Fishing for or Catching Tope from the shore - any tips?

[dbrock]

rig wise i use 200lb mono, (find them weary with the wire), i personally use whole mac to try keep the dogs away, 6/0 to 8/0 hook
80lb leader and usually twice as much as normal as they go nuts in close and usually your mates wont have waders to help i cable tie my mac on and as seanibo said make sure hook point is out, good luck but perceiver and you will be rewarded evenyually, good luck

[Hagar the Horrible]

Hi

Never caught one from the shore but have caught quite a few from boats.
I always used 8/0 cox and rawle meat hooks on a 6 foot wire trace with about 6 feet of 80 lb rubbing line, but i guess this would have to be shortened from the shore. Regarding Lough Swilly , they're scarce enough from the boat there , and there are very few places you can try there from the shore. I would think your best bet is some of the wexford beaches in mid summer in conditions described by the Austrian. Another area where I believe it's possible is Cromane in Kerry around this time of year too.
Best of luck with it, will probably try myself later in the simmer but will fish a second rod for other species otherwise there could be a lot of blanks.

[KERRY1]

Thanks dbrock, I'm armed with plenty of good advice and information to help me catch one which is great. Wish me luck, I think I'm gonna need it!

......but will fish a second rod for other species otherwise there could be a lot of blanks.

Thanks for the info. We intend on bringing other rods with us when we go, just for more variety than anything else. There's the chance of catching some bass at the place we are going so we'll give them a go too when we are there.

[FMCN]

All sound suggestions. There is a decent run of early tope around Rosslare point. Had one of the shore a couple of years ago on my first real attempt at them (20-30lb range) right at the point. Haven't really tried since except for a couple of Autumn sessions in Wicklow. No Luck. On Rosslare point fish big tides, last three hours of flood and start of ebb. Ferocious tides so no amount of lead will hold bottom, just let you bait work round with the tide. Big cast not needed just get it out 50 yards or so.

[hughcronin]

Thanks dbrock, I'm armed with plenty of good advice and information to help me catch one which is great. Wish me luck, I think I'm gonna need it!

......but will fish a second rod for other species otherwise there could be a lot of blanks.

Thanks for the info. We intend on bringing other rods with us when we go, just for more variety than anything else. There's the chance of catching some Bass at the place we are going so we'll give them a go too when we are there.

a few of us fished for tope on Tues, Fri, Sat of last week and sunday just gone.

Personally fished fri, sat, sun putting in on average 5 hours a session (X 2 Rods).

Result, I'd one dog on last cast Sunday (cream always rises to top) and a colleague had a dog Tuesday! Zero Tope

Thats Tope fishing! Best of luck. let us know how you fair

[KERRY1]

Thanks guys for the information. I'll let you's know how I get on.
If I don't have any luck then I'll seriously think about going to Rosslare later on in the year for a go at getting one.

[sea serpant]

pm dave tilly on this site i know he has caught some specimen tope before and knows what he's doin ive seen pic's of some real monsters he has landed mostly on the wicklow coast i believe..

[KERRY1]

Thanks. Dave has been in touch with me, I'm sure he won't mind me saying so fingers crossed I'll get one at some stage.

[sea serpant]

best of luck

[KERRY1]

best of luck

Thanks sea serpant, I think I'm gonna need it!