Seven Heads, Co. Cork - 13th August 2009
Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:10 pm
People: Me and Melissa
Duration: 2.00 - 6.00 pm
Tide: LW at 4.45 pm
Weather:Partly cloudy, sunny spells, dry, warm, calm
Bait: Rag, Mackerel
Rigs: Single hook flappers (sizes 1, 2, 4, 6)
Results: 3 Pollock, 2 dogfish
Report: As the weather forecast for Thurday was good - it looked to be the finest day of the week with light winds I decided to try a rock mark in the Seven Heads area that I only fished once before about two years ago shortly after I first took up fishing. I had blanked there that day but I remembered that it looked a good pollock/wrasse mark, deep water, lots of kelp, abundant small mussels above the low water mark. That first day I had just been spinning but looking back on it I reckoned it might be good for bait fishing.
It was a bit of a trek to get there, up and down hills and across fields. The first time I was there I just had a spinning rod and a few lures so it seemed like a nice walk - but two years later I was now making the journey with two bait rods and a rod stand in the rod bag, a spinning rod, a rugsack containing two reels, box of rigs, two boxes of lures, hooks, etc and a camera, as well as a bucket with various weights, a few mussels, ruler, knife, foreceps etc and a cooler box with a container of rag, a couple of frozen mackerel and a packet of sandeels and a self inflating life jacket. I was knackered by the time I got to the mark
As we climbed over the rocks to the shore we were greeted by two seals popping up to look at us. Then Melissa spotted a third and then a fourth popped up
If it had not been such an ordeal to get there will all the gear I think I would have turned back.
But regardless I set up on the eastern side of a small embayment. The water was about 3 m deep and there was plenty of kelp so I was hoping there might be a few fish down there that had evaded the seals. I dropped down a size 2 hook baited with rag and cast the second rod into the centre of the little bay, again with rag. The tide was dropping so it was probably not the best time to be fishing there and there was not a hint of a bite. After a while I changed the bait on the second rod to a mackerel strip. Shortly afterwards I got a dogfish, followed soon after by a second.
A young seal came by to visit, and popped up directly beneath my rods. It stayed around for about and hour. I had intended to do some spinning but didn't want to catch a seal with my fairly new rod so I waited until he got tired of looking at us. Eventually the seal moved off, but a few minutes later his mama appeared Probably checking out junior's reports of strange creatures on the rocks.
At about 5 pm the seals had moved off and I got out the spinning rod and tried off the rocks at the mouth of the little bay - on about the 5th cast I got a massive hit on a jelly worm - it felt a big fish - I managed to prevent it diving down below the kelp and eventually got it to the edge of the rocks, climbed down and hauled it up. It was a good size plump pollock - 60 cm, about 5 lb. That was a personal best for me.
I continued fishing in the same spot, felt a few hits but no hook ups, then I got a another hit and could see the golden brown flash of another pollock. This was a good deal smaller at 44 cm.
We had intended to pack up at 6 pm as it was a long hike back to the car. Close to 6 pm I changed lures and shortly afterwards had another hit. This time it was a 50 cm pollock. The rising tide seemed to be bringing in the fish - shame we had to leave
After that we packed up.
I will definitely return to that mark - but next time just bring the spinning rod and fish it on a rising tide.
Duration: 2.00 - 6.00 pm
Tide: LW at 4.45 pm
Weather:Partly cloudy, sunny spells, dry, warm, calm
Bait: Rag, Mackerel
Rigs: Single hook flappers (sizes 1, 2, 4, 6)
Results: 3 Pollock, 2 dogfish
Report: As the weather forecast for Thurday was good - it looked to be the finest day of the week with light winds I decided to try a rock mark in the Seven Heads area that I only fished once before about two years ago shortly after I first took up fishing. I had blanked there that day but I remembered that it looked a good pollock/wrasse mark, deep water, lots of kelp, abundant small mussels above the low water mark. That first day I had just been spinning but looking back on it I reckoned it might be good for bait fishing.
It was a bit of a trek to get there, up and down hills and across fields. The first time I was there I just had a spinning rod and a few lures so it seemed like a nice walk - but two years later I was now making the journey with two bait rods and a rod stand in the rod bag, a spinning rod, a rugsack containing two reels, box of rigs, two boxes of lures, hooks, etc and a camera, as well as a bucket with various weights, a few mussels, ruler, knife, foreceps etc and a cooler box with a container of rag, a couple of frozen mackerel and a packet of sandeels and a self inflating life jacket. I was knackered by the time I got to the mark
As we climbed over the rocks to the shore we were greeted by two seals popping up to look at us. Then Melissa spotted a third and then a fourth popped up
If it had not been such an ordeal to get there will all the gear I think I would have turned back.But regardless I set up on the eastern side of a small embayment. The water was about 3 m deep and there was plenty of kelp so I was hoping there might be a few fish down there that had evaded the seals. I dropped down a size 2 hook baited with rag and cast the second rod into the centre of the little bay, again with rag. The tide was dropping so it was probably not the best time to be fishing there and there was not a hint of a bite. After a while I changed the bait on the second rod to a mackerel strip. Shortly afterwards I got a dogfish, followed soon after by a second.
A young seal came by to visit, and popped up directly beneath my rods. It stayed around for about and hour. I had intended to do some spinning but didn't want to catch a seal with my fairly new rod so I waited until he got tired of looking at us. Eventually the seal moved off, but a few minutes later his mama appeared
Probably checking out junior's reports of strange creatures on the rocks.At about 5 pm the seals had moved off and I got out the spinning rod and tried off the rocks at the mouth of the little bay - on about the 5th cast I got a massive hit on a jelly worm - it felt a big fish - I managed to prevent it diving down below the kelp and eventually got it to the edge of the rocks, climbed down and hauled it up. It was a good size plump pollock - 60 cm, about 5 lb. That was a personal best for me.
I continued fishing in the same spot, felt a few hits but no hook ups, then I got a another hit and could see the golden brown flash of another pollock. This was a good deal smaller at 44 cm.
We had intended to pack up at 6 pm as it was a long hike back to the car. Close to 6 pm I changed lures and shortly afterwards had another hit. This time it was a 50 cm pollock. The rising tide seemed to be bringing in the fish - shame we had to leave
After that we packed up.
I will definitely return to that mark - but next time just bring the spinning rod and fish it on a rising tide.
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Re: Seven Heads, Co. Cork - 13th August 2009
Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:47 pm
you sure that doggie isnt a huss?? 
Re: Seven Heads, Co. Cork - 13th August 2009
Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:52 pm
Definitely dogfish - that fish from Beara was either a small juvenile huss or a dogfish with a deformed nazal area. Next time I get one I will photograph its mouth from all angles in case anybody doubts it.
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Re: Seven Heads, Co. Cork - 13th August 2009
Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:23 pm
nice fishing there guys,bet you leave half that gear at home next time nice report and great pics 
nice report and great pics red wrote:you sure that doggie isnt a huss??
Re: Seven Heads, Co. Cork - 13th August 2009
Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:11 pm
the doggy,s are a very dark colour down around beara from a the few reports with pics that are posted you can see how some people get confused with saying that they are huss