Calliso Bay, Co. Waterford - 12th October 2008

[RockHunter]

People: Me

Duration: 2.30 - 6.00 pm

Tide: HW at 4.45 pm

Weather: Mild, calm, dry

Bait: mackerel, peeler crab, frozen black lug, razor

Rigs: 3 hook flapper (size, 1/0, 1 and 4 hooks), two hook flapper (size 3/0), 3/0 pennel pulley, single hook (size 6) long flowing trace

Results: 1 rockling, 3 dogfish, 1 flounder




Report: I decided to give Calliso Bay another try (I fished there earlier last month), but fished from a different location along the beach. It was a nice afternoon to be out - I hadn't been able to get out on Saturday and hadn't got the chance to dig any rag or lug - rag had been successful the last time I fished there - but I did have some frozen black lug and a few crabs (thanks again Shane ).

I got the first bite on the size 6 hook baited with mackerel - at first I didn't think there was a fish on the line but when I reeled in I found I had caught a small shore rockling.

About 20 minutes later I got a dogfish on the same rig - again baited with mackerel.

I switched to the two hook flapper with 3/0 hooks for a while, baited with lug, razor and mackerel. I did get a bite but the other hook must have snagged (it is rough ground there although I was fishing in what is probably the most snag free part of the beach). But the time I got the line free (breaking free the snagged hook) the fish had managed to shake itself off the other hook

I had the three hook flapper on the second rod - baited with mackerel, crab, razor - got two dogfish in quick succession both taken on the mackerel.

About 5.40 pm I got another knock on the rod with the three hook flapper - It first I thought it was a missed bite - there didn't seem to be anything there but when I started to retrieve I could feel a fish on the line - this time it was a 34 cm flounder - taken on crab.

[seanie35]

it has to be one of the fishiest looking beaches I've ever seen, pity bout the constant snags,I've fished both ends and had some luck, do you know any clean spots near the middle reefs,

[RockHunter]

Seanie - I was fishing the western/Yougal end of the beach, the previous time I fished the eastern end. The middle looks to be fairly foul ground - there is a lot of jagged rocks exposed there at low tide and I guess those persist out to sea. Thats a shame as you are right it does look very fishy.

I have only fished it in daytime - it would be interesting to see how it fishes at night and whether any other species show up. I will have to have a bash at it some evening when the tides are right and there is a good surf - I have only fished it in very calm conditions with almost no suf.

[thighlinescork.com]

fished it a few years ago there is a gully around 20 meters out which is full of kelp was talking to a local lad and told me don't know how true it is that there was a 22lbs bass taking by rod here if i remember right i had four cast lost four rigs the beach its self looks like the ideal place where you expect bass to be nice to see that got fish out of there frank

[MikeQ]

I fished it on saturday evening and had much the same there before moving to whitting bay. First cast I had a doggie followed by three rockling on succesive casts. Also fishing crab there. A guy down there told me he had a 6lb bass there on thursday evening on a jointed rapala.

[seanie35]

yeah it would def be worth a nite session, should throw up some cod when the weather cools down , ive heard /but not seen ,of countless fishies caught there. the tide seems to run across the whiting bay end to the youghal end on the flood

[RockHunter]

I thought it looked a likely mark for bass. There were a couple of guys spinning/plugging at the eastern end of the beach when I arrived but they gave up after about an hour. I didn't see them catch anything. The previous time I fished there I did a spot of plugging but it was over low tide and I didn't get a bite - I forgot to bring the spinning rod with me yesterday.

It would definitely be worth a try in the winter for cod.

[seanie35]

I've seen big fish very close in but not sure what species, got a good seatrout 2years ago slap bang in the middle of a shoal of mackerel, tried a couple of dawns but macks everywhere, gonna try earlier next year before they appear