Wrasse hunt, Sligo rock marks, Monday 14th Oct 2013

[johnwest]

People:Me

Duration:5 hrs

Tide:3hrs flood, 2 hrs ebb

Weather:Warm, sunny, slight northerly breeze.

Bait:Rag, lug, mackerel.

Rigs:Single and 3 hook flappers

Results:20 ballan wrasse, 1 corkwing, 1 dab, couple of small coalfish and pollack.




Report:
I still had some lug and Chuckaroo gave me the rag left from yesterday’s fishing trip so I went out again after a few wrasse and whatever else might care to show up. Instead of sand I opted for rock and I have to say my leg muscles were still burning after the 167 steps of yesterday (John Buchan with your mere 39 steps.....eat your heart out). So the first mark involving a considerable hike across a beach and up through some fairly steep sand dunes took its toll. After 2 hours and not so much as a chewed worm, I found it difficult to work up the energy to try somewhere else. But I was glad I did. The second mark produced bites from the start; I didn’t even get the line tightened up after casting before I felt the first bite. A couple of small ballans around the 1lb mark got the blank out of the way. I was getting bites almost every cast but after missing quite a few and reeling in a partly straightened hook, I began to think that the light wire Aberdeen wasn’t up to the job. A switch to a heavier wire hook made the difference; the lighter one was bending out of the fish rather than snags. A few small coalfish turned up from time to time, the same size as the ones that were pestering me the last time I tried for wrasse but this time the wrasse were getting to the baits first. A couple of fish around the 2lb mark began to show and then around the turn of the tide 2 fish, both 3lb 2oz, turned up. They were identical weights but two different fish as the first had a sizeable chunk missing from the tail fin. At one point I took a short break for coffee and set up another rod to fish at distance over the sand. It produced only one bite which I saw while having the cuppa. Giving it a short time to develop I then reeled in a good dab, 34cm and just over the 13oz mark. Back to the wrasse and a couple more 1-2lb’ers were added to the tally and a single corkwing for variety. By now the tide was well on the ebb as was the supply of lug and rag so with 20 ballans to 3lb 2oz, 1 corkwing, several small coalfish and pollack and a fine dab, I called it a day.

[gitsea M]

well done jw some great fishing there and a hell of a nice dab.

[thelegend]

lovely busy session, and great report and pics, well done!

[sparkey+1]

Well done JW bet your glad now that you changed marks.... thats some dab....

[chuckaroo]

you faired rightly JW. Those are crackin wrasse, lovely looking fish! and a fair dab too
nice1. good report

[FisherKing]

That's a great Dab & Wrasse , I have to get out for cast soon before there gone off shore!!

[weedave]

some nice fish there.

do you mind if i ask you - is that a tape measure on your rod?

dave

[sailnfish]

Great session. great report. Nice one

[Deleted User 3488]

Some fine fish on them fotos,,well done.

[johnwest]

some nice fish there.

do you mind if i ask you - is that a tape measure on your rod?

dave

Thanks weedave and yes it is a tape measure on the rod. I obtained self adhesive tape in metric and inches as detailed in this post which I put up some time ago in Tips and Tricks for Anglers. http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... =6&t=40740

That's a great Dab & Wrasse , I have to get out for cast soon before there gone off shore!!

Don't leave it too late or you won't get any shore caught tuna!

Well done JW bet your glad now that you changed marks.... thats some dab....

Thanks sparkey+1, I was very tempted to succumb to laziness and just head home. That's the best dab I've had from that spot.