Antrim rocks (21/08/11)

[dave316]

just back from a local session there now. No codling in the lough yet although there was the motherload of juvenile doggies (pitch black in colour), double-shots of 3/4lb coalies and a few small flounder and rockling. Not a bad wee session to use the bait, but not what I was hoping for. Wish I could avoid the dogs for a while, i've unhooked a few hundred this year already.



Remember that documentary a year or two back about the 'shark smell of death' Pity someone couldn't bottle it and sell it as a bait additive!!!

[Al and Jordan]

outstanding session man. quality and quantity in the one session. well done

[alannelson]

Thats some haul of pollack i would usually fish blackhead for them there is no good codling fishing in the lough if your realy lucky you might catch one at a couple a pounds.

[dave316]

I'm sorry the codling fishing in the lough hasn't worked out for you, but I have had many good sessions over the years. I have hit into big shoals out from Whitehead and Muck Island in my boat. From the shore I have surprisingly caught most of my biggest ones here, rather than Red Bay, at 5-6lbs and last year was very very positive indeed with numbers of 3-4lbers turning up close in at a few locations late Summer to early Autumn. I know others who have done well and have 1st hand witnessed a few fish of around 8lb being caught over the years (one of that size was even caught by a child down the side of Bangor Harbour, along with his mates they had about 30 of around 2lb in plastic bags. This was during the daytime while I was down for a walk a few years back). I know what you mean though, it can't really be relied on like clockwork, but it's all about being in the right place at the right time and certainly for a limited time. I have even had occasions spinning for Mackeral at Blackhead when it ended up being a cod a cast. Over recent years I have made a point of fishing local more often than I had progessively been doing so as an adult and have been pleased and sometimes very pleasantly surprised by the results. I have even tried some unusual marks that I never would have considered in a million years to find that a decent session there was far better than many trips up the coast involving 4+hrs travel. I also find it extremely satisfying, almost like a personal mission, to succeed as close to home as possible. Would you believe that decent Plaice were caught in our own home town last year, I got good ones back when I was a kid (20-25yrs ago) off Whitehead Promenade and the White Harbour, but admit I was a bit shocked by that and can see definite improvements. Pity the ragworm have left us, for the most part, though!!

[alannelson]

Yea you know what your talking about cloughnan point beside white harbour is good for wrasse there has been a few codling thru the years but not recent carrick harbour in the summer sometimes produces codling over towards the winbreaker after the peeler crabs my mate got a nice codling from the shore in redbay a few weeks ago