Wicklow 10/07/11

People:Myself, Mick and Ruairi(first time sea fishing)

Duration:19.00-00.30

Tide:all over the place

Weather:calm, overcast and warm

Bait:frozen crab, rag, sandeel and Mac

Rigs:2 and 3 hook loop rigs, pulley's for Ruairi, 3 hook flappers for Mick

Results:Tub Gurnard, Plaice, Flounder, Dabs, Doggies, Thornback Ray and pup Tope


Headed to a Wicklow Beach that produced well for me last year, Intended Targets were smoothies and Ray but we knew it would be most likely dogs and flats until it got dark.
Fishing in Daylight is usually quite slow off this Beach but we said we would go down and enjoy the weather anyway. Mick was first off the Mark with a Plaice and a gurnard Happy days, then I had a double Gurnard and Ruairi caught a Gurnard his first sea fish and was chuffed! Fishing was steady enough but not hectic by any standard, was putting on Rag and Crab baits to try to tempt a Smoothie but ended up with a small Plaice and a tub gurnard, first Plaice of the year too! Kept at it with rag and crab baits and had a double of dog. Next cast the Rod doubled over. Definately a smoothie...was some fight off of the fish and it was coming out of the water about 80 yards out and going left to right and straight towards me, I have plenty of smoothhound off of this beach but the fight from this thing was unreal, after a few minutes I had the fish in front of me and let off my drag as it was still taking line and then everything went light Smoothie gone!!! I quickly recast to try and get another one but no more smooth hound for the rest of the night which made loosing that one worse, There was a steady stream of dogs and flats coming in and as it got dark the fishing picked up. Ruairi and Mick were picking up flats in close while I fished at distance for most of the night hoping for a ray with sandeel...al that seemed interested though were dogs..I decided to change tactic and try for Smoothies again on the last few cast and put out a big crab and Rag bait..and of course I get a Ray on the smoothie bait..always the way Was only a baby but was happy to have it all the same first East coast Raymond of the year, was starting to think they were'nt there! We finished up soon after that and ruairi caught a pup Tope on last cast and was chuffed at catching a 'shark' was about 30cm long Mick wasn't too happy as Ruairi out fished him on his first fishing session..He was already talking about the next session, at least i have someone else to chip in for petrol now
Nice session with plenty of fish!




Report:

Nice one Al,

Sounds like a decent night. Pity about the lost fish, next time!

Kev

Nice one Al,

Sounds like a decent night. Pity about the lost fish, next time!

Kev

Cheers Kev,
The hound fishing off of here last year was unreal, but it doesn't seem to be of the same stndard this year unfortunately..ah well next time is right

Nice session Al - unlucky on the one that got away !

Nice session Al - unlucky on the one that got away !

Cheers Stevo!

Hard luck on the one that got away Al, I know that feeling and its not nice . I'd have been delighted with the little thornie . Well done all

Hard luck on the one that got away Al, I know that feeling and its not nice . I'd have been delighted with the little thornie . Well done all

Yeah was chuffed, even if it did look like a deformed Dab

I was out sat nite and fished at distance with just crab and i managed a couple of dogs and a few pups, was lucky enough tho to get one real hound about 7lb-8lb. which was a mighty blessing as the guys with me wer just getting dog after dog.

ive been chasing them for the past 7-8 weeks without getting one of the beach untill sat nite, and there was only one other caught by paul skelly of the site who was about 150 yeards up the beach from us.

I was out sat nite and fished at distance with just crab and i managed a couple of dogs and a few pups, was lucky enough tho to get one real hound about 7lb-8lb. which was a mighty blessing as the guys with me wer just getting dog after dog.

ive been chasing them for the past 7-8 weeks without getting one of the beach untill sat nite, and there was only one other caught by paul skelly of the site who was about 150 yeards up the beach from us.

Happy days, fair play on the hound, the dogs can be a pain getting to the bait before anything else, but I won't curse them especially after fishing last winter

yea i cant really curse the dogs either, they have been a great nite saver for me on the beaches and in bray harbour during the winter months.

yeah getting the hound was something ive been dying to get of the beach these last few months, especially after gettin a fair few decent ones the other week off a boat.

hopefully this weather stays up this week and the hounds come in for the weekend

Nice mix of fish Al and fair play to Ruairi for getting a few fish in. You know with no pics up Roger i going to run the riot act at you

Nice mix of fish Al and fair play to Ruairi for getting a few fish in. You know with no pics up Roger i going to run the riot act at you

Yeah i've given up promising to put up photo's coz I'm very lazy, I have a few from about 3 weeks ago still to put up

WE KNOW
I do however beleive you got a few fish no matter what all the other lads are saying about you remarks like" al has a great imagination" just arnt fair

well done al nice mixed bag great fishing

there will allways be a next time.believe it.