Duration:7am-1pm
Tide:high 10'15am approx
Weather:dd fine, calm. sunny
Bait:rag, lug, squid
dd
Rigs:pulley,2 hook flappers, mini rig
Results:codling,doggies, corkwing wrasse, bass,blenny
Report:Went early to Bray Harbour to catch the incoming tide(high at 10-20 am approx) and was the only one there. I fished here quite often earlier in the year, in fact this was where i started my fishing last year, and i was delighted to get a doggie on the first cast on rag on the pulley rig, size 2 hook. This was followed a while later by a small codling, my first of the year
, but soon the crabs appeared and i was getting 2 at a time. No sooner had the bait hit the bottom than they were taking it so i decided to head off.I got to Greystones at about half nine and set up there. I got a doggie straight away at distance on the 15foot rod and later got a corkwing wrasse just under my feet on the penn guvnor 12 foot six rod. I had mistakenly brought this rod instead of my spinning rod so i had to use it with my little spinning reel , 12 lb line and size 4 hook. Awhile later i got a mystery fish which i have put in the q and a section for id, but i'm sure i havent caught one so far this year. I was happy out with 2 new species for the day and stayed on just to use up the rest of my bait. 2 nice foreign lads set up near me and we had a bit of a chat re fishing. One of them caught a nice pollock , a dab and a flounder, all released.
I flicked out a small lugworm on a size 4 hook to try and catch a pollock at my feet but a short while later the rod got a thump and i saw a fine bass surfacing
. I was quite high up on the rocks and it was a stroke of luck that i had forgotten the spinning rod, as i was able to keep the 12 lb line away from the rock edges with the 12 and a half foot surfblaster. I knew the little reel wouldnt take the strain of lifting the bass up about 20 feet so i called the 2 lads over to give me a hand .They were amazed at the bass, never having seen one before ,and i gave the rod to one of them and climbed down to hand line him up. All i could see was this big mouth with a very small hook in it but thank god it was one strong hook I got him up hand over hand and soon he was up on the ledge above.I thanked the lads, packed up and went home . I brought him into my local shop, Harrys, where he was weighed at just over 6 lbs, this makes me more in awe of guys landing double figure bass, it must be some thrill.
