SAI Comp/Trip,Deva, Kilbaha, Loop Head, Co. Clare. 30/09/06

[petekd]

People:Myself, JD, PJ, JohnW, Phanover

Duration:All day

Tide:HW @11.00am approx

Weather:Breezy, fine.

Bait:Rag and Mack

Rigs:Baited Hokkais, Gilling rigs etc etc

Results:Lots of Pollack, a cod, a couple of doggies, some small red gurnard, a fine tub gurnard, a nice whiting and the odd pouting or two.

Report:
There had been a degree of uncertainty as to whether conditions were going to be suitable to hit the reefs off Loop Head on the day or whether we were going to end up back in sheltered waters in the estuary. As it happened, conditions, whilst quite lumpy especially early in the day turned out to be perfectly fishable. The day got off to a poor start as giving a start time of 10.00 am the skipper didnt show his face until 10.45 and it was 11.00 before we steamed out......something to do with milking cows was the explanation... :shock: Not really good enough considering some of us had been up since 5.30 to make the trip up from Cork.

As mentioned, conditions early on were quite lumpy, with the converted lifeboat pitching and rolling all over the place. It was decided to head north of Loop head where we would be sheltered from the bulk of the Swells that were running. This turned into a good decision as conditions out there were much more comfortable.

On arriving at the mark, we were fishing into the guts of 200 feet of water at times. Majority on the boat were using baited Hokkais, flushed with the success on the Kilmore trip 2 weeks previous, I was going to persist with gilling techniques with a team of 3 lures (jelly worms/shads) A bad idea in retrospect.....!

Fishing early on was quite patchy with pollack and bits and pieces coming to the baited hokkais. We hopped around from mark to mark trying to find fish. We were hitting them on occasion but there was no consistency to it. Fair play to the skipper in fairness as he did do his best, motoring from mark to mark and not sparing the diesel to try and put us on the fish. It wasnt until mid afternoon that we really got stuck into some decent fishing, the particular reef we were fishing held a load of pollack, they were coming up in a steady stream. Nothing huge but there were several fish over the 7lb mark. I had one of those and even with drag locked down tight on my 7000 it managed to rip yards of line off, great sport. Some more bits and pieces came to the boat with JohnW causing an awful stir and scramble for the specimen weights book with a fine Tub Gurnard weighing just under 4lbs. Phanover pulled up a fine whiting that wasnt far off 2lbs or so around this time. Fishing began to quieten off and after a few more patchy drifts, and a couple on the way back in that produced nothing, we headed back to port.

Not a bad days fishing in fairness, trip up from Cork early doors took its toll through the afternoon though as tiredness kicked in a little. Boat was a converted lifeboat and TBH I wouldnt have been mad about it. General housekeeping, design and layout (the stern had a great big frame over it which prevented anyone fishing from it...) no rodholders, no cups of tea, bundles of tangled lines and lures and rubbish lying around etc wouldnt have me rushing to go out on it again TBH. One can only presume that when Henry fished off it they gave it a good tidy up!

For the record, on the competition front, as there was only myself and John fishing as Club Members, the result was JD gave me a right good pasting in payback for the previous 2 competitions :D . He also finished top of the boat, well done JD.

A big thanks to all for organising this years boat trips and competitions, I've thoroughly enjoyed them, even the aborted Kilmore quay expedition! We have some good ideas BTW for trips next year so watch this space....

JD has pictures, Im sure he'll post them shortly, we had a decent day at the Bridges of Ross Wrasse bashing the following day but Ill let someone else put up that report.

Many thanks also to Henrys Tackle who sponsored the SAI Boat Master Angler comp which I was fortunate enough to win. Thanks for the lovely rod lads, I'll pay you a visit next time I'm in Dublin.


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Important Edit:

An issue has raised its head with someone taking exception to comments I made in relation to DEVA.

To Clarify: These comments and opinions are my own and I stand by them. They are however in no way reflective of anyones opinion related to either this site or SAI-SAC. I call things as I see them and last time I checked it was a free country and we were all entitled to our opinions. Unless I am asked by Website committee to amend/remove this post I will not be doing so. Nothing stated above was in anyway unfair or inaccurate nor was it intended personally as the tone of the rest of the post will show. Where things are good I will say so, where they are not I wont.

[Seaniebo]

Congratulations Pete. Sounds like a tough enough day, but good craic none the less i'd say.

[jd]

Some photos here
http://www.calligrafont.com/john/Loop%20Head-Oct%2006/

I'll upload them properly after work, and do a shore rep for the Bridges of Ross

[jd]

Also here

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... 7199#47199

[pete]

Well done Pete...as a master angler the pressure ill be on from now on :lol: :lol: Thats a fine tub gurnard too

[petekd]

I've appointed you as my personal trainer for Killybegs BTW... :D

[petekd]

Important edit on original post.

[jd]

Speaking personally, I think Pete's comments are fair.
As he said, Michael spared no effort in getting us into fish and knows his stuff.

However, these days people expect that people show up at the arranged time. Also there was loose line/traces exposed at the side of the boat , these should be disposed of/tidied away.
jd

[pete]

Is it in Killybegs next year? Will get you out for a few practise days for sure but not in your effin boat we wont.....unless you get the warrior in between then :lol:

[petekd]

:lol: LMAO at that Pete....cant say I blame you after that debacle at Teelin though. Yeah, its Killybegs alright.

[phanover]

Just want to add my tuppence worth to Petes comments about the boat. They were totally factual. I was there. If you pay full whack for a boat no one should have a problem if someone says things weren't as they should be. If this forum is to have any value, then we shouldn't be afraid to call it as it is as long as it isn't libelous or inaccurate.

On the flip side, Michael was extremely helpful and apologised for the delay, got us on the fish and gave us the full time alloted. I have no problem saying that either.

Paul