Fishing around Youghal - 15th-17th November 2013

With a Full Moon on Sunday the tides were going to be big, so not the ideal time to be fishing in the Youghal harbour area. I was going to have to modify my fishing to take into account the strong tidal movement.

Friday 15th November

I headed to a good cod mark to fish for a few hours over low tide and the first couple of hours of the rising tide. It was a calm mild night, well illuminated by the moonlight breaking through the broken cloud. I got to my favourite spot, set up two rods both baited with fresh crab on 4/0 pennel pulleys. I even had to remove my coat as I was too warm. Unusual for a mid-November night!!!

The tide was static so didn't expect much to happen until the tide started to push in. However, the bait was not long in the water when there was a knock on one of the rods but the fish was not hooked. I retrieved to check the bait. Something had a go at it alright. I recast after securing the crab on the hook and as I was walking back I saw the other rod tip bounding. But by the time I got to the rod the fish was gone. I reel in to find most the crab was missing. But that was encouraging; at least there were fish out there. I rebaited and was about to cast out when I realized that my rod stand was about to tip over. A fish was pulling strongly on the other rod. I grabbed it, and could feel a strong fish on the end. At first I presumed it was a cod but as I began to haul it in the fight felt different. Then about 20 m out the fish broke the surface and continued to thrash about on the surface the rest of the way in. It was a 5 lb bass.

A little later I had another strong tug on one of the rods. This felt more like a cod with the double downward tugs. I kept the rod high to prevent it digging into the channel and after a few minutes had it on the shore. It was a chubby 3.25 lb cod. It had felt a bigger fish but had been foul hooked on the underside just below the head accounting for why it had felt heavier on the retrieve.

The fishing slowed down for a while after that. Then as the tide began to strengthen I had another two cod in rapid succession, 2.25 and 2 lbs. A little later I had a small codling of  probably less than a pound. After that I began to snag a lot of seaweed and the fishing was becoming difficult due to the current so it was time to pack up.

Saturday 16th November

I decided to try a bass mark in the outer harbour area on the ebbing tide. I got to the mark about 2.5 hours into the dropping tide. It was another mild night, still with no breeze. I could even hear anglers walking on the shingle several hundred meters across the bay. I set up the first rod with a 4/0 pennel pulley and cast out. It was no sooner in the water than there were small nibbles. They looked like coalfish bites. I retrieved and sure enough it was an average size coalfish. I recast and was working on setting up the second rod when the same thing happened and I reeled in another coalfish.

I eventually got the second rod set up an cast out. No long afterwards I had a bite on it, retrieved and found a tiny codling. After that I was getting lots of coalfish nibbles although none were hooked. Then I had a more substantial bite. This fish put up a better fight and was a 2.25 cod.

Unfortunately after that the coalfish really came on the feed. I had about another seven. It didn't look like any bass were going to show up so I decided to save my remaining crabs for the next day and packed up before low tide.

Sunday 17th November

I planned fishing a mark that is best on the bigger tides when the current carries the fish up the estuary. On the way I passed over Youghal bridge and have seldom seen so many anglers fishing on the bridge. That would not be my choice, apart from the dangers from the traffic if you did get a decent size fish it would be a struggle to haul it up and you would have to have it well hooked to avoid it coming off.

My chosen mark was busy too. There were already five anglers there. This mark generally fishes best about three hours after low tide and I thought I was getting there early at about two hours after low tide. No fish had been caught at this stage but it was early. There was a lot of seaweed as well as branches and logs being carried up stream by the current. So I just set up one rod initially. It was another mild and calm day and I had my coat off for most of session until dusk when it began too cool off.

Not long after I arrived one of the anglers had enough, packed up and left. I was there for about an hour before I had the first bite. I picked up the rod and began to retrieve. It felt like a cod and pulled strongly all the way in. It was a 3.25 lb fish. So that was a promising start.

At the current began to weaken I set up the second rod and cast out. Not long after there was a strong knock on the rod. At first I thought I had just snagged a large clump of weed as it felt like a dead weight but then I felt the distinctive cod double tugs. I few minutes later as the shock leader came out of the water I could see a nice cod. This was a 4 lb fish.

I had two more good cod after that, 3 lbs and 3.75 lbs  plus a small codling of less than a pound and an eel.

As the tide slackened the bites died off. I fished until 6 pm an hour after high tide but there was no more activity. I was getting small tugs but that was probably crabs pulling on the bait.

I had been uncertain how this mark would fish as it had been very poor last year but was very happy with the result of four keepers.

The cod run begins - 9th-10th November 2013

After the very strong winds the previous weekend I reckoned the cod would start to move inshore in greater numbers. So I placed an order for 2 dozen crabs for the weekend.

Saturday 9th:
I arrived at a reliable mark just after low tide. It was a very mild evening with just a light breeze. The tide had not started to move as I was setting up two rods with 4/0 pennel pulleys baited with fresh crab. I had fished there the previous neap tides and the shore had been strewn with debris (branches, logs, seaweed, bottles etc) but the last big tide cycle had cleared it off.

Shortly after casting out I had a strong knock on one of the rods. It felt to be a strong fish and I could tell from the fight that it was a cod. After a few minutes I hauled a 4.25 lb cod out of the channel. That was a good start and it was not even dark yet (this mark normally fishes far better after dark).

It was quite for a while after that. Then after dark I had three cod is quick succession; the first was 2.25 lbs, followed by a 2.5 lb fish and then a smaller one under 1.5 lbs. A little later I had a better fish of 3.5 lbs, followed by a 3 lb cod 20 minutes later. This was shortly followed by a 2 lb fish.

There was a bit of a lull for 20-25 minutes then I had another three in the space of a few minutes, a 3 pounder, then a 2.5 lbs fish followed by another 3 lb cod.

It got quite again so after about half an hour I decided to pack up. At that stage I had caught 11 cod, 10 of those were 2 lb or above which I kept, and released the only fish under 2 lbs.

I dismantled one rod and brought some of the gear and fish to the car. However, when I got back the tip of the remaining rod was bouncing. I retrieved to find a 3.75 lb cod on the last cast.

Sunday 10th
Sunday was a wet day but I decided to return to the same mark as I had about a dozen crabs left. Just before leaving home the rain got heavier but I hoped it would ease off but it lashed down for most of the remainder of the evening. There was quite a strong SSW/SW wind too. So it was not a pleasant night to be out.

I set up at the same spot just as the tide was beginning to rise. The fishing was a lot slower for the first couple of hours this time. I did have a couple of small codling of 1-1.75 lbs which went back. It was only when the tide began to push in strongly in that the fishing picked up. The first was a 3.5 lb cod, followed by three fish in the 2-2.75 lb range. Then there was a very strong tug on one of the rods. I picked it up, the line had gone slack. I reeled in the slack, the fish was heading upstream, I connected with it and struck. This felt to be a more substantial fish and it fought very strongly all the way it putting a severe bend in the rod as I tried to stop it digging into the channel margin. Eventually I got it close and thankfully no weed was caught in the leader knot and it was with relief that I saw the shockleader wind into the reel. It was a stocky 5.5 cod.

I fished on for a little longer but there were no more bites so decided to pack up. The rain had been persistently heavy all the time I was fishing but then stopped as I was walking back to the car!!

Some fat bass - Late October/Early November 2013

With the recent wet and windy weather it was time to put away the lure fishing rod until next year and concentrate on bait fishing.

Last week I picked up a dozen crabs and went for my first cod fishing session of the winter. When I got to my favourite cod mark I realized there was a lot of fresh water coming down the estuary after the recent heavy rain and a huge amount of debris on the shore. But since I was there I thought I would give it a go. I was fishing for about an hour, catching nothing other than eels. I hate eels - too slimy to get a grip on to get off the hook and they make a tangled mess of your rigs. Then there was a sharp strong tug on one of the rods but the fish was not hooked. That was encouraging, at least there was something other than eels out there.

Midway into the rising tide I had another strong bite. This time the fish was well hooked and was fighting strongly. At the time I assumed it was a cod but as I got it in close it broke the surface and I realized it was a fat chunky bass of 51 cm. It weighed 4.25 lbs, well above the avarage weight for its size, it must have been feeding well over the last few months.

About 20-30 minutes later there was another strong tug on the same rod and the line went slack. I quickly reeled in the slack and connected with a very strong fish which put up a good fight all the way in. This time it was a 7 lb bass, another well fed fat fish. Its was 63 cm in length so again well above average weight for its size.

I wasn't expecting to get bass from here as I was fishing into a deep channel which normally produces cod at this time of the year. I fished on for a while but just had a few more eels.

Last Sunday I decided to fish for bass and with another dozen crabs made my way to a mark which I had only lure fished before but one that had a chance of producing bass on a dropping tide. Following the strong winds on Saturday the shore was blanketed with a mass of kelp but the water looked reasonably clean. There was quite a strong cold NW wind blowing and intermittent rain, I was thinking I should have stayed at home in front of the fire.

I set up and cast out the first rod. While I was setting up the second rod there was a small tap on the first. I reeled in and found one of the smallest pollock I have ever caught trying to get the crab off a 4/0 pennel pulley.

It was quite for about 30 minutes after that then there was a strong knock on one of the rods and the line went slack. I wound in the slack, at first I thought the fish was gone as I had to reel in a lot of slack before I caught up with it. It felt to be a very good fish and fought extremely strongly. As I got it in close the fish was thrashing about in the shallows until I eased it onto the beach. It was a fine, very fat stocky bass of 8.25 lbs. It measured just under 70 cm and must have been feeding very well over the summer. When I released it the fish gave one powerful flick of its tail and surged out into the bay at speed.

I had a couple of 1 lb coalfish after that. Then I had a more substantial tug. This felt to be a much heavier fish than the coalfish and fought strongly all the way in. It was a 3.25 lb cod.

I had one more coalfish after that before packing up.

As I had some crabs left I returned to the same mark last night but the coalfish were there in plague proportions. If there were any bass about the coalfish were onto the bait before they had a chance. I caught 10 or 12 and dropped half as many before all the bait was used up.

 

A few recent sessions

I tried a few new marks and a few old reliable ones over the last few weeks but the quality of the fishing has remained as poor as it was over the summer.

21st September
I headed to a new mark in Co. Waterford to fish from low to high tide. It was a nice day with a light southwesterly breeze and strong spring tides. I arrived at the shore after a long trek across fields and down a steep slope. The area looked very promising, with a lot of small bays separated by rocky promontories. I was hopeful that this might produce a better result than I have had over recent months.

I initially worked my way west but there was not a hint of a bite and no sign of any fish activity on the surface. I then made my way back to where I started and moved onto a broad rock platform surrounded by lots of shallow gulleys. At about mid-tide my perseverance was rewarded. I was fishing a Delalande Picoleau at depth when it was snatched by a fish just two meters out from the edge of the rocks. It breached the surface; I could see it was a bass, not big but after all the recent blanks in the quest for bass the size didn't matter. It put up a good struggle as I worked it in towards the back of the gulley so I could lift it out. It was a 46 cm bass, quite slender and had several net marks indicating that netting of bass has been taking place!!! Which may partly account for the general lack of fish in this area.

Getting that fish gave me some encouragement and I was hopeful that more bass lurked in the numerous shallow gulleys. I fished on until high tide but failed to get another bite.

22nd September
I decided to try another bay in Co. Waterford which fished extremely well in September 2011, again planning to fish from low to high tide. The weather was a big contrast to the previous day. The countryside was enveloped in thick misty fog. Although I have driven there numerous times I missed a turning due to the fog and took a roundabout way to get to a parking space on the hillside above the cliffs. I set out on foot across the fields and down through the fog towards the shore. The clouds were very low, no more than 15 m above sea level and light levels very low, it was more like dusk than 2 pm!!! But I thought that would be good and would bring the fish closer to shore.

I worked my way from one end of the bay to the other, fishing into numerous gulley and small bays, off rock promontories but all I had was a single pollock of about 2.5 lbs and a solitary mackerel. I couldn't believe the fishing was so poor. Two years ago in late September this bay was teaming with life. In the deeper gulleys you could catch pollock on every cast, close to dusk pollock and bass were breaking the surface all over but this time it looked lifeless.

5th October
The tides were strong as there was a new moon. I planned fishing a stretch of coast in East Cork which I only fished a couple of times this year. However, when I got out of the car and had a look down at the shore it did not look too good. Although it was a nice sunny day there was a fairly strong southwesterly breeze which had blown up a moderate surf and the water looked highly coloured. So as an alternative I made my way to a more sheltered mark in Cork Harbour. I dislike fishing the harbour and much prefer to be on the open coast but with the conditions it seemed like the best option. I fished from low tide for the next 3.5 hours working my way along a stretch of shore with lots of gulleys and rock ridges. Another angler was fishing from small boat and was drifting 30-40 m out along the same stretch, so between us we had that area well covered but if there were any fish there they were not interested.

It was not looking good so I packed up and headed to a mark on the coast that is partially sheltered from southwesterly winds. I had some good fish there last year on big tides in the September/October period in the last two hours up to high tide. So I got there on what should be the optimum time. The sea was quite choppy but the water clarity was not too bad.

I was fishing for about 25 minutes when I saw the black outline of a fish coming after the lure, again I was using a Delalande Picoleau, and I felt a tug but the fish missed the hook, I slowed down the retrieve and the fish struck again. This time it was well hooked and initially dived with the lure before breaking the surface. I worked it in and eased it onto a rock ledge. It was a 45 cm bass.

Last year once the first bass appeared at this mark I always had a few more as well as a few missed bites presumably as a small shoal passed through. But this time that was the only fish. Although I did have another bite - a fish that stole the soft plastic off the lead head without been hooked.

6th October
Again the Sunday after a nice Saturday was grim with thick fog, light misty rain and a strong southwesterly breeze. I made my way to the same Waterford mark I fished on Sunday 22nd September as it would be sheltered. The conditions looked reasonable and the water clarity was good. A worked my along the bay with just one nibble from a fish that wasn't hooked. Finally just before packing up in an attempt to at least catch one fish I put on a yellow tailed jelly worm and lobbed it across a kelp lined ledge with a deep drop off. I reckoned there must be pollock lurking there. After a few casts I got a small pollock which didn't even weigh a pound. It was high tide at that stage so I packed up and made my way up the cliff before it got too dark after another very disappointing session.

A chunky wrasse - 7th September 2013

Saturday afternoon I headed to a deep water rock mark to target pollock. I got there just after low tide and had a few small pollock of about 1-1.5 lbs. Shortly after arriving the wind changed direction and was blowing directly towards me so I decided to move to the western margin of the next bay.

I found a relatively flat wave-cut platform and had a few casts retrieving through a narrow kelp lined gap in between some shallow submerged rocks. On about the fourth cast as I retrieved the lure close to shore there was a sudden flash of gold up from the depth and a large pollock snatched the lure and dived. It was a strong fish and the rod doubled over as it stripped line. I managed to prevent it burying itself into the kelp and got it to the surface. It made several more dives before I could ease it on to the rocks. It was a nice pollock of just over 4 lbs.

A little later I moved to the edge of a narrow deep gully and slowly retrieved a soft plastic, keeping it deep. I could see faint outline of a fish checking out the lure several times, then on about the fifth or sixth cast something grabbed the lure and dived beneath the rock ledge. I couldn't budge it, so moved to my left to the very edge of the rocks to get a bit more leverage and managed to pull the fish out. It wasn't happy and made a few more dives before I got it to the surface and eased it on to the edge of the rocks. It was a nice Ballen Wrasse of about 2 lbs.

It had destroyed the lure so I put on another and had a few more casts through the same gully. Then the lure was hit hard and the rod buckled over. I stopped the fish going to ground but it was a struggle to get it to the surface. It made several dives stripping line with ease until I tighten the drag and slowly worked it to the surface and carefully eased it onto the rocks below me. It was a fine chunky ballen wrasse, weighing just over 4.5 lbs.

It was one of the biggest I have caught, possibly the biggest - a few years ago I had a large wrasse on ragworm from the Beara Peninsula but didn't have a scales with me at the time. Not sure if this one was bigger but there wouldn't have been much between them. But this fish was definitely the best I have had on a lure.

I fished on a little longer, moved further along the shore, tried a few more gulleys but just caught one more pollock of about 2 lbs.

July- August 2013

I haven't put up a post for some time, partly because I was very busy with work and partly because there was not much to report.

Summer 2013 proved to be by far my worst year for fishing. Bass remained elusive and even pollock were scarce. I discovered a new deep water mark which produced some nice pollock up to 5 lbs.

But regular marks which used to have abundant pollock were fairly lifeless during the summer. On previous years pollock used to be a pest at some bass marks close to dusk, snatching the lures on every cast but this summer they were strangely absent.

The weather this summer was the best we had in a long time, it should have been perfect bass fishing conditions but bass just seemed to be absent. I had a few on bait early in the summer and a 5lb bass on a toby spoon while fishing for pollock but for some reason the bass were reluctant to take lures or else were not present. Last year was tough due to the almost constant rain and wind but whenever there was a break in the weather I managed to get a few bass, but this year the fishing was far tougher.

I had a few Ballen Wrasse on lures too from the new deep water mark. One evening close to dusk after getting a few pollock in the 2-3 lbs range I spotted a stockier fish with a broad tail following a lure - it looked like a wrasse.  So I switched to a smaller soft plastic and after a couple of casts landed a beautifully coloured green ballen wrasse of about 2 lbs followed a little later by another brown coloured wrasse taken on a Xlayer.

First bass after end of closed season - 23rd June 2013

Normally I would mark the reopening of the bass season on the 16th June with a long session but the south coast was hit but a storm with strong winds and driving rain. So I thought it wise to leave the bass in peace for one more day.  On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings I lure fished three different marks but did not have a bite never mind catch a fish. On Monday the water was still quite coloured after Sunday's storm so I was not too hopeful. But the sea had calmed down and the had water cleared by Tuesday so the conditions looked good but the fish had other ideas.

A return of strong winds on Saturday ruled out lure fishing over the weekend so I decided to return to bait fish. Late Sunday afternoon I headed to a reliable beach that will normally produce bass in daylight with a moderate surf on an ebbing tide. The wind had swung around to a northwesterly and there was still a good surf rolling in but the wind had ripped up a lot of kelp which had amassed at the eastern end of the beach in the location where I wanted to fish. I moved about 100 m further up the beach. I set up two rods, one baited with crab on a 4/0 pennel pulley, the other with a three hook flapped with crab and razor on 2/0 and 3/0 circle hooks.

About a hour after arriving I had a missed bite on the pennel pulley. There was a sharp tug on the rod but when I went to retrieve the fish was gone.

It remained quite until dusk. Then I noticed some small knocks on the rod with the three hook flapper. I picked it up, waited until I felt a stronger tug than lifted into the fish. It felt like a smallish bass and as I began to retrieve I could see the fish breaking the surface. I rapidly reeled in the slack as the fish was carried in on a breaking wave and managed to keep the line taut. A few minutes later I had it on the beach. It was a rather slim 47 cm bass. But still it was the first post-closed season bass so I was delighted.

I was hopeful this indicated the fish were moving in but it remained quite for a couple of hours. At about 12.20 am I decided to have one last cast before packing up. I reeled in and put on fresh bait, focusing mostly on razor as that had picked up the first bass.

After a few minutes I noticed a tap on the rod with the three hook flapper. I picked it up but as I began to retrieve I realized there was a lot weed on the line. The northwest wind had died down at this stage and the mass of kelp that was at the eastern end of the beach had begun to drift westwards along the shore. I assumed all I had on the end of the line was a ball of weed. It was a struggle to haul it in. As the shockleader appeared out of the water I could see that the leader knot was drapped in weed so I grabbed the line and manually hauled it in. Then I spotted something was splashing about in the shallows - there was a fish on the end!!!!

I pulled the line clear of the water and hauled a good size bass on to the sand. It was a plump 59 cm fish and weighed a little over 5 lbs.

I would have stayed on longer but at this stage the surf in front of me was dense with kelp so decided it was time to pack up.

Southwesterly wind = Bass - 2nd May 2013

After a couple of unsuccessful lure fishing sessions earlier in the week, the forecast for Thursday evening was for strengthening southwesterly winds. I got to the beach about 45 minutes after low tide. Two anglers were already. I set up two rods, one with a three hook flapper with size 1 and 2/0 circle hooks baited with lug and the second with a pennel pulley baited with crab.

Nothing much was happening until close to dusk. Then I felt a series of nibbles, but no bites so it was probably small fish (flounder or coalfish tugging on the bait). Then I had a stronger bite at about 10 pm. This time the fish was hooked and turned out to be a 27 cm flounder, taken on lug.

About 5 minutes later I had a much stronger tug again on the three hook flapper rig. It was a small bass, about 37 cm in length.

At that stage I switched the pennel pulley rig for a two hook flapper (size 1 and 2/0 circle hooks) and baited it with lug and razor. About half an hour later I had another sharp knock on one of the rods. At first I thought it was another bass, but as I hauled it out of the surf I realized it was a dogfish.

It was quite for a while; then about 40 minutes later I had another flounder, of about 25 cm. This was followed shortly afterwards by a small coalfish.

Ten minutes later there was a sharp pull on one of the rods. I grabbed it and lifted into a fish that was putting up a better struggle. A few minutes later I hauled a 46 cm bass out of the surf.

The bite became more frequent over the next half an hour over high tide with a couple more small flounder and another three coalfish. However, once the tide began to drop the bites died off. I stuck it out for about 30 minutes after high tide before packing up.

All fish were taken on lug, but I had no interest in the crab or razorfish. The total catch for the session was 2 bass, 1 dogfish, 4 flounder and 4 coalfish.

A few more bass - 23rd - 25th April 2013

23^rd April 2013

I headed to a regular beach after finishing work to fish the ebbing tide. I was set up by 7 pm. There was a good surf breaking on the beach, and a SSW breeze was beginning to increase in strength and it was overcast so the conditions looked good. The previous Saturday I found that bass went for bait on smaller hooks and ignored my large clump of lug on a 4/0 pennel pulley. So this time I set up two rods both with size 1 and 2/0 circle hooks baited with lug. Less than 20 minutes later I spotted a subtle knock on one of the rods, picked it up and waited for a stronger bite then lifted into the fish. It felt to a small bass and a few minutes later I hauled a 38 cm bass out of the surf.

I rebaited and recast. Shortly afterwards I had another bite, a strong tug on the same rod. I grabbed it and began to retrieve. This felt a slightly better fish. It was another small bass just over 42 cm in length.

That was a good start, two bass in less than 30 minutes. However, the bites then died off. It was quite until 9.15 pm before I had the next fish, the third small bass of about 41 cm.

As the light was beginning to go I put on my headlamp and turned it on but there was only a dim flicker and then it went totally dead. It must have got switched on in my bag and the batteries had run down. As it was a dark night with thick low cloud I quickly dismantled the rods, packed up and quickly headed back across the beach while there was still enough light to make out my way. I was kicking myself for not bringing a spare set of batteries.

24^th April 2013

I had plenty of lug left over from the previous session so headed to the same mark, this time with two sets of fully charged batteries!!

The surf as quite a bit weaker compared to the evening before, there was little or no wind and it felt a lot warmer. I was set up and fishing by 7.30 pm. There was not much happening for the first hour; then at about 8.45 there was a strong tug on one of the rods. It was a small bass of only 37 cm.

I had a second strong bite just 10 minutes later, this time a 41 cm bass.

I was anticipating a good session after that but then it went very quite and it was about an hour later before I had another bite. This time it was a small coalfish. I had another three coalfish after than and it was not until 11 pm before I had another bass, another 41 cm fish.

This was followed by a bunch more small coalfish but no more bass. I stayed on until 1.30 am and packed up shortly after the tide began to push back in.

Several of the bass I had on this session and the previous one had net marks. Some of them may have been old marks but one fish had what looked like fairly recent marks and its scales had not yet grown back.

25^th April 2013

It was a clear night with a bright full moon. It looked a nice night to be out so I decided to venture out again. I had some lug left over from the previous two sessions but they were mostly small. I decided to try a West Waterford beach for a change.

Unfortunately the wind had switched to a northwesterly during the day which had flattened out the surf, so it didn’t look too promising, especially as I find this beach doesn’t fish well unless there is a big surf.

Despite the northwest wind it was still mild enough and hardly needed my headlamp as the beach was bathed in bright moon light. Unfortunately there was not much happening. The first bite was a small Shore Rockling.

This was followed 20 minutes later by a coalfish, a bit bigger than the usual ones that have been showing up on the beached recently so for a few moments I was hopeful it might be a small bass until I had it on the beach. This was followed by two more much smaller coalfish about an hour later. By that stage I had used up all the bait, so packed up and headed home.