Wexford beach, 25 June ,2011

People:me and Neil Brownface

Duration:6pm-11-30pm

Tide:dropping

Weather:breezy at first ,calm later

Bait:frozen crab, rag

Rigs:pulley rigs 3/0's and 3 hook flapper

Results:smoothy pups, starry smothound, dab




Report: With Fishface back from his holliers and itching to get his first decent smoothie of the season, we went to a beach near Courtown, which had produced the goods for me last week. Fishface had out been on a few sneaky sessions during the week, (I copped this as his stock of 30 crab had mysteriously disappeared ) but as he hadnt sent me any piccies , I knew he hadnt caught anything of note . I arrived first and set up stall as usual, Grey's Triplex and Shimano Ultegra , baited with crab on a pulley rig size 3/0 hooks, and Penn Surfblaster matched with Shimano Biomaster XTC, baited with rag on a 3 hook flapper, size 2 hooks. The Shelter also went up as the wind was blowing up along the beach from the Southeast. The first 2 casts on both rods were fruitless for me . Last week's success now seemed like a long time ago,,,,,,,the tide was dropping this week and the water was very coloured and stirred up. Fishface arrived and set up just in time to see me land a small starry smoothound, on the big Greys Triplex, who had wolfed a large crab bait . Fishface gave me my pressie from his holliers, a little flashing Nemo toy, whose job it was to light up every time I caught a fish. This would be especially useful at night. Unfortunately for Neil, his own Nemo wasnt to see much action tonight . 2 other anglers arrived and set up to our left. Next fish up was a small Dab, nicely marked, on the flapper on rag. I put him back, rebaited and cast out the 3 hook flapper again, about 50 yds out . I had only just sat down when the rod arched over, the biggest bend of the year so far , and I raced over to grab it. It was definitely a smoothie, and it was going ballistic on the other end . I struggled to bring it in and the rod bent over again , I had to ease off the drag and it stripped line on me . The angler to my left hollered as he heard the reel screaming. "What a fight" , he shouted. I had to let the fish take line 3 times as I was afraid i'd lose him. Fishface was over to calm me down and offer advice,"Bring him in on the next wave", I heard him say, then I had the fish on the beach,,,,a beautifully spotted Starrry Smoothound. The spots were very pronounced, maybe I just didnt notice before . This fish wasnt as big as last weeks biggie, but he gave me the best fight ever, one I wont forget in a hurry. I was especially pleased as he was caught in breezy conditions, on rag on a size 2, on a dropping tide at mid distance. I had a couple more pups, small doggie sized ones, and that was it . Poor Neils little Nemo never got his chance to shine as he didnt catch any fish , but at least his batteries are still at full strength . Neil headed off at 10-30 pm as he was on his feet all day. I stayed another hour as I was on my a@se all evening courtesy of my little stool, but I didnt get anything else.

good jasus,,,i supposed nemo is part of the team now

Great pix, well done, they are a beautiful fish! And Nemo's a gem!

excellent report as always Dave and a well deserved result

forgot to put hooks on my snoods

nice one dave great when they put in that extra bit of effort for you poor fishbrownface ,he will get one soon i,m sure ,prob the night he forgets his camera

Very nice session there Dave. I wonder would Nemo be any good as bait if he was lit up and chucked out on a pulley rig.

nice great report lovley fish(no offence nemo)heading up that way nxt weekend fingers crossed to get a hound.
tightlines
fergal

well done dave nice fishing and unlucky neil but there always next time

Great report Dave & nice session Did Nemo put up a good fight

nice one dave nemo looks the part . i think we'll be heading down your way mid july when jordan finishes school for a smoothie hunt neil sent me a message so i'll have to get back to him to sort out all the arrangements well done again man.
p.s. neil, check your hook points. dave might have got a new sharpening stone and tested it out on your hooks man

Well done Dave, that is a nice hound al-right, unlucky Neil I am sure nemo will shine soon.
Great report and photos as always and had to laugh at Nemo....great present

Mick

yes you could be right al,he is a divious sort. but dont you worry my day will come, glad to hear you are coming down

good jasus,,,i supposed nemo is part of the team now

Thanks Brian, he is till his battery runs out!

yes you could be right al,he is a divious sort. but dont you worry my day will come, glad to hear you are coming down

I'm sure you havent lost your mojo,I told you to do a bit of dinky fishing on your holliers to keep from going rusty

Well done Dave, that is a nice hound al-right, unlucky Neil I am sure nemo will shine soon.
Great report and photos as always and had to laugh at Nemo....great present

Mick

Thanks Mick, he wont be long getting a fish

nice one dave nemo looks the part . i think we'll be heading down your way mid july when jordan finishes school for a smoothie hunt neil sent me a message so i'll have to get back to him to sort out all the arrangements well done again man.
p.s. neil, check your hook points. dave might have got a new sharpening stone and tested it out on your hooks man

Looking forward to seeing yis Al, ,I wouldnt stoop so low as to sabotage his rigs, sure I even gave him some of my worms

Great report Dave & nice session Did Nemo put up a good fight

Cheers Brian, i'll have to add Nemo to my species list

well done dave nice fishing and unlucky neil but there always next time

Thanks Tightlines

:D nice great report lovley fish(no offence nemo)heading up that way nxt weekend fingers crossed to get a hound.
tightlines
fergal

Hope you get your Smoothie Fergal, tides will be better anyways, drop into Courtown Angling centre and the lads will put you on them

Very nice session there Dave. I wonder would Nemo be any good as bait if he was lit up and chucked out on a pulley rig.

I've tried that with little success Tom, with the glowing tip thingymajigs whatyoumacallits

nice one dave great when they put in that extra bit of effort for you poor fishbrownface ,he will get one soon i,m sure ,prob the night he forgets his camera

If that Smoothie was a waiter he would have gotten a big tip Roger, the effort he went to, above and beyond and all that . I got him a few mins after Fishface was slagging me for taking a pic of a humble Dab

forgot to put hooks on my snoods

excellent report as always Dave and a well deserved result

Cheers Martin, nice to get one after the trip down Makes the trip home more bearable

Great pix, well done, they are a beautiful fish! And Nemo's a gem!

Thanks Herr Baron

Another crackin session Dave, you are on a roll mate. Neil your right, your time for another big smoothie n bass are only around the corner.

thats a nice smoothie eyes, oh how id love a fight like that.