More Youghal sessions - 27th, 30th, 31st Jan, 3rd Feb 2010

[RockHunter]

People: Mostly me; but with Trout Hunter and Trout Hunter Jnr on 30th January

Duration: Various

Tide: Various

Weather: Mostly mild, dry

Bait: Crab, lug, mackerel, razor

Rigs: 6/0, 4/0, 2/0 pennel pulleys, 2/0 two hook flappers and 1/0 three hook flappers

Results:
27th January: 13 codling, 2 five bearded rockling, 1 shore rockling
30th January: 1 flounder, 2 codling, 3 coalfish, 2 whiting
31st January: 6 codling
2nd February: Blank
3rd February: 5 codling




Report:
27th January: I collected some peelers off Bhoy32 and headed to Ferrypoint. But a strong NW wind had picked up and was blowing across the bay - it was not comfortable fishing so after a couple of casts I packed up and moved to a mark I had only fished once before over a year ago and in daylight. I had intended to return in darkness but never got around to it. Second cast I had a 32 cm codling, followed by another of about the same size shortly afterwards. After that I was getting bites but no hook ups until I got a small shore rockling. The bites slowed down. I decided to move on but when I reeled in the lines I discovered a five beared rockling on one of the pennels trying to eat a bait almost as big as himself

I travelled back to Youghal and set up - the strong NW wind that was blowing earlier had eased off. I was quickly into a bite - a small codling. After that the codling came in quick succession, including several doubles and one more five bearded rockling. I had another eleven codling, However, few of them were above 30 cm.

30th January: I met up with Trout Hunter and Trout Hunter Jnr who were in Youghal for the day. They had already been fishing for a couple hours and had a few codling. I met them at another mark that I thought might throw up a few fish early on the rising tide in daylight. But unfortunately a lot of weed was coming in with the tide and it was unfishable.

We then moved to Green Park, but it was very quite (first time I have fished there in daylight). The lads had a few codling and Jnr had a coalfish which he seemed quite pleased about. However, I wasn't getting anything. I scaled down the hook sizes on one of the rods to 1/0 three hook flapper hoping to pick up a few smaller fish.

Eventually they packed up to head home shortly after dark, and just as they were moving off I finally managed to land a fish - a small flounder of about 26 cm. After that I began to get a few bites, I had a couple of small codling, three coalfish and two tiny whiting.

It was good to meet the guys but a shame the fishing wasn't better for them.

31st January: I decided to have another attempt at fishing the mark that we had tried the previous day. I thought I would try it over high tide (I have never done that before - usually fish it over low or early in the flood or last stage of the ebb). Almost as soon as the bait was in the water I was getting bites. I had five codling there up to about 35 cm. I lost a few too - as I was retrieving the gripper was getting caught in weed and usually by the time I freed it the fish had managed to shake the hook. As the tidal current increased it became too difficult to hold bottom so I packed up and moved back to the town for a few final casts. I had one more codling, again about 30 cm.

2nd February: I headed out to an East Cork beach hoping for an early bass since there was a bit of a southwesterly blowing. I got to my first choice and found it was unfishable due to huge mounds of kelp on the shore and lots of kelp in the surf too. I moved on to my second choice - it was fairly weedy but still fishable with a nice surf. I was using large hooks 4/0 and 6/0 with big baits aiming for bass. However, nothing was biting. As the tide was pushing forward the weed was getting worse so I packed up. First blank of 2010 Although I wasn't that disappointed as it is probably too early to get bass in any numbers along that stretch of coastline. I would probably have picked up a few small fish if I had scaled down the hook size, but I stuck to the big hooks until the end

3rd February: I thought I would fish the same mark that I fished on the 31st January over high tide again. I was getting bites almost straight away but kept missing them, or was snagging in the weed and the fish were shaking the hook. Eventually I managed to land one, another 30 cm codling. The next one was a bit bigger at 35 cm, and much fatter. The next was about 33 cm but thinner. I had another two smaller ones after that. Four of the codling were caught on crab, the fifth was taken on lug. However I must have lost at least twice that many fish due to getting snagged on the retrieve.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Some decent codling there, well done

some nice fat fish there frank, most are double the size of anything ive hooked.
cant wait till the Bass come back. its not the same pulling in small codling and coalies.

Excellent Frank well done
Still no Bass then Your withdrawal symptoms must be getting to a serious stage now!

well done frank they aint getting much longer but certainly plumper, had 2 the other morning same length but about 10oz in weight difference. really tempted to try it tonight its mad rough out there now

well done frank, some nice days fishing there,and some nice codling,bigger than we get!

That looks like a really big rocking man! Was it as big as it looks?

John D.

Good goin frank. A few nice fish there. I'm sure the bass will be waitin for ya when they arrive back. Shudderin in the kelp beds as they watch your xlayer glide by. That flounder is a lovely lookin fish. Mad colours.

WELL DONE AGAIN LAD , YOUR PUTTING UP SOME HOURS , MAKING ME JEALOUS .

Thanks,

cant wait till the Bass come back. its not the same pulling in small codling and coalies.

I am with you on that - even if I spent 5 hours on a beach and got one bass it would be better than a dozen of those.

Still no Bass then Your withdrawal symptoms must be getting to a serious stage now!

Very serious I might have another crack at the bass on Saturday - either that or more 30 cm codling

well done frank they aint getting much longer but certainly plumper,

Probably not too many crabs left in the bay at this stage with all those small codling feasting on them.

some nice days fishing there,and some nice codling,bigger than we get!

Still not that big - in December I had a few of 2.5-3.5 lbs but now lucky to get one of 1.5 lbs

That looks like a really big rocking man! Was it as big as it looks?

No - just zoomed in.

I'm sure the Bass will be waitin for ya when they arrive back. Shudderin in the kelp beds as they watch your xlayer glide by.

Hopefully they will be back soon - I will be ready

YOUR PUTTING UP SOME HOURS

Just wish I could get out even more.

Still no Bass then Your withdrawal symptoms must be getting to a serious stage now!

Very serious I might have another crack at the Bass on Saturday - either that or more 30 cm codling

We can't have you suffering from bad withdrawal symptoms anymore Frank, it can't be good for you.
I reccommend a cure - (whether it works or not is another thing!) - go out at the weekend and hook yourself a few nice bass! Easier said than done I know but you have to try because you must be a nightmare to live with at the minute!
Good luck mate and let me know how you get on.

Some nice codling there frank well done only getting small stuff up here roll on april

Some nice Codling there

nice fishing frank that last cod is a porky wee chap