Out and about on the East coast, Shad, SAI comp and Smuts...

Just a brief one as the full account will be going into IA mag.

Being greeted on arrival at Arklow to a boat trawling 100-150 yards off the shore was not the best of starts but it didnt seem to do too much to the catches. Loads of fish going on the beach on a perfect summer day with lots of "ahem" scenery to distract on occasion. Well done to Mark on a thoroughly deserved win romping away with it with a steady procession of dogs when the rest of us couldnt get them. The crack was in the battle for second with myself and Dommo pegged side by side going toe to toe and the lead changing 3 or 4 times in the last hour or so. You can only imagine the banter.... JD has a lot to answer for as Dom was having a bit of a "breather" for a while till JD who arrived over an hour late commented on how he had nearly caught up with him..... Cue a trebler of counters and a revitalised Corkman making life rather uncomfortable for the rest of the comp. Cracking day, it started off with myself and Lee hitting the Barrow for Twaite shad in the morning and heading for Rosslare for a crack at decent smuts which duly obliged with 7 in just over a half hour for myself before I decided enough was enough and put the rod away, thoroughly bollixed from the days proceedings. Lee managed to get his first ever smut too which was good. Round trip for us of about 500 miles but well worth it, thats what the summers about.....

A few pics below.

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

A couple more...

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

It doesn't get much better than that, cracking day!

excellent fishing guys i'll have to read the whole story in the mag when it comes out

Was a most satisfying day. 500 miles and 22 hours (or pretty much 24 if your Pete and have a bit extra to drive after picking me up and dropping me off) and almost continuous sunshine. It's great when a plan comes together like that. All I was missing was a common, but given that it was so late and a long way to go, decided we'd better go.
We did consider a ray stop off in Cork to really do the dog on it, but it was already after 3. I reckon if it was around dawn we might have reconsidered ....
Waiting for the wifely fallout, but suprisingly calm on that front and she let me sleep in Sunday morning. So what we doing next weekend Pete?

Some round trip lads, true dedication to your passion for angling, and great you got your just desserts.

The smoothies are some beast of a fish, pleased you got your 1st Lee - and 7 in half an hour is some achievement, just goes to show, when their in their in

Great session lads that was some marathon! Fairplay to Lee getting his smut and to Mark on the win in Arklow.

Some round trip lads, true dedication to your passion for angling

more like true dessication

That's one hell of a marathon fishing session you had there lads and well deserved results too. Looking forward to reading the full report in IA.

Very impressive now thats a proper fishing session well done gents

Nice session(s) lads, I'd say your still wrecked from it

i might even buy a copy of it nice pics and report well done mark ya sly dog ya
i think i just heard tonys van bootin down the n11

Thats some "days" fishing Pete nice one lads