East Cork Codling - 10th October 2010

People: Me

Duration: 10.30 pm - 3.30 am

Tide: LW at 2.30 am

Weather: Calm, clear, mild

Bait: Razor

Rigs: 4/0 and 6/0 pennel pulleys

Results: 8 codling, 1 coalfish




Report: I am a bit late posting this but was busy all week. Last Sunday afternoon I checked out a local beach for weed. It had been unfishable a few weeks ago but looked clear and there was a very nice surf rolling in. There were a few anglers fishing there and I had a chat with one but they had caught nothing at that stage, although it is a beach that I would only fish from dusk - wouldn't really expect to get much there in daylight.

I headed back that night and got set up shortly after 10.30 pm, with two rods, one with a 6/0 and the other with a 4/0 pennel pulley, both baited with razor. I reckoned with the big surf it looked good for bass. About half an hour later I had a bite, the fish was on for a few seconds, felt a strong fish, but then shook the hook. It was quite for a while after that - then about two hours before low tide I had a strong pull on one of the rods. I grabbed it and struck - this time the fish was well hooked. I first thought I had a small bass but as I hauled it in close it wasn't putting up a great struggle - it was a codling, about 2 lb. As typically with cod it had completely engulfed the bait and was hooked with both hooks of the pennel rig.

After that the bites came much more frequently - the codling were on the feed!!!

As I was hauling in the fifth one the tip on the other rod started bouncing. I quickly hauled the coding on to the beach and grabbed the other rod - but this time the fight felt different, it was quite a large coalfish - one of the largest I have ever caught.

As the tide began to push forward the codling got a little bigger, the sixth and seventh of the night were the biggest - a little over 2 lb. I had one more on the last cast, after I had packed the first rod away.

So while no bass showed up I was happy enough with 8 codling - as big as any I caught last winter, also from a beach which is not known for cod. Hopefully that's a sign of a good cod season this winter.

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good stuff

SOME NICE PLUMP CODLING THERE ROCKHUNTER WELL DONE

well done nice fish

Some lovely codling there. Hope to get out this weekend to try for some myself.

Thats good fishing frank, It would be great if thats a sign of things to come.

Some cracking Cod there Frank, well done. It's great to see some quality sized ones being reported on and being caught from the beaches already, it is still relatively early on in the season for them, if this is the sign of things to come then this winter they are going to offer us some cracking sessions which is great and something to look forward too. That's a decent coalie too, they can give you a good scrap when they want too can't they.
Great report and pictures.

nice fish frank
going to youghal tommorow

Nice fishing! I think I was one of the anglers that you mentioned that was there during the day. Caught 1 bass just before 6pm and the 2 other guys had 8 flounder between them at that stage But others have also told me it is usually not productive in daylight, maybe it was the great surf that was there on the day.

quality fishing frank well done

good session

Nice fishing Frank the codling seem to be everywhere .great stuff

Nice fishing, yes if I think the beach your fishing at is right, its a damn good sign as you said its not renowned for coddling. well done.

Well done with that haul, some nice fish there, good luck.

nice going

Well done Frank, some nice fish there, I must try razor , its a bait i've never used before

Thanks guys,

I must try razor , its a bait i've never used before

I find it a great bait - I have collected a lot of it over the low tides this year so the freezer is well stocked - should last me into early next year. Handy bait to have when I don't have the time to dig lug/rag.

Nice fishing! I think I was one of the anglers that you mentioned that was there during the day. Caught 1 Bass just before 6pm and the 2 other guys had 8 flounder between them at that stage But others have also told me it is usually not productive in daylight, maybe it was the great surf that was there on the day.

Yes that surf look very good alright.

That's a decent coalie too, they can give you a good scrap when they want too can't they.

They certainly do - right away I knew it was something other that cod, I could feel it shaking and pulling from side to side unlike the cod which see to pull downwards and slacken off the fight when you get them in close.

Thanks guys,

I must try razor , its a bait i've never used before

I find it a great bait - I have collected a lot of it over the low tides this year so the freezer is well stocked - should last me into early next year. Handy bait to have when I don't have the time to dig lug/rag.

Nice fishing! I think I was one of the anglers that you mentioned that was there during the day. Caught 1 Bass just before 6pm and the 2 other guys had 8 flounder between them at that stage But others have also told me it is usually not productive in daylight, maybe it was the great surf that was there on the day.

Yes that surf look very good alright.

That's a decent coalie too, they can give you a good scrap when they want too can't they.

They certainly do - right away I knew it was something other than cod, I could feel it shaking and pulling from side to side unlike the cod which see to pull downwards and slacken off the fight when you get them in close.

great result frank. some really nice cod there