Duration:6pm-11-30pm
Tide:dropping
Weather:breezy at first ,calm later
Bait:frozen crab, rag
Rigs:pulley rigs 3/0's and 3 hook flapper
Results:smoothy pups, starry smothound, dab
Report: With Fishface back from his holliers and itching to get his first decent smoothie of the season, we went to a beach near Courtown, which had produced the goods for me last week. Fishface had out been on a few sneaky sessions during the week, (I copped this as his stock of 30 crab had mysteriously disappeared
) but as he hadnt sent me any piccies , I knew he hadnt caught anything of note 
. I arrived first and set up stall as usual, Grey's Triplex and Shimano Ultegra , baited with crab on a pulley rig size 3/0 hooks, and Penn Surfblaster matched with Shimano Biomaster XTC, baited with rag on a 3 hook flapper, size 2 hooks. The Shelter also went up as the wind was blowing up along the beach from the Southeast. The first 2 casts on both rods were fruitless for me 
. Last week's success now seemed like a long time ago,,,,,,,the tide was dropping this week and the water was very coloured and stirred up. Fishface arrived and set up just in time to see me land a small starry smoothound, on the big Greys Triplex, who had wolfed a large crab bait 
. Fishface gave me my pressie from his holliers, a little flashing Nemo toy, whose job it was to light up every time I caught a fish. This would be especially useful at night. Unfortunately for Neil, his own Nemo wasnt to see much action tonight 
. 2 other anglers arrived and set up to our left. Next fish up was a small Dab, nicely marked, on the flapper on rag. I put him back, rebaited and cast out the 3 hook flapper again, about 50 yds out . I had only just sat down when the rod arched over, the biggest bend of the year so far 
, and I raced over to grab it. It was definitely a smoothie, and it was going ballistic on the other end 
. I struggled to bring it in and the rod bent over again , I had to ease off the drag and it stripped line on me . The angler to my left hollered as he heard the reel screaming. "What a fight" , he shouted. I had to let the fish take line 3 times as I was afraid i'd lose him. Fishface was over to calm me down and offer advice,"Bring him in on the next wave", I heard him say, then I had the fish on the beach,,,,a beautifully spotted Starrry Smoothound. The spots were very pronounced, maybe I just didnt notice before . This fish wasnt as big as last weeks biggie, but he gave me the best fight ever, one I wont forget in a hurry. I was especially pleased as he was caught in breezy conditions, on rag on a size 2, on a dropping tide at mid distance. I had a couple more pups, small doggie sized ones, and that was it . Poor Neils little Nemo never got his chance to shine as he didnt catch any fish , but at least his batteries are still at full strength . Neil headed off at 10-30 pm as he was on his feet all day. I stayed another hour as I was on my a@se all evening courtesy of my little stool, but I didnt get anything else.
great when they put in that extra bit of effort for you 
nemo looks the part 
