A trip to Kerry this week with a few goals to put to bed
Catch a January mullet and bass on a lure.
Done and dusted !!
Arrived to cloudless blue sky's and frost on the ground with not a breath of wind. The first couple of days was spent bait fishing after dark due to conditions and looking for a mullet. three sessions produced 4 bass to three pounds, ..several dabs and numerous coalfish to about a pound.
Had a couple of lure sessions with no result but did find a large shoal of mullet cruising around a quiet bay. returned late next afternoon with the mullet still present. Had a nice fish about 2 1/2lb and lost two.
Packed up with failing light, couldn't see the float. First January mullet.... couldn't believe how quickly they came to the ground bait, quicker than would have been expected in summer.
Next morning the winds well up and fearful that it would be too much headed out to a favoured mark found the surf high but not unmanageable. Put on a weedless sand eel slug fishing over rough shallow ground with large breakers. After a couple a couple of casts felt a knock which didn't feel like a snag, cast again, fish on. Twenty or so seconds, couple of runs and head shakes and nothing, *******s. Three casts later, got it. Ended up with three bass 5 1/2lb, 6 and 8lb stonker. Great result.
Returned the next day but was washed off, too dangerous, a half soaking was warning enough ! Started off to another mark but a change of mind, a cunning new plan, worked perfectly. Fished the far corner of a storm beach which was partially sheltered by a small cliff which reduced the swell but looked good. A few casts and it became apparent that this little corner had all the weed from the whole beach filtered into it. I managed to climb along the rocks under the cliff for about 50 yards and get beyond the weed. Casting into the bay behind the weed brought almost instant success. Five bass,again on the sandeel slug, 3lb to 6 1/4 lb
Great start to the year and still a day to go !!