Monkstown, Sat 9th Jan 2010.

[Dave Jolly]

People:
Just me
Duration:
08.45 to 11am, neaps unfortunately.
Tide:
HW approx 11
Weather:
-4 starting, easterly F3, 1 degree leaving.
Bait:
1 doz 2-3 yr old frozen crab
Rigs:
4/0 pennell pulley, 6-7 oz breakaway
Results:
codling




Report:
Having not been shore fishing for over a year, and finding a dubious quality bag of frozen crab in the freezer I decided to hit the wall in Monkstown for a few casts.
All the line on my reels seemed to be rotten, so I filled up an old slosh 20 with 300 yds 20lb fireline just to be able to get out.
I had to defrost the crab with the car heater as it was well below zero when I started.
I decided to use whole crab on a 4/0 pennell pulley in case there was a nice cod or two around, normally the biggest cod come out of here on spring tides, and usually the 1st 2 hrs of the flood, but I wasn't getting up at 5am lol, and you never know when a big one might turn up.
My first cast in over a year went about 120yds out into the channel, and well uptide to grip in.
I left out another 20 yds of line, propped the rod up, and waited for the tip to go over as the lead gripped in.... but it didn't, it kept nodding as the line went uptide??, Thinking I didn't set the grip lead up properly, I reeled in to find a 14" codling on it, nice I thought, 1st cast since 2008 and a fish, I returned the fish, rebaited, and cast out again with the same result, another 14" codling, like peas in a pod.
I had 12 crab (stinking when defrosted), so I had 12 casts which resulted in 10 codling, all over 300, and all returned, 1 crack off, and 1 fish dropped on the retrieve.
There were about 10 other anglers fishing, and all I saw caught was 3-4 small cod same size as mine (put into bags??) one good whiting and 1 pouting.
The way the weather has been for boat fishing over the last 3 yrs I think I might have to take up shore fishing again.
Happy new year and tight lines for 2010.
Dave

[jimmymellis]

some nice fishing there bro but this spot is better fished over low tide

[Dave Jolly]

True Jimmy,
In the 20 odd years I have fished Monkstown it always fishes best the first couple of hours preferably on a spring tide, having said that all the biggest cod I have caught here (over 8lbs) came right in the middle screaming springs when no-one else was able to grip in the channel, which goes to show the fish are there throughout the tide.
The problem with Monkstown is that only a handful of anglers know how to fish it properly, and the tangles created on the busy days sometimes make it not worth fishing.
Dave

[jimmymellis]

ya thats ture what i do is i move down to the peir oppersite the bosun pub this fishes well even at night time and high water plus i always take a couple of rods and i set up all over the pier that way i get most of the pier to myself cheeky i know but there nothing worse than people casting all over you and getting you tangled up ive had soe nice ones here to no doubles but up to about 7pounds and not just on crab iver but squid sausages (squid stuffed with lug crab and mussels) work very well and they cast well to......

[mitch]

Nice session dave and a nice way to return shore fishing

[junior conger]

good fishing dave well done