North Wicklow Surprise

People:Myself and Mickm

Duration:11.30pm-5.30am

Tide:Up and down

Weather:blustery with a couple of showers

Bait:lug,rag,mac

Rigs:all sorts but biggest hook size was a size 2

Results:plenty of small flounder and whiting,couple of rockling,couple of doggies and .................a spotted ray of about 3lbs!!!!!




Report:

It was decided on Friday that we could both get out for a cast on Saturday night but as I was working until 1am Mick had the head Start on me.Arrived at the mark only for mick to announce that things had gone quiet for about 45mins now.......typical I set up 2 rods anyway as Mick gave me the run down on how he had got on so far.From fishing here a bit He was a bit tired of the baits being stripped without hooking up so this time he set up with size 6 hooks on all his rigs and he hooked into a lot more of the bites,majority being undersized flounder, Personally I was expecting small whiting if anything....it was good to learn !
Anyway, there was plenty of weed in the surf which became a real problem on the dropping tide , and no takes for about an hour Mick got a phone call and had to depart.I rebaited a 3hook flapper with lug, rag and mac......because nothing seemed to be doing the business and contemplated packing up
Myself but mick donated his flask of coffee so I said I would give one more hour,cheers mick . He had Only left a few mins when I noticed a few twitches on the rod out a bit and started to haul it in......felt a bit different to the previous few stone of weed from my other retrievals but I didn't get my hopes up Too high.I finally beached my first double of the night,a pin whiting and,and,and totally unexpected ,my first ever spotted ray. . Admired it for a minute and then rang himself to gloat.He turned the car around and came back to the beach for a look. Lol. took a couple of snaps and returned both fish......so chuffed that I forgot to measure or weigh him Got another few fish after that falling to rag and mac but nothing to outshine the ray It became unfishable due to weed about 1.5 hours into the drop, with some rigs lost with the line lost At the leader knot So I packed up and went home with a big smile on my face. By the way I brought in the ray on a size 2 hook baited with a small 1" mac bait !
Ps. Pics to follow.....can't seem to add a pic when I access the site from my phone


Report:

Nice one man the joys of fishing you never know what's about to take your bait
Fair play it paid off sticking it out
Look forward to the pick's

Fair play on the Ray

guess where al is going

Well done mate. That's a great reward for your persistence

heres some pics

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well done on the Ray

no al you mean guess where we are going

no al you mean guess where we are going

Too right

Although, I have fished it a few times on the rare occasion the wind has settled down and haven't had any luck...just doggies

Great lookin ray well done