We're gonna need a bigger spool-wicklow, 3-10-09

People:Meself and Ken

Duration 5thirty-11thirty

Tide:low to high prettty much

Weather:calm, slight offshore, dry

Bait:Mack, rag, crab, lamprey, yes, lamprey

Rigs:Tope sized Pulleys, flappers..


Results:me: 2 palm size flounder, Ken: el Blanko....

the Report:

So I get a text off Ken the other day askin how the tope fishin went... I replied, ' not me mate'... but this put a thought in my head, why not try for tope?!
SO met Ken down in Wicklow at 5pm, first time meetin up, meant to go on some sessions before but Schtuff always scuppered them. Bang on bloke! ANyhow, after Keanser's beast the other day, we figured we give em a blast- ..
I'd just got new chest waders today in Southside Angling, damn helpful chaps there, always sort me out.., so wanted to give em a wash in the briney deep.

Setup 2 rods, the beachcaster with fixed spool with 3 hook flapper, and shorter rod with multiplier with tope pulley. Had just put new line on it today, 30lb, as it will primarily be for batin congers, I was aware that there was only 120 yrds or so on it......My first mistake....Ken went for 2 flappers I believe...

Not much happening..


Some crabs, weed, and a tiny flounder. So I took out my scratchin rod, drilled bulet, 1/0, ragworm, to see if any bigger flounder were interested in a roving bait... as I was using this the short rod starteds hoppin, line flyin off the reel... i grabbed it- My first tope hook up.. Sweet Mother of Shakin' stevens that thing took off!! I thought, it will slow soon, when it does I shall strike, then battle it to shore after some more runs, take a pic with it, show the pic to women and become a golden god Man beast small shark lslayer to them....
suddenly - kerrthunk- I'm thinkin, jaysus, I got a knot on the reel, I look down- the hoor had spooled me!! So I do the obvious thing, start walkin into the sea.....but then it happened, My knot, oh my Foogin knot came loose, fish gone....

I really didn;t care though, The rush just off feelin the power of that fish was enouhg to get me started on a quest for them...

that was bout 8pm.. Noting then til bout 10 thirty.... Ken got a tap on his 'doss rod' it is his old rod, 15lb line, ya know the kind we all have, been thru the wars, caught many fish.... His first tope run.... Line was taken at speed, He even had it burn into his thumb, but he didn;t care(probably gonna show the ladies down the pub tomorrow, tell em it was a 15ft Mako that did it)...gradually controllin the drag, but then the line snapped.....

we did not mind losing them, just to hook such a powerful fish from the shore was amazing. I had hoped to hook up on the fixed spool as it holds about 250 yrds of 26lb, more of a chance I reckoned.....

Great night down wicklow way though, will be back soon.......

Anyone got an old big spooled multiplier that they wabt rid of? i've not much cash as I'm jobsless at the mo, but Could barter a free watercolour portrait or something, As I get €150 - 200 for one of those, so be worth crackin a deal, maybe even get some special time off yer aul lady( or man) as you got them a lovely painting of the kids/goats/milkman....


IF yis are consider it, you can gnader at my wares at

www.dairelynch.com

Just a thought....

Anyhow, tight lines,

daire

hard luck on the tope if you are targeting them again why not try 18lb mono on a big fixed spool?300 yards + should be plenty ,new line is advisable and good knots a good long shockleader helps for landing them as you can pull them into the shallows and tail them out (dennis is good for this i always bring him just for this purpose!)

unlucky with the tope lads - but at least ya got the runs and there always next time,

class artwork M8 - watercolours are amazin - used to paint a bit myself , but do a lot of wood stuff now - makin harps, and bog oak carvin - www.davypatton.com.

Wow! Beautifully crafted instruments!


As for the fixed spool, I do have one all nicely loaded up, the chaps just wouldn't take the bait at the end of it..haha...
But good to know fixed spools are ok for it...cheers....

Hard luck with the tope lads, they're something I love to catch and after reading your description of the tope runs I'm going to have to get out there and have a crack of them.

Btw lads I'm liking the links

Hey Daire hard luck on your Tope although in fairness as you said even to get a run off one is quality. They are some crack to be fair. Cant believe ye ran out of line hilarious man

Liking the links lads by the way..very impressive

Not been bad lads but they sound more like seal runs

God I imagine the excitement at the run moment..with the beautiful sound of a reel that is emptying
Better luck next time mate
What the waders are like?any info as i am looking for a pair myself
cheers D

hard luck daire,but when i saw the paintings i went straight out to the shed to see if i had a spare reel, would love to get one done of my grandson,might be in touch after christmas.

unlucky with the tope lads - but at least ya got the runs and there always next time,

class artwork M8 - watercolours are amazin - used to paint a bit myself , but do a lot of wood stuff now - makin harps, and bog oak carvin - http://www.davypatton.com.

class davy.pure class

God I imagine the excitement at the run moment..with the beautiful sound of a reel that is emptying
Better luck next time mate
What the waders are like?any info as i am looking for a pair myself
cheers D

...
waders were bang on.... only 80 euro....

Don;t reckon was a seal run, I used to Hunt them in Alaska with the inuit folk

Ken reckons his was a marlin and I have money on mine was either a tope or King Neptune himself...

Nice report!

Never realised that we have some very talented people on the site.
Nice looking work Daire and Davy.

Daire: Ever do a "man with fish" painting?

From the reports I've seen on this page, everyone of us is talented, each and everyone a slayer of sea beasts... But no, have yet to paint a man and his fish,...

great report Daire and hard luck on the missed tope at least you know what to expect next time seal run me arse you dont get them on the east coast fishing for the last 36 years and never seen one around here some very nice pieces of art you got keep it up

From the reports I've seen on this page, everyone of us is talented, each and everyone a slayer of sea beasts... But no, have yet to paint a man and his fish,...

hows about painting a man with n empty spool just kidding. sure to connect with the beast is better than nothing. you should try painting a bass im sure there would be lots of buyers from here

Not been bad lads but they sound more like seal runs

thats a terrible thing to say you should be ashamed of yourself !!!whats the man gonna dream about now!!!i think the runs where tope runs and i,m much older and wiser than shane he,s only a PUP

That's true Roger ur well older but not wiser