People:
Myself, JD, JW, Donal Domeney, Paul O'Callaghan, Mr. Green, Yappo
Duration:
9.00 to 5.00 PM
Tide:
Rising
Weather:
Breezy in parts with the odd shower, nothing too severe though.
Bait:
Fresh Macks, Rag, Crab....the usual.
Rigs:
Numerous.
Results:
Pollack (lots), Hefty whiting (lots), mackerel, herring, haddock, Ballan Wrasse, Cuckoo Wrasse, Pout, Poor cod, Coalies, Red Gurnard. (156 counters in total)
Report:
The 5am alarm sounded all too early following a late night shore session the night before. Thankfully, all the gear had been sorted, the rigs had been tied and the jeep had been loaded the night before so after the wakening properties of hot water via the shower head and the kettle I set off to pick up Donal around 6am. We left Cork at 6.10 and exactly 2 hours later pulled into Kilkee to stock up on supplies for the day. Conditions had settled down from the previous day and it looked like we were going to be in for a decent days fishing with the offshore reefs being available.
We joined up with the rest of the crew, most of whom had the good sense the night before to stay over, and we loaded up the boat, a fine well kept, immaculately clean vessel, with an almighty amount of gear. First stop was as ever going to be for mackerel which had been showing quite well recently. Off we steamed, out towards Loop head. After one or two fairly fruitless drops we eventually found the mackerel and loaded a few into the box for the days bait. Somewhat frustratingly, this being prior to competion commencement, I managed a coalie, a poor cod, a pollack, a ballan and a small cuckoo wrasse....all on unbaited shrimp rigs.... :x it did however hold promise of a decent days fishing.
It would seem, following on from that that I had peaked somewhat too soon :D (yeah, I know, you can get cream for that....) As on the first drift, with fish coming in all around the boat, my baited scratching traces were being somewhat ignored....! I had a horror of a day on the SAI MA comp aboard Deva from Kilbaha on our previous visit last year, where my gilling tactics were trounced by straightforward baited hokkais and similar. Was this going to be another of those days....
We had been fishing in tight to Loop head in conditions what were best described as "washing machine like". Enough was enough of that and with most having registered at least one or two counters we steamed off to the reefs off shore. Fishing in 80m or so, with the sea being very clear, I opted for gilling tactics once again. This is Pollack country so it was the obvious choice. Using some unusual jellies fished on a trace of 40lb fluoro I fished 3 lures. Pollack were beginning to come in around the boat when I finally got connected for the first time. I know a few people dont advocate using braid for gilling and I have seen writers in the angling vouch for that, I have to say, I disagree. Once connected with fish number one, the tactic was to let it run. Feeling every movement even at that depth meant it was possible to feel a second and then a 3rd fish hit the trace. With the rod bent double I began the long haul back to the surface with a treble of fine pollack containing 2 over the magical 50cm to open my account for the day.
The scene was set and the fishing was good as around the boat, plenty of fish were making their way over the gunnels. The multi hook up tactics were working a treat and despite aching muscles the score cards were ticking over nicely. We had a couple of hours at this, with an odd exception to the pollack making an appearance with JD, substituting pollack bashing for scratching, building up a few species to hit the lead. Not wanting to slaughter too many pollack unnecessarily we opted to move to a nearby sand bank. On the way over, I did a quick tot on the cards and it was damn close between myself and JD at the top, I think JD had the lead by 5 points or so at that stage.....
The first exploratory drift on this mark was poor, with a couple of whiting falling to others to frustrate the rest of us. The second drift however was anything but.... First drop down with a 2 hook pat fishing above a long lwing trace equipped with a sonar spoon had barely hit the bottom when the rod began to hop. A long long haul back up resulted in a tangle with Pat on the far side of the boat. My 20lb braid didnt stand a chance with the pressure it was under as it grazed the hull of the boat and parted leaving Pat to pull in 3 large whiting, all attached to my hooks and all, sickeningly not counting due to the break in my mainline. These things happen, at the time it was a sickener but with time being of the essence, I left the skipper to sort out the tangle, clipped on a HIRO 3 hook flapper baited with mack strips and dropped it back down.
Treble after Treble of whiting followed with myself and Donal really slugging it out beside each other with the multi hook up tactics, once again working a treat. It was damned hard work however winching trebles of whiting, all good sized fish up to 2lbs or more from those depths and it was beginning to take its toll with aching arms all round. With speed tactics and all the effort, I had to reach for the chocolate for a sugar kick at one stage as I was beginning to feel the pace. An instant sugar buzz worked a treat and kept the fish coming. Occasional haddock began to show amidst all the whiting too and they were a welcome sight.
After some time at this, the last half hour or so was spent back at Loop Head again. Things were very close between quite a few of the lads with JD, JW and Donal all within a couple of points of each other. Fishing in tight to the Loop was odd, Donal couldnt buy a fish there, I had a couple of wrasse and coalies to keep the card ticking over and JohnD and JW were latching into bits and pieces also. The last 5 minutes came and went with Dave Green who had been a little under the weather on occasion mounting a last ditch charge with a few coalies and wrasse.
So time was called and the cards were counted. Despite a slow start, I had managed to pull away and finished 1st on 295 points, 6 species and 33 counting fish. John Diamond atoned for his nightmare at Kilmore with a fine effort for 2nd place with 244 points and 25 fish. 6 species on the day stood him well. Tied then on 3rd place were JW and Donal Domeney with 230 points and 25 fish apiece, Donal had 4 species and JW had 5. Dave Green followed in 5th spot with 200 points 5 species and 22 fish. Paul O'Callaghan, unable to fish for half the day took sixth spot with 11 fish, 2 species and 120 points. Yappo finished with 15 fish, 3 species and 106 points.
A good days fishing, however swelly conditions resulted in 4 out of 7 all doing their groundbaiting thing on occasion. You all know who ye are.... :D An enjoyable trip, I was glad to exorcise the memory of my previous disaster out here last year.
Many thanks to
http://www.Crabrock.com for another batch of prizes, a Fladen Warbird boat multiplier for myself and bags of mixed bits and bobs for second and third. Fair play lads. Well done to skipper Luke for putting us on the fish for the best part of the day and for the constant flow of welcome mugs of coffee from the wheelhouse. Your boat is a credit to you. Luke managed to create one of the most surreal moments I ever had aboard a charter when he stuck Queens Greatest Hits on and we began headbanging and hauling whiting to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody..... :lol:
Im sure JW will be along to pop up a few pics at some stage.