Duration: 11.00 pm to 5.30 am
Tide: HW at 4.45 am
Weather: Mild, light WSW breeze, dry at first then light intermettent rain
Bait: Razor, mackerel, squid, frozen black lug
Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulley, 3/0 single hook flapper, two hook flapper (size 1/0 and 2)
Results: 4 flounder, 1 coalfish
Report: As the tides were good with a full moon I decided to have a late night session. Although there was only a light breeze there was still a bit of a swell from the windy weather over the previous few days so I opted for my usual East Cork beach instead of a rock mark. I thought I would fish it from low tide up to and a little after high tide as I had never done that before. I had previously found the two hours before high tide and half hour or so after high tide to be the most productive but thought it would be interesting to fish the full tidal range.
I was also trying out a new rod (Penn Affinity) that I got from Marlinman.
Unfortunately I didn't have any fresh worm bait - I didn't get the chance to get out in the morning to dig some - and I also forgot to bring a jar of mussels that I had intended to use. But I reckoned I would be OK with plenty of razor, mack, squid and a few frozen black lugs.
When I arrived it was low tide - I have never been there when the tide was so far out. There was a moderate surf rolling in, so I was hopeful of getting a bass. Although it was cloudy and raining later it was amazing how bright it was from the full moon - I only needed the headlamp when preparing the bait. Got set up way out in front of some rocks that are normally partly submerged when I fish there. I set up three rods at varying distances. It was all quite for the first two hours. I was backed up to the rocks with the rising tide by the time I got the first bite - a small flounder. It was on the new rod, cast farthest out on a 3/0 pennel with razor.
I then moved away from the rocks and onto the main beach. Again it was quite for a while then got another small flounder - this time on the rod in close, taken on a size 1/0 hook baited with razor and mackerel.
About two hours before high tide I got a third flounder - a little bigger than the first two (forgot to bring my measure). This was again taken on razor on a 3/0 pennel at moderate distance and again on the new rod. This was followed by a coalfish - he put up a good fight for such a little fish - I was thinking I had a small bass - it was caught on the 3/0 pennel baited with razor and wrapped with a strip of mackerel.
Shortly afterwards I got the fourth flounder - this time on the rod in close. It was another small one taken on 1/0 flapper baited with mackerel and razor.
Close to high tide there was a sudden sharp downward pull on one of the rods - cast out moderate distance. I struck and thought the hook was set. There was something big on the end which was putting up a strong fight - unfortunately it managed to shake off the hook about half way in
I presume it was a good size bass.I stuck it out for a bit longer but there were no more bites.
Not really a great result considering the tidal/lunar conditions, reasonable surf and having had to spend all night there (maybe it would have been better if I had been able to get some fresh lug/rag) but at least I gave the new rod its baptism, got the first fish on it, as well as one other flounder and the coalie.
that was a long session,the razor seemed to have worked well,have never fished it myself.
