West Waterford Beach, 19th April

People:Me

Duration:8pm - 11pm

Tide:HT 21:33pm

Weather:Hardly a puff

Bait:Crab

Rigs:Leger

Results:3 Bass




Report:After popping down to Youghal to pick up some nicy juicy crab from John Bhoy32, I continued on and ventured into Deise land. I picked a beach that was fairly stony with lots of rock, but can fish well at the top of the tide. Being slightly ambitiuos and optimistic I set up a one hook leger with a 5/0 hook. Baiting this up with a whole crab I lobbed it out about 40 yards. Almost from the oft I was getting bites. Quite vicious bites too, but whatever it was was dropping the bait fairly quickly. Slightly confused I was wondering was it coalfish. I'd have the fish on momentarily and then nothing. Each time the bait would come back in sh..e. I decided to drop down to a size 3/0 hook. On the next cast the same thing happened....bites again but the bait dropped. I had the bait on very secure this time, so rather than reel in I just took up the slack. I had it back within 15 yards of the shore when I finally got a break; this time when I struck I connected with a fish. The rod doubled over; it was a good fish. I had tightened up completely on the drag since the ground is so snaggy and line given will result in lost gear. This fish needed line so to ease the pressure as the fish ran I gave it line by wading into the gentle surf. This was a battle; this was a fine fish. Several times I tried to beach the fish only for it to power back out on the back surge. Eventually, I beat the fish and took it above the tideline. This was a mightly fish and looked as if it might be a double. It measured 76cm on the tape and 37cm in the girth. On the scales, though, it came in below 10lbs. If this fish was taken at the back end of the season it would no doubt be a specimen. A great fish all the same. I quickly returned it and got fishing again. Almost immediately I had another. This fish was much smaller at 53cm. On the next cast I had another, again within minutes. This one was again around 54cm. With great hopes that the fishing was 'taking off' I cast out again, but that was it. I stayed on for another hour but didn't have one more bite. Oh well, can't complain; this was certainly one of those magical nights.

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looked like a stomper alright fairplay i wish they.d ever start showing up this way

Boat anglers.

Shore anglers have been running up and down beaches for years to play a good fish while ye boat anglers just slacken the drag and let it tire it’s self out.

Pat welcome to shore angling

Well done on the bass

ah, nice going Pat, and sweet to say the two 50+cm fish were the "much smaller" ones

Shes a beauty and C&R thumbs up

Excellent Pat.

Fine fish.

nice fishies there pat. the 2nd one has a fine fat belly on it

A great report, I could feel the pulse pounding

Some lovely fish there Pat well done

cracking fishing pat,well done. that first one`s a stonker

fair play,themz nice Bass!

Well done Pat,
great to see the bass showing up again.

well done pat some nice fish great to see

There some cracking fish there , well done.

nice one pat starting where you left off last year fine fishing

Excellent fishing Pat, well done. Your report was great to read, I felt like I was there, well actually, I wished I was

cracking fish pat well done

Well thanks for all the positive comments.

I headed out again this evening. This time I stayed local and brought the plugging rods. It was a fabulous evening/night; not a puff of wind, and flat calm. A perfect evening for the lures. However, someone forgot to tell the fish that and a blank ensued . Just shows you, you can't win them all . The East Cork venues aren't fishing that well of late (except Youghal). I think I'll have to head to the Deise again .

good stuff pat a fine fish and it lives on to give sport to Meany more anglers and to breed more bass for us all to catch. VERY WELL DONE.

I headed out again this evening. This time I stayed local and brought the plugging rods. It was a fabulous evening/night; not a puff of wind, and flat calm. A perfect evening for the lures. However, someone forgot to tell the fish that and a blank ensued

Had you the wife's car again? I was out plugging the usual spot yesterday evening too and saw the car so I reckoned you were about. Not a hint of a bite but there were fish occasonally splashing about a long way out - looked a bit to vigorous for mullet. The only lure I could reach them with was the Patchinko but they weren't interested.