by cathalger » Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:35 am
Been meaning to put this wee report up for some time. Some others on the forum had reported running into small codling on lures on NE Antrim beaches during the summer months. Been hitting an odd one on fly and spinner when targetting (rarely catching) sea trout in recent years.
The sea trout had proved very frustrating this year, showing but not playing ball, coley and pollack gave sport and kept it interesting and enjoyable. The brother reported hitting into some nice codling up to 1.5lb on spinner one evening there in late August. I was sceptical about the size to be honest, but a couple of evenings later I had a go with the fly rod. I intended to set out with an intermediate line but only had the reel with the sinker in the car and had to use it, the water at the mark is only a few feet deep, its a gravelly beach.
The sea trout were at their usual antics, jumping straight up into the air, getting me going but refusing my offerings, flies theyve taken other years. Sandeel were skipping out of my way where I was waded out, they were surfing across the top of the water for several yards in their panic. Sinking fly line might have been wrong for the sea trout but it proved to be just what the codling wanted.
I soon forgot all about the sea trout, I began to hit codling, right down on the gravel on a slowly retrieved white hairwing tandem lure, 4" long. The sport was steady, the fish were quality, best 2 just short of 1.75lb. I got 12 in total, kept 6 for the pan and lost quite a few takes, there was a good shoal of these fish in hunting the sandeel in water between 1 foot and 3 foot deep. Most of my takes came only a few feet from the rod tip, at the end of the retrive. It was a very interesting session. The strength of those codling on a 9 foot trout rod was incredible, each time the rod went over I thought I was into a 3-4lber, really strong fight, not energetic like a coley or trout but really solid with some thumping runs too. Great eating baked on the bone.
All the fish were coughing up sandeel, it tailed off after dark, the trout still wouldnt play ball but I went home very happy, anyone toying with the idea of SWFF, just go for it, its very effective, I think most people who have tried it have been pleasantly surprised. I only really started it in Aug 10, first evening out 2 pollack over 4lb, it really is very effective, great fun even when the fish are small.
Cathal.
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2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).
- For this message the author cathalger has received thanks: 3
- Beelo (Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:38 pm), Cormdogg (Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:17 am), joeflan35 (Mon Nov 28, 2011 6:40 pm)