Donegal Bay, 8/10/2013

[johnwest]

People:Me

Duration:6 hrs

Tide:flooding

Weather:Fine

Bait:Lug, mackerel

Rigs:1,2 and 3 hook flappers

Results:small coalfish, wrasse, conger




Report:
I decided to take advantage of the last warm day for the foreseeable future and head off for a go at the wrasse so first thing to do was dig some lug. Second thing should perhaps have been to gather some small hardback crabs but being a bit pressed for time I didn’t bother, this may well have been a mistake. I arrived at the rock mark at low water, it was swell free with just a slight breeze; (could have taken the boat out after all!). I decided to forego the lrf rod this time to try and winkle out some of the better wrasse which overpowered the light rod last time out. Instead of float fishing I tried legering and bites started coming almost straight away. Unfortunately the fish were small coalfish which tormented me for most of the session. They descended on the lug bait within seconds but occasionally a small wrasse would get there first. Sadly the wrasse were small, 4 small ballans and 3 corkwings. No sign of any decent wrasse at all, I would have thought a decent 2-3lb wrasse would have no trouble bullying small coalfish out of the way. If I had got some hardback crabs, that would have deterred the coalfish but perhaps the better wrasse just weren’t there. Eventually the tide advanced and pushed me off the mark so I headed for a beach as darkness descended. Two and three hook flappers baited with mackerel and some left over lug were used but for the first hour and a half, no bites. Time for the customary “hang sangwich” and cup of coffee in the car. Just as I was finishing the coffee I noticed a slight nodding of one of the rods so a quick strike and some weight on. It turned out to be a small conger which had taken a tiny poor cod which had taken the lug bait. Not a monster but one more for the species list. That was the only activity and as the tide started to ebb the beach became quite weedy so it was time to head home.

[gussyw]

Great stuff. Sounds like it was a busy night for you!

[chuckaroo]

good effort JW
nice wee wrasse(s)