Bass Cork Harbour

[patk]

With the lockdown I have a little fishing within the radius in Cork harbour. I've tried a few times just to get out more than anything else. A few people I've met have said that the bass "aren't in the harbour yet" is this the case in people's opinions? Do they come into the harbour later in the year? Where I'd usually fish in Kerry now would be the time they'd be on the shore? Any thoughts?

[JimC]

Have a read off this article and have a read off the PDF paper. It shows the timings and dates of bass returning to the harbour.
http://www.topfisher.eu/new-research-fi ... -sea-bass/
Experience would say:
Bass traditionally return earlier to Kerry so you are correct in your assumption. In the Cork area the bass tend to fill from east to west. Activity is increasing in the eastern side of the coast as we speak. I would expect that there would be bass in the harbour at this stage. They can be fickle enough and tend to be bunched up in places before they spread out. They can be a harder target in the earlier periods. Western end of the harbour... Crosshaven, Lough Beg, Rinaskiddy would be good bets at this time. It seems to take a bit more time for the upper harbour and the western areas to fire (other than hot water areas and outer harbour).

[patk]

Thanks Jim interesting to hear your thoughts as you clearly know your stuff! I look forward to reading that. Weather is great so best way to find out also is to get out I guess. Tight lines and stay safe!!

[mickser]

Hi Jim mick morgan "mickser" .Has this study been done in any other area in Ireland or is it a Cork harbour only study . Great read and some fine and interesting things
that has been done to safeguard our BASS stocks. Well done to you and the team who carried this out.

[patk]

Any thoughts yourself Mickser?

[JimC]

Hi Jim mick morgan "mickser" .Has this study been done in any other area in Ireland or is it a Cork harbour only study . Great read and some fine and interesting things
that has been done to safeguard our BASS stocks. Well done to you and the team who carried this out.

No Mick. It was only Cork Harbour. It was fairly revolutionary at the time. There has been a few studies done since in France and UK using acoustic telemetry.
There was some work done in Waterford and Cork using satellite tags but I think it was largely unsuccessful. There was talk of doing another acoustic study in Waterford but I have heard nothing further about it.

The study was driven on by Tom Doyle of UCC and a team of people. Tom secured the funding and off we went! We need more people like him as I think conservation will only happen when helped from the education sector. Nobody seems to want to listen to anglers!

Apart from the study I was chuffed to catch a specimen bass, my first on a lure; and be able to track the fish for a year and a half savage stuff!