rosstoonstown

[iona]

People: dale

Duration: 2-3 hrs

Tide: high

Weather: sunny

Bait: feathers

Rigs: feathers

Results: a few mackerel and a 29lb sunfish


Report: tried several times for mackerel from this beach with poor results apart from the sunfish

[Codswallop]

Sunfish??????? Are they not extremely rare??? Its just you dont sound to excited about it.

[iona]

it was a big surprise catching that but it didn't do much. in fact i've had better fights out of plastic bags.

[x]

Any pictures?

[iona]

yup, no idea how to post them though

[x]

Try going to http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... p?cat_id=4

There is a Post Imge button there, I assume you have to be logged on to be allowed to post. Never tried it myself, but stick on a post if it works.

[iona]

picture sent, we'll see if it comes up?

[kieran]

Hi Iona

Email me the picture as an attachment or however you can at kieran.hanrahan@sea-angling-ireland.org and well get a nice spot for it!

Thanks

[Codswallop]

Great pic Iona, very nice indeed. What a strange looking fish. Well done!

Codswallop

[corbyeire]

no offence iona but did the sunfish take the feathers or did you foul hook him?

they tend to be dying when they are near the surface of the water and hence no fight....

interesting all the same

[RobertMcClean]

Have to say they are a very interesting creature. We seen three of them over the course of a week right beside the boat in Kerry back at the start of the month. They are amazing looking. I thought the reason why they come to the surface was for gulls to clean them but not really sure. I also thought they only feed on Plankton so if thats the case it is a rare catch to say the least! Well done, wonder will the CFB accept it or do they have any guidelines for specimen weights!!

[iona]

caught it on a green feather. part of a set of 4 and it was the bottom one.
was blasting them out so i don't know if it was on the surface or not as i reckon i was about 150yds. the hook was in the mouth with the rest across the head.

i have since heard of a few others wich have been caught on feathers as well.
looking at the shape of the fish would explain the fight no tail to act as a rudder.

no offence taken.

[Guest]

this is a very fishy story, are u sure it wasn't washed up,,,not to cast doubt but a sunfish has the same speed as a tuna and the same power,,,if you u had of hook it in the mouth your line would snapped if your drag wasn't set right,,,true robert they only come to the surface to sun and get themselves cleaned,,,there not a fish that came be caught by lures,,,definetly not...

[iona]

mmhh!

another anon expert :cry:

probably catches bugger all. :roll:

well me, i don't give a S**T cause me and all the other people who have caught them are all liars and cheats and your not in that club. :wink:

why does a salmon take a fly in a river??????????????? :?

why does the sun come up?

I'm not claiming any records, or weighed it in at a comp so whats your problem?

ps having had a year best of 217lbs i know about how to set my drag. if you don't believe that check sea angler either may or June issue.

[BigPhil]

thought it was you in the picture mr robertson, fair play to you!

also not the first sunfish ive heard of caught on feathers

[Bob]

fair play to ya on that one - great fish - well done - as for our anonymous expert, I think you will find the tremendous power the sunfish can generate to put it in the same league as the tuna comes from the prop that normally sticks out of it rear, but which Iona had the good sense to remove for the photo :D

[bigkev]

For my tuppence worth, we had one swim by the boat two weeks ago off loop head, estimated 50-60 lbs.
Check out the below for a couple of great pics/stories
I didnt know you could hook them, but truly a bizarre catch, and a great pic.

Apparently they hold the dubious distinction of carrying the most parasites of any fish!

http://www.earthwindow.com/mola.html
http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishf ... h/mola.htm

Kev

[iona]

bloody hell, they grow to some size.


thanks for the post as the 2nd link explains how they eat jellyfish and small fishes.

for the actual capture a huge slice of luck is all that's required.

Anon, i suppose the aussie museum has got it wrong. :shock: :roll:

still would swap it for a double figured bass though :D

[micko]

i foul hooked a baby seal before on a string of feathers like your sunfish can lash up a posting and get praise for it too, sorry there is no congratulating from me for killing such a rare interesting fish, i praise anglers who post fish they targeted and land and are constantly at the specimen fish awards i would say well done if you caught a 11lb bass you spent two days fishing hard for! sorry its sad thats all :(

[iona]

for Micko read DUMBO.

who said i killed it?
it was returned alive.

who said it was foul hooked?
it was caught on a green feather that was attached to the mouth.


is just me but you praise guys who are at the specimen awards?
reading the rules on that, they have to have their fish weighed on scales on land. Dead?

lastly i wasn't looking for praise i just thought it was an interesting capture.

sadly this site seems to have its share of numpties who spend their time quickly spawning their idiotic rantings the same as the others.
pity as i thought this one had a little more promise than some of the others.