Co.Kerry – (Fly, Bait & Lure) Species caught from the Coast

[KERRY1]

People: Myself and K2

Baits used: Razorfish, freshly dug lugworm, sandeels, mackerel, squid, bread & maddies

Methods used: Fly, spinning, plugging, float fishing, bottom fishing with bait

Tides: Various states of tide depending on location/mark being fished

Weather: (Mixed) Mostly wet and windy. Warm, dry and sunny at times.

Results: Mullet, Bass, Thornback Rays, Pollock & Flounder


Report

Introduction

K2 and I recently went down to Co.Kerry where we did some fishing around the Coast. This was the second trip to the South-West region we have made this year and we couldn’t wait to get back down again.
We left at 6.00am on the day of departure and after travelling 350 miles and a journey lasting approx. six and a half hours, we arrived at our destination feeling excited and looking forward to the fishing ahead.
Our main target species on this trip and our mission was to catch bass and mullet, which we managed to do, anything else after that would be a bonus. We targeted and caught a few other species for abit of variety and sport, including the usual suspects present at this time of the year –pollock, rays and flounder.
We fished a variety of different marks ranging from surf beaches, estuaries, rocks, bays, coves and lagoons. Some we have fished quite regularly in the past while a couple others were new to us which we had wanted to try for a while now but just never got around to it for one reason or another. The challenge of going to and sussing out a mark that is new and that you aren’t familiar with is always good and is one we both rose too. The diversity of the fishing down in Kerry is amazing. The different marks we fished all had their own unique features and a different type of water and ground giving us variety to our fishing, these consisting of deep to shallow water marks, rocky, weedy and kelpy ground, fast moving tides to calm sheltered estuaries and smooth sandy beaches.

Mullet

The mullet gave us some great crack and sport as they always do. We fished for them in a variety of different places, each requiring slightly different tactics and thought to suss them out and get them feeding. We fished for them in estuaries, small bays and lagoons as well out in the open sea.
We used two different methods when targeting them – on the fly and on the float, both of which using as light as tackle as we could get away with but at the same time ensuring it was strong enough to withstand the force and power of a fish if we managed to hook into one.

At first it was proving a difficult enough task to get them feeding and switched on but we just persevered and in the end we both caught which was great. Mine was caught using the float set-up with bread, while K2 had success on the fly rod and the float. The fish were feeding more actively on the bottom and so when using the float rig we prepared the bait on the hook by squeezing the air out of it so that when it hit the water it sunk rather than float on the top of the water.
We had a few good sessions at the mullet, but the most memorable by far was the one in which K2 caught one on the fly rod. What a scrap it gave him, it was brilliant to watch him play the fish as it went mental around him trying to break free. We were both relieved and buzzing when he got it landed. I managed to get this on video and if I can work out how to get it uploaded onto here then I will for you to watch.
I have recently started Fly Fishing and after watching K2 catching mullet on the fly on this trip and also earlier in the season this year I can’t wait to get one of my own. It’s not an easy method to use but well worth sticking at for the scrap and fight you get when you finally manage to hook one.

Bass

Next on the agenda was Bass. From early on we found the bass fishing to be slow. We were surprised at this as there was alot of baitfish present in the water which we thought would have brought the bass in and got them feeding well. While wading out plugging we saw big shoals of sandeels in the water which was great to see. Perhaps with so much of them the bass were pre-occupied feeding on them to care about what we were offering them in the way of bait etc. Despite it being slow at first, we stuck at it using several different methods to catch them – the fly, bait and on the lures but the one in the end that proved productive and that we had success with was on the bait at night when dark. The two key baits that worked for the bass were razorfish and lugworm. We didn’t even get a touch on the sandeel which did surprise me. I thought with it being summertime and warm and with plenty of sandeels in the water that we would have got something using them, both no.

I don’t think the poor weather we experienced helped us regarding catching bass, it made it more difficult and more a challenge. It definitely didn’t help and did have a direct affect on how the numbers we caught. It rained alot when we were away but as well as that it was windy and this just turned any water on a beach we were fishing on that had a river or stream beside it into a thick, gloopy, milky, chocolatey brown colour. The wind also stirred up things and there was quite alot of weed lying close to and on the shore which would put the fish off for sure pushing them further out rather than coming in to feed. Maybe there’s no link between the above and the bass fishing being poor but I reckon it played a factor in it.

The bad weather meant we weren’t able to hit the rock marks as much as we had hoped to give the plugs and lures a run out. Instead we only got plugging a couple of times which is alot less than what we had intended on when planning our trip. We were disappointed as we both love the buzz of plugging but it wasn’t worth risking a serious injury if either of us had’ve slipped or fallen on the wet rocks. We used a variety of different plugs, from surface poppers, sub –surface to spinners. The main ones were the Lucky Craft Sammy, The Rapala Max Rap, The Maria Chase BW, Gunfish, a Saltiga and the Yo-Zuri Mag popper.
With the bass fishing being slow, this gave us the opportunity to target other species which we did.

Pollock

Although most were small, the pollock that we caught gave us some great sport using our light spinning and plugging rods with lures. One night in particular, going into dark while out targeting bass, we were catching a fish on every cast, with them attacking our lures as we retrieved them over the weedy ground we where fishing over. Brilliant crack indeed and even although the bass didn’t come out to play, the pollock kept us well occupied and busy during the session.

Thornback Rays

It had been a while since we had done any serious ray fishing and so with it being the summer and with the warm temperatures we figured it was the ideal time to go for them and see if there was any about. We went out on two afternoons and we both managed to catch our target species, all caught on mackerel on the incoming tide.
The best day out of the two seen us landing 5 rays in total over a period of a couple of hours with K2 catching the bigger fish amongst them.

Flounder

There was a few flounder about and those we caught were at night, all taken on lugworm apart from one which managed to impale itself on a treble hook from my lure while out spinning. It has to be one of the smallest flatties I have ever seen! When I first spotted it I thought it was a bit of weed but only under further investigation and taking a closer look did I realise what it was, oh how I laughed. I gently freed it from the hook, took a quick picture to show you how small it actually was. I am amazed it even got on the hook in the first place! I was certainly in no danger of beating my P.B flounder from last year that’s for sure! (A picture of it can be seen below).

To Conclude

Despite the wet weather hampering our efforts and forcing us to adjust some of our original plans we had made we enjoyed ourselves and made the most of any time when we did get out fishing. The miles we travelled getting there and driving round the various marks were well worth it.

For me the highlight of the trip was when we went fishing for the rays, purely because we hadn’t done it in a while and it therefore made a nice change and it’s a nice to catch a new species for the year also. For K2 it was the challenge and crack the mullet gave him which he enjoyed the most, especially the one he got on the fly.

Since getting back from our trip, we have both been out around local marks fishing for the mullet and there is a report on how it’s been going coming soon.

Below are some pictures from our trip for you to look at.

[KERRY1]

Some more pictures...........

[KERRY1]

Some more pictures...........

[KERRY1]

Some more pictures............

[KERRY1]

Last picture.

[saving private brian]

well done paula,,,where did you find that munster jersey

[pookie5488]

as always very detailed and well wrote report.. stick with the fly you will love it.

[RockHunter]

Great report - bass fishing has been slow down in Cork too over the last couple of weeks with the northerly winds.

[tex]

Lovely report,doesnt matter how small the bass are, they always bring a smile to my face,cracking stuff

[Fentster]

Nice fishing and a good report as always, well done guys

[FISHYFINGERS]

Looks like another very successful trip for you guys! Great pics and report, maybe bump into you out and about locally over the next few weeks.

[vamper]

Great report as usual!

Well done to both of you on what sounds like a cracking few days!

[birdseye]

Hi Paula.
Great read and pictures
Always look forward to your reports.
Well done to you both.

[southaussie]

what a great detailed report and plenty of fish to go with it, well done on getting your targeted species, looks like you had a ball, shame about catching that munster jersey

[fishy1987]

excellent paula lovley ray mullet and possibly the smallest flatfish in irish waters,brilliant report a pleasure to read nice one all the best on the fly for the mullet
tightlines
fergal

[tight lines]

sounds like a great few days fishing yous had there paula with some fine fish in bad condations but yous did work hard and were well rewarded also a well put togeter report looking forward to your next

tight lines and screaming reels
ALAN

[grady]

great fishing, nice pictures Paula, well done

[FisherKing]

Great report, pics & fishing Paula well done, ye must have sore arms after catching all them fish

[Al and Jordan]

good to see you still got some good results guys when things were stacked against you

[Jayball10]

Excellent read on a boring work morning. Headin down that way in a few weeks, cant wait!