Cahore Pier and a beach back the road

[Guest]

[b]People:[Just me]

[b]Duration:[2pm - 8pm]

[b]Tide:[hard to tell with the storm !]

[b]Weather:[Stormy - mad squalls]

[b]Bait:[frozen mack, sand eels, mussels, crab, lug]

[b]Rigs:[one hook paternosters]

[b]Results:[loads of dogfish and some whiting]


[b]Report: Sea was the colour of tea, the wind was mad on the pier, but it's pretty safe there with a chest high parapet. During daylight I was catching a dogfish on every second cast, mostly on mackerel strips or sand eel and mussel combos - this is on the seaward side of the pier.
As darkness approached I moved to a beach back towards Courtown - got half a dozen whiting there - all kinda small, about a pound - pound and a quarter.
Can anyone help me here - I cannot for the life of me detect the bites.
I got between 15 and 20 fish yesterday (best ever for me) but I didn't detect one of them - only when I started to wind in did I know that I had a fish on ! I'm using standard gear - 12' beach-caster (Abu Enticer), fixed spool, 20 lb main and 60lb shockleaders - 6 oz leads. After casting I reel in excess line but still.....

any help appreciated

Aidan

[blowin]

- I cannot for the life of me detect the bites.
I got between 15 and 20 fish yesterday (best ever for me) but I didn't detect one of them - only when I started to wind in did I know that I had a fish on !

Hi Aidan ,
Happens to me all the time , except that I don't catch that many fish .
How far out are you casting ? There is a terrific amount of stretch in mono so bite detection won't be great at any sort of distance . If you've also got a blustery wind and swell & waves jigging the rod tip about I find it very difficult to spot the actual bites when they do come . You might feel them if you hold the rod . The bell-on-a-clip gadget is good for detecting bites but can be a real pain when you're winding the fish in .
I'm sure someone will recommend switching from mono to braid . I think I'll do so myself . I only recently tried it out . This was after several trips out on a boat when the other guy outfished me 10:1 every time , using braid . The difference in contact is unbelievable . Bit of a sod when it gets in a tangle tho' .
Hope I'm not talking down to you . Certainly not intended .
Good luck .

[Aido]

Blowin - any advice is welcome !

I take your point about mono and stretching.. I have been practicing my casting, and now with a cross between an overhead thump and a pendulum - I get about 120 yds with the wind behind me - typically 80 - 120 yds. I always seem to fish where's there's a big wind, big tide or a tidal rip - drags the line all over the place. I use big hooks (4/0) to 'discourage' smaller fish but I still manage to catch really small pollack and flatfish.
I always bring a second rod with me - an 11' spinning rod, set up with 20lb braid and I will rig this for baitfishing as well - I'm no better at detecting the bites on this.
In fairness I'm pretty new to sea angling and I've yet to catch anything over 3 lb - I suppose these big beach-casters don't really register small fish !

Rgds
Aidan