Connemara, 16-Jul-2010.

People: Me & Saltydog.

Duration: 5pm-10.30pm-ish.

Tide: Flooding (HW@21.30)

Weather: Rough, Windy, Few heavy showers.

Bait: Mackerel, Sandeel, Lug.

Rigs: 3-Hook clipdowns, 2-Hook flappers, Single-hook Clipdowns.

Results: Mackerel, Pollack, Gurnard, Dogfish.




Report:

Picked up Conor and started driving to a destination yet unknown. Stopped enroute to pick the essential wholesome refreshments. While Conor was busy stocking-up, I noticed a mobile fresh fish stall and got some fresh mackerel . Just as well as the bait we had definitely had seen better days .

Finally decided on a venue and were fishing by 5pm-ish. Things were fairly quiet for the first hour or so, then Conor was off the mark with a mackerel. I followed this with the first doggie. Next fish for me was a Pollack, Conor’s was a gurnard.

I had just walked back to Conor when I saw one of my rods take a nice bounce. Looked and felt like a Pollack. He was gone to ground and snagged my line . I left the rod sit for about 40mins, giving some line hoping he would pull me free but no such luck. I could still feel the fish on as I applied pressure, expecting to lose everything from the leader down. Eventually I got it free without losing any tackle but lost the fish .

Meanwhile Conor was pulling out a few mackerel, including a double-shot. (If we didn’t have fresh bait, there wouldn’t be a bloody mackerel in sight ). I pulled out a mackerel and we both had a few more doggies and were wondering where the ray were. Conditions were a bit rough and the wind never let up at all.

I had just baited-up the rig I pulled free when my other rod tip started to bend and continued to bend. Ray on, I thought. Lifted the rod and felt a great fish. Managed to retrieve a bit of line and felt a good fight, then everything came to a dead stop. Couldn’t retrieve any more line. This can’t be happening to me twice in the one night! Damn!

Eventually I had to pull free again on this one and lost what was probably the best fish of the night . (I know, I know, the one that got away!!).

We decided to finish shortly after this and we each had a doggie on our last cast.
Enjoyable enough session with a bit of variety, but I’d love to have seen that last sucker .

Conor, did I mess anything? Oh yeah, the Mackerel Anglers….but that’s another story

Nice to get out and wet a line even if the conditions weren't ideal with the wind not letting up at all....things were looking bleak enough for a while but the doggies thankfully obliged and the little grey gurnard was another one to add to the species list....Shame we didn't get to see that Ray you had on looked like a good 6lb plus fish... ah well you'll just have to make amends when we try for the Blondes during the week

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well done on getting out and catching a few,hard luck on the ones that got away