N. Antrim Beach Bass, Causeway Coast, 11-12-12

[cathalger]

People:My cousin Mick and me

Duration:3pm - 8pm

Tide:High water 5.30pm

Weather: Still and cold, sand at back of beach frozen.

Bait: Manky ragworm and frozen sandeel.

Rigs:Dunno what its called but size 2/0 aberdeen pennell on 2.5 foot hook link, 4oz grippers.

Results: 4 bass to 3lb, a 1.5lb sea trout and 4 or 5 small coley. (2nd attempt on 13th Dec yielded one nice 2lb beach pollack and one small bass about a pound which was returned, many small coley).




Report:

Hadnt been doing much shore fishing recently but ended up going for a throw last Tuesday evening following a conversation with my cousin Michael about bass and new moons etc (largely inspired by a converstaion with Cortaz in Waterford during the summer, and of course all the info presented in his thread ‘Predictable Fishing’). New moon was last Thursday the 13th and Tuesday was the closest day that suited us both. Both of us went out hoping to catch maybe a decent flounder or coley just to justify our efforts. We went to a north Antrim beach we'd only ever fished once before but we had heard bass had been taken there in the past and I was steered in that direction by another site user who would not be pleased if I gave the location so I can't share the location. We were completely blown away with the session we got. Far and away beyond our wildest expectations, catching 2 bass each and I returned a nice sea trout besides.

It came first on 2 ammo sandeels on a pennell and wrapped with bait elastic, intended for coley, bass or maybe even a turbot. About 5.15pm, very close to high water at half 5. I was just in the process of getting a pic of the trout on the sand when Mick's rod started thumping. Got the trout back into the water as it is totally out of season and was a bit lean looking and got the camera onto Mick taking in his fish. We were hoping to see another trout but were even more blown away by the sight of a bass of Ilb 13oz coming ashore. It took the stinking ragworm. Mick pulled in bass number 2 at slightly over the pound at 5.40pm. That one was returned, well undersize 35cms. Dont think either of us have been so excited by fishing in a very long time.

I got on the score sheet at 5.55pm with another 1lb 14oz bass, just over the 40cm mark as was Mick's first one at 1lb 13oz. Both of us are fish eaters and these were fish of an unusual quality for us to get locally so they were going to be savoured. Rag again. That was my first ever bass in the north, only ever caught them before in Wicklow and Waterford, but it was Michael's first ones ever.

It was immediately after that at about 6.05pm I went to get a bait in the water asap to see if a 2nd one or a bigger one could be caught, anything was possible the way it was going. I didnt pay enough attention to what I was doing on the throw and the line had snagged the reel handle. My freshly baited rig snapped off on the throw and went out into the waves on its own. Hoped it wouldn't be eaten by a fish with the amount of activity going on around us.

I had to just calm the jets and rig up again. I got that cast out at about 6.10 I'd say. I think I refreshed the bait one time and threw out again, only fishing one rod. Mick hadnt had anymore luck but for small coley and 3/4 of an hour had passed before I began to get a bit of interest on my rod. It was a better fish this time and at 6.55 I landed a fine stumpy fish of 2lb 15oz, 46cm. Such a beautiful bass. On the way in I knew I was dragging too much weight and I was sure I had foul hooked Micks line. He didnt say a word, I was waiting for him to say something but he didnt. When I pulled my 3lber out of the water there were 2 identical rigs involved. It quickly became apparent that I had caught my own snapped off rig which had flew off my line around an hour previous. The bass wasnt actually on the hook on my line, it was on the other one, the one that had been in the water the longest. I had foul hooked my lost trace with a 3lb bass attached to it. It wasnt a messy tangle, just a nice tidy hook up below the top swivel of the old trace. I got Mick over to witness it before I took it apart because it was a bit nuts. Cracking fish and good that it wasnt left tethered to a 4oz gripper.

2 happy boys went home shortly afterwards. I booked the afternoon off on Thursday 13th, the day of the new moon. We both had another go on the Thursday but the only bass caught the 2nd day was a pounder by Mick which was returned. That fish got us going and we fished with a bit of expectation. Alas besides a good number of small coley, the only other decent fish was a surprisingly nice pollack of an ounce under 2lb which took my rag an hour before high tide at 5.45pm. As nice a coloured pollack as Ive ever seen, pearly and blueish coloured, very pale. I was sure I was pulling in a good bass as it fought every bit as good, I couldnt keep up with it and though it was off twice.

Sometimes, not often, fishing is better to you than you think possible, great when it happens.
Hope I get these photo's in the right order. Couldnt add all the pics I wanted to here , maybe add more after.

[johnwest]

Great fishing and a great report Cathal, even getting a bass on your cracked off rig just adds to the story telling value of your session. Manky rag must be the new peeler! I have read Cortaz's thread on solunar fishing and Rockhunter's contributions as well but I think my family seem to be influenced by it as anytime I have intended putting it to the test, some family business crops up. Are you now a convert to the cause? I can't help remarking on the first photo; the angler looks more glum than the down-in-the-mouth bass!

[Etihad]

Cracking report. It doesn't get much better than that for N Antrim. Well done

[davyp]

brilliant session lads - its ones like that that keep us at it well done!

[FisherKing]

Some lovely Bass lads well done

[razor2]

Great stuff cathalger and fine report and some fine fish well done great to see

[chuckaroo]

brilliant Cathal, thats as good a report as i reckon can be posted! - in respect to first bass from the north coast etc..
those fish look great in the pics. class pics. that wee session will stay with ye for a very long time.. forever. great pics to remind you of it too
crackin fishin, great report

[cathalger]

Cheers for responses everyone, will respond better myself tomorrow cos its getting late. Yeah it is something else when fishing decides to be good to ye!

[cathalger]

Great fishing and a great report Cathal, even getting a Bass on your cracked off rig just adds to the story telling value of your session. Manky rag must be the new peeler! I have read Cortaz's thread on solunar fishing and Rockhunter's contributions as well but I think my family seem to be influenced by it as anytime I have intended putting it to the test, some family business crops up. Are you now a convert to the cause? I can't help remarking on the first photo; the angler looks more glum than the down-in-the-mouth Bass!

John, you are absolutely right. It wasnt fair of me to use that pic of Mick not looking overly pleased so Ive swapped it for a more pleased looking one with his first smaller bass, hard to always get the best pic with the better fish.

I dont doubt Cortaz's theory one bit. Regardless of this session he had me convinced in the summer when I saw his records first hand. I plan to keeep testing it out. Hopefully it works again!

Yeah the cracked off rig one was just ridiculous, our luck was in and then some.

Cheers.

[Tanglerat]

Excellent fishing, excellent report!

[daveyboy]

Brilliant report..really enjoyed it! Ye just never know. Well done

[lugworm]

super stuff.......good to see the silver fellas are still knockin round......

[Sweetwrasse]

Dream fishing, great when a plan pays off

[birdseye]

Nice to see some fish being reported from the north coast
Well done, super report.

[seanie35]

Smashing report big well done lads

[tight lines]

great report and super fishing well done

[dave316]

Good for you Cathal, very well done and nice to see. Great stuff!!!

[declan65]

Great report there and well done on the silver fellas

[cathalger]

Great fishing and a great report Cathal, even getting a Bass on your cracked off rig just adds to the story telling value of your session. Manky rag must be the new peeler! I have read Cortaz's thread on solunar fishing and Rockhunter's contributions as well but I think my family seem to be influenced by it as anytime I have intended putting it to the test, some family business crops up. Are you now a convert to the cause? I can't help remarking on the first photo; the angler looks more glum than the down-in-the-mouth Bass!

Sorry John for repalcing the glum pic with a more pleased looking one. Yeah that was just one of those ridiculously jammy things that happend in fishing- kind of thing someone tells you and you doubt it as a tall tale soon afterwards. I know some boys I wouldnt believe the like of it from. I think there must be something in the new moon thing, Cortaz says its concrete, who am I to disagree? Cheers.

Cracking report. It doesn't get much better than that for N Antrim. Well done

Cheers Etihad, we were only hoping for any sort of fish at all, our luck was in.

brilliant session lads - its ones like that that keep us at it well done!

You are absolutely right Davy. The like of that will only encourage you to give it more bashes.

Great stuff cathalger and fine report and some fine fish well done great to see

Cheers Razor2. Probably the best beach session yet for me I'd say.

Some lovely Bass lads well done

Thanks Fisherking, couldnt believe our luck. Hope it isnt years and years before it happens again.

brilliant Cathal, thats as good a report as i reckon can be posted! - in respect to first Bass from the north coast etc..
those fish look great in the pics. class pics. that wee session will stay with ye for a very long time.. forever. great pics to remind you of it too
crackin fishin, great report

Youre dead right Charlie, it will inspire for a long time. Hopefully we can do something similar together some of these nights!

Excellent fishing, excellent report!

Thanks Tanglerat!

Brilliant report..really enjoyed it! Ye just never know. Well done

You just dont know thats the thing Davey! Great when fishing brings totally unexpected successes and surprises.

super stuff.......good to see the silver fellas are still knockin round......

Cheers Lugworm, funny thing is, the silver fellas only seem to appear on this part of the shore in Autumn and Winter! Wonder where they come from!

Dream fishing, great when a plan pays off

Sweetwrasse, neither of us realistically expected to get the Bass on the first go in so long. to get a 2 each was something else. One between us would have been a result.

Nice to see some fish being reported from the north coast
Well done, super report.

Thanks Birdseye, yeah theres not too many being reported from this neck of the woods. I reckon theres a fish or 2 being kept quiet about? Sure itd be the same the country over.

Smashing report big well done lads

Thanks Seanie!

great report and super fishing well done

Cheers Tightlines. I'll do well to better that this winter but I'll have a go for an over 3lb one, keep you posted.

Good for you Cathal, very well done and nice to see. Great stuff!!!

Cheers Dave, just landed on our feet this time Dave!

Great report there and well done on the silver fellas

Thanks Declan, it was a real turn up for the books, such lovely looking fish, especially when you don't get to see them very often.

[sparkey+1]

What a great session you two had and a great report to read fair play for taking the time to write a great report and some cracking pics...