First bass - Wexford, July '19
Sun Jul 28, 2019 11:38 pm
Hey all,
Been mucking about again with the rods over the past few weeks, tried out a new mark near me that lead to some nice results.
July 15th 2019
This was a very impromptu session just 2 weeks back, couldn't sleep one night so I walked down to the local pier with the usual frozen mackerel, sandeel and squid. Arriving 3 hours after low water I fished the flood up til high (5am) which resulted in a dogfish and a flounder. Quiet session, but worth mentioning. Another evening session a week later produced a whiting to mackerel.
July 27th 2019
This session in particular was my most productive session of the year so far in terms of total weight of fish caught. I tried out a new mark that I had known of for some while but was put off trying it due to how shallow the beach was. However, it turns out around low water there is a decent depth due to the channel at the edge of the beach (shout out to Rod Tips!). I arrived around 1 hour before low water (9pm) and fired out a sandeel to get the ball rolling before getting my hands filthy with peeler crab. A small knock 10 minutes later produced a dogfish, a reassuring sign of some sort of fish activity. A rebait with crab produced a smooth hound of around 4-5lbs, within 2 minutes of casting. Knowing the tendency of smooth hounds to travel in packs, I quickly rebaited and was rewarded with another of around the same size. This activity continued on and off for another while as the tide slacked off and started to turn. The weather was great, a light westerly breeze but nothing off putting, and a nice sunset. In the end I caught 6 smooth hounds (lost 2) and 1 dogfish. Not bad for 2 and a half hours fishing!
July 28th 2019
I knew I had to return to the aforementioned mark, and I got the green light at around 7:30pm this evening. About 2 hours before low water, I set up and started to do a small bit of digging to add to my supply of crab, and was joined by an angler on my left. We talked for a bit and started to deal with the onslaught of weed that was coming down the estuary. You know the stuff, caught in the leader knot, all over the rig, soul-crushing. Makes you want to pack up. I said I'd persevere because I haven't blanked in a while. About 45 mins later I reeled in one rod and after dealing with a rather large clump of weed on the leader knot I pulled in the rest to find a small bass hooked on, thrashing in the shallows. It was a shock to me as it was the last thing I expected with the weed etc. I was over the moon as it was my first ever bass. Taking a crab and lug cocktail he was hooked in the scissor of the mouth. Not exactly the dramatic rod-bending story you hear about bass, but a bass nonetheless! Luckily for him I still had the receipt so back he went
not that I'd keep a bass, I reckon he was under the legal limit anyway. I digress. The tide started to slacken off and as I was baiting my other rod I start to hear my reel ticking, I pick it up and hook into a smooth hound. The angler down from me had just caught one of around 6lbs, so I knew what was on the end of my line. After a short dispute I landed my first and only hound of the night, it decided to take a combo of peeler and white rag. It was getting dark at this stage and as the tide was turning I picked up a final dogfish on my last cast before packing up. I was well chuffed!
Been mucking about again with the rods over the past few weeks, tried out a new mark near me that lead to some nice results.
July 15th 2019
This was a very impromptu session just 2 weeks back, couldn't sleep one night so I walked down to the local pier with the usual frozen mackerel, sandeel and squid. Arriving 3 hours after low water I fished the flood up til high (5am) which resulted in a dogfish and a flounder. Quiet session, but worth mentioning. Another evening session a week later produced a whiting to mackerel.
July 27th 2019
This session in particular was my most productive session of the year so far in terms of total weight of fish caught. I tried out a new mark that I had known of for some while but was put off trying it due to how shallow the beach was. However, it turns out around low water there is a decent depth due to the channel at the edge of the beach (shout out to Rod Tips!). I arrived around 1 hour before low water (9pm) and fired out a sandeel to get the ball rolling before getting my hands filthy with peeler crab. A small knock 10 minutes later produced a dogfish, a reassuring sign of some sort of fish activity. A rebait with crab produced a smooth hound of around 4-5lbs, within 2 minutes of casting. Knowing the tendency of smooth hounds to travel in packs, I quickly rebaited and was rewarded with another of around the same size. This activity continued on and off for another while as the tide slacked off and started to turn. The weather was great, a light westerly breeze but nothing off putting, and a nice sunset. In the end I caught 6 smooth hounds (lost 2) and 1 dogfish. Not bad for 2 and a half hours fishing!
July 28th 2019
I knew I had to return to the aforementioned mark, and I got the green light at around 7:30pm this evening. About 2 hours before low water, I set up and started to do a small bit of digging to add to my supply of crab, and was joined by an angler on my left. We talked for a bit and started to deal with the onslaught of weed that was coming down the estuary. You know the stuff, caught in the leader knot, all over the rig, soul-crushing. Makes you want to pack up. I said I'd persevere because I haven't blanked in a while. About 45 mins later I reeled in one rod and after dealing with a rather large clump of weed on the leader knot I pulled in the rest to find a small bass hooked on, thrashing in the shallows. It was a shock to me as it was the last thing I expected with the weed etc. I was over the moon as it was my first ever bass. Taking a crab and lug cocktail he was hooked in the scissor of the mouth. Not exactly the dramatic rod-bending story you hear about bass, but a bass nonetheless! Luckily for him I still had the receipt so back he went
not that I'd keep a bass, I reckon he was under the legal limit anyway. I digress. The tide started to slacken off and as I was baiting my other rod I start to hear my reel ticking, I pick it up and hook into a smooth hound. The angler down from me had just caught one of around 6lbs, so I knew what was on the end of my line. After a short dispute I landed my first and only hound of the night, it decided to take a combo of peeler and white rag. It was getting dark at this stage and as the tide was turning I picked up a final dogfish on my last cast before packing up. I was well chuffed!You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Teegerstk on Mon Jul 29, 2019 3:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Sun Jul 28, 2019 11:43 pm
A few more!
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Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:42 pm
Great report and well done on the Bass!
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Tue Jul 30, 2019 11:09 pm
Nice fishing!
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:43 pm
Epic fishing!!! Congrats on the Bass. I'm heading down there on Friday for a few days, I'm sitting here making up some rigs to be on the ball. Very promising. Lovely report, a pleasure to read.
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Wed Jul 31, 2019 8:20 pm
Thresher56 wrote:Great report and well done on the Bass!
DarrenNiall wrote:Nice fishing!
Thanks lads
Rod Tips wrote:Epic fishing!!! Congrats on the Bass. I'm heading down there on Friday for a few days, I'm sitting here making up some rigs to be on the ball. Very promising. Lovely report, a pleasure to read.
Sound man. Had a good two days there, the tides look alright for the weekend so will probably get out towards the hook or around there for some wrasse if possible. Heard of small tope (5/6lbs) being caught from carnivan bay too.
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:13 pm
Yeah, Carnivan is on my itinerary for the weekend
. Might bump into you somewhere on thePeninsula
Tight Lines
. Might bump into you somewhere on thePeninsula
Tight Lines
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:16 pm
Brilliant stuff Teegers
Fine fishing and some lovely fish there. Enjoyed reading that
Good pics too
Fine fishing and some lovely fish there. Enjoyed reading that
Good pics too
Re: First bass - Wexford, July '19
Wed Jul 31, 2019 10:32 pm
chuckaroo wrote:Brilliant stuff Teegers
Fine fishing and some lovely fish there. Enjoyed reading that
Good pics too
Thanks chuckaroo, really enjoyed the two sessions. Cheers on the report, I draw inspiration from johnwest on his reports as they're always a class read!
Rod Tips wrote:Yeah, Carnivan is on my itinerary for the weekend
. Might bump into you somewhere on thePeninsula
Tight Lines
Quite possibly you could. I'm thinking of hitting one of the beaches on the peninsula either, I'll have to see. Got more peeler and rag so I'm going to keep my options open, I'd like to keep the species list going as I've been on a run recently.
Tight lines