Buncrana Pier 30/10/10 4 species and shooting stars

People: Me myself and I

Duration: 10pm - 1am

Tide: High water at 1am

Weather: 3 degrees, flat calm, clear sky some fog

Bait: Bluey, squid

Rigs: 2 Hook Flapper

Results: 2 whiting, 1 pouting, 1 dab, 1 doggie

Report:

Headed out with 1 bluey and 2 small squid so knew it wouldn't be a long session and just stuck to 1 rod with a 2 hook flapper. After much deliberating, I decided on Buncrana Pier as it's only 20 mins drive and extremely handy for fishing right beside the jeep!

My first fish came within about 15mins of setting up, a small whiting. This was then shortly followed by a new species for me in the shape of a pouting. Again it was small but I was quite chuffed to get one as I've never actually seen one before let alone caught one!

Then about 10 mins later my rod bent over double and I struck into something with a bit more grunt, and up came a welcome doggie. I weighed him on my new Salter Samson Electro scales, first time I've had a chance to use them and I must say they are an absolute joy and very easy to use. The dog tipped the scales at 2lb 1oz.

Things went quiet for an hour with just the bait robbers and crabs giving the rod tip a little movement, but in the mean time I started to notice the occasional shooting star! At first I thought I was imagining it, but a mate called down to see me for half an hour and he noticed one as well. I'd say over the course of the night I saw about 8 little dashes of light across the night sky, which was already full of twinkling stars. Must say it was quite a sight and made the freezing cold stand well worthwhile!

About 20 mins before home time I got a decent little rattle which resulted in a fiesty wee dab. Soon after he went back I wrapped things up with another small whiting. That was the bait all used up and time for home..

All in all an enjoyable evening. I still haven't managed a thornie from the Swilly and I think it's getting late in the year now to be in with much chance Still I think I'll continue to fish Buncrana as it's so handy and it would be interesting to see if it will throw up anything big enough for the pan.

Doggie



Dab

top dog

Well done. Nice range of species but I think your dab is probably a flounder.

The photo is maybe a bit misleading, I'm pretty sure it was a dab, rough scales when rubbed towards the head.

The photo is maybe a bit misleading, I'm pretty sure it was a dab, rough scales when rubbed towards the head.

Photo isn't misleading at all pal, it's a dab. You were right first time as far as I'm concerned.

The photo is maybe a bit misleading, I'm pretty sure it was a dab, rough scales when rubbed towards the head.

Photo isn't misleading at all pal, it's a dab. You were right first time as far as I'm concerned.

i'd agree its a dab.

yep... dats a dab.

No problem Scob. Its just i cant't see the distinctive semi-circular bend in the lateral line which is all i can go on from a photo. But you handled the fish so if you say its a dab thats good enough for me.

Others peoples comments aren't so helpful. I obviously found the photo misleading so to state it wasn't is inaccurate.

To help my own fish identification could those who are sure its a dab from the photo tell me what distinguishing features they are using.

To ID a dab i normally use the overall roughness, semi-circular bend in lateral line and transluscent white underside. Is there anything else i should be using.

they taste different