July So Far
Thu Jul 23, 2015 7:45 am
Have had quite a few sessions without posting now due to the usual distractions of Summer so this is a quick brain dump.
July 3rd - 13th Donegal
Poor on the whole, surprisingly so. Very patchy weather, low water temps etc. Enormous shoals of sandeel on my rock mark but not a mack in sight. Gave the rocks 3 good bashes. Turned up infrequent pollack of no size, up to 1.5 lb, a strap conger and a small ballan. Tried sand fishing for rays but turned up only scourges. Even had a try for tope. Bizarre as it may seem to many, most notable catch was a big lesser sandeel of 21cm on sabikis. A new species and number 25 for the year.
Had an even poorer beach session with 2 pin flounder to show. Efforts were concentrated on fly-fishing after that where I fared better.
On the Saturday I got a ray session in and finally some rod-bending action with 5 rays and 2 tubs.
19th July North Coast
Beach fishing in daylight was soon canned as an idea once the nightmares of unleashed dog-walkers and endless streams of repetitive and inane questions began to manifest. The echoes of "are yous fishing???" while a dog munches my baited 3HF keeps me up nights at times. Add in "what do yous catch here???" And the cold sweats start.
Anyway, plan was altered to mini-bashing followed by a HRF sesh. Initial plan was partly scuppered when I was told that I was not allowed to fish on a certain part of the harbour. Now no sign, no badge equals no bylaw and arbitrary enforcement in my book. I argued my piece but eventually moved. In I'd say any other life scenario I would not have but at the end of the day, I fish to relax, not to get tormented by unrelenting and officious jobsworths.
Moved on a bit and, although to a spot not as good, got 4 minis; common blenny, tompot blenny, poor cod and most welcome of all a goldsinney and species 26 of the year.
The rocks were again very indifferent with light (albeit too much for this mark) swell. Had a doggie on bait and a few pollack, none to savour bar a late effort of 2.5 lb which at least saved the session and put Monday's supper on the table. Again not a mack in sight. Cursed with pots from top to bottom at this mark now as well. 1 or 2 more and it's unfishable.
21st July Antrim Coast Rocks
The day the Summer started for me and I found an Antrim rock mark holding a head of proper pollack! Had been eyeing this particular peg up for a while but knew it could only be fished safely under very specific conditions. A weather and tide check Monday night gave me the green light.
2nd cast a pollack of 1.5lb. Very shortly later hooked into something clearly bigger. Oddly compared to the big pollack mark I fish in Donegal, the fish were taking at range and on the drop. I guess it's where the features are and what they're feeding on. Had plenty of depth given this and got the first couple of dives out of him early before he got to the shallower water / pots. Of course hadn't the net yet set up and had to go down and handline it up on a fairly supple rod. Result was a 67cm pollack, bang on 5.5lbs and a new PB. Stomach was empty, thick fish and could've gone 6 with a joey or 2 in his belly later in the year.
After a few measurements, weights and photos, got back to it. This time a take at the feet and ping!!! - 15lb fluoro leader and £3.50 lure gone instantly. Very hard to know what to do here I find. No drag and you're broken, drag and you're on the bottom. I'll beef up the leader next time but I find takes can drop off when I do this.
After that break, and getting back to hits further out, I decided to loosen the drag. Hooked another big fish at range and had him on a good minute but he got to the bottom once in to mid range. Too much drag!
That was the end of the session. Not actually great quantity-wise but I'll take size any day.
July 3rd - 13th Donegal
Poor on the whole, surprisingly so. Very patchy weather, low water temps etc. Enormous shoals of sandeel on my rock mark but not a mack in sight. Gave the rocks 3 good bashes. Turned up infrequent pollack of no size, up to 1.5 lb, a strap conger and a small ballan. Tried sand fishing for rays but turned up only scourges. Even had a try for tope. Bizarre as it may seem to many, most notable catch was a big lesser sandeel of 21cm on sabikis. A new species and number 25 for the year.
Had an even poorer beach session with 2 pin flounder to show. Efforts were concentrated on fly-fishing after that where I fared better.
On the Saturday I got a ray session in and finally some rod-bending action with 5 rays and 2 tubs.
19th July North Coast
Beach fishing in daylight was soon canned as an idea once the nightmares of unleashed dog-walkers and endless streams of repetitive and inane questions began to manifest. The echoes of "are yous fishing???" while a dog munches my baited 3HF keeps me up nights at times. Add in "what do yous catch here???" And the cold sweats start.
Anyway, plan was altered to mini-bashing followed by a HRF sesh. Initial plan was partly scuppered when I was told that I was not allowed to fish on a certain part of the harbour. Now no sign, no badge equals no bylaw and arbitrary enforcement in my book. I argued my piece but eventually moved. In I'd say any other life scenario I would not have but at the end of the day, I fish to relax, not to get tormented by unrelenting and officious jobsworths.
Moved on a bit and, although to a spot not as good, got 4 minis; common blenny, tompot blenny, poor cod and most welcome of all a goldsinney and species 26 of the year.
The rocks were again very indifferent with light (albeit too much for this mark) swell. Had a doggie on bait and a few pollack, none to savour bar a late effort of 2.5 lb which at least saved the session and put Monday's supper on the table. Again not a mack in sight. Cursed with pots from top to bottom at this mark now as well. 1 or 2 more and it's unfishable.
21st July Antrim Coast Rocks
The day the Summer started for me and I found an Antrim rock mark holding a head of proper pollack! Had been eyeing this particular peg up for a while but knew it could only be fished safely under very specific conditions. A weather and tide check Monday night gave me the green light.
2nd cast a pollack of 1.5lb. Very shortly later hooked into something clearly bigger. Oddly compared to the big pollack mark I fish in Donegal, the fish were taking at range and on the drop. I guess it's where the features are and what they're feeding on. Had plenty of depth given this and got the first couple of dives out of him early before he got to the shallower water / pots. Of course hadn't the net yet set up and had to go down and handline it up on a fairly supple rod. Result was a 67cm pollack, bang on 5.5lbs and a new PB. Stomach was empty, thick fish and could've gone 6 with a joey or 2 in his belly later in the year.
After a few measurements, weights and photos, got back to it. This time a take at the feet and ping!!! - 15lb fluoro leader and £3.50 lure gone instantly. Very hard to know what to do here I find. No drag and you're broken, drag and you're on the bottom. I'll beef up the leader next time but I find takes can drop off when I do this.
After that break, and getting back to hits further out, I decided to loosen the drag. Hooked another big fish at range and had him on a good minute but he got to the bottom once in to mid range. Too much drag!
That was the end of the session. Not actually great quantity-wise but I'll take size any day.
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Re: July So Far
Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:24 am
a great read well done
mickser
mickser
Re: July So Far
Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:36 am
Thats handy all-round angling, well done.
Re: July So Far
Fri Jul 24, 2015 7:29 am
Great read and a cracking pollack Guernica84 well done 
Re: July So Far
Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:30 pm
Quite a few recent posts involve people putting in a lot of effort for poor enough results, sometimes at marks with formidable histories. You can get a lot of consolation from a new pb and a couple more for the species list. Things can only get better (?).
Re: July So Far
Sun Jul 26, 2015 9:05 am
Good read congrats on PB
Re: July So Far
Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:01 pm
I have being doing alot of fishing this month Kerry,clifden,Wicklow,Wexford to name a few and my best fish was a 4lb ray to say its being hard work is a understatement but that's fishing roll on August it cant be any worse than july