West Waterford beach - 25th February 2009

People: Me

Duration: 7.00 pm - 2.30 am

Tide: LW at 12.15 am

Weather: Calm, clear, dry, mild at first, getting a bit chilly later

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

Rigs: 4/0 pennel pulley, 2/0 pennel pulley, 2 and 3 hook flappers

Results: 1 Five Bearded Rockling




Report: According to the Solunar theory Wesdesday was supposed to be the best day for fishing for the entire month so I reckoned I would have to get out. I was also my last chance to fish for over a week as I am off on another overseas business trip this Friday. It was very calm so I reckoned the fishing might not be great but was hopeful the Solunar effects might compensate for the lack of surf.

I headed to a West Waterford beach that I know had produced some good bass a couple of weeks ago on an ebbing tide. There was a weak surf - but still better than I was expecting. I set up three rods. One with the 4/0 pennel, one with a three hook flapper (size 1, 2 and 4 hooks) and the third with a two hook flapper (size 1/0 hooks) although switched this to a 2/0 pennel after a few hours. The 4/0 pennel had big baits of lug/razor.

It was quite a pleasant night - clear but not cold. Unfortunately the rod tips remained motionless and the baits came back untouched. There was not a hint of a bite. It was not looking good. I debated moving on to a pier where I have fished several times this year and never blanked. But I decided to stay - the main aim of the night's fishing was to target bass - I have caught bass late last year in similar calm conditions so I was hopeful that one might turn up

Probably about 11 pm I spotted a small knock on the rod tip with the three hook flapper but nothing was hooked - I retrieved and examined the bait - it looked nibbled. I rebaited and cast out again - shortly afterwards there was another slight knock. This time I hooked a fish - a small Five Bearded Rockling. Saved from a blank

I thought the fishing might pick up after than but alas it was back to motionless rod tips. I fished down to low tide and back up for another two and a half hours until all the lug and mackerel was used up.

So a fairly disappointing night - 7.5 hours fishing and one small rockling to show for it

Just shows that weather is one of the most important aspects governing fish feeding (on beaches). Regardless of what the sun and moon are doing - if there isn't a decent surf the fishing isn't going to be great.

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fair play for sticking it out frank, i would have thought you should have got more than that i've been keeping an eye on the solunar tables myself as it usually never fails. but then again, we've had some cracking sessions when it's not suposed to have fished well at all. just goes to show how fickle fish can be. you can be out on the best night with the best baits, but if the fish aint there, unfortunatly theres not much you can do

Cheers Alan,

i would have thought you should have got more than that

So did I - it might have been better if I could have got out earlier and fished up to high tide - but then it would have been mostly in daylight and from what I have heard that beach fishes best at night.

you can be out on the best night with the best baits, but if the fish aint there, unfortunatly theres not much you can do

True - there just wasn't any fish about (apart from that one rockling) - I had a good variety of bait, a load of fresh big juicy black lug and hardly a nibble. If there had been a good surf rolling in I am sure there would have been plenty of bites.

rocky , at least you got something, i was out tuesday nite from 11/12.30am. not a tap!, the sea was like a pond, if they are not there we can,t catch em.

Word is some of the waterford beaches have got a bit of nettin lately. That might not be helpin ye on dem sessions lads!

Hey better then a blank Rockhunter!

funny my solar lunar thingy says friday and sat best days?sure you wernt lookin at january moons?

Frank at least you tried............. I was down south and wanted to get out but as there was no real surf i didn't bother......... hopefully you will have better luck next time out.

Danny

Thanks lads,

i was out tuesday nite from 11/12.30am. not a tap!, the sea was like a pond, if they are not there we can,t catch em.

Well if even you blanked then there is probably not much hope of the rest of us getting much

Word is some of the waterford beaches have got a bit of nettin lately.

Damn netters, I have given up on East Cork after all the netting that took place before Christmas and hoped that West Waterford was still producing well.

Hey better then a blank Rockhunter!

Definitely - it would have been frustrating to have blanked after 7.5 hours but that one little rockling cheered me up.

hopefully you will have better luck next time out.

Hopefully If I had moved on to a peir not too far from that mark I an fairly sure I would have caught a fair few fish - but as I was hoping to add a bass to my 2009 species list I stuck it out on the beach - at least it was a fairly mild night.

Rock,

there were plenty of bass around the west waterford beaches the last few days so don;t despair. Def not all netted yet!
sk

there were plenty of Bass around the west waterford beaches the last few days so don;t despair. Def not all netted yet!

That's good to know - I will be back home at the weekend and raring to get out fishing again. So West waterford will be my destination for Sunday - I am having to cope with -30C wind chill at the moment in Toronto - when I arrived I thought about fishing in the lake until I stepped out of the taxi and then realized why I didn't see anybody fishing along the lake shore on the journey to the hotel

PM me when you are back and I will point you in the right direction. Three marks fished well the other night. 15 bass to 7lbs caught. Some had melt spew out of em when they were goin back so keep the old c&r going as they seem to be in spawnin mode already. Word is already out on one of the marks but the other two maybe not.

sk