Duke, Cork Harbour, 17/05/08

Mon May 19, 2008 2:08 pm

People:Just myself.

Duration:930ish to 6.00pm

Tide:Ebb, Low, Flow....

Weather:Lovely, warm, calm, one or two little spots of rain but nothing major.

Bait:Crab, Rag, Mack, Squid

Rigs:Various

Results:Cod, Pollack, Wrasse, Dogfish, Dabs.

Report:

Following my abject failure to raise a boat buddy,(real billy no mates stuff... :oops: ) I said to hell with it and launched by myself from Ringaskiddy on a fine Saturday morning. Anchored in my usual little spot in hope of a plaice but that didnt materialise and with the time heading towards LW I headed for the Bank in order to try and break my big blonde (ray... :D ) Duck. I drifted for a little while until the tide started to creep in then set the anchor and with 2 big baits off the stern and 3 little uns underneath sat back. I had the pleasure of the company of 3/4 dolphins at one stage swimming round the boat which scared the bejaysus out of me when one snorted beside the boat first off... :D

Big blondes were not to grace me with their presence unfortunately but I did manage a fairly steady stream of dabs, biggest about 25cms or so from the little baits. With the tide ripping through, I hauled anchor and headed further out. With the anchor dropped on the rock, a few more fish showed with some Ballan Wrasse (no corkwing this time.... :wink: ) small codling, a solitary doggie and a bucketful of pollack coming to the boat. After just over an hour or so of this, I hauled anchor and decided to take a look outside the harbour.

Heading east in beautiful calm seas, I took the notion to hit a cod mark given to me in confidence the previous year which I had yet to get on. It was a few miles away but conditions were lovely so off I headed. On arriving, with the first couple of drifts producing nothing and after being told it was a very localised little spot, I plonked myself directly on it and threw down the anchor again. 5- 10 minutes passed without incident before both rods took an unmerciful lurch..... A period of manic winding had 2 nice cod coming over the side of the boat. Another 3 followed fairly quickly, not big fish with the largest running at 5-6lbs but a beautiful bright red colour all over. Dolphins reappeared at one stage also.... With an angsty missus ringing I hauled anchor and headed back stopping only for a brief chat with Donal Domeney who I found clinging to a remote rock mark in East Cork doing a bit of wrasse bashing :D .

A lovely day to be afloat, had great plans to try all sorts of different things but never got round to it. Not manic fishing by any manner or means but nice and enjoyable all the same, any day on the water is a good day.

Mon May 19, 2008 2:54 pm

Great fishing Pete.

Mon May 19, 2008 3:18 pm

Sounds like a cracking day out all the same Pete. Wouldn't mind a bit of that at the moment. These Easterlies are driving me mad. Going Trout chasing for the next week or so and then I'll be back at the boat fishing big time.

Kev