Garretstown, Co Cork, 26-01-2007

People: me and John

Duration: 2.5 hours (20.30 - 11.00)

Tide: around HW

Weather: Calm, clear and cold

Bait: Lug

Rigs: 1/0 2 hook flapper

Results: few whiting

Catch and Release:: Yes



Report: Should have gone after cod, but we thought we'd try Garretstown and see what was about. Very calm and cold and no weed unlike last time we tried down there. Annoyed by little whiting stripping the bait - we landed a few best maybe 1lb. John had a suspected bass bite early on, line went slack and then thumped down and he had a fight for a few seconds before the line went slack. Maybe wishful thinking, but gave us hope for the rest of the evening. The big bite did enough to convince me to give it another go soon, but I might try a more recognised winter fishing spot first. Trip to Kerry soon, so I'll go check out the reports from there.

A pound whiting off the beach is not to be sniffed at. I fished Garretstown last week and had 24/25 fish off it. Mostly Coalies but with a small strap conger of all things and a flounder too. I was fishing a dropping tide too so wasnt a bad nights fishing. No bass as yet though.

I'd be more than happy with 1lb whiting of a beach, did you get them well out or were they running in tight?

Hi Petes,

The whiting weren't too far out, I was doing easy enough casts, was a bit quieter on any longer casts I was doing. John was probably casting in a bit closer as he was using a lighter rod, and he was getting more bites, but then they are more noticeable on his rod. Caught so many whiting (and doggies) over the past few winters, that I get a bit blasé about them and forget that it was a good size off the beach. Bit of a species man and I like to catch something different now and then :( Seen so many whiting that it'd have to be something really big to illicit any reaction from me these days.
My best shore whiting was 1.75lb off Ballycotton pier. Caused great excitement with other people fishing there telling me must be a specimen as it was a good bit bigger than anything else being caught that night, until I took it home and weighed and checked the specimen weight. :(

Sounds like PeteKD had a good evening, read your report after I filed mine. Good variety and kept busy anyway by the sound of it. Great when you get something unexpected. Always read your reports as they are usually close by where I'd be fishing and fairly informative. Love to know where Pete's rock mark for the bass was, I'd never think about plugging at this time of year, but I may be inspired after hearing how he got on.

Love to know where Pete's rock mark for the bass was, I'd never think about plugging at this time of year, but I may be inspired after hearing how he got on.

Very similar ground to the right hand side of Garretstown beaches.....have to be worth a try too.

I was fishing beside rocks on Garretstown under wall. Never had so much luck from right hand side off the stones, except for one day when theu guys with me were catching loads of ray (well four each) and I was catching nothing. People on left of beach were catching bass. Been off Garrylucas as well on r.h.s of rocks, but again not much luck there so far (blown off it a couple of times as seems to be the thing down there in winter), but been sticking to what has worked rather than exploring there.

Where do you mean when you say Garrylucas BTW? Are there seperate names for the 2 beaches?

If you take a nosey at LW around the rocks to the RHS of the smaller strand and follow them round there are loads of deep little gullys that absolutely must have bass nosing through them when feeding. I met some fellas there last year who were picking them up on float fished crab and lug tossed literally 10 yards out.

Yep, Garrylucas is the east beach and Garretstown is the west beach. (see the attached photos that I ripped off from the blueflag beaches site)I've seen people getting them there off the rocks as well in between the two beaches. Never tried it. Always done ok on lhs of Garretstown, but usually fished it in summer/autumn in dark after the surfers have gone. Only this year I've tried in winter. Trying to broaden my winter fishing locations - used to be Ballycotton/Myrtleville/Fountainstown/Cobh.

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Thanks for clearing that up. Its Garrylucas so that I have done most of my fishing on. I had cod off this beach last year along with the usual suspects. Its a great old beach for scratching on when the bass arent running. We will be fishing an SAI comp here in September.

You'll also notice from the photos that Garretstown is very popular with surfers. Garylucas less so. That's another reason to fish Garylucas instead I guess. Dunno what time the September comp is.. I've seen surfers out in near pitch black conditions, so unless it's a night comp we'll doubtless have company at that time of year.

We will be fishing Garrylucas Paul so it wont be a problem.

Yeah surfers like Garretstown for sure. I was going down at dusk and standing around looking menacing with my rods over the summer. Usually everyone was out as it started getting dark, but one evening there was one surfer stayed out long time after dark and surfed right in front of where I was standing. Wouldn't mind, but he'd come right across the beach to do that and I was in close to the rocks and the waves were good all along the beach. Anyway, had to wait an hour until he got out of the water as I couldn't see where he was most of the time and you know if you cast its 99% certain to hit him!
Even worse down in Kerry, we were on Fermoyle beach in Brandon Bay where there is miles of beach and some surfers came down and started surfing in front of us and the rest of the beach was deserted. Crazy! We got them to move on anyway. I know I wouldn't fish if someone was there first whatever they were doing (might not seem like that from the first part of the post :oops: but I didn't fish until he'd moved on, although technically I was at that bit first :) ). Also I wouldn't do anything else if someone was fishing there. Bit of common courtesy.

Is it Garrylucas or White strand or both :? :?: :?: was reading up on the area once and it was called White strand i think...i could be wrong :oops:
Both anglers and surfers are unlucky that both need the same surf for there chosen sport :( . Just for the record i surf and body board in the summer months but steer clear of guys fishing(prefer the fishing myself :D ).

Sorry, wasn't being down on surfers - just the annoying ones :wink: Its there for everyone, first come first served. I'd use it for snorkelling/diving/kayaking as well (two first ones are good for finding out where the fish are, or what it looks like from a fish point of view).

As for White strand, don't know - I thought that was another name for white bay in Cork harbour. But what would I know - I'm just a blow in from Scotland. Maybe one of the local lads could clear it up. Otherwise I'll have to go check it out with the in-laws......

Sorry, wasn't being down on surfers - just the annoying ones :wink: .

No need for apologies :D ...
Just found an old marks book for the area(when i say old i mean early 80's :shock: :lol: )it has White strand in the east,Gorlaun rock separates the 2 beachs then Garretstown strand followed by Laherne rocks to the West....i just call the whole area Garretstown :lol: :lol: but thats another blowin talking for ye (definition of blowin "anyone not from the Republic of Cork" :wink: :lol: :lol:)