North Antrim rock mark 19th Nov 11

[polmac]

People:me, weedave and his mate ricky

Duration:9am - 4pm

Tide:

Weather:lovely tho a slight rain shower

Bait:rag, lug, crab, razor, mackeral, sand eels

Rigs: various

Results:doggie, 3 beareded rockling, pollock, coalies




Report:
Decided with the nice weather here at the weekend that a good rock mark would be the way for the day. Contacted Weedave and he told me where to meet him.

Landed at the mark around 9am. What a brilliant and lovely location. One of the best views that I have seen in a long time. Negotiated our way down and got set up along the rocks.
First fish of the day went to Dave’s mate Rickey with a coalie and then just to make us feel better about not having caught anything yet ricky then landed a cracking Pollock over 3lb! Brilliant fish which sorted him out for his dinner that night.

I wasn’t having much success on my 2 rods. I was however losing rigs a rate which was making me angry! Dave then told me to change the line to a stronger breaking strain to rip through the weeds.
Instant success! Next cast on the heavier line landed me a lovely doggie on mackerel! It was a cracking fighting fish and a weird looking one at that. Its entire back was completely black, I’ve never seen one that colour before.

Next cast was a nice coalie! I was on a roll! Lol

It then decided to ditch one of the rods as I was losing too much tackle and to change my tactics and break out the spinning rod! I attached a float rig, added a bit of mackerel and let it move around just out in front of me on the rocks. Worked a treat as within 5 mins I seen the float disappear once under, then another time, then bang! Got a good fight off a Pollock. This continued the rest of the evening with me getting 3 more Pollock and 3 coalies.

In the meantime my other rod at distance started nodding away. Struck on it, and got a good fight out of a fish. Seen it surface and it was bright red! I hadn’t a clue what it was?
Landed the fish and pulled up my first ever 3 bearded rockling. It was a cracking fish and it weight in around 1lb 8oz (Dave could confirm as he weighed it). A lovely fish and was returned safely to the sea again.

A brilliant days fishing.

[corbyeire]

nice 3 beardy

[weedave]

nice going mate. i'd love to know if that was a specimen weight or not though?

we'll have to do that mark again - stronger lines though.


dave

[Al and Jordan]

some nice fish there lads the specimen weight for a 3 beardy is 794g roughly 1lb 10oz

[polmac]

Feck that, i wasnt that far off it.

it was a cracking fish and that pic doesnt do it any justic as it was nice and thick as well.

[weedave]

some nice fish there lads the specimen weight for a 3 beardy is 794g roughly 1lb 10oz

ahhh man - missed it by the smallest margin paul!!!! better luck next time!!!
dave

[chuckaroo]

some nice fish there lads the specimen weight for a 3 beardy is 794g roughly 1lb 10oz

the specman weight of a 3 beardy is indeed 0.794g but:
0.794g = 1.75lb = 1¾lb = 1lb 12oz
a great 3 bearded rockling indeed all the same!
great report