Ardnahinch/Ballycotton 30/07/2012
Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:02 pm
People:Myself
Duration:6hrs
Tide:3hrs before
Weather: Was great then rain
Bait:fresh dug lugworm
Rigs:wishbone rig/ lures
Results:30 mackerel/ 2 Ballen Wrasse
Report:So decided to have a go at bait digging this morning, so headed down to Ardnahinch and started digging for some lug. Bear in mind this is my first time doing it but soon got the hang of it and there were some big juicy ones to be had. So got some bait and went got my gear for a bit of a session on the beach. Blanked completely here so headed off to Ballycotton for some mackies.
Got to ballycotton and had a few casts with the feathers with no joy. It wasnt that busy so decided to set one rod up with bait lugworm and cast it out off the breakwater wall. It had only been out about 4-5 minutes when knock knock really aggresively. Waited a second and same again......struck the rod ...fish on
. Brought it in and at first i thought by the colour it was a Pollock....until i pulled it up the wall and realised it was a Ballen Wrasse about 13" long. Well chuffed as this is another first for me 
So baited the rod up again and cast out in roughly the same area and within ten minutes got another fish on .......another Ballen Wrasse about the same size as the last but a lot darker in colour. Never realised that they could be so aggressive when taking bait ....they certainly dont mess around ....whack whack no nibbling
.
So started to get busy so didnt leave the baited rod out for much longer as i got crosslined a couple of times so back to the feathers.
The mackerel were there but they seemed to be just outside the mouth of the harbour and not on the breakwall side at all. So managed to get on the high wall and was casting over two fellas to get to the mackies . Got 30 in the bucket and decided to call it a day. Plenty for me and a buddy who smokes his own fish so will be good eating.
Duration:6hrs
Tide:3hrs before
Weather: Was great then rain
Bait:fresh dug lugworm
Rigs:wishbone rig/ lures
Results:30 mackerel/ 2 Ballen Wrasse
Report:So decided to have a go at bait digging this morning, so headed down to Ardnahinch and started digging for some lug. Bear in mind this is my first time doing it but soon got the hang of it and there were some big juicy ones to be had. So got some bait and went got my gear for a bit of a session on the beach. Blanked completely here so headed off to Ballycotton for some mackies.
Got to ballycotton and had a few casts with the feathers with no joy. It wasnt that busy so decided to set one rod up with bait lugworm and cast it out off the breakwater wall. It had only been out about 4-5 minutes when knock knock really aggresively. Waited a second and same again......struck the rod ...fish on
. Brought it in and at first i thought by the colour it was a Pollock....until i pulled it up the wall and realised it was a Ballen Wrasse about 13" long. Well chuffed as this is another first for me So baited the rod up again and cast out in roughly the same area and within ten minutes got another fish on .......another Ballen Wrasse about the same size as the last but a lot darker in colour. Never realised that they could be so aggressive when taking bait ....they certainly dont mess around ....whack whack no nibbling
.So started to get busy so didnt leave the baited rod out for much longer as i got crosslined a couple of times so back to the feathers.
The mackerel were there but they seemed to be just outside the mouth of the harbour and not on the breakwall side at all. So managed to get on the high wall and was casting over two fellas to get to the mackies . Got 30 in the bucket and decided to call it a day. Plenty for me and a buddy who smokes his own fish so will be good eating.
Re: Ardnahinch/Ballycotton 30/07/2012
Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:16 pm
nice ol fight of the ballans alright...good ol days fishing lad.nice one.plenty for plate and plenty for bait... 
Re: Ardnahinch/Ballycotton 30/07/2012
Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:30 pm
Congrats on your first Ballan wait till you get a big one some fight!!! 