Friday Evening Session- Osprey II Cork

[shortcircuit]

A group of us from work went out with Pat Condon and the Osprey II from Crosshaven. As the group were non anglers apart from myself, the emphasis was on good craic and getting a few mackerel for the table for the lads.

For a bit of craic, a friendly wager was had on a species hunt.

So we stopped at a few spots near roches point for mackerel, with not a touch. We moved further off shore and started to pick them up in ones and twos- enough for bait at the least.

Pat moved us again and we started a drift over some mostly clean ground with a few rocks in the hope of picking up some mixed species. During this drift, the fishing picked up well and for the next 45 minutes a lot of different species were brought to the boat, mainly coming to mackerel baited feathers - cod, poor cod,scad, small ling, pout,whiting, pollock and above all some good grey gurnards. KJ had a double of greys, one of which was close on specimen size.




Pat had a few drops himself and picked up some nice fish including a nice red gurnard

This period of fishing was really enjoyable with all the lads getting a few different fish and getting to appreciate the variety that sea angling has to offer.

My own species count suffered during this time, as I spent a while with a big piece of mackerel down on a leger rig to see if I could tempt a ray. Well, that's my excuse anyway!

During this drift I did pick up a decent pollock



As the evening got darker, the mackerel really started coming in thick and fast, and were really a nuisance, preventing us getting a drop to the bottom. On the flip side, it meant plenty of fish for us all for the table and I got plenty to trial in my new home made smoker.

All in all, a really enjoyable evenings fishing. Pat Condon was top class all evening, strive to get us on the fish and was very helpful to all the casual anglers. Above all he was great craic to be on board with.

On the way back in the lads got great enjoyment at my expense.I had just gutted that decent pollock and was foolishly washing out the cavity while holding the fish over the side. You can guess what happened- Fish slips out of my hands, lands on the gunwale and slips agonisingly over the side- the lads nearly got sick with laughter [emoji35] [emoji35] !

All made for good laugh over pints and grub in the Anchor afterwards.

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[johnwest]

Sounds like a good day out esp. with all the non-anglers getting a few different fish; any possible converts? Nice grey gurnards too.

[JimC]

Looks like a handy scratch about!

[shortcircuit]

Sounds like a good day out esp. with all the non-anglers getting a few different fish; any possible converts? Nice grey gurnards too.

Ah I think we might make a few converts out of them alright- might be next year before I get out with that group again

[donal domeney]

Can't fault Pat, he'll work hard to put you on fish.
Just don't let him fish, a bit of a show-off

Next time out ask him how he got at the Cork Small Boats comp (species hunt), he fished on the Sandra Ann http://www.skuaangling.net/

Plenty of good fish to be caught in the harbour during the winter months.

Pat can be found here: http://www.atlantic-charters.net/

[shortcircuit]

Well I know he must have had trouble getting a pouting because of all the giving out he did when we landed one straight away !

[donal domeney]

I can imagine the banter that caused