25/07/10 You aint nothing but a hound dog..........

Where: North Wexford

People: Me and saltydog

Duration: 8pm - 4.30am

Tide: there really isnt any down this way

Weather: Had the shorts on all night

Bait: Crab, Rag, Lug

Rigs: Mostly pennel pullys, 2 hook flapper, 3 hook flapper

Results:
Myself, 14 hounds (inc specimen @ 7lb 9oz ), 1 lesser weaver fish,1 flounder
Conor, 8 hounds, 1 doggie



Report:

With the hounds out in force in North Wexford and Conor over for the weekend, it seemed rude not to ready the gear, empty my stash of frozen crab and make like Lewis Hamilton down the N11.

Arrived at the chosen venue around 7.30pm and after a quick call to Conor it was confirmed which part of the beach to get setup on. Lashed a big crab bait out at distance and put on a 2 hook flapper with 3/0's in close hoping for a bass whilst I waited for my fishing companion to arive

Tip was nodding away and flapper came back stripped, it was evident it was either small flats or crabs, so down sized to a 3 hook flapper and size 2's. Had just lobbed this out 20 yards and Conor arrived telling me I was set up in the wrong place and should move all of 40 yards to my left

So, Conor was setting up, and I was in the process of shifting my gear and noticed a few small taps on the flapper - happy days, blank saved a tiny flounder.

Time to put the 2 hook flapper back on, big baits in close hoping for my 1st bass of the year. All the while the crab bait at distance had remained untouched. Conor had opted for a crab bait at distance and a 3 hooker in close. He seemed to be getting a few knocks on the flapper, but when he went to reel in, it was snagged solid - rig lost, puzzled by this he quickly re-rigged and cast out to roughly the same spot. Snagged again, but managed to get his rig back, and by which time I was into the 1st hound of the night, a nice fish around the 4lb mark which fought like a fish atleast twice his size, taking line with a few spirited runs.

Time for a rethink with tactics, so both of us sent out 2 rods with big crab baits, and I persisted with a 3rd rod in close for bass.


Now, the rest of the night is a little blurry in terms of who caught what and when, it seemed that the hounds were running up and down the beach from left to right, then right to left, almost to the point where we could predict if it was gonna be me or Conor who got the next fish.

I wasnt having much luck in close for the bass, so I said to Conor I'd put that rig out a bit further and see could I show him how the rod handles a nice smoothie ( I was using my Ian Golds Enticer rod, which is a very light bass rod) - it wasnt long before this rod shot out of the tripod and only for I was just 10 yards away did I stop rod & reel going to a watery grave, after a good scrap I beached the best hound of the night, a specimen weighing 7lb 9oz and my best hound ever, so I was well chuffed

I think Conor was pleasantly suprised at how well the rod coped, I also managed another hound of 5lb 5oz on the rod.

The action for most of the night was in fits and starts, a busy 20 mins, then quiet for an hour, but I guess thats just smoothie fishing for you.

Most of the fish were in the 4-5lb bracket, and most fought like troopers, several of them taking line with many runs.

By 3.45am we said, right 4am rods out, we were both fishing 2 rods at this stage, and both got a good hound each within minutes of 4am, right thats it we said, break them rods down and leave the other out whilst packing up - glad we did as we each got another hound on our last rods - 2 fish each on the last cast of each rod, it doesnt get much better.

By 4.30am it was definately time to call it a day, both of us tired but happy from our nights fishing, we could have stayed there another 2/3/4 hours and still been catching hounds but some times you have to let your head rule your heart.

Some nights fishing, best I've had in a long time, and its wonderful to be catching fish again that can actually put a bend in the rod and really test the drag of a reel.

Only dissapointment was we didnt get a double figure fish, but I guess thats just being greedy

Hounds to a variety of baits, inc plain crab, plain rag and a cocktail of both.

Conor has the photos, which I'm sure he'll upload when he gets back to Galway, I'm sure he'll want to add a bit to the report aswell

great report mark, 7lb9oz is a smashing hound well done

Cheers John, some craic on a light rod I can tell ya

He wasnt very long, but boy did he have a big fat head on him....the mike tyson of the sea

Well done Mark

Nice one Mark,,delighted for ya Mate ,,,,,,,,,and i'm glad to see you included the fact that you kept your shorts on for the whole night

and i'm glad to see you included the fact that you kept your shorts on for the whole night

I reckoned the lure of my milk bottle white legs would be too much for Mr S. MUT to resist

I wasnt wrong

Nice one Mark, well done.

Well done lads and super report!!!

Nice one Mark & Connor
Cracking results there, and good report as usural..
Catch up soon for a cast or session - keep up the good work lads..

well done lads nice fish good report

well done lads thats some gooood fishing,.

well done lads. still need to get myself a decent smooth hound. Hopefully nxt year

Was an enjoyable weekends fishing meeting up with the lads on Friday and Mark on Saturday yis will all have to head over West at some stage for a session ....

I'd a short session on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours before Mark arrived fishing a 3 hook flapper in close for Bass and Flats and one Mack strip on a pennel out further for Raymonds... I was getting a flounder a cast in close on the flapper biggest 30cm so i sent it out a bit further loaded with lug trying to tempt some silver when bang good sharp bite and slack line Bass i thought after a good fight and me walking left and right waiting for a decent wave to try and beach what i was sure was a sizeable Bass when i spotted a smoothie cruising on the crest of a wave i was using size 4 kamazan crab hooks and 11lb flouro snoods eventually managed to beach him after some manouvering there were two lads fishing close by so they obliged in the taking a shot for me cheers lads if your reading. Had some more flats before heading off to pick up some supplies for Mark.

Got to the beach to find Mark set up and fishing i moved down the beach just a touch to where its steeper and there are a few gullies and Mark did likewise it was slow enough to start and then as Mark said frantic for 15mins nothing for the next 45 etc who ever was last to get hit would be the first the next time as they made their way back along the beach nice bright moon and perfect summers evening only draw back of the fine weather was having to witness Mark in shorts in fairness he looked a lot more comfortable than me in my neoprenes There was a good stamp of fish all night with them averaging 5lbs and congrats again Mark on a fine specimen of 7lbs 9oz's cracking fish and all the more impressive on a spinning rod great to see I'd a couple of specimens off this beach last year and a few doubles were taken last year including a 12lber no specimen for me this time and the hunt still goes on for my first double figure but judging by the quality of fish on this beach there's a good chance of it throwing one up soon 22 smuts landed in the session Wexford is certainly alive with smuts and i can't wait to get back over for more .... I'll try and get over again for a session next week after a mid-week sortie up North

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smashing fish mark well done

some great fish there...fair play!!!

Thanks for the comments lads, was a wicked session

But he doesnt look half as big in the pic as he did in the flesh Maybe I just didnt hold him right for the photo

I suppose me being so tall (or is that big?) doesnt help put a real perspective on the size of the fish

I am 7' 3" after all

Great to have a busy session like that
Well done lads. Nice fish!

a session we hope for every time we head out - i havent been that lucky yet

great result

Gordy caught his firs smut the other night on his bass rod too. Don't know which one was more tired after the fish was beached Super session lads

Nice fishing lads
Well done on the speci Mark

How much longer will the smoothies be around for???
I`ve always wanted to get a crack at them.Maybe next year