Weather: Almost always sunny, absolutely perfect
Bait: Crab, Lug, Rag, Mack, and Lures
Rigs: Pulleys, Flappers
Results: Hounds, Bass, and a single Pollock
I had to take a week off for work and I ended up being so lucky as everything seems to combinate into the perfect week. I started out in wexford and had a lot of fun catching hounds on crab and Rag of all things? Fished a new mark which is sure to be a new favourite of mine. nearly just broke the 6 pound mark but was a few ounces off, but so enjoyable to be on the beach all day, bbq's in the evenings and then to the shore for night sessions along my favourite bit of coastline.
I manged to get hold of an old campervan off a sound fella who lives in Cork. He had 3 of these mercedes 208's and he only charged €50 per day. We drove from Wexford and picked the van up early Tuesday morning in Cork. By midday with a fridge full of bait we had arrived in the Dingle and headed straight for a rock mark i was told might throw up a few pollock. unfortunately for us this time is didn't but i didn't care one bit. the weather was amazing, fungi was keeping us entertained jumping around the boats out in front of us and i hadn't a stress in the world.
Next stop that evening was my pilgrimage to Inch Strand. There is just something magical about this beach. I know its not known for throwing up monsters anymore but to catch a bass on Inch has always been a bucket list item for mine since i started fishing. We drove a good bit down the beach at low tide and found a outflow and a deep gulley that would be perfect for when the tide started coming in. We had a steak in the restuarant before heading back down to set up for the night of camping on the beach. The wind was steady west around 14km and the tide was coming in strong. missed two lovely bass bites, and lost one hooked fish in the shallow waters, but i learnt my lesson and landed a wee shoolie before the tide was finished. We had a good nights sleep and a fry in the restaurant before heading on
on the next day we started on the ring of Kerry. During the day we fished the rocks by Kell's with feathers and managed a single little Pollock but again the atomsphere was just perfect and the sun was still shining. We visited Waterville that night but with the lack of wind we didn't catch anything. instead we just relaxed and did a recci for next year.
On the last day we drove down as far as Caher Daniel and oh my god! what a place. It was stunning, crystal blue waters where you could see the fish literally in 3 inches of water chasing bait fish up up onto the beach, and deep water rock marks that just sreamed "fish me". i don't know if it was the sunlight or just bad luck but we blanked again but i didn't care in the slightest. I haven't been as relaxed in years and i still had the weekend in Dublin to look forward too.
I spent the rest of the weekend in Dublin trying to catch my first bass on a lure. After a near miss that scared the crap out of me i didn't want to take any chances so fished an area with lots of people around in dublin. I knew my chances weren't good for a fish at all but i was hoping to get lucky. I didn't do well on the fish front, but i didn't realise the whole time i was there an amateur photographer was taking photos of me on the rocks. He sent me the images and i can't wait to get the blown up on canvas so i can always remember this perfect week fishing during the best summer in 15 years.
