People: Me and the little fella:
Time: 9.30 - 12:
Tide: Rising:
Weather: Perfect:
Rigs: Feathers:
Result: 8 mack, 1 whiting, 2 cod:
I took my 6 year old out on a boat for the first time. We used Bulloch Harbour boats. I didn't think he'd last too long and my suspicions came to pass earlier that I expected. We went out from Bulloch Harbour a short distance and I cst out for him and dropped my own. After about 3 minutes he declared 'I'm bored!'. I couldn't believe it. Thankfully I brough a book for him to read. But we moved on then and he enjoyed motoring along. We stopped again and I got a tiddler whiting and chucked him back. We moved on again then and we both caught a mack. much excitment ensued and he was all on for it from then on. I went into Dalkey sound and dropped his line and then mine.
Straight away I had a couple of mack on the line and he started to bleat that he had a fish. He had done this many times before with no fish on the line so I left him at it while I reeled in my two. Then he started to shout that it was a 'really strong fish' and couldn't reel it in. I had to help him. On a 4 hook rig with silver feathers he had 5 mack on the line. I'm still not sure how. One got away and we reeled in the other four. He was doubled over with excitement. I kept going back into the sound and drifting out. Shortly after he pulled in two cod, one was a fairly decent size. We had enough mack on board for dinner so I threw the cod back. He nearly got as much excitment seeing the cod swim away.
The seal was around for a while and at a distance I cuaght a glimpse of the dolphin's back, but he didn't re-appear. After 2 1/2 hours we went back, much to his protestation. So he's clearly hooked! It was a great morning and I was so delighted to see the excitement on his face. The chap only charged for two hours, which was good of him. We were lucky to get out as the normally don't let a child out with only one adult as if I was to fall in, he wouldn't be able to get me back in, however it was so calm he said we'd be fine. I stayed close to shore, just in case. Photos of his four mack (one on the floor) and his two cod are below. I see an early competitive streak in him as he spent the rest of the day reminding me that he caught 8 fish to my 3!: