Dodger - Dun Laoighaire 08/08/09

People:Dennis, Dimitry & me

Duration:9 - 5

Tide:Up to top & back down again

Weather:warm southerly breeze

Bait:mackeral

Rigs:running legers

Results:Tope, Mackeral, whiting & Tub Gurnard

Report:
Met up with Dennis & Dimitry early this morning in Dun Laoghaire to hopefully sample some of the good tope fishing they’ve been having, unlike most of the sessions I’ve been having lately, this one was brilliant !!

10 minutes out of the harbour we had found enough mackeral to do us for the day, steamed off to the “hotspot” and a suprisingly comfortable ride later we lobbed over a mackeral bait, we didn’t have to wait long until the fist run, about 2 minutes later the one and only rod out screemed off and we had already decided Dimitry would have the first fish, and what a battle insued!! Dimitry finally got her to the boat after some unreal runs and we brought on a fish weighing 35lb. He then promptly got seasick over the side (a trend which continued for the next couple of hours). This had the three of us in stitches, and we were worse a minute later when the tope latched on to my leg!! “He’s got me fcukin leg” was the cry, but rather than help the two boys fell around the deck crying with laughter, as did I when i pulled my leg away, Torn salopettes with it. But the fun didn’t end there, this fish now had a taste for human flesh and as dennis went to pick her up to return her she whipped around and grabbed him by the calf!!! By this stage there was tears of laughter all round, and you gussed it, another pair of torn salopettes, and i was contemplating shorts!!


I was next for a run and this thing took off for hollyhead at a rate of knots, i was genuinely worried i was going to get spooled but I eventually turned her and she came back to me fairly quickle, but then tried to bolt for Wales again and again and again. By the time the lads lifted her in I was absoloutley knackered!!

Dennis latched into a fish next and this felt really powerful, but we were really surprised when she was only about 30lbs!! Dimitry landed another one but by this stage the sea sickness had really taken over so we dropped him (literally like) in the shallows on Greystones beach to get the DART home!

Back out me and the brock fella went, he had a dropped run & I hit another fish, this one didn’t run fast or long like the first one but just came up 10 feet and would go back down 20, We saw her after about 10 minutes but evertime she was under the boat she’d just dive again and there was no stopping her. By the time Dennis Tailed her I was absoloutley shattered, “I don’t want another one” i may even have said! Dennis weighed her and the scales bounced between 42 & 50lbs, the biggest fish i have ever caught!

Anyway we headed back to port, laughing all the way about the craic we had & discussing options for new salopettes!! Stopped for a few mackeral for tea on the way in, and again they played ball straight away.

A fantastic day out, thanks to Dennis for bringing us out & skippering us brilliantly!

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have to say the funniest day out in a long time, it was hillarious watching alby rugby tackling the tope on the ground and trying to pick them up,,
that was one nasty bugger who went a bit nuts on the whole biting experience (bet eric wouldn kiss her) she was nuts

fair play to dimitri (cretekos) for lasting so long and taking his been dumped on the beach with such good spirit,
great craic with great lads

Nice one Lads Well done on the big one Alby

Super stuff lads some beautiful Tope there congrats on your best fish to date Alby

well done lads cant wait to get with denis again tope fishing is great

Super fishing lads fair play. Don't think I'd like to find out what a tope bite is like

forgot to mention that a tope came up to the surface after one of the dogs i was reeling in an amazing sight to see it thrashing the surface attacking it,, think it was after the mack on the hook

sounds like a great day out.
well done lads

great day all together despite me hanging over the side off the dodger.had my PB my first tope,my first tub gunard and all my insides thrown to the sea.Not very smart eating a full irish breaky and about 3 litres of liquids before I WENT OUT
NIce to meet Alby.
Many thanks to Dennis for the trip and the great skippering.

Gas report still laughing well done Dimitry on your first tope was it bigger then you?

The tope that nearly ate Alby

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smashing report lads, excellent fishing too, seems that all the groundbaiting has helped immensely

Well done lads great report and great fishing.

Nice to read reactions from people who really enjoy fishing that's what it's all about.

Yappo

Cracking report lads.... great read. Well done on some excellent Tope.

all lovely fish lads well done and great report.... looks a bit rough for you alby!!!



bru

Sounds like a great day lads great report good report i tried to go out last thursday turned right at the end of the pier got soaked and turned back seen you going out about half an hour later you were a braver man than i was. was fairly choppy

well done lads. that is a cracking session.