Louth Coast, Thursday 10th January 2013

People: Me and Orion.

Duration:4.5 hours

Tide:3.5 hrs up, 1 down

Weather:Dead calm, both sea and air, clear starry night.

Bait:Fresh lug and a couple of small white rag, frozen mackerel, squid.

Rigs: 2 and 3 hook flappers.

Results: 3 small codling.




Report:
I managed to dig enough lug for a session as the light was fading and set up just before half tide. This mark usually fishes over high water (if it fishes at all) so there are normally a few hours to kill between digging lug and fishing, I settled down in the car to read Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler on my Kindle Fire (Happy Christmas to me!). I would recommend it to anybody with an interest in fishing, (especially as it is a free download). Eventually got set up and cast out, 1 rod at distance and 1 close in. Nothing for just over 2 hours, not even a chewed bait, so I returned to the car for a coffee and catch up with the news on the radio. 15 mins later I returned and reeled in the distance rod to find a 28cm codling on the end. I was disappointed to have missed the bite, even a codling of this size gives a decent bite compared to the small flounder, rockling and small coalfish which "frequent" this mark. You would think the news bulletin might have told me! However, buoyed up with renewed enthusiasm, out went a fresh pair of lug. One hour later the next fish was another smaller codling at 16cm which took a small white ragworm close in. Almost another hour passed before the 3rd and final fish, another small codling at 17cm took a lugworm at distance. Only one other bite occurred at lug tipped with a small piece of mackerel but it came to nothing. On reeling in , both lugworm were completely gone but the pieces of mackerel were completely untouched, I don't think I'll bother tipping again. 3 small codling from the beach in Louth; not exactly Waterford but then again" You ain't in Kansas neither!"

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Well done on getting out JW and managing a few fish I was given the hardback copy of 'the compleat angler' for Christmas but haven't got round to reading it yet!

Good on ya ,it's good to get reports locally but as usual fish disappoint again but at least u got a few. Think I might try a codling mark myself next time

Another good fishing read is 'Blood Knots' by Luke Jennings. Now that I've gone from the fishing paradise of West Waterford to Oxford, 100 miles from the sea in any direction, I get my pleasures where I can. As the Smiths song goes, "I was looking for a job and then I found a job, and heaven knows ..."

Nice wee codling pics John, tidy wee specimens. If only their parents would have a bit of manners and come inshore more often. Its a similar story round here, sea alive with cod -theyre just rarely big enough for the pan.

Nice one John , what the biggest the get to up your way?

Nice one John , what the biggest the get to up your way?

I don't know about these days but I used to own a caravan in clogther head and have had codling to three pound off the rocks usually in late summer early autumn but that's going back maybe 12 years

Nice one John , what the biggest the get to up your way?

Thanks Paul, my best from this mark is only 1lb 10oz but I've had them to around 3lb fishing from the boat just offshore over rough ground. I'm sure better fish come in closer when conditions are right. The only problem is that an onshore wind produces masses of weed making it impossible to fish. There's a picture of a nice cod from Louth on page 2 of What's your best catch of 2012 submitted by johnjosh29, general angling section.

Good on ya ,it's good to get reports locally but as usual fish disappoint again but at least u got a few. Think I might try a codling mark myself next time

I take it that's your neck of the woods then?

Nice wee codling pics John, tidy wee specimens. If only their parents would have a bit of manners and come inshore more often. Its a similar story round here, sea alive with cod -theyre just rarely big enough for the pan.

"We're gonna need a smaller pan....."

Thanks for all the other replies lads.

Good on ya ,it's good to get reports locally but as usual fish disappoint again but at least u got a few. Think I might try a codling mark myself next time

I take it that's your neck of the woods then?

Afraid so jw ,must be yours too other wise I can't see why you'd keep coming back

Nice one John, heading to a Louth mark this Wednesday but its gonna be an afternoon session just to get out again, nice to see a few codling about some marks as i know a lad who caught mackeral in clogerhead area just before Christmas when trying for some coalies & Codling. Weird or what..

you will never catch anything if you dont get out unfortunatly its small stuff all over the east coast on most marks till you get to waterford/youghal and just driving that far wont guarantee you a 5 lb cod ,fishing local can sometimes pay off and its alot cheaper ,am going to try a few different spots over the next week just for pigiron!! you know the ones you always wonder about but end up on one of your old reliable spots i might loose some traces and weights but i think its cheaper than driving 100 miles round trip for sweet f a .
keep at the local stuff mr. west its got to pay off sooner or later