West Waterford Bass - 1st April 2010

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 11.00 pm - 3.30 am

Tide: LW at 2.30 am

Weather: Strong southwesterly wind, swinging to southerly later, dry, clear

Bait: Razor and a bit of rancid lug

Rigs: 4/0 and 3/0 pennel pulleys

Results: 6 Coalfish, 3 Codling, 1 bass




Report: The wind had changed to a southwesterly and was gaining strength during the afternoon so I reckoned it would be blowing up a decent surf on the beaches. I didn't have time to dig lug in the afternoon so I was a bit limited with bait, but had plenty of razor after a successful razor collecting trip the previous day. The East Cork beaches have been fishing very poorly recently so I decided to head in the Waterford direction.

When I got to the beach there was quite a strong wind blowing and a great looking surf. If it was this time last year I would have been confident of getting a few bass off this beach with such a surf. However, with the low water temperatures this year I wasn't that hopeful but thought it worth a shot.

I set up two rods baited with razor and a few bits of lug I had left over from last weekend. About ten minutes after casting out the first rod I spotted a subtle knock and reeled in a small coalfish. A little later there was a similar small rattle on the other rod - I reckoned it was likely to be another little coalie and left it on as a live bait hoping that something more subtantial might come along and grab it. About another 10 minutes later there was a stronger pull on the rod tip - I struck and retrieved to find two small coalfish, one on each hook of the pennel

There was a fairly regular stream of bites after that, mostly small coalfish and a couple of small codling. That's the first time I have ever got codling off this beach. So with the winter species still in abundance it didn't look too promising for bass.

Then close to low tide there was a sudden sharp pull on one of the rods -it looked like a bass bite I grabbed the rod, rapidly reeled in the slack and struck. I only momentarily felt the fish, then the line went slack again, I retrieved as fast as I could - I was unsure if I had lost the fish or if its was running a slackliner - after reeling in what seemed like a lot of line I made contact again, but only briefly before the fish surged forward again. This time it just took a few seconds to regain the slack and then I felt a good fighting fish on the end and eventually hauled a 49 cm bass out of the surf My first Waterford bass of the year and a better quality fish compared to those I caught in Kerry last weekend

I had intended to pack up at low tide - but of course that wasn't going to happen now I fished on until about 3.30 am (I would probably have stayed longer but I was out until 3.30 am the previous night as well collecting razorfish so the lack of sleep was catching up on me) but I had no more bass bites, although I did get another coalfish bringing the coalfish total to 6 and another codling, the largest of the night at 36 cm.

I hadn't really been that optimistic when I headed out and would have preferred to have had some lug or rag in addition to the razor but I went home very happy.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Off with a bang to the Waterford bass Frank weel done.

Nice one Frank,will you leave some for us we will be down at the end of the month

Alright man, that's a fine fish. I've been on the West Waterford beaches like a rash lately, and all I've managed to produce are a few mangy pollack. Good to know the bass are about, even if they're not showing in any numbers. I was out the same night as you; obviously don't know what beach it was, but there was a guy fishing to my right with rocks in between us on a fairly well-established WW bass beach--it was hardly you, by any chance?

Otherwise, might head out tonight with a renewed sense of purpose; with the exception of people in Limerick, there's not much else to do, is there?

Nice bass Frank,,,,and at low water too, do you fish at distance on the low tide?

Thanks guys,

Nice Bass Frank,,,,and at low water too, do you fish at distance on the low tide?

Since I am not great at casting the answer to that is NO.
That beach is one of several on the south coast that produce bass in the last couple of hours down to low tide and they can be in quite close.

I was out the same night as you; obviously don't know what beach it was, but there was a guy fishing to my right with rocks in between us on a fairly well-established WW Bass beach--it was hardly you, by any chance?

No that wasn't me - there was nobody else around, unless you were fishing in the dark with no lamp.

Nice one Frank,will you leave some for us we will be down at the end of the month

They should be more prevalent by then so there should be plenty left for you.

Off with a bang to the Waterford Bass Frank weel done

Next target is to get a Cork bass

lovely fish frank was out myself just for dusk there was a great surf running

Well done again Frank It's great to see more being caught in a few different places around the coast. I wish they would make their way up here to me!
Hopefully it won't be long until they show up on the beaches nearer to you so that you don't have to travel as far to get them, although I'm sure at the minute you don't care about that, your just glad to be getting a few.

nice session there

Excellent bass rockhunter,and a well written article.

thats a beauty frank well done you have a pm, talk to you sunday

cracking bass frank looks in fine condition too

Hopefully it won't be long until they show up on the beaches nearer to you so that you don't have to travel as far to get them,

That beach is not too far from me - I can be there is 40 minutes, and then it is easy access. The East Cork beach I usually fish is about 25 minutes away but then requires a 20 minute walk to get to the best mark so there is not much difference in time.

thats a beauty frank well done you have a pm, talk to you sunday

Yes hopefully meet up for a session on Sunday evening.