Ugly and Slugly on the Louth Coast, 24 Feb 2013

[johnwest]

People:Me

Duration: 9pm to midnight.

Tide:High tide at 10.30pm

Weather:Flat calm, Zero degrees almost full moon.

Bait:Fresh lug, frozen mackerel.

Rigs:2 and 3 hook flappers.

Results:Sea scorpion and 5-beard rockling.




Report:
I arrived down at the beach to dig some lug and gathered up a good supply in a relatively short time. This lug bed was ravaged by storms some time ago and while not completely recovered, it seems to be well on the way. Quick coffee and sandwich in the car while waiting for the tide to come in a bit and set up just before 9pm. It was flat calm with no wind so keeping warm wasn't a problem despite the temperature dropping quickly to zero. Unfortunately there was an almost full moon with a thin veil of cloud which meant it was quite bright; great for duck shooting but perhaps not so good for fishing. It actually seemed to get brighter as the night wore on, by 11.30pm the moon was almost overhead and you could have read the paper in the moonlight. This mark often fishes better close in than far out but not tonight. I started getting an occasional nibble at my maximum range so fished both rods at distance. Eventually I got a more determined bite which I let develop. On reeling in I could feel some additional weight but no kicks or struggling, weed? No, a short spined sea scorpion, first I've ever got from this spot. A large chunk of his tailfin was missing, something must have been very hungry to tackle him. Not the most handsome fish but one more for the species list. A while later another feeble but persistent bite resulted in a small 5 bearded rockling and that was it for the night. Better than a blank and given the flat calm and almost daylight conditions I shouldn't complain too much. All I have to do now is wrap the remaining lug for the freezer emergency supplies.

[Al and Jordan]

still tough going on the east coast man. but it beats blanking any day

[sparkey+1]

Fair play for being out in the freezing conditions JW and well done for beating the blank

[chuckaroo]

them wee fishes mouths are bigger than their bellies
a couple of fish JW, not so bad. plenty of blanks up this way being reported!

[originalsin]

a short spined sea scorpion, first I've ever got from this spot. A large chunk of his tailfin was missing, something must have been very hungry to tackle him. Not the most handsome fish but one more for the species list

An ugly fish is always better than no fish.....

And on a sidenote, Ive just been informed next one of them i catch i've to bring it home to keep as a pet cos herself thinks they are cute....