Duration: 8.30-15.45
Tide: Rising until 16.00
Weather: Sunny, almost no wind and very mild.
Bait: razors, squid, and Mackerel
Rigs: Various
Results: Pollock, Ling, whiting, conger and haddock
Report After a bit of research on specimen fish committee reports Willie came up with the idea of trying for specimen haddock in Union Hall and a trip was planned for Feb.
After a bit of research Colin Barnes seemed to be the best choice of skipper . When I rang him he gave me full advice on the best tide to choose. Having spent a day fishing with him we would all agree that he is a superb skipper who knows his grounds like the back of his hands. He set sail at 8.30 and would have stayed out later than 17.45 except that we had to get back to drive to Dublin that night. In fact we reached port at 19.00. First venue was a wreck 32miles offshore. Colin reckoned it would be stuffed with fish, in particular big ling. He had only dropped anchor ( at 11am) a few minutes when Willie got a gut wrenching pull on a jelly lure and after a great fight landed a monster pollock.
It was like a stuffed pig and was bursting at the seams. Estimates of its weight varied from 15-17 lb. Pulling a fish this size and strength up from 120M was a test of Willie’s fitness 
Nicky then followed up with a fine ling of about 15 -16lb
Fishing was not exactly frantic but there were some fine ling caught. There were no small fish.Colin was very disappointed that the wreck did not produce enough fish and so eventually we decided to do a drift for the elusive big haddock. They would not cooperate and so after a few of about 1lb we headed for another wreck further inshore. The depth here was ONLY 110M. Fish appeared almost immediately with everyone catching ling. Barry had a nice fish of about 12 lb and Joe several one after the other. Then Nicky had a double hook up with a ling and a conger
Fishing was till good when we departed at 17.45 and Colin would have stayed as long as we wanted.
On return to the pier Willie’s Pollock was weighed at 18lb 2oz. Given the fact that it had been caught 8 hours earlier in may originally have weighed more that the current record of 19lb 3oz which was set in 1904 Overall this is one great venue and we will definitely return there for another trip.
Caroll & Jim’s B& B was also excellent.
