Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:24 pm
People: Me
Duration: 9.30 pm - 3.00 am
Tide: LW at 2.30 am
Weather: Southeasterly wind, dry at first then rain, becoming heavier later
Bait: Lug
Rigs: 4/0 pennel pulley, 3/0 pennel pulley, 2/0 two hook flapper
Results: 2 bass
Report: I first checked out the mark where I got 5 bass last week but it was unfishable due to a mass of weed. I didn't even bother to try a cast. So I headed on to another beach which I hoped would be clear. When I got there there was a lot of weed in the area where I usually fish - but it seemed cleaner further down. I set up two rods with 3/0 and 4/0 pennel pulleys. There was a good surf rolling in but unfortunately there was still a lot of weed. After about 10 or 15 minutes I would have to retrieve and clean off the bait.
By 11.30 pm without a bite I was beginning to think of packing up, but as this beach seems to fish best during the last 2 or 3 hours of the ebb I decided to stick it out a bit longer. Then at about midnight the weed cleared. I moved back down to my usual mark. I switched one of the pennel rigs for a two hook flapper. About half an hour later got the first bite, a small knock and I thought it might just be a dogfish as it wasn't putting up too strong a fight. But it turned out to be an undersized bass of 37 cm
That encouraged me - at least now I knew there were bass out there. However, the rod tips remained motionless. At one stage after moving the gear down the beach I got back to the rod stand and saw that the line on one of the rods had gone slack - I reeled in a lot of line but there was nothing on the end. It must have been a bass that I missed while I was moving the gear
After that I paid much more attention to the rods. Then at about 2.00 am there was a small knock on the rod with the 4/0 pennel. I grabbed the rod but the line had gone slack again - I reeled in like the clappers, the bass must have gone charging in towards the beach. There was a huge amount of slack line - I was thinking that I had lost the fish. Eventually I felt some resistant and struck, but not very well - the line went slack again - this time I thought I had definitely lost the fish, but kept reeling in and then I felt a fish on the end. It was almost on the shore line at this stage - I hauled it in the last few meters and there was a 50 cm bass 
I was lucky to get it all as the fish was barely hooked, and it managed to shake off the hook while I was getting the camera out.
I stayed on for about another hour, but there were no more bites. I packed up at about 3.00 am as the rain was becoming heavier and the wind picking up. I was happy with that session, earlier on with all the weed I had not been too optimistic but I was glad I stuck it out.
Duration: 9.30 pm - 3.00 am
Tide: LW at 2.30 am
Weather: Southeasterly wind, dry at first then rain, becoming heavier later
Bait: Lug
Rigs: 4/0 pennel pulley, 3/0 pennel pulley, 2/0 two hook flapper
Results: 2 bass
Report: I first checked out the mark where I got 5 bass last week but it was unfishable due to a mass of weed. I didn't even bother to try a cast. So I headed on to another beach which I hoped would be clear. When I got there there was a lot of weed in the area where I usually fish - but it seemed cleaner further down. I set up two rods with 3/0 and 4/0 pennel pulleys. There was a good surf rolling in but unfortunately there was still a lot of weed. After about 10 or 15 minutes I would have to retrieve and clean off the bait.
By 11.30 pm without a bite I was beginning to think of packing up, but as this beach seems to fish best during the last 2 or 3 hours of the ebb I decided to stick it out a bit longer. Then at about midnight the weed cleared. I moved back down to my usual mark. I switched one of the pennel rigs for a two hook flapper. About half an hour later got the first bite, a small knock and I thought it might just be a dogfish as it wasn't putting up too strong a fight. But it turned out to be an undersized bass of 37 cm
That encouraged me - at least now I knew there were bass out there. However, the rod tips remained motionless. At one stage after moving the gear down the beach I got back to the rod stand and saw that the line on one of the rods had gone slack - I reeled in a lot of line but there was nothing on the end. It must have been a bass that I missed while I was moving the gear
After that I paid much more attention to the rods. Then at about 2.00 am there was a small knock on the rod with the 4/0 pennel. I grabbed the rod but the line had gone slack again - I reeled in like the clappers, the bass must have gone charging in towards the beach. There was a huge amount of slack line - I was thinking that I had lost the fish. Eventually I felt some resistant and struck, but not very well - the line went slack again - this time I thought I had definitely lost the fish, but kept reeling in and then I felt a fish on the end. It was almost on the shore line at this stage - I hauled it in the last few meters and there was a 50 cm bass
I was lucky to get it all as the fish was barely hooked, and it managed to shake off the hook while I was getting the camera out.I stayed on for about another hour, but there were no more bites. I packed up at about 3.00 am as the rain was becoming heavier and the wind picking up. I was happy with that session, earlier on with all the weed I had not been too optimistic but I was glad I stuck it out.
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Re: Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:23 pm
Well done for sticking it out Rockhunter . There was heavy weed at my mark too there was a carpet of it at the high water mark .
Re: Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:50 pm
Hi Frank,
fair play to sticking at it with all that weed about.It was everywhere on fri night as well,it made things very difficult with the light gear but did manage 3 schoolies but the weed was just got too bad to fish in and enjoy so headed home for a nice cuppa and an early easter egg
Well done again you've more patience than me
fair play to sticking at it with all that weed about.It was everywhere on fri night as well,it made things very difficult with the light gear but did manage 3 schoolies but the weed was just got too bad to fish in and enjoy so headed home for a nice cuppa and an early easter egg
Well done again you've more patience than me
Re: Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:14 pm
nice fishes frank, was some weed about all week with the rough weather midweek, was out myself twice and got about 20 stone of weed
Re: Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:39 am
Nice Bass Frank well done on sticking it out and catching when many would've packed up and headed for home 
Re: Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:07 am
well worth the effort Rockhunter,
Its nice to stick it out and get a reward like that... i bet you slept like a baby after it,
isn't it great to fish till your about to drop then make your way home to a warm bed... i love it.
Its nice to stick it out and get a reward like that... i bet you slept like a baby after it,
isn't it great to fish till your about to drop then make your way home to a warm bed... i love it.
Re: Co. Waterford - 12th April 2009
Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:07 pm
Thanks guys,
I did try fishing on Friday night but it was impossible with the weed. I lost a couple of rigs and gave up after about the 8th cast
I didn't even bother going out on Saturday but hope it would have cleared a bit more by Sunday.
marlinman wrote:fair play to sticking at it with all that weed about.It was everywhere on fri night as well,
I did try fishing on Friday night but it was impossible with the weed. I lost a couple of rigs and gave up after about the 8th cast
I didn't even bother going out on Saturday but hope it would have cleared a bit more by Sunday.