25/26/27 July 14 west cork

People: sweetwrasse, fmd, dav and myself

Duration: many sessions

Tide: various

Weather: very good

Bait: rag, mac, sandeel

Rigs: flappers, ledgered, clip downs

Results: mediocre

Report: i have long since wised up that just because you put in a lot of effort doesnt mean that the fish will just jump onto your hooks

sweetwrasse had planned this weekend months in advance - i was happy to let the organising happen on his side and without meticulously going throught tides and weather and reports - did not have huge expectations

friday night on the beara, i arrived to find the two lads on a rock mark pulling out ledgered wrasse to a pound. the odd dog came in a distance. unfortunately for me all my gear was in the van with FMD so had to wait to wet a line.

by the time i did the wrasse had gone off the feed and sweet wrasse was losing rigs and started to pack up - still i had a scratch to itch and got the gear down eventually on the start of darkness - but also the wind died and the cloud of midges attacked. i had spray but it was no use - in the ears eyes nostrils

4 casts and i was bet - a blank to start with

next morning it was off to another rock mark, SW and dav were in place but we had a westerly right on us. no minis or wrasse obliging and i had 2 rods on the bottom looking for anything - after 4 hours another blank was clocked up and moral was very low for the lads - it was all going to happen on the beach tonight

stopped for a bit of grub and had a few bottles of stonewell - excellent on the hot day - and down to the beach - no surf so i figured no silver fellas - and so it proved

FMD had a nice turbo that broke 20cm - a few dogs were had - sweetwrasse had a strap and i had a flounder - and a pollack
at least we had a few fish - we spoke about sunday and where to go - but the two lads decided to call it a day in the morning and head back to the big smoke.

one of the canine dogs decided to eat a hook and FMD was off to the vet sunday so i was on my own - i decided to head mizen way
the place was thronged but found rocks heading onto sand - i was getting tea bag turbot every cast and one flounder
i had a double on at one stage and a bass of about 3lb was interested and followed them in but that was the only one i saw all weekend - no interest in any crab

this session was a pass and raised my spirits for the evening session. the beach was evacuated and the surf was looking good
2nd cast had a flounder to crab and thought the lights out would result in a good session - but no, the beach stripped and no bites were had - until i got a weever and wouldnt you know it the battery was gone on the phone at this stage so no pic for the species hunt!!!

2 more casts and got a tea bag turbo and called it a night

with plenty of crab still left i hit one of the esturys in wexford on the way home - and got 2.5hrs of weed for my trouble

you can see why it pays to prepare - but even still i think the fishing would have been bad out there over the weekend
i would love to know what our international anglers would have made of the situation

i imagine it would involve more of the stonewell

Yeah fairly disappointing alright.....but having sussed the place out a bit I'd go back and try it in different conditions. It's a funny old game this fishing

Sounds like u were fishing on the edge of Barley Cove which does get crammed out in summer popular surfing spot.
Next time u are in that area try Toor pier water 40ft deep good pollack, wrasse and fresh mackerel for bait if you can beat Sammy the seal

makes for pretty grim reading lads.. but good to share all the same
tough going by the sounds of it but it'll make any reward all the sweeter when it comes along next time. its very quiet off the shore up this way too if its any consolation, i/we can fully relate to your frustrations

i have caught a lot of fish in the last few weeks but had to get out on a boat to do so
some decent s.trout on the fly from the shore also and i hooked a mullet on the fly for the first time only a couple of days ago im keen to get a mullet on the fly soon and could well do so, should be interesting!
hope that gives yous some hope..

It's a funny old game this fishing

it is indeed


ps. midges - sometimes the only solution is to wrap your head and face in a scarf and stick on a pair of sunglasses!

Good luck with the mullet Charlie! There's always hope!

Cachalot - does that beach fish well or does it get fished much
maybe its better on the HW?

Cachalot - does that beach fish well or does it get fished much
maybe its better on the HW?

Much better on high water at night, the higher the tide the better. Figs the river mouth into the hole. Recommend u carry out a low water recce first. Bass and Gilt head bream, lug being the best baid obtainable from Toormore

At least you got out a tried lads. I was a little further west myself out near Caher Daniel but was out kayaking with the girlfriend, so left the fishing rods in the car. It was such a tease!!

You guys got a good variety of species there so that's got to be a plus for something.

Fair play for sharing anyway Brian.