2015 Return of the angler Episode 1

People: Flying Solo
Duration: 17:00 – 21:30

Tide: High water 16:20

Weather: OK

Bait: week old lug and crab refrozen sand eel and mackerel

Rigs: bally/c specials

Results: 12+ whiting, 10 cod and a painted ray

Report: Plan A was scuppered due to weed so ended my daylight session. Plan B was now in operation but as this was a night time venue I drove slow and counted cattle in the fields to pass the time away.
Arrived at the venue about 17:00, with a bit of daylight still around I said what the heck no sense at looking at the water put a bait in and see what happens. Two rods out, 3 hook clip downs, and an hour later not a bit worth getting off my arse for. Proves what I’ve always said this venue should only be fished in darkness.
Headed (drove) further down the beach to a well proven spot for plan B1. Two rods in the water and hour in and nothing to show the BLANK was on the cards. Well feck if I’m going to blank on the first session of 2015. I was here for the long haul. While I was still talking to myself the first decent nod on the rod gave a shout of SAVED time for the pub. While I was reeling my first fish, a small whiting, the second rod started to give a nod or two. The bait looked good enough on the whiting rod so out it went again. The second rod had a small cod on. From then on it was a mad house a few single and double whiting to start before the big boys moved in.
First in was a good hard hitting fish which I first thought was a bass as it run the surf going away to my right, a plump 52cm cod that hit the scales at 4.4lb.,

COD 4.4lb.jpg

a cod of 50cm

COD 50CM.jpg

followed by 2 single cod on each rod

20 PAST 8.jpg

.
Next was a good hard fighting ray of 8.2lb with a small whiting hanging on to a second hook. The beads of sweat were starting to show. I don’t care what people say about braid there is nothing better than to feel a good fish hitting and turning while you reel it in. Those two big fish stopped me reeling a few time as the fought all the way in.

8lb RAY WITH WHITING.jpg

If there is one thing I hate in fishing is having to follow out a dropping tide one rod is a nuisance two rods is a pain in the butt. Once the tide went off the bit of a bank it meant moving the rod stand before every cast and as the jeep is my tackle box that had to be moved too.
The fish kept coming with no let up at one stage I had 3 traces on the ground with fish on and two rods on the rod stand waiting for rigs.
A double cod/whiting followed by a single cod of 44cm.

Now while all of this was going on I was gutting and washing the cod and whiting. I defiantly would not have won any Oscars for bait presentation it was a case of whip a lug onto the bit of crab on the hook and a few crab claw on to the lug on the other hook and the sand eel looked ok.
It was time for the last cast so out they went while I took the heads off the fish. This took a few minutes and gave me a chance to get my breath back. A 61 I’m getting too old for this madness.
All done and stored away I reeled in the rods the first had a double cod on and the second a treble whiting.
Feck more fish to be cleaned.

DOUBLE COD.jpg

TRIB WHITING.jpg

The fat lady sings it’s time for a cigar.

I write this while sipping a warm Jameson and Scrumpy Jack chaser.

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Absolutely brilliant report donal very enjoyable read me thinks you are a contender for report of the month keep them coming great start to the year,61 I would never have taught you were a minute over 60 bus pass soon enough

Well done good report and a very good nite dont sound like ur getting to old to me id spend 2 days recovering from a session like that[FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

Fantastic report. Well done

Really enjoyable report great angling Donal.

Absolutely brilliant report donal very enjoyable read me thinks you are a contender for report of the month keep them coming great start to the year,61 I would never have taught you were a minute over 60 bus pass soon enough

bus pass Imagine me trying to convince the driver it's safe to drive the double-decker along the beach, the nice thing about this mark is that it's a good 500mt of a walk to it so there is no fear of a crowd Just the odd "what would catch here" and other silly questions from people out walking.

Well done good report and a very good nite dont sound like ur getting to old to me id spend 2 days recovering from a session like that[FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

Thankfully I dumped the lug, mackerel and sand eel after I cast out for the last time other wise I'd be still there.
There was plenty of fish still out there when I left.

From Blank to Blitz!

That's some whopper fishing Donal, top job.

Very nice report, enjoyed reading that...

Great report Donal,,,,and here's me thinking I did well with a 45cm East Coast codling last night Jaw dropping and inspiring all in the one report I'm looking forward to Episode 2

Jammy old git, lol, nice report my friend. I am really jealous sir, be missing my trip to cork this winter due to work, great report

Lovely report it was like I was looking over your shoulder reading it [THUMBS UP SIGN]

From Blank to Blitz!

From calm to heart attack mode

Great report Donal,,,,and here's me thinking I did well with a 45cm East Coast codling last night Jaw dropping and inspiring all in the one report I'm looking forward to Episode 2

There is nothing wrong with a 45cm east coast cod a big fish for your patch of water. Where down here you are thinking will throw back the 50cm fellow because it's a bit small.

Lovely report it was like I was looking over your shoulder reading it [THUMBS UP SIGN]

jeesuus Rodger that just gave me a shiver down the back

Great Report Dommo... Nice way to start the new year!

Great fishing what bait worked best on the cod

Great fishing what bait worked best on the cod

The rigs (size 2 hooks) started with crab on the bottom, lug tipped with crab legs in the middle and a sand eel on the top. the first lot of smaller fish came on a mix of baits. I didn't take much notice what hook they were on.
The biggest of the cod took the sand eel at about 80yds out the ray was also caught on the same bit of sand eel.

I only used 2 more crab after the first big cod was caught.
As things go a bit hectic it was just whip a lug onto the crab bait and adding a fresh lug and crab legs to the lug bait. I think the same bit of sand eel was there for most of the last two hours of fishing.

the crab and lug or the crab/lug mix would always be my choice for that mark

lovely fishing!!

Class fishing!

Episode II seems to be a long time in the making. Big expectations now Donal....

Episode II seems to be a long time in the making. Big expectations now Donal....

Haven't been out since, the weather a bit s#it but got some crab on Wednesday and lug yesterday so it won't be long now.