Another Waterford bass - 12th May 2009

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 10.30 pm - 3.00 am

Tide: LW at 2.45 pm

Weather: Calm at first, then moderate northeasterly wind, clear

Bait: Lug, razor

Rigs: 4/0 pennel pulley, two hook flapper (4/0 hooks)

Results: 1 bass




Report: As it was a nice sunny afternoon I decided to dig some lugs for Wednesday. However, in the evening the easterly wind seemed to have died down so I thought why wait until Wednesday and headed off to an east facing beach which I suspected would have a good surf. When I arrived there was a nice surf and at that stage very little wind. I set up two rods, initially both baited with lug. At first the water was weed free but as the tide dropped past a rock promontory weed that had been accumulating on the other side started migrating down the beach. It was becoming unfishable. After a few minutes the rigs would snag huge clumps of kelp The wind was also picking up. It looked like it would be the first time I bass blanked on this beach in darkness.

I was undecided whether to pack up and go home, try another mark or stick it out and hope the weed would clear. I opted to stay put - waited for a while and then just used one rod with a 4/0 pennel baited with lug/razor. The weed had lessened so I hoped it might clear. Then, as a nice orange moon was rising directly out to sea, I noticed a gentle pull on the line. At first I presumed it was just more weed building up. I held the rod and then felt small tugs - but again I was uncertain if it was a fish or just strands of kelp hitting the line. I struck anyway just in case - there seemed to be a fish on the end - then as I reeled it in I could feel the definite pull of a good sized fish - it tried to slackline me, but I kept the tension on the line and as it got close to the shore it put up a fierce struggle. I eventually hauled it through the surf and could see it was a good size bass - 65 cm My biggest so far this year.

There was a fresh mark on one of its sides - I don't known it was a net mark or if it injured itself in the struggle. I dropped it into a nearby pool and it seemed to be happily swimming around.

After that I cast out the second rod in case there were a few more knocking about. Unfortunately there was still a lot of kelp in the water. About every 10 minutes I had to retrieve before the build up of weed got too great. I had one more possible bite after that - if it was a fish I missed it - but I am not sure, it may have just been a big clump of weed that came off as I started to retireve.

I decided to pack up at about 3.00 am and keep some lugs for tomorrow night. So I was happy with that session - I very nearly packed up early and went home, but in the end I was rewarded with a nice bass.

[saltydog]

Nice going Frank sneaking another few in before the ban well done cool pics

[Eoghan]

I caught a bass before that was bleeding from its side. I know it wasnt in the struggle as it was 3 feet from the shore when I saw it. It took a surface popper. I often wonder do they injure themselves while chasing bait fish etc close into shallow areas with barnacle covered rocks etc....

Nice fish by the way..!

[flip]

well done on them bass nice pic

[eyesreilly]

Well done Frank fishing in those weedy conditions, lovely bass

[dfella25]

Great pics Frank. It's going to be a long month for you!

[craigo]

Well done for sticking it out , great fish , great report

[rustyhookthomas]

nice result with the grief of weed, many would run a mile including myself as i have had line and nearly rods broken with weed!
only 30 days to go now!!

edit!
superb pics by the way!

[steveoel]

Great looking catch
Well done mate

[theshoreking]

Well done Frank.

You're the King in my absence Bet you wish the season wouldn't close now yer on a good run. Never fear though - theres always the giltheads to consider The cunnigar mite be worth a shot for them on the big tides from now on.

sk

[Kraken]

Never fear though - theres always the giltheads to consider The cunnigar mite be worth a shot for them on the big tides from now on.

sk

Any preferred rigs / bait for the giltheads - gotta get me a few of those

john

[red]

Never fear though - theres always the giltheads to consider The cunnigar mite be worth a shot for them on the big tides from now on.

sk

Any preferred rigs / bait for the giltheads - gotta get me a few of those

john

i asked the same question the other day to someone whos caught a few. he reckoned no bigger than a size 2, and a flapper with crab was good

[Dave]

Never fear though - theres always the giltheads to consider The cunnigar mite be worth a shot for them on the big tides from now on.

Funny you should mention that SK, I was just flicking through an old issue of Irish Angler today and stumbled on an old article about fishing for Gilthead off the Cunnigar with none other than Cortaz. Those Giltheads certainly don't look like your typical Irish catch, more like the kind of fish you'd expect to catch in warmer climbs. I think I'll have to make a trip down that direction soon and see I can catch one.

Btw good work on the Bass Rockhunter and fair play for sticking it out in those conditions.

[RockHunter]

Thanks guys,

It's going to be a long month for you!

Yes - I can feel the withdrawal symptoms already

theres always the giltheads to consider

Are they about already?
They would definitely take my mind off the bass - but how do you avoid catching bass when targeting them?

i asked the same question the other day to someone whos caught a few. he reckoned no bigger than a size 2, and a flapper with crab was good

I got several bass on size 6 hooks last year so using small hooks won't deter bass from taking the bait if they are about.

[red]

according to the person who gave me the mark ill be trying tomorrow for the bream said there might be a few Bass larking about. he said if i hook one just to put it back as quickly as possible.
is this ok??

[antbear]

Nice fish Frank, Waterford has fished exceptionally well this year in my opinion. There seems to be more fishhing down here at the moment than I have seen for years.
Hope the good run continues after mid-June.

Antbear

[hughcronin]

Frank will you f....f....flounder off with all your basstarding bass-and by the way, bass you keep in the bath and recatch DO NOT COUNT!

Fair play though,
hugh

[RockHunter]

Nice fish Frank, Waterford has fished exceptionally well this year in my opinion. There seems to be more fishhing down here at the moment than I have seen for years.

Thanks, unfortunately the same can't be said of East Cork after all the netting that took place last winter.

Frank will you f....f....flounder off with all your basstarding Bass-and by the way, Bass you keep in the bath and recatch DO NOT COUNT!

When that big one was swimming around in the pool the thought did briefly cross my mind of dropping a bait in just to see if the fish would take it and study how it reacted towards the bait. But then I reckoned it had already been through enough with me hauling it out of the surf, slapping it down on a ruler, photographing it, and then carrying it across to the rock pool without it being caught a second time in the space of a few minutes.

[theshoreking]

Ah,

the giltheads at the cunnigar will take lug as good as anythin. You could try crab and maybe rag. The prob with the crab there i find is just the amount of small bass you'd be gettin - cant keep em off it at times. Try in front of the sandhill well out on the spit. Nice gully there on the seaward side. Also a good area for the gg mullet.

Main thing for the giltheads is to keep the bait movin. Cast and retrieve is the way to go there. Runnin ledger or one up one down rig. My pref would be to fish light rod and line for best sport and more takes. Dont strike at the nibbles - wait for weight of the fish. Give it a try for sure. Cork harbour also has the giltheads of course.