Rock Mark, North Antrim Coast, 23/6/11

[Der Baron]

People: Me and Fishy fingers

Duration: 13:00-21:00

Tide: low to high and then drop

Weather: Odd shower, very pleasant, sunny spells, slight WNW breeze

Bait: Mac, Rag, squid, Peeler, spinners and Fly

Rigs: Pulleys, flappers, and whishbone

Results: Me: 5 Dogs, 6 Pollack, 2 Codling, 5 Wrasse
Fishy: 4 Dogs, 4 Pollack, 1 Codling, 6 Wrasse




Report: We had surveyed this mark several times from afar, and always thought it had a lot of potential, but to tell you the truth, it wasn't the place to be carting boxes, ruck sacks, tripods and about 4 rods each, but both being heavily medicated we decided to descend the 200 foot drop to the lovely piece of flat rock below us, madness personified. Wild Henry has nothing on us, Big Poof!
Anyway, we managed to get to the mark, with only having a couple of falls, both mine, one of them very spectacular. After recovering, about 30mins. We got set up at dead low tide, and were very quickly into fish on the bait rods, a doggy invasion, but to be honest very welcome, my first was probably close to specimen size, and heavily pregnant

Preggers Doggie.jpg

We both had 2 bait rods out, on clean ground in front of us, I was hoping to pick up a Huss, but also a few rock cod, because I new that there were big flurries of Kelp beds out there. As well as the bait rods, we both had spinners and I had the fly rod with me, determined to pick up, a few fish on my own tyings. It wasn't long before we were hitting the Pollack, my first was on a jelly worm, a good fish of about 3lb, and boy did that fish smash into that lure, stripping line of my light reel, I really enjoyed that fight. Fishy was bringing them in steady too and had a nice fish of about 2lb on the spinner. I also picked up a nice wee pollack on my own fly which was a result for me and made my day!

3lb Pollack.jpg

My Pollack on the Macattack fly!

Mac Attack.jpg

Fishing was steady all afternoon, until about 2 hours before high tide, and the bait rods seem to die, but I was able to pick up a nice wee double of a Doggy and a wee rock cod on my wishbone rig!

Wee codling.jpg

That was one target species got anyhow, so I was pleased with that. For the next couple of hours we concentrated on the lures, and fly picking up several more fish as we went.
After tea we were joined by Cathal and Rab, it was great to meet someone off the forum. By this stage Kev and I were having a go at the Wrasse. Kev had gone onto the float a bit earlier than me and was straight into the Wrasse on rag. So not wanting to be left out I joined him, and was eventually rewarded with a nice wee Ballan, just under my feet, great sport on light tackle.

Wee Wrasse.jpg

Wee fished on for a while until about 9, with the odd fish coming to the shore, and eventually the Doggies coming back on the feed before we left. But all to soon it was time to go. With plenty of bait left we handed it over to Cathal and Rab. Cathal was just starting to hit a few fish on the spinner as we were leaving, and I know Rab had a good fish later on. Hopefully Cathal will stick the pic on here later.

All in all a good day and another mark discovery that has come good for us. Well worth the mountain decent and the odd tumble to get there. I just wish I didn't look as if someone had poured a bucket of water over me when we get to these places.

[saving private brian]

nice fishing there and pics too,,,was it the rotten bottem set up ye were losing

[Der Baron]

nice fishing there and pics too,,,was it the rotten bottem set up ye were losing

Thanks Brian, yes, I was fishing a rotten bottom pulley closer in, on the kelp, and I had a wishbone rig on a pulley set up for further out, as I didn't really know the ground in front of me. To tell you the truth I had no real issues with snags for some reason, which is unusual for me!

[saving private brian]

im just in the process of making up leads for rotten bottoms,,,,now i know its hard to predict the ground but do you find that the rooten bottoms do work most of the time by loosing the lead or do you find yourself loosing the whole rig most of the time

nice fishing there and pics too,,,was it the rotten bottem set up ye were losing

Thanks Brian, yes, I was fishing a rotten bottom pulley closer in, on the kelp, and I had a wishbone rig on a pulley set up for further out, as I didn't really know the ground in front of me. To tell you the truth I had no real issues with snags for some reason, which is unusual for me!

[dave316]

nice fishing and always great to get a fish on one of your own flies. It's very exciting doing the exploring and climbing, brings you close to the feelings of when you were a kid and fishing was a great adventure.

ps. for making leads for rotten bottom check this months article in Sea Angler, though no doubt you already did Brian

[Der Baron]

Brian, I find that rotten bottom rigs only work well with the pulley rig, rather than the flapper, as essentially it is nearly always the hook on the bottom flapper that gets caught, and again, your main line needs to be at least, 10lbs heavier than the piece of mono you are using for the rotten bottom. Again I try and keep it as simple a set up as I can. I wish I had a foto for you. All I do is tie a 12lb piece of mono to my lead, which is then tied to a gemini clip mounted upside down below the main line of the pulley, this way you can hook the led onto the dog leg of the gemini and then still use the quick release mechanism on the lead for clipping your bait too. Last night I also replaced the pennel rig with a wishbone. You can clip down one bait on the led and clip the other up on the snood to keep it all nice and aerodynamic. I was getting double hook ups over the kelp. Keep the length of mono from your lead nice and long at least 3 feet, that way your hook length sits nicely above the kelp. Hope I haven't confused the issue for you.

[saving private brian]

no thats great man,,,this is something similar of what i was thinking of doin,,,thanks

Brian, I find that rotten bottom rigs only work well with the pulley rig, rather than the flapper, as essentially it is nearly always the hook on the bottom flapper that gets caught, and again, your main line needs to be at least, 10lbs heavier than the piece of mono you are using for the rotten bottom. Again I try and keep it as simple a set up as I can. I wish I had a foto for you. All I do is tie a 12lb piece of mono to my lead, which is then tied to a gemini clip mounted upside down below the main line of the pulley, this way you can hook the led onto the dog leg of the gemini and then still use the quick release mechanism on the lead for clipping your bait too. Last night I also replaced the pennel rig with a wishbone. You can clip down one bait on the led and clip the other up on the snood to keep it all nice and aerodynamic. I was getting double hook ups over the kelp. Keep the length of mono from your lead nice and long at least 3 feet, that way your hook length sits nicely above the kelp. Hope I haven't confused the issue for you.

[bingham]

nice fishing guys and good report

[fishy1987]

well done tremendous fishing lovley mixture of species nice 1
tightlines
ferg

[cathalger]

Paul and Kev,

Great to meet you both yesterday evening. Those are some nice shots you took, nice solid pollack you have there on the jelly worm. Thats something I should start and use in those rocky kelpy spots.

We were lucky yesterday the water wasnt peppered with creel bouys, on other visits you might not have the same open water at your disposal, there were bouys north and south of us yesterday but thankfully not a single one where we were casting.

I'll do a wee report now of what Rab and me got, we stayed to 11.10pm. Yeah that is a clamber back up that hill, ended up with both arms stung by nettles but I still found it trickier on the way down- I fell 2 times going down also, some of those drops are dodgy, vertical.

Cathal.

[alannelson]

good fishing lads

[zud25]

Well done lads Good fishing

[billy the fish]

Great fishing there lads, and a great report. The things we do for a fish lol. Bet if a boss in the work place told you to climb down somewhere like that, you'd tell him where to go. . Great to see the good pollack about. Me and doggy dave tryed a co down rock mark at patricks well last sunday. The rocks were bloody awful, after the long walk carting all the gear, but we made our way across them. It looked fishy.... but not a bite, so back to the antrim coast im afraid.
Well done on catching on your own fly, very rewarding. I have my own fly rod for trout, but would you need a special one for sea fishing, as i wouldnt want to ruin it as it cost £70?

[FISHYFINGERS]

A great days sport and good to meet other members from the forum. Well worth the effort to get there. Roll on the next outing now the weather has sorted itself out - slightly!!!

[Fentster]

Nice fishing boys, well worth the effort

[Der Baron]

Nice fishing boys, well worth the effort

Yeah any chance you could stop faffin about in that kayak and come with us???