Wicklow Beach 9-6-13

People:Me and Neil

Duration:6-30pm- 12am

Tide:Good question,,,,but dropping I think

Weather:Perfect for Smoothies,,,,calm and warm

Bait:Peelers,,,and a few rag

Rigs:pulleys and 2 hook flappers

Results:Smoothounds,pups, Gurnards, flounder, Dabs and Whiting




Report:



Went out last night, Sunday, and I hit the N11 just as everybody else was heading back up to Dublin from the weekend,,,traffic was mental ,,,,,but I was going in the opposite direction to everyone else . Arrived at the mark to find one parking spot kindly left for me ,,,happy days and I gathered the gear and headed onto the beach. The zip had just burst on on my last pair of trendy Dunnes Stores Jeans ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but thankfully there was no sea breeze as I walked through the day trippers on the beach to my appointed spot. No sign of Fishface ,which was unusual,,,as he usually gets there ahead of me to have a few sneaky casts . I cast out half a peeler on a 3/0 hook on a pulley rig,,100 yds or so,,,,and cast out a 2 hook flapper in close baited with rag and also the claws/legs of the peeler. Fishface arrived and set up beside me just in time to see me reel in a small whiting on the rod in close ,,,,,,blank saved . This was followed by a pup smoothound on the distance rod, then a double of pups in close.





Fishface ,,,not used to being behind in the fishing stakes,,, was regaling me with tales of dogfish sized Smoothies he had recently caught ,,, I had to acknowledge he was telling the truth when he produced evidence on his mobile phone . He slowly caught up with me as he pulled in a few pups and then a Dab,,,,,,,,but then I had a double of pup and a Gurnard,,,,another new species for the year I think it's a Tub but am not sure ,,,,maybe someone can help me out



It had very colourful pectoral fins



Fishface wasn't impressed with me getting a new species and tried to claim a new one himself but I saw through his evil scheme



The gurnards and pups kept coming and the pups were starting to get a little bigger so we kept banging out crab baits in the hope of a biggie. I was well ahead of Fishface at this stage and as darkness approached I was feeling a little chuffed but then the inevitable happened ,,,,,,,you guessed it,,, he only went and brought in a half decent one .



I should have known it ,,,,he went very quiet while reeling it in,,, and then he couldn't hide his delight when he saw it break the surface . The look he gave me said it all,,,,,,as in "You may have caught more fish and more species than me tonight,,,,,but i've caught something which can be properly called a Smoothie,,,,,not like your pups ". Having caught this he now started to feel tired after all his weekends exertions and said he would be heading off shortly . I did my best to pretend that I was pleased for him ,,, but I was sick on the inside ,,,,,once again his superior casting distance had produced the goods He gave me his remaining peelers(thanks ) and disappeared into the darkness. I had another cast at distance which produced another pup,,,,,my twelfth of the night and I was convincing myself that It had been a good night for me after all,,,,,,12 pups,,,,2 Gurnards, a pin whiting , a Dab and a Flounder not bad at all ,,,,,,,,,,,,,But who was I kidding ,,,,,try as I might I couldn't get the image of Fishface laughing at me, Dr Evil-like,,,,, " Mwahahahaha!"



Yes,,,,,I had missed the Smoothie Bus tonight



I started thinking of home and a nice cup of tea and a toastie and started to pack up. One rod away and it was time to reel in the near rod and pack it up,,,,,,,but there was a bit of weight on the end ,,,,,maybe a doggie as there wasn't much resistance, just weight ,,,,,but then it broke the surface and I saw the fin ,,,,,a Smoothie,,,,a real one ,,,,and bigger than Fishface's . It was barely hooked when I landed it ,,,,I was steeped,,,,I mean it was skilfully beached . I got a few photos,,,,,not easy on your own when you're trying to get the fish back quickly but I managed a few snaps and put him back. He took a while to recover and it was great seeing him in the clear water illuminated by my headlight. I watched him for a while as he swam parallel to the shore ,in fact I had to point him out to sea a few times but then he got his strength back and went to the deeper water,,,his green eyes reflecting my light. Only one thing left to do now and that was send Fishface the photo and make his night Roll on the next Session

Great report!

Any Dogfish about Dave?

Any Dogfish about Dave?

Didn't see a single one all night Alby

Any Dogfish about Dave?

Didn't see a single one all night Alby

Cheers Dave – that’s unfortunate – 5 hour’s worth of Sandeels is an awful lot cheaper than 5 hours worth of crab

nice fish eyes

Great report nice fishing lads

great report dave and well done on getting the smuts, glad my crab i gave you helped what a shame ger(mitch) was not in on the action,he still has to get one bigger than a pup, dont we feel sorry for him

The gurnard is not a tub, but could be a new species!!
Never seen one like that before.
The Irish Specimen fish Committee may be able to identify it.

Good going and great report Dave. I'm still waiting on a decent size hound but there just 'round the corner now! tub gurnard have blue spots on their pec fins...

great fishing and report dave, nice smoothie, well done to you both

Nice report, good to see some half decent sized hounds starting to show.

Dave nice busy session and both of you well done on the hounds so who threw the toys out of the pram was it Neil when he arrived after finding he was behind on the fish count..... Fair play Lads well done..

Great report as usual The old last cast produced the goods!

Great fishing and a brilliant report. Well done Dave. Good things come to those who wait.

Great report lads. Some lovely fish there. What sized hook and bait took the gurnard in?

could be a streaked gurnard or something like that.. not sure though!

well done nice session there eyes, i reckon your right and its a tub gurnard, going by the blue on the edge of its fins

Cracking read, and some decent fish. Looks like a tub to me

Well done lads nice busy session