Holly Jo, Union Hall, 19th Feb

People: Me , Willy, Barry, Joe, Graham and Nicky

Duration: 8.30-15.45

Tide: Rising until 16.00

Weather: Sunny, almost no wind and very mild.

Bait: razors, squid, and Mackerel

Rigs: Various

Results: Pollock, Ling, whiting, conger and haddock


[b]Report [b] After a bit of research on specimen fish committee reports Willie came up with the idea of trying for specimen haddock in Union Hall and a trip was planned for Feb.

After a bit of research Colin Barnes seemed to be the best choice of skipper . When I rang him he gave me full advice on the best tide to choose. Having spent a day fishing with him we would all agree that he is a superb skipper who knows his grounds like the back of his hands. He set sail at 8.30 and would have stayed out later than 17.45 except that we had to get back to drive to Dublin that night. In fact we reached port at 19.00.

Union Willie.jpg

First venue was a wreck 32miles offshore. Colin reckoned it would be stuffed with fish, in particular big ling. He had only dropped anchor ( at 11am) a few minutes when Willie got a gut wrenching pull on a jelly lure and after a great fight landed a monster pollock. It was like a stuffed pig and was bursting at the seams. Estimates of its weight varied from 15-17 lb. Pulling a fish this size and strength up from 120M was a test of Willie’s fitness

Nicky then followed up with a fine ling of about 15 -16lb

Union NW ling.jpg

Fishing was not exactly frantic but there were some fine ling caught. There were no small fish.
Colin was very disappointed that the wreck did not produce enough fish and so eventually we decided to do a drift for the elusive big haddock. They would not cooperate and so after a few of about 1lb we headed for another wreck further inshore. The depth here was ONLY 110M. Fish appeared almost immediately with everyone catching ling. Barry had a nice fish of about 12 lb and Joe several one after the other.

Union Barry.jpg

Then Nicky had a double hook up with a ling and a conger Fishing was till good when we departed at 17.45 and Colin would have stayed as long as we wanted.

Union Nick 2.jpg

On return to the pier Willie’s Pollock was weighed at 18lb 2oz. Given the fact that it had been caught 8 hours earlier in may originally have weighed more that the current record of 19lb 3oz which was set in 1904
Overall this is one great venue and we will definitely return there for another trip.
Caroll & Jim’s B& B was also excellent.

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thats a cracker of a pollock,,sounds like a great day all round,and some fine ling,s to go with it,,,nice fishing,,

Sounds like a better day than most on the wrecks at this time of year. That is one brute of a pollack!

thats a great day at the office stan.i wouldent think you were looking forward to the drive home.id say willies arms were hanging off him after that brute of a pollock.should have cut him open id say he had swallowed a few specimen haddock

super pollack!

Thanks for the comments lads.

Thats some trip lads,some fantastic fish caught and what a pollack

jaw dropping pollock!

thats a great session. and brill fish. well done to all.

Nice bit of fishing there Stan, that pollock is a real pig! Great report. , when are you off to Guinea Bissau... I expect you might hook into a few lunkers out there.

Yep some pollock.

Declan, am off to Guinea Bissau on Sunday next. : Report on my return

Yep some pollock.

Declan, am off to Guinea Bissau on Sunday next. : Report on my return

you know stan you will probley only catch dysentry, malaria ,and gonnahreha over there and no fish. were not a bit jealous

Huge pollack well done, I'd say it would of been close to the record alright great to get out this time of year.

some size fish there lads, that pollock is something else

Pollock of a lifetime that, what jelly lure did the guy take it on?

looked as if yous had agreat day well done

that was an excellent trip lads some of those fish are beasts
makes our trips out of donegal for 7lb pollock and ling pale in comparison

It,s Great to see a Fish like that been caught.
It,s a fine fish . The ling look good aswell .
Well done .

SUPERB fishing lads a dream come true