Duration: 3.00 - 8.00 pm
Tide: HW at 4.00 pm
Weather: Calm, mild, sunny, dry, light northwesterly breeze
Bait: Lug, razor, mackerel, squid, sandeel
Rigs: 4/0 pennel pulley, three and two hook flappers
Results: 4 Five Bearded Rocklings
Report: After having a rather poor session on Saturday I was hopeful of a better session on Sunday and decided to head Waterford direction again. However, the sea was dead calm. I decided to try a mark I fished for the first time in early January. I thought it might have potential for a variety of species.
I set up three rods and then sat down to relax in the sunshine. The rod tips remained motionless, the bait was coming back untouched. But I reckoned that by dusk there should be something biting. Sure enough as the sun was beginning to set (lovely sunset by the way) I had a knock on the rod with the 4/0 pennel but nothing was hooked. A little later there was a knock on the rod with the three hook flapper. At first I thought there was nothing there as there was no further movement. Then about ten minutes later I retrieved the line to change the bait and found a small five bearded rockling only about 17 cm long on one of the hooks.
A little later there was a stronger knock on the rod with the two hook flapper (size 1/0 hooks) and I reeled in another five bearded rockling - although this one was a bit bigger at about 26 cm.
Two more small five bearded rocklings followed. All were caught on mackerel, and one on mackerel tipped with sandeel sliver.
I packed up after the fourth. I only caught one five bearded rockling during all of last year, but so far this year I have caught six
So another rather poor session - but considering the calm conditions at least I didn't blank and I did get to see a nice sunset.
.
). Did we all catch really big 5 beards all on the same night or have I more misinformation, or are 5 beards bigger than we think in general 
