West Waterford Bass - 7th September 2010

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 9.45 pm - 1.45 am

Tide: LW at Midnight

Weather: Light southwesterly breeze, changing to southerly and back to southwesterly and strengthening, dry, mostly clear, one short shower

Bait: Razor

Rigs: 4/0 and 2/0 pennel pulleys

Results: 2 bass




Report: I made an attempt to go fishing in East Cork on Monday night and tried two beaches but both were unfishable due to immense amounts of weed. So last night I headed in the West Waterford direction. I got to a beach I prefer to fish on the ebb/early rising tide and found that my usual mark was very weedy so moved 400 m down the beach until it seemed fairly clear. I set up two rods one; with a 4/0 pennel pulley, the other with a 2/0 pennel pully, both baited with razor. There wasn't much happening for the first few hours, not even a nibble, apart from crabs devouring the bait - definitely crabs as there were still a few clinging to the remains of the bait a few times when I retrieved. I just had to keep rebaiting more frequently than normal.

Then close to low tide I spotted a small rattle on the rod - I stood next to rod and waited - then there was a strong knock, I grabbed the rod - the line had gone slack, a fish was running with the bait I rapidly retrieved the slack and connected with the fish - it was putting up a good struggle so I reckoned it was a decent size bass. As I got it in close I could see the fish splashing in the surf. Then weed accumulated on the leader knot got stuck in the tip eye of the rod - that's the time you are likely to loose the fish, so I moved back up the beach, holding the rod high and hauled the bass out of the surf. It was not a bad size - 53 cm

So that gave me encouragement - if there is one on the feed then it's likely that more are about. However, the rod tips remained motionless, apart from when the rigs snagged the occasional clump of kelp. As the tide began to push rapidly forward I decided to pack up. I retrieved and dismantled one rod. The tide was pushing me back so I move my gear further back up the beach and then went back to get the second rod. I noticed the line was running diagonally across the beach but was still fairly taut - I presumed it was just a clump of weed that pulled up the gripper and was been dragged to the left by the current. As I started to retrieve it felt quite heavy, like a big clump of weed but at the same time there seemed to be a bit of a kick. I was unsure if there was a fish on or not. I eventually had the shockleader out of the surf and could see that a lot of weed had accumulated on the knot, that was part of the weight I was feeling, but I could definitely feel some strong tugs on the line now that the trace was in the shallow surf. So again I walked backwards up the beach and hauled the rest of the leader out of the surf and could then see a good fish flapping on the sand. This one was a well fed 58 cm bass

So with that I packed up and headed home - happy with the night's fishing.

PS. Both fish were caught on the 4/0 pennel.

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Last edited by RockHunter on Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.

well done frank 2 smashing bass great to
see you back in action ,even better good reports and photos we are
starved of decent fish on the e/coast

two nice fish frank at a guess where you "up in the corner" , just wondering thinking of trying a bit of baitfishing later and dont know the state of the beach

Thanks guys.

a guess where you "up in the corner" , just wondering thinking of trying a bit of baitfishing later and dont know the state of the beach

You are right. The corner was quite weedy but a few hundred meters down the beach it was fairly clear, not weed free but perfectly fishable, quite a nice surf there last night too. I might head over that way again tonight.

Hey Frank,Well done again and great report.They are some fine looking Bass Frank is it a preference thing or Cork thing but you always use razor for Bass bait fishing Do you find it gives you better results than say Lug/crab.Just curious
Thx Jay

Hey Frank,Well done again and great report.They are some fine looking Bass Frank is it a preference thing or Cork thing but you always use razor for Bass bait fishing Do you find it gives you better results than say Lug/crab.Just curious
Thx Jay

Thanks Jay - I reckon it is a good bait for bass especially in the area I was fishing last night. However, I would normally used a razor/lug cocktail, sometimes I would use rag. I find crab more hit and miss - if there is a crab moult on and the bass are feeding on them then it is probably the best but sometimes lug or razor will clearly outfish crab. However, I dont have the time to get out and dig bait at the moment but I do have a freezer full of razor so its more the convenience just grabbing a couple of packs from the freezer than anything else.

Brilliant fishing again Frank, well done I am glad that the razorfish is proving to be a good bait for you......I swear by it when bait fishing for bass down in Kerry, as far as I am concerned nothing beats it but I guess it all depends on where your fishing. With this rate of going you'll have that bass tally up in no time and I know you'll have fun while doing it. Great report and pictures, keep up the good work.

well frank the foot must back to 100% your really knocking them up now great stuff Razor must be the bait at the moment well done again

nice bass well done

Thanks guys,

I am glad that the razorfish is proving to be a good bait for you......I swear by it when bait fishing for Bass down in Kerry, as far as I am concerned nothing beats it but I guess it all depends on where your fishing.

For beach fishing it is definitely a great bait. But crab would of course be the optimum for estuaries or rock gulleys - as you say it depends on where you are.

well frank the foot must back to 100% your really knocking them up now great stuff

Its not 100% yet - I still have to take it easy - and I can't leap across rocks and boulders like I used to do. But at least I can get out fishing now.