East Cork Bass/West Waterford Bass - 29th & 30th August 2009

[RockHunter]

People: Me and Melissa

Duration: Saturday: 3.00 - 5.30 pm; Sunday: 1.30 - 6.00 pm

Tide: Sunday HW at 2.30 pm

Weather: Saturday: Light southwesterly breeze, dry, mostly sunny; Sunday: Grim, wet, strenthening southwesterly wind

Bait: Saturday: various lures; Sunday: Rag

Rigs: Two hook flappers (4/0 and 1/0 hooks), 4/0 pennel pulley

Results: 2 bass, 1 flounder




Report:
Saturday 29th: The weather looked good, just a light breeze, and broken cloud, so I decided to spend the afternoon spinning for bass. I bought a new spinning rod and reel earlier in the year but had yet to catch a bass with it - although I have had a few good size pollock with it a few weeks ago. I went to a new mark that I had checked out a few months ago. At the time (during the bass ban) it looked a good spot and I discovered a route down the cliffs to the shore. I had been meaning to fish it since then but the weather had been too rough anytime I thought about it.

After scrambing down the cliffs I found that the water was very coloured - like soup!! So I was not too hopeful of getting anything. I tried various spots along the shore and eventually settled on a small inlet where the water seemed deeper. I chucked out a range of different lure and plugs to no avail - I was starting to think it was a waste of time. I was about to quit, but had a few last casts using a jelly worm with a yellow luminous tail in the hope that the tail might attract a fish through the murky water. On about the third cast I had a hit, the fish pulled to the right heading for some rock ribs - if it had got in between those I am sure I would have lost it but I managed to turn it just before it got in behind the rocks. It was giving a good fight and I eventually got in close enough to lift it out. It was a 50 cm bass My first bass on a lure this year Caught on the cheapest lure in my tackle box, a 60 cent jelly worm

I stuck it out for another hour or so but there were no more takes. I packed up about 5.30.

Sunday 30th: The weather was looking fairly grim. I was nearly not going to go out all all, but I had some rag worms to use up so we headed to a beach I have only fished twice before but have yet to blank on, the first time there I got a bass and a flounder, the last time which was only last Sunday I got my first plaice and a ton of weed But I reckoned the weed would not be too bad this time as the winds on Saturday had been light. Sure enough it was weed free and there was quite a good surf.

I set up two rods with two hook flappers baited with rag and cast one out about 60 m and the other in closer at about the 35-40 m range. After about 15 minutes there was a sudden sharp downward jerk on the rod cast out farthest. I grabbed it and struck and could feel a heavy strong fish on the end. It was putting up a very strong struggle and was pulling strongly to the left. I eventually landed it - it was a fine bass, 67 cm and of the order of 7 lb + (must get a new scales). My biggest of 2009

Having got that on the first cast I was hopeful of a few more. But that was it apart from a 30 cm flounder later. Previously I had only fished that beach on a rising tide but as high tide was at 2.30 pm I decided to fish it on the ebb. A beach not far away fishes well on the ebb so I thought it would be worth a shot. But no more bass showed up, although a surfer didn't help. He had the whole length of the beach but instead of moving a bit down from me he swam out directly in front of me I decided to launch a lead directly towards him, thinking that it would fall well short of him as I am not too good at casting. However, my annoyance must have given me extra strength - the lead landed about 4 feet from him He moved 50-100 m off to the left after that

So I was happy with the weekend's fishing, not a big amount of fish but my fist lure caught bass of 2009 and my biggest bass of the year.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

well done and a very respectable result despite the adverse conditions, great report too, enjoyed reading it

Nice fishing rockhunter...spinning is hard work at the moment with the wind and weed so you did well to get one...weather is more suited to bait fishing at the moment I think...at least I hope so anyway (heading out later )

nice

well done frank that beach looks familiar , wish the weather would settle a bit for the spinning

Thanks guys,

spinning is hard work at the moment with the wind and weed so you did well to get one...weather is more suited to bait fishing at the moment I think...at least I hope so anyway (heading out later )

It is not easy at the moment - I have done a lot less spinning than I intended to this year due to the weather. Bait fishing for bass has been poor this month - beaches where I would be almost certain of a bass a few months ago given suitable tides and a good surf have produced very little in August - I guess the bass are spoilt for choice at the moment and are chasing after bait fish rather than scouring the beaches for worms. Spinning would be a better option at this time of year but the weather has prevented too much of that

well done frank that beach looks familiar , wish the weather would settle a bit for the spinning

It's not Clonea if that's what your thinking
Not much sign of any settled weather anytime soon - and just this morning I received a package of high tech lures from Padge73 - but I might have to wait until next year to try them out

well done frank that beach looks familiar , wish the weather would settle a bit for the spinning

It's not Clonea if that's what your thinking
Not much sign of any settled weather anytime soon - and just this morning I received a package of high tech lures from Padge73 - but I might have to wait until next year to try them out [/quote]
hopefully the indian summer is on the way was thinking more a beach beginning with b but probably wrong

Well done Frank, congrats on getting your bass on lures, and the old leftover bait trick worked for you the next day for that superb bass

Nice fish, well done

nice one rockhunter.

Well done Frank your 1st lure caught Bass of the year followed by your biggest Bass of the year excellent work

Nice fish well done.

great fishing frank headed out to the rock mark again to night but the place was covered in weed headed back to corkbeg and gave it a go no joy weed was every where

great report, well done with the bass!
fishing is good at the moment

Thanks guys,

great fishing frank headed out to the rock mark again to night but the place was covered in weed headed back to corkbeg and gave it a go no joy weed was every where

I was very nearly going to try that rock mark last night but reckoned the sea would be too rough. A similar embayment along the East Cork coast was choked with weed on Saturday.

Well done Frank, congrats on getting your Bass on lures, and the old leftover bait trick worked for you the next day for that superb Bass

Thanks Dave, I had the rag since Friday, I hit a very productive spot and got a load of big king rags, I still have some left after last night - so I will have to head out again before they go off