2 DAYS 2 MARKS SAME FISH

People: Day 1 Me, Dad, Brother, Day 2 Just me

Duration: Day 1 630pm-12am Day 2 4pm to 7pm

Tide: Day 1 low tide about 8, Day 2 high tide about 6

Weather: Day 1 sunny but very windy, day 2 sunny but not as windy

Bait: rag

Rigs: Day 1 old school, Day 2 float

Results: Pollock, Colefish and Wrasse plus a single rockling




Report: Saturday night we had planned an all night conger session. We were supposed to go out on a 3 hour mackerel trip to get bait then fish all night. Things started to go awry when the skipper rang about 2pm saying its far too rough and he wouldn’t be going out. Undeterred (and since this was to be a Fathers Day father/son bonding trip) we headed down anyway planning to use whatever we catch for conger bait. So got to our chosen mark at the blue pool in Portrush, according to the weather forecast the wind was supposed to be blowing from the left and slightly behind. Got down there and it was blowing a gale straight in yer face. My heart sank as it was decided there and there by the old man the all night was official abandoned and he started talking about the going to the cinema (He’s certainly not a hardy as he used to be). Casting would be next to impossible so we shuffled on round the coast to find a more sheltered spot. Went to the rocks off the top car park in Portstewart, it was still windy, a lot rougher and casting was still pretty difficult. So old school tactics were deployed for a wrasse bashing session, Namely tying on a weight 18 inches up the line then the hook left flapping and dropped straight down the rock wall. Brother was in first cast then we all were catching. By the end of the first hour and a half I had got 13, dad 9 and my brother 8. Dad had the best wrasse at 2lb. The tide had turned and was started to get a bit too rough plus my brother had no heavy coat and there was a right nip in the air. Brother dragged us round to the harbour where we would be sheltered by the harbour wall. Fortunately I had predicted this and knew we may end up tiddler bashing so had brought 3 roach rods and 3 reels with 6lb line. Dad had a few stick floats from a Lidls tackle box he bought years ago so we stuck them on and fished away. To begin with it was slow with just the odd fish being taken here and there. Dad had a cracker wrasse at 2 1/2lb, wasn’t easy getting it in on such a light rod but he still managed. Then as it started to get dark the pollock moved in en masse. Soon we were getting fish a cast, mostly small but got the occasional better fish up to 1 1/2lb, which on such light gear was great crack. Dad also picked up a single 6 inch 3 bearded rocking. Fishing stayed productive right up to we called it a day about midnight, lost count of the number of fish caught but it turned out all right after such a disheartening start.

Sunday I had plenty of left over rag since we didn’t fish as long as we were supposed to, too much to throw so headed out to black head to fish around hightide. Had fished there twice previously with crap mackerel out of tescos and caught nothing but I knew with some fresh bait and the right tide, it would produce fish. Arrived under the lighthouse after the long walk to find half a dozen or so mackerel basher spinning away, each with a 2 litre bottle of cider and no fish caught. Contemplated finding somewhere on round but I had accepted a personal challenge to catch a fish at this spot after 2 blanks so found myself a corner and set up a float rod. First cast – Pollock, Second cast – Coalie, Third cast – Wrasse. And it just continued from there, the fishing was good, nearly one cast, nothing huge, biggest wrasse was just under a pound but a really nice way to spend an afternoon. Once the tide turned and started racing out again the bites stopped so I packed up and went home.

three things really annoyed during this trip though
1) one of mackerel bashers was spinning with a set of hockeyes, about an hour into it he had still caught nothing but then finally hooked up. Shouting at the top of his voice, making sure everyone within a 1 mile area knew he had a fishing he reeled it and had a full string of coalies. Now if I had been spinning for an hour or more and got nothing I would have been well chuffed with that. His only response to this catch was “**** sake I thought those were mackerel” and complained for the next while about it. can never understand why these people think that mackerel are the only fish in the sea.

2) some “local Expert” was walking past and stopped to comment. Asked some one if he caught anything, by this point only I had but someone else there commented that I had been catching Pollock, colefish and wrasse while everyone else blanked. “local expert” then replied aye but no mackerel though, besides there’s no sport if you’re using bait, to which the mackerel basher agreed. I was tempted to point out I had caught so many fish I stopped counting while he’s caught sod all but bit my lip as it wasn’t worth the hassle.

3) One of the mackerel bashers was fishing about 5 foot away from me, he was happily spinning away, but not drinking he was quiet the whole time, concentrating on his fishing and seemed to be the only one who was actually interested in what he was doing. I pulled a wrasse and he asked what it was having never seen one before. So I took it over to him to give him a look and he was impressed with its red and blue colouration and the teeth on it but then one of his mates can over for a look and said “aye it’s a wrasse but if you cant eat it what’s the point in catching it?” me and the guy I was showing it looked at each other then I casually remarked “if you have to ask you’ll never understand” released the fish and went and caught some more.

All in all, the fish were not huge but they were many and you cant go wrong with that.

that was a great read,well done on the fish,as for the macky bashers....as you said they will never understand!