Bulloch harbour rental boat 23/08/11

People: Me, 3 others + an excited 3 year old

Duration: 1600-1900

Tide: 1/2 way up to full tide I think (but didnt check tide times)

Weather: Warm but cloudy

Bait: Fresh mack

Rigs: Feathers

Results: 3 Mack, one tiny Pollock and a 4lb Ling

Report:

My fishing exploits have been somewhat hampered this year due to work, too much time on the high stool and more recently setting up a new business venture, so when a friend called round mid morning to see if I had much on, one look at the sky and my immediate reaction was sod work summers finally here....time for a bit of fun.

Had a quick 12 holes on the golf course during which time a few calls were made to see who fancied a trip out on the small boats from Bulloch. 2 others and 1 over excited 3 year old were arranged so 5 in total, and only myself an angler. By 4pm we set sail from the harbour in our quest for some fresh mack and launce. Anticipation of plenty of mack (was hoping for a few for the freezer, a few for the bbq and some to use as bait later in this session), was soon to turn to dissapointment.

After a few drifts around the muglins and the back of dalkey island, we only had 3 mack on board and one tiny pollock who was naturally thrown back - thought about a spin out towards DL harbour hoping for more success on the mackerel front, but we were on a bit of a tight schedule so decided against it.

I had told the lads that on a previous trip out last year I had had some success targetting ling out from the 40 foot - what is a ling they all asked - my response was, lets hope you get to find out

One of the mackerel was duly chopped up as the 3 year old drove us to the next mark - the smile on his face was priceless

1st drift out in front of the 40 foot and one of the rods hoops over, my mate who was holding the rod though he had snagged the bottom, until he managed to retrieve a small bit of line, then gained more.

After a spirited fight a lovely 4lb ling was boated - thats dinner sorted

Now isnt it always the way, a good fish 1st drop at a new mark and the anticipation of more fish is only natural.

However after another 75 mins of drifting the same area not one more fish

All in all a pleasant way to spend a rare day off work, pity the early afternoon sun had turned to cloud by the time we got out on the water, pity the macks couldnt be got in any numbers, never known the pollock to be so thin on the ground around dalkey but a few "non anglers" more interested in another trip fishing in the future so that has to be a good thing.

at least you got out i think you have a better chance of getting hit with a bolt of lightning than catching a decent pollack around there at the moment i have never seen it as bad for them

Yeh John, very bad for the pollock, not even the usual 1/2 - 1lber's ............doesn't bode well for the next few years

Will be better prepared for the next trip out, I'll make up some flowing traces in advance of the next trip and get some bait organised so we can try some bottom fishing off killiney or brayhead.

Driving a boat at 3 there is still hope for me yet I cant believe there was no Mackerel especially out from the blue house we always get some there. At least you had a nice Ling to save the day.

Nice one on the ling Sounds like a good day all round even if the fish didn't show up as you'd hoped.