Duration:
Tide:
Weather:Sunny spells on Friday and Saturday, foul weather on Sunday
Bait: Rag, mussel, squid, mackerel, sandeel
Rigs: Various
Results: 13 Ballan Wrasse, 4 Corkwing Wrasse, 1 Cookoo Wrasse, 1 Tompot Blenny, 1 Huss, 1 Shore Rockling, 1 Conger, 1 Pollock
Report:
Friday 7th: We headed off to Beara Peninsula for a weekend of fishing. We were staying in Paul Harris' guesthouse in Adrigole. Paul couldn't have been more helpful and gave lots of advise, and on Friday afternoon even took the time to bring us down to a rock mark close to the guesthouse - he calls it the "Doorstep" as it is practically on his doorstep. It is good for wrasse, ray and conger. After having a look at the mark we went for lunch and returned about 4.00 pm. I set up a rod baited with mackerel which Paul kindly provided and cast it out into the channel hoping for a ray. I baited a second rod with rag and dropped it into a deep gulley just off the edge of the rocks. Almost instantly I had a Ballan Wrasse - a good size too at 35 cm - my first of the year
A succession of Ballan and Corkwing Wrasse followed - in total I had 6 Ballan Wrasse and 3 Corkwing Wrasse. I also got a small conger on the rod baited with mackerel. However, I didn't get a ray, the wind picked up considerably shortly after I got set up and it was dragging the line towards the shore and it was frequently getting snagged - I didn't have any gripper weights with me. So after a while I just concentrated on fishing for wrasse.
Saturday 8th: The morning was very overcast with a light southwesterly wind and a little drizzle. Paul suggested we try the "Airport" mark just outside Bantry and drew a sketch map. He also kindly gave me another couple of mackerel and a couple of packets of sandeels. Paul said the "Airport" is a good spot for huss and ray. However, he did mention that the last time he fished there a few weeks ago tiny pin whiting were stripping his bait and that it was very unusual to get them this early. I found the mark and got set up, one rod was baited with squid and sandeel on a two hook flapper to target ray and the other was baited with a chunk of mackerel on a pennel pulley for huss. However, I found that my bait was been stripped in minutes - I guess the whiting were still there. However, I did get a small huss, my first for 2009
At that point I decided to pack up and head across to the north side of the Beara Peninsula to a mark that I had a lot of wrasse from last year. We got there about 3.00 pm. The weather had improved, it was mostly sunny and dry. There were a bunch of mack bashers there but fortunately they were staying clear of the place I wanted to fish. I set up two rods both baited with rag on single hook flappers, although later I changed to mussel on one rod. Almost right away I got a 33 cm Ballan Wrasse
There were almost constant nibbles on the bait, although mostly wrasse pulling the worms off without getting hooked. However, I did catch a total of 7 Ballan Wrasse, 1 Corkwing Wrasse, 1 female Cookoo Wrasse, a Tompot Blenny and a Shore Rockling. The female Cookoo Wrasse was a new species for 2009. Unfortunately when I put it back it floated on the surface for a while but before it fully recovered a big seabird swooped down and had itself a nice dinner
However, that was the only fish that didn't survive.I had been there for about an hour or so when there was a massive pull on the rod. I grabbed it and felt something big on the end - it was putting up a hell of a fight. I don't think I have ever felt a fish pull so strongly. After a few minutes I managed to haul it out of the water - it was a 43 cm Ballan Wrasse. That's the biggest I have ever caught
It must have been well over 4 lb, probably specimen weight, but I didn't have an accurate scales with me. I caught it on mussel. His swim bladder was starting to bulge out so I got a couple of quick photos and got him back into the water as quickly as possible. He floated about for a while and I thought he might not survive but after a few minutes he disappeared back into the depths Sortly afterwards I had a weak bite again on the rig baited with mussel. This time it was a Tompot Blenny - the first I have ever caught
I had a few more wrasse after that. Just before packing up I walked across to a deep pool in a gulley in the rocks. I dropped a line down baited with rag - within seconds I had a strong bite - this was another good size Ballan Wrasse of about 39 cm. It pulled very strongly before I managed to drag it out of the depths.
On the last cast I got a small Shore Rockling.
Sunday 9th: We headed to Dursey Sound. I had a few good sessions there last year and was confident of repeating that. When we got there a light drizzle started which became more persistant but the water was quite calm. However, the rod tips remained motionless - not even a hint of a nibble. That was surprizing as last year when I fished there I was contantly getting bites. I did some spinning a caught a tiny pollock, not much bigger than the lure. I hoped that when the tide started to rise it might bring the fish on the feed - but still there was not a bite. The rain was becoming heavier so I decided to pack up and head back to the bay where I fished the previous afternoon - at least I would be sure of getting a few fish, or so I thought
When I got there the rain was really lashing down. But I was determined to get some fish so I put on the waterproofs and headed down to the shore. I fished there for about two hours without even a hint of a bite
The previous afternoon over much the same stage of the tide I had 11 fish and probably missed at least twice that number of bites but this time it was dead 
The fish just seemed to switch off feeding that day.But apart from Sunday the previous two afternoons had been excellent - I had 4 new species for 2009, including my first ever Tompot and a PB Ballan Wrasse which I am sure exceeded specimen weight.
Paul Harris couldn't have been more helpful (and thanks very much for the bait) - and his wife Anne was very welcoming and cooked up a great breakfast. I would thoroughly recommend their guesthouse (Dromagowlane House http://www.dromagowlanehouse.com/) as a place to stay if fishing the Beara Peninsula.
