are you shore that that is a dab it looks like a plaice

Well done rockhunter thats alot of fish in two sessions and Im no expert but are you shore that that is a dab it looks like a plaice

I reckon it is a dab as it has that semi-circular curvature of the lateral line behind the pectoral fin and its surface texture is rough all over whereas a plaice is smooth.

Good weekends work there RockHunter well done on a super mix of species.

two good outings frank that's a dab curved line the telltale sign they gets spots when there about to spawn

Thanks guys,

I cant believe you went out yesterday
Weather was savage,

It was grim alright - the weather on the beach was about the worst I have ever fished in. But once I got onto the pier it wasn't bad, it was well sheltered so the wind wasn't a problem although the rain for the last hour was very heavy.

Someone was saying that they are getting scarce now as they are getting used as a bait??????

The dogfish I got at the weekend were the first I have caught for quite a while - early November was probably the last time I caught a dogfish.
But still no sign of any coalfish - I was expecting to get some off that pier.

Great fishing there Frank, great to see your reports up. The few pics keep us all going till we can get out again. Nice few new species for you too,congrats,,,hope to get out myself soon. Serious weather at the weekend,fair play for braving it

Thanks Dave,
After a couple of weeks of Easterly winds killing off the fishing I was determined to get out when I saw Southwesterlies been forecast - although I didn't quite expect Sunday to be as bad as it turned out. But the change in the wind direction definitely produced an improvement in the fishing. Just have to dry out now

Great report and some nice fish there bud. Nice to see a whiting bigger than 15cm

fair haul of fishies frank........watch out for lurking donegal catch trucks

Thanks Dawsey,

ice to see a whiting bigger than 15cm

Most of them were 20-25 cm but there were a few bigger ones alright - had those for my dinner last night, very tasty

fair haul of fishies frank........watch out for lurking donegal catch trucks

Gave them the slip - otherwise they would doing a roaring trade in Dogfish Fingers