Ballyhealy Sunset to Sunrise

Date: 01/06/20203 - 02/06/2023
Time: 10:30pm - 7am
Tide: Low tide ~ 11pm , High ~5am
Weather: A bit windy but got less as the night went on. Started off with no clouds but got cloudier
Bait: Joey Mackerel
RIgs: My rigs of choice were a mix of Up and over and Pulley rigs both end tackle were 6/0 C&R MeatHooks with 8/0 Barbless Circle top hook, all on a 175lb AFW wire for biting trace and the rest 150lb mono
Targets: Tope
Results: 1 Bass, 2 smoothies, flounder and Dogs

Arriving at the beach as the tide was dropping we all had different Plans. My plan was target tope and only tope. Then the others were a mix of scratching for species or targeting tope and smooth hounds. With two of us positioned to the right of the Rock and two to the left it wasnt long before we started getting dog fish.


Once the light went one of the guys managed a smoothie of around 7lb. I unfortunately seemed to be casting over a knife edge as my line was being shreded on both reels. I moved further right by about 60 meters to try avoid this but again I was still getting my line back all nicked up and being able to be snapped incredibly easily. I packed up and moved left of the rock approx 100meters. From here I thankfully didnt get cut up anymore. The night wore on with very little fish. Donal managed to get a small flounder and then again all went slack.

At approx 3am I noticed my line move from right to left and cross the other rod. I reeled down hoping for a tope but suprised with the weight of the fish I knew it wasnt a dog but didnt know what it was, I thought possibly a small tope? As the fish came through the small surf I saw a flash of silver. After taking a full joey mackerel and perfectly hooked in the scissors with the circle hook, I quickly unhooked it , quick photo and back asap. It would have been great to measure the bass and see if it could have matched my PB but getting it back was my priority. Estimating it at 9lb I was happy enough with this.

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Fished on through the night fighting off the tiredness but resulted in no more fish. Leaving the beach at 7 and on the road after some sausages at 8am. Tough fishing but at least it wasnt for nothing

James

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wasnt the target species but thats a cracker of a bass

Great Report well done.

Any day you get a bass like that is a savage day's fishing!

Fair play James! Deadly fish mate, worth the effort

wasnt the target species but thats a cracker of a bass

Exactly, Had a bad start but finished strong

Great Report well done.

Thanks.

Fair play James! Deadly fish mate, worth the effort

Thanks Charlie. Long spin from Limerick to Cork City to collect the lads then on to Wexford but was definitely worth it in the end.

Any day you get a bass like that is a savage day's fishing!

Thanks Dave. Oh exactly always nice to see fish like this swimming around still.

Wow! fair play on the massive bass man, love to see it

A fine fish! People don't realise that bass spend more time rooting about for crabs and suchlike they are fair scavengers.
You should carry an IFI measure. There's so many species are now length-based for specimens it's well worth while.

Wow! fair play on the massive bass man, love to see it

Thanks man

A fine fish! People don't realise that bass spend more time rooting about for crabs and suchlike they are fair scavengers.
You should carry an IFI measure. There's so many species are now length-based for specimens it's well worth while.

Not only was the measure in the seat box there was also a scales there and Donal had a measure with him too but I just wanted to get it back in the water. Was more than Happy to have gotten the quick photo.

That’s a cracking Bass.Well done mate.And well done for getting it back in the water as soon as possible.A Bass that size is prime breeding material.Let’s hope she or he goes on to have loads of babies.

That’s a cracking Bass.Well done mate.And well done for getting it back in the water as soon as possible.A Bass that size is prime breeding material.Let’s hope she or he goes on to have loads of babies.

Thanks man. Id love to see some more big matures ones like this around.

That’s a cracking Bass.Well done mate.And well done for getting it back in the water as soon as possible.A Bass that size is prime breeding material.Let’s hope she or he goes on to have loads of babies.

Thanks man. Id love to see some more big matures ones like this around.

wouldnt we all

Cracker of a bass off a good mark too

Lovely Bass well done man