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First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 3:02 pm
by ninted
Hi lads!

After a fun but not very prolific Donegal trip over Christmas, I pulled the boat back to its cork harbour resting place not giving much thought to get out for at least a few weeks. Well, buddy Andrew rang for a shore trip on Saturday 8th and after a quick weather check I suggested a boat trip on Sunday morning would be a better idea, given the calm conditions.
We were on the water before 830am and fishing in the cork bouy area before 9. I though that given the conditions and the seeming lack of good fish in the harbour a good spin out would be worth it, even for a short time.
And for once, I was right! First drop and we boated a cod and a ling of half decent size. A few more cod followed and loads of ling until we had to drag ourselves away at about 1245, probably an hour or so later than agreed...
Still, a great mornings work and though it was foggy it was pretty calm and quiet so really peaceful out there. A charter joins us at one point and another small boat.

By the way, I heard that the cod quotas have been filled by the trawlers, can anyone verify this? Also, there a small commercial out over the mark we were fishing and he was pulling in a set net- (two white marker bouys marking ether end) - I presume he had every right to be there but I hadn't seen anyone do that before so I am curious...

All the best for 2017! C

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Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:42 pm
by chuckaroo
sounds like an ideal wee trip.
any pics?

Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:29 pm
by shortcircuit
Nice trip.might I ask what rigs /bait you were using ?

Those boys were probably pulling in gill nets. Obviously nowhere is safe . . .

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Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:43 pm
by ninted
chuckaroo wrote:sounds like an ideal wee trip.
any pics?

I can't sign in with my Google account right now for some reason but I'll post a few when I can!

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Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:49 pm
by ninted
shortcircuit wrote:Nice trip.might I ask what rigs /bait you were using ?

Those boys were probably pulling in gill nets. Obviously nowhere is safe . . .

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We were using 3 hook Muppet and feather combo rigs baited with mackerel - I think we've bought all the stock from murrys [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY] because we like em so much but they're getting in more I think. Image attached. I am gonna tie up a few single muppett rigs though on a flowing trace. More fun with one hook and less costly when you lose gear.
IMAG0107.jpg


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Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:18 pm
by johnwest
Always good to get a few ling, one of the few fish I occasionally take for eating. I would agree with the single hook strategy for fun and economy, nice to know I'm not the only miserable sod about! Instead of a flowing trace which is more prone to snagging, I use a pater noster style single baited Muppet on a twisted wire boom when drifting rough ground for ling, snags and tangles around the mainline less.

Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 11:01 pm
by ninted
johnwest wrote:Always good to get a few ling, one of the few fish I occasionally take for eating. I would agree with the single hook strategy for fun and economy, nice to know I'm not the only miserable sod about! Instead of a flowing trace which is more prone to snagging, I use a pater noster style single baited Muppet on a twisted wire boom when drifting rough ground for ling, snags and tangles around the mainline less.

Thanks John! Yes I would use similar but a boom with a weak link length of mono to the lead so when you bump the bottom and take a few turns up you know your trace is clear. I must tie up a few larger Muppets and beads to see how they work. Bling, particularly silver, is great for ling, and I don't think it would put cod off either! Can't wait to get out again. Is Donegal being blasted by the weather right now?

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Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 5:12 pm
by ninted
ninted wrote:Hi lads!

After a fun but not very prolific Donegal trip over Christmas, I pulled the boat back to its cork harbour resting place not giving much thought to get out for at least a few weeks. Well, buddy Andrew rang for a shore trip on Saturday 8th and after a quick weather check I suggested a boat trip on Sunday morning would be a better idea, given the calm conditions.
We were on the water before 830am and fishing in the cork bouy area before 9. I though that given the conditions and the seeming lack of good fish in the harbour a good spin out would be worth it, even for a short time.
And for once, I was right! First drop and we boated a cod and a ling of half decent size. A few more cod followed and loads of ling until we had to drag ourselves away at about 1245, probably an hour or so later than agreed...
Still, a great mornings work and though it was foggy it was pretty calm and quiet so really peaceful out there. A charter joins us at one point and another small boat.

By the way, I heard that the cod quotas have been filled by the trawlers, can anyone verify this? Also, there a small commercial out over the mark we were fishing and he was pulling in a set net- (two white marker bouys marking ether end) - I presume he had every right to be there but I hadn't seen anyone do that before so I am curious...

All the best for 2017! C

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk



Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 3:42 pm
by ninted
ninted wrote:Hi lads!

After a fun but not very prolific Donegal trip over Christmas, I pulled the boat back to its cork harbour resting place not giving much thought to get out for at least a few weeks. Well, buddy Andrew rang for a shore trip on Saturday 8th and after a quick weather check I suggested a boat trip on Sunday morning would be a better idea, given the calm conditions.
We were on the water before 830am and fishing in the cork bouy area before 9. I though that given the conditions and the seeming lack of good fish in the harbour a good spin out would be worth it, even for a short time.
And for once, I was right! First drop and we boated a cod and a ling of half decent size. A few more cod followed and loads of ling until we had to drag ourselves away at about 1245, probably an hour or so later than agreed...
Still, a great mornings work and though it was foggy it was pretty calm and quiet so really peaceful out there. A charter joins us at one point and another small boat.

By the way, I heard that the cod quotas have been filled by the trawlers, can anyone verify this? Also, there a small commercial out over the mark we were fishing and he was pulling in a set net- (two white marker bouys marking ether end) - I presume he had every right to be there but I hadn't seen anyone do that before so I am curious...

All the best for 2017! C

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Hi lads, I was put again on Sunday, a few cod and ling but patchy enough compared to last Sunday. We did see a lad in a charter type boat out there who came from kinsale direction who appeared to be dragging a net though, and it really didn't look official but I'm not sure like I said before what the rules are. He was motoring along at probably 4 or 5 knots and there was a rope going into the water behind the boat definitely under tension which would suggest a net. He checked it periodically and worked his way from south to north as far as the smiths and back. The boat didn't look kitted out (winches , pulleys etc. ) for trawling so I don't really know what he was at! I'd ring the fisheries but I don't want to be annoying them with every boat I see with a rope out the back... I would like to know if and how I can report suspected illegal activity without being a nuisance though... Any advice?

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Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 5:21 pm
by JimC
Sea fishing is largely controlled by the SFPA. Bass are watched by IFI.
Commercials that are registered can just about do what they want if they have a licence.
So, gill netting, trawling, pair trawling, long lining, jigging it is all above board if the boat has a licence to fish.
Outside you will see plenty of boats laying nets and/or pots. There can be a bit of trawling going on too. The major trawling goes on out a bit further. That said you can see big boats working herring close in too. I don't know what that boat you saw was at... sounds unusual unless he was on some survey work rather than fishing.

Re: First cork trip of 2017!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 8:46 pm
by ninted
Yeah that's what I thought he might have been doing too, but I didn't get close enough for a good look.
I have noticed that There does seem to be a big absence of pollock near the harbour or over any of the grounds I've been fishing lately though, and I'm not sure why. Usually they are a good go to if nothing else is happening. Is there a time of year they move out to sea or spawn or something, or are they just getting heavy netting pressure? Any ideas...?

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