The Wall-Monkstown 12/02/06

People:Myself, Phanover and a few other members of Monkstown SAC

Duration:10:15 to 3.00

Tide:LW 11:45

Weather: Dry, Dull, little breeze

Bait:Lug, squid, mack,mussel,peeler

Rigs:2 hook paternoster, 2hook bombers, pulley pennells

Results:cod cod cod cod cod cod and more cod!


Report:

Tagged along with phanover and a few of the lads from Monkstown SAC who were fishing a competition today. In the interests of science, and this is probably gonna provoke fierce debate, I fished with all frozen baits, mack, lug, squid and mussels. Paul who fished beside me used the best of fresh dug lug and peeler. We both used similar rigs in the same areas, know what, frozen blackies tipped off with a thumbnail sized bit of mack or squid outfished the fresh stuff by 4 to 1 at least. In particular for the first couple of hours of the session when the going was fairly tough, there was a constant stream of fish to the frozen stuff. Finished up with just under 40 codling all together, of which 23/24 would have made minimum size (30cm) had I been fishing the comp. Nothing of any great size, biggest was a pound and a half or so. Fished with my latest purchase, a Grauvell Tektron 4200 with smallish baits on size 1s or 1/0 hooks, mightily pleased with it, in particular in bite detection and awesome effortless casting. A fun day out all the same, its been a while since I fished the wall as didnt like pulling in loads of small stuff that majority of the time died on release. I found using the smaller hooks (kamasan aberdeen b940s) and hitting the bites as they happened resulted in the majority of the fish being liphooked and a much higher successful release rate. Not spectacular but there are few shore marks in the country that in 4 1/2 hours or so would have thrown up over 20 fish to 1 angler on 1 rod over 30cms long. I left with an hour in the comp left to run as tide rip was making life extremely uncomfortable.

Why oh Why isnt this place on the list for SAI shore comps???????

Pete,
I think you make that cod stuff up just to wind me up! Sounded like a nice days fishing.

Pete

:lol: Na mate, its all true...... Had to leave when I did as I was knackered hauling in all them fish....... :lol: Cork might have the cod but sure Donegal has erm....er....um....ahem, lovely scenery!

Not to worry, look at the fantastic Bass fishing you have ahead of you in a couple of months.............. :lol:

Pete

Pity poor Phanover out trying to win a comp. Bad enough having to compete with trawlers and netters now he has to compete with his angling buddy who's out only for the fun of it.

All in the interests of science :lol:

At this rate Im gonna take an awful lot of convincing to ever go digging for lug again!

Phanover had a lot to put up with, listening to all the chortles and chuckles going on would be enough to put any man off. Fair play to ya Paul for sticking it out to the finish, bloody long match that. What was the winning total in the match by the way?

Pete,

I haven't got the results of the comp yet.. It wasn't in "De Paper" this morning. If someone has the result, perhaps they'd be good enough to post it up here?

As regards the "fresh vs frozen" debate, there may well be some substance in your claim. However I don't think it can be seen as definative. I think experience (or lack of) was the single biggest factor here.

To illustrate my point, in the previous competition at the wall last month, I fished alongside two other club members each with many years of sea angling experience between them. We were each spaced about 10 meters apart and we all used the same bait (peelers). Those lads outfished me 2 to 1 and 3 to 1 respectively. So in this case bait certainly wasn't the main factor. I've been fishing a little over six months now and competed in a total of 3 competitions. The key thing I've learned is that even a very small change in tactics can have a very big effect in catch rate. Subtle and often subsconcious choices such as rig type, hook size, bait presentation combinded with casting ability and of course local knowledge will all combine to give one angler a very significant edge over another. To complete my point, over the last 3 comps I've increased my haul each time by just talking to and watching what other anglers were doing. My advice to anyone seeking to improve their catch rate is to join a club. You'll learn more in one competition than in a dozen social outings.

Anyway all this aside, there is something uniquely satisfying about catching fish using bait you dug or gathered yourself. If at all possible I'll continue to use fresh and I look forward to reopening this "can of worms" (sorry couldn't resist) on our next outing.. :)

Paul

Will look forward to it, :D I would suggest baiting up a bomber rig which fishes 2 baits at the same depth baiting one with fresh and one with frozen and seeing what happens. Most codling caught in singles at the weekend hit the bottom hook on a 2 hook paternoster rig so that wouldnt necessarily be fair comparison. Could also try the same experiment "to bling or not to bling also". Loads of excuses to go fishing!

Fair point on the casting end of it though as there seemed to be a bit of a hotspot just that bit further out. What were the other lads using bait wise Paul?

I think its sheer fear of hard work that puts me off digging, only exceptions being for live rag which I will put myself through the pain for as I have been creamed at every comp I've been at by lads using it. Does anyone know where it can be bought in Cork?

dan in the half way sells it but i think only in the summer when the boat competition lads are looking for it. thats what he told me. think its about may he gets it in.

Cheers Lumpy, thats it, no more digging, ever.......

Well at least until further research proves otherwise! :D

no hastle but its only king rag he sells. not a patch on the white rag we get down my way.