Duration:6-7hrs
Tide:Dropping
Weather:Cloudy then clear, slight westerly wind
Bait:Lug and Razor
Rigs:2/0 flapper, 3/0 pennel
Results:12 Bass, 4 flounder, 2 doggies, 2 coalies
Report:I went out on a dig to get some big lug earlier in the day and with a few razor in the freezer I was ready for a beach session. My only two outings on the Cork beaches so far this year only produced a few small coalies and flounder so I was hoping to do a little better. I got to the mark just before high water as the sun was setting. The surf was decent and the beach looked very fishy indeed. I got two rods in the water one with a 2 hook flapper with lug the other with a pennel rig with half a big fat lug tipped with razor.
Within 10 mins the rod with the pennel was bouncing, a wee schoolie bass on the first cast! I got that rod baited up and cast out and within a few mins I was into a double on the flapper, a small doggie and flounder. Next cast saw a doggie on the flapper followed by another schoolie on the pennel. Soon after that I had one or two missed bites on both rods, then things went quiet a half hour or so. The tide was starting to push out now so I repositioned the tripod and cast two fresh baits out.
After 5 mins I lifted into a thumping bite on the pennel, and sure enough it turned up a nice plump Bass at 59cm pictured below. Just as I took a pic the battery in my camera went
which is a shame considering the session I was about to have. I had and nice wee coalie next cast on the pennel followed by three flounder in a row, two on the flapper and one on the pennel rig, then another coalie. The sky was now clear and the tide was over halfway out. The moon rose in the east and It was like someone switched on a light on the beach. I repositioned the tripod again.Almost immediately I was into a good fighting fish which felt heavy on the retrieve. After a brief scrap in the shallow surf I beached a nice fat Bass at 61cm. They just got bigger and bigger after this and on each cast. The next fish was a 63cm Bass on the flapper, I had just removed the hook and was walking into the surf and already the other rod was rattling. As I retrieved I knew straight away this was a nice Bass. This was a fine 65cm Bass.
After casting out the rod with the pennel I was about to put it on the tripod and it started hopping in my hand. This was a decent scrapper and another fine Bass at 68cm. The next Bass took the top flapper and fought well all the way in. This was a fine fat bar of silver similar to the last one in length at 69cm but fatter. I was now thinking dam I would like to have weighed these. I cast out again with only one big lug and a razor left. I ran back up the beach to my car and grabbed my scales.
About 10-15 mins had passed and the rod with the pennel was hit once more this one felt heavy indeed but was more sluggish. When I saw it coming out of the surf I was singing to myself. A 72cm Bass about 8.5lbs. All my bait was used up now and my arms were even tired from cranking in those few bass. My last bit of bait was in the water on the flapper and I was packing up my other rod when I noticed that my line was well to the right of where I casted but the rod was still but not slack. I lifted into it and felt a good tug. A good fight followed, and I beached the biggest Bass of the evening and now my personal best at 10lbs 2oz and about 78cm
Its head was massive and it was as wide across the back as my dog. It fought like a dog out of the water too which didn't make it easy to unhook and handle. He swam away after a brief recovery which I also needed. I was now very happy to pack up after a cracking session, one which I will find it hard to beat I’m sure. I was really gutted about the camera as I would have liked pics of all the fish. In haste to leave I never tought to check if its battery was charged. Lesson learned. I kept one Bass for the table which fed 6 easily. I took a pic when I got home.
