Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Thu Jun 26, 2014 2:09 pm

People: Just myself

Duration:4.5 hours. 2 hours before high tide up to 2 hours after

Tide: 12:00. 3.78m as per http://www.tidetime.org/europe/ireland/ ... ghaire.htm

Weather: very warm 18+ degrees, light breeze, overcast for first 90 mins then very sunny.

Bait: Surface Lures & shad on jig head. looking for bass ( or anything that will take a lure really

Rigs:na

Results:
No fish were caught.

Report:

2nd time out bass fishing. From reports here, I know its better to go farther south for bass, but to my amateur eye the shore around the 40foot & at white rock look like prime bass country at high tide so i decided to give it a shot.

Whiterock: worked from the changing room up to the start of the cliffs. As i was alone i was not up for the risk of negotiating the cliffs for the sake of a fish. Worked the same piece of ground back the way spending about 60 mins total. casting into the weedy rocky shallows as advised ( and against my nature, im a trout spinning chap by training!).

Tried the shad on 5g jig head into the deeper water. not even a nibble.

40 Foot: similar deal, i worked from the 40 foot diving area up around to the stony beach and back, again using a surface lure into the weedy rocky shallows that were full at high tide. tried the shad into the deeper water aswell. no bites.

Just wore the boots that go with my chest waiders and shorts, it was super warm so was not bothered about getting a bit wet. Boots gave good ankle protection but are heavy when wet and i think i might have been more comfortable in a pair of runners. live and learn.

Where i went wrong?

I have a few ideas:

-too bright.
-dawn or dusk tide might be better.
-didn't cover enough shore.
-wrong bait color?
-there just were no bass in the vicinity!

Overall i enjoyed myself and i think i learned a lot about casting, trusting where i can put a surface lure and know it wont get tangled in weeds. have to scout the coastline and look for somewhere new within a reasonable distance of south dublin.

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:52 pm

Good detailed report Schmintan 8) Hard luck on the blank but at least you've had a look at the area now.

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:53 pm

Good detailed report Schmintan 8) Hard luck on the blank but at least you've had a look at the area now.

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:41 am

Good report. I'm not a bass angler but the easterly winds are making conditions difficult imo.

I wouldn't bother chasing bass with a persistent easterly. I'd wait for a few days of westerly or south westerly winds.

As I say I'm not a bass angler so other more knowledgeable anglers would have better advice.

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:45 pm

nice wee report Schmintan
i will be targeting bass in exactly the same way, for the first time via this method, and in a location where they are like hens-teeth too! (i.e. the north Antrim coast) in the coming weeks.
i think that your ideas for lack of success, and/or methods to improve success, are spot on. I'd most likely agree with the last one though :))
it may well take a good few sessions and mean covering a lot of water before any success, but it sure is a nice way to fish
im looking forward to giving it a go. will be interested to hear if you ever managed to few a few!
cheers

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Fri Jun 27, 2014 2:42 pm

Keep trying is the only way, it took me ages and covering a lot of ground at various tides before i eventually hit a Bass on a lure

BTW, i clicked your link for the tide times, and for wexford today, it seemed the complete opposite of what Easytide was saying.....

http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/easytide/Ea ... onLength=7

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:11 pm

Try the Killiney area on the drop from August-Nov for your best chance at a bass.

Re: Whiterock & 40 foot - 26th June

Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:10 pm

finding nemo has a point in recommending August-November.
I fished White Rock about 3-4 years ago in early October and witnessed a 4lbs Bass being
caught by a Spanish guy who used to posted report here - it fact he posted a report on that
catch on this website. I helped him weigh, photograph and return the fish. It was caught, if memory
serves me right, on a green Kilty lure about 15-20 metres out from the rocky foreshore below the
masonry retaining wall to the southeast of the swimming shelter.