Duration: 4 hours
Tide: HW at 3.30 am
Weather: Clear, mild, no wind
Bait: Black lug, razor
Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulley, 2/0 two hook flapper, "In line feeder" rig with 3/0 pennel
Results: 4 bass
Report: In the morning I dug a bunch of big black lug just above the low tide mark. I headed out to one of the East Cork beaches later - not my regular one, but one that has been much more unpredictable in the past. There was quite a weak surf and, as it was close to a full moon, it was quite bright - hardly needed a lamp at all. I set up three rods all baited with lug and razor, cast one in close with the two hook flapper and the other two were cast to moderate distance. I used a feeder rig on one of these and a 3/0 pennel pulley on the other.
I reckoned this would be a good test of the feeder rig - over the year I have got a few bass off this beach but most times I fished there it was a struggle to get even a flounder or a coalie. So I was hoping that the feeder rig would draw the bass in.
After about an hour I noticed some slight twitches on the rod at moderate distant with the pennel pulley. I held the rod until there was a more solid bite and struck hooking into a fish which was putting up a good fight - a few minutes later I landed a 45 cm bass
I had a couple of missed bites after that - all on the rod with the pennel pulley. So I knew there were more fish out there. Then about an hour later as I was refilling the feeder for the other rod there was a sharp knock on the first rod - I grabbed it and struck - it felt a smaller fish - I wasn't too sure if this was a bass or not, but sure enough it was - a smaller undersize bass at 38 cm
It got quite after that, there were a few slight twitches on both moderate distance rods but no solid bites and nothing at all on the rod in close. I was starting to think about packing up. Then suddently there was a very sharp double knock on the rod with the feeder rig. I grabbed it and struck - I could feel a very strong pull on the line - I reckoned it had to be another bass - but a bigger one. It was putting up a strong fight and then as I hauled it out of the surf it didn't quite look right in the moonlight. I turned my lamp on and there were two bass, one on each hook of the pennel
One was 46 cm and the other 48 cm. The larger fish was exactly 3 lb.So that bass double was a surprise. Prior to that all the action had been on the other rod and I was thinking that maybe the mix I used in the feeder rig had not been too effective. But I am converted now - it certainly seems to have attracted bass. The bites on the other rod had been more timid, and it would often take several minutes of small twitches before there was a solid bite - but I guess when there was competition for food the bites were much less hesitant.
As it was getting late I packed up after that - and went home very happy - and the feeder rig passed its first test
you can have turkey and bass [no ham] for the christmas dinner 
