Co. Cork - 29th March 2009

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 6 hours

Tide: HW at 8.00 pm

Weather: Light rain at first, then clear, light southwesternly then calm, very mild later

Bait: Lug, razor, squid

Rigs: 4/0 and 3/0 pennel pulleys, 2/0 two hook flapper

Results: 1 Flounder, 1 Bass, 3 Five Bearded Rocklings, 1 Dogfish




Report: I decided to try a beach I havn't fished for a while, first time this year. When I arrived there was a big surf rolling in although the strong winds that were present earlier in the day had died down. I got set up and baited one rod with lug/razor and the second with just lug. I wasn't expecting much until after dark however on about the second cast I spotted a subtle knock and reeled in to find a 26 cm flounder that had managed to get its mouth around a 4/0 hook. It was deeply hooked but I eventually got it free and the fish seemed to swim away without a problem.

That was a promising start and I was hopeful of a few fish at dusk and after dark. But the rod tips remained motionless for a long time. There had been a little light rain when I arrived but that stopped and the skies cleared. The wind died down and it got very mild - I even had to take my coat off

After a few hours of darkness when reeling in to change the bait I discovered a five bearded rockling on the 3/0 pennel.

A little later there was a strong knock on the same rod - I grabbed it and struck. I could feel a strong pull and a few minutes later a hauled a 48 cm bass out of the surf It was caught on the 3/0 pennel baited with just lug. That encouraged me - I had been thinking that I should have headed Waterford direction again.

After that weed became a bit of a problem - there were several times when I thought I had a bite only to feel the dead weight of a mass of weed. A one stage I had what looked like a more definite bite but when I started to retrieve it felt more like a clump of weed. However, when I dragged it through the surf I found that the weed was gathered around the weight and there was a dogfish on the 3/0 pennel baited with lug.

Towards the end of the night I switched to a 2/0 two hook flapper, baited with lug. Just as I was thinking of packing up there was a small quiver on the rod with the two hook flapper. I retrieved to find a double of five bearded rockling

Anybody got an idea of why five bearded rocklings are so common this year? Last year I only managed to catch one - this year I have got one nearly every time I have gone out.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Good session there fair play for getting a bass im still waiting to get mine

Good stuff Frank. Was thinking about heading out East myself last night, but didn't get around to it. Can't figure out which beach you were on from the pebbles and sand though
Might head out tonight and see what I can find....

nice goin mate good to see some fish be caught somewhere.

great to see a nice mixed bag at this time of year,

Well done.

nice fish well done ya the rockling are ten a penny at the moment didnt catch 1 in few years until this year saying that im having 1 of my best years fishing ever think there is a huge increase of all species this year long may it continue

I'm glad someone is having a good season so far. I reckon its been very poor since the new year.

Nice session 4 species and a fine looking bass well done

Well done Frank, nice results (anytime you get a Bass is a nice result ), great to get a mix of species too.

Nice session Frank well done on the bass.

Thanks guys,

Might head out tonight and see what I can find....

If you headed out I hope you had a good result.

(anytime you get a Bass is a nice result

True - I could spend 6 hours on a beach and if all I got was one bass I would be delighted - however if all I got was one rockling or one whiting I would think it a very poor session

'm glad someone is having a good season so far. I reckon its been very poor since the new year.

March was a poor month for me too - just beginning to pick up a bit over the last few days.

nice fish well done ya the rockling are ten a penny at the moment didnt catch 1 in few years until this year

I had a few lug left over from Sunday so I headed out for a short session last night - I tried a different beach but all I got was another Five Bearded Rockling double. One of the rocklings wasn't even hooked - he had taken the bait from behind the hook and had crammed so much into his mouth that he couldn't release it when I retrieved.

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Cheers Frank, no didn't go out yesterday, but heading out this evening with Pete and Nik. If you are around come down and join us if you'd like. We have no exact venue in mind yet, but one of our usuals I'd say.

Unfortunately I can't tonight - I promised I would be staying home