Clogherhead Pier

People:Me & Mate

Duration:8pm-11.00pm

Tide:Flooding

Weather:Wet and cold, strong westerly

Bait:Rag, mack, razor

Rigs:Various

Results:Pin whiting



Report: Arrived in Clogherhead about 7.30 to check out a few places. After picking what looked like a good mark just outside the village we decided that we would go with one rod each of the pier for an hour or so as high water in the area was about 11.20 and the mark we choose the water was still a fair bit out. From the start off the pier we started getting hammered by pins. I think there was competition between the pins and the crabs for the bait. Within 2 minutes of the bait in the water you either had 1 or 2 pins or the hooks were cleaned. Just as we were getting ready to pack up for the other mark, i was reeling in my rod when it took a really good knock. Didnt hook what was on it but the only part of the whiting left was the head. With a feeling that there was something bigger knocking about, the other rods came out and pulley rigs set up. The plan was catch some more whiting and maybe even try some live baits. 2 more hours we spent on that pier and didnt catch a thing, Not even a pin. Should have went to the other mark . Although i didnt blank, the next time i choose a mark in that area there is no way i will suggest that we will chuck a few off the pier for an hour..
But, thats fishing for ye!!!

Well done!! them whitting seem to be everywhere at the moment!! had a couple chewed by their mates last night, wouldn mind it I didnt even notice a knock from a good size one (wind played havoc with the rods) and the damn thing was eaten by other whittin (you could see their teeth marks in the flesh)

What do you think it was that latched on and managed to bite him in half? all i can think of is a seal. I fish the pier a bit but all i ever get is flats, mac and the odd polock, coalies will be in shortly aswel hopefully. Id love to know what that was dough

you sure know winter is here when the whiting are at the shore.hopefully some of those nicer sized coalies might come in

I dont think it was a seal basshunter, we didnt even see any last night which is surprise for clogherhead, i dunno if a seal would be interested in something as small as a pin whiting, but i think i didnt hook because i was using size 4 hooks just to see whats about. But after the knock, new rigs and bigger hooks were set up and never got a tap. But i think with that pier and with the amount of food for the fish coming from the trawlers, there has to be some big fish in there sometimes, maybe even a silver one because there are some areas not far from that pier were they can be caught. But its anyones guess what took a swipe at it, even a seal..

True enough Flyno, Theres tope caught out in the bay aswell, might try for one off there one of the nights and see how i get on, ye never know, your right about the seals never looked at it that way.

The last few pin whitting i took in were chewed by whitting so it may have been a bigger whitting ? they have the teeth to cut though, other then that during the night I've caught eels up there on mack, so theres another possibilty, or worst case its the IMF taking thier chunk