'A Wicklow beach' 15-10-11

People:Myself, Shane and Jack01986

Duration:20.00-01.00

Tide:rise

Weather:Rain and breezy at first and then dry and calm.

Bait:rag, lug, mack, peeler

Rigs:flappers and pulleys

Results:Me- 3 pin whiting
Shane- 1 flounder, 1 doggie, 1X5-beard rockling, 2 whiting and 1 coley
Jack- 1X5-beardy


Report: Given good recent reports decided to give 'a wicklow beach' a go before the weather broke and continue my hunt for that elusive bar of silver and maybe pick up a late season smoothy. Had the finest live peeler, rag and lug in the coolbox so hopes were high and was just looking forward to getting out there as it's been a while.
Up and fishing with Shane by 20.00. It was only his second fishing trip ever so was hoping to get him into a few fish and have a good nights sport. I needn't have worried as he kicked my ass
Not much to report really, the usual suspects turning up (well, for shane anyway). Jack joined us about 21.00 armed only with his spinning rod due to the recent theft of his beach gear and an abortive attempt to collect a rod on his way down!! He was rewarded with an unusual looking 5-beardy (almost white) which also had a strange groove on its back (pic below). Not sure if it's a deformity or if something had a chew on him. Anybody ever seen a similarly coloured rockling before? Just the three pin whiting for myself which didn't really get the heart racing Ah well, glad Shane got a few anyway and no guarantees with fishing. As Clint Eastwood once said, 'You wanna guarantee? Buy a toaster.'

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People:Myself, Shane and Jack01986

Duration:20.00-01.00

Tide:rise

Weather:Rain and breezy at first and then dry and calm.

Bait:rag, lug, mack, peeler

Rigs:flappers and pulleys

Results:Me- 3 pin whiting
Shane- 1 flounder, 1 doggie, 1X5-beard rockling, 2 whiting and 1 coley
Jack- 1X5-beardy


Report: Given good recent reports decided to give 'a wicklow beach' a go before the weather broke and continue my hunt for that elusive bar of silver and maybe pick up a late season smoothy. Had the finest live peeler, rag and lug in the coolbox so hopes were high and was just looking forward to getting out there as it's been a while.
Up and fishing with Shane by 20.00. It was only his second fishing trip ever so was hoping to get him into a few fish and have a good nights sport. I needn't have worried as he kicked my ass
Not much to report really, the usual suspects turning up (well, for shane anyway). Jack joined us about 21.00 armed only with his spinning rod due to the recent theft of his beach gear and an abortive attempt to collect a rod on his way down!! He was rewarded with an unusual looking 5-beardy (almost white) which also had a strange groove on its back (pic below). Not sure if it's a deformity or if something had a chew on him. Anybody ever seen a similarly coloured rockling before? Just the three pin whiting for myself which didn't really get the heart racing Ah well, glad Shane got a few anyway and no guarantees with fishing. As Clint Eastwood once said, 'You wanna guarantee? Buy a toaster.'

Here's a pretty light coloured one from Donegal Bay!

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Ive seen light coulored rocklings before but none with a deep gash like that? looks like the skin split on the little fella

I've seen that several times before on 5beardies.

Ive seen light coulored rocklings before but none with a deep gash like that? looks like the skin split on the little fella

I've seen that several times before on 5beardies.

I've seen that several times before on 5beardies.

would it be the way they grow? like a growth spurt or something ?

The gash in the back was a new one on me anyway, must keep an eye out for it in future. I wonder is it just 5-beardys that are prone to this happening? The photo doesn't really show how lightly coloured it was but it seems to be fairly common judging by the replies. At first we thought it was an albino! Thanks for the replies lads.

you see those pale 5 beardies a lot round that area - ive seen the groove on the back thing before aswell

hard luck on the scant results - however you could be blanking

iv saw that dent/gash before on big cod and on conger, but i havent a clue what it is, mostly on cod

Try using peeler crab as bait next time. It was doing the business last month along that stretch of coast.

I've seen that several times before on 5beardies.

would it be the way they grow? like a growth spurt or something ?

Perhaps they're peeler rockling?!

you see those pale 5 beardies a lot round that area - ive seen the groove on the back thing before aswell

hard luck on the scant results - however you could be blanking

Very true Brian, definitely better than nothing. Haven't really been putting in too many hours of late so I suppose if you don't put the time in you don't get results!

Try using peeler crab as bait next time. It was doing the business last month along that stretch of coast.

Thanks dfella. I had some fresh peeler out all night fishing in fairly close but didn't try it at distance. I saw your post last month so made sure I had some in the box but not to be this time

I've seen that several times before on 5beardies.

would it be the way they grow? like a growth spurt or something ?

Perhaps they're peeler rockling?!

Thanks dfella. I had some fresh peeler out all night fishing in fairly close but didn't try it at distance. I saw your post last month so made sure I had some in the box but not to be this time

Hounds about and you didnt lauch a crab bait at distance - shame on you

Have noticed that depression on the back of many rockling I've caught, its just where the 1st drosal fin sits and isnt raised up - fiddle with it next time you get one and you'll soon raise the fin

Nice to be out even if the fishing wasnt great.

Think I've forgotten how to cast its been that long since I graced the shoreline with my presence

hard luck with the bass and smoothies man, but at least you did'nt blank
as for the rockling their most curious feature is the first dorsal fin you noticed, which moves constantly with a strange rippleing motion. when observed up close in an aquarium you can see it in a depression in the fishes back just behind the head. the front of the dorsal fin has a spike (fin ray) just behind the rest of the fin, which is a fringe of short rays that emerges from the groove running along the fishes back. the rapid undulations of this fin, moving around 3 or 4 beats per second, create a current of water across it. it has around 12,000 nerve fibres and is densely covered with between 3 million and 6 million sensory cells, which detect chemicals in the water, giving the fish a keen sense of taste. there are also other taste buds on other fins and on the barbules, which feel the fish's surroundings. these senses help the fish to identify and locate it's food, which, when the fish is close enough, is sucked into it's mouth with lightning speed. adults eat crabs, small crustaceans, molluscs, small fish, algae, seaweeds and occasionally polychaete worms. they spawn offshore from winter to summer, depending on species and location. (in ireland the 5 bearded rockling breeds from feb-may). the eggs are buoyant and float in the surface waters (pelagic). once hatched the tiny larvae stay near the surface for several months, often in dense shoals known as 'mackerel midge' because they are a favourite meal for this fish. a large proportion of them at this stage are eaten by other fish, but the ones that survive will head for the sea bed when they have reached 4-6cm in size, where they begin to colour and take up a benthic life.
always good to pass on a bit of fish related info man

Hounds about and you didnt lauch a crab bait at distance - shame on you

Eh let's just pretend I was targeting bass, sure I can only hit about 80 yards anyway!!

Have noticed that depression on the back of many rockling I've caught, its just where the 1st drosal fin sits and isnt raised up - fiddle with it next time you get one and you'll soon raise the fin

Nice to be out even if the fishing wasnt great.

Think I've forgotten how to cast its been that long since I graced the shoreline with my presence [/quote]

Surely not Mark!! You'll get your mojo back for the winter

hard luck with the Bass and smoothies man, but at least you did'nt blank
as for the rockling their most curious feature is the first dorsal fin you noticed, which moves constantly with a strange rippleing motion. when observed up close in an aquarium you can see it in a depression in the fishes back just behind the head. the front of the dorsal fin has a spike (fin ray) just behind the rest of the fin, which is a fringe of short rays that emerges from the groove running along the fishes back. the rapid undulations of this fin, moving around 3 or 4 beats per second, create a current of water across it. it has around 12,000 nerve fibres and is densely covered with between 3 million and 6 million sensory cells, which detect chemicals in the water, giving the fish a keen sense of taste. there are also other taste buds on other fins and on the barbules, which feel the fish's surroundings. these senses help the fish to identify and locate it's food, which, when the fish is close enough, is sucked into it's mouth with lightning speed. adults eat crabs, small crustaceans, molluscs, small fish, algae, seaweeds and occasionally polychaete worms. they spawn offshore from winter to summer, depending on species and location. (in ireland the 5 bearded rockling breeds from feb-may). the eggs are buoyant and float in the surface waters (pelagic). once hatched the tiny larvae stay near the surface for several months, often in dense shoals known as 'mackerel midge' because they are a favourite meal for this fish. a large proportion of them at this stage are eaten by other fish, but the ones that survive will head for the sea bed when they have reached 4-6cm in size, where they begin to colour and take up a benthic life.
always good to pass on a bit of fish related info man

Thanks man Some interesting facts there. I'll be looking more closely at the rockling I catch from now on!