Donegal Bay with The Apprentice

[johnwest]

I hadn’t been shore fishing in quite a while and The Apprentice, hot on the heels of his boat exploits, wanted to try for a few wrasse. So I headed off on Friday to dig some lug and happily the lug beds have recovered well (though not completely) from the storms in the last couple of winters. That said, the sand seems to be eroding from the beach fairly rapidly exposing more and more boulders. Anyhow, 30 – 40 mins later and I had about 60 lug. I picked up The Apprentice next morning and headed for the coast in what seemed excellent conditions. I set up my rod first and launched a 2 hook flapper out with lug and mackerel strip baits before setting up The Apprentice’s rod. Just as I was handing over his rod I saw my rod give a few determined rattles so I picked it up and tightened into some additional resistance; a nice double of flounder on the 30cm mark. Not a bad start, perhaps we were due a good day’s fishing. The Apprentice started and was soon swinging in the first of a series of small coalfish and pollack around the 20-25cm size. Of course once he had exceeded my number of fish, he started announcing his tally and was soon into the teens. My double of dogfish and a pollack didn’t seem to impress him at which point I suddenly “remembered” that today we were on a wrasse trip or else a species hunt. He put his rod down to come over for a look at the doggie when out of the corner of my eye I saw his rod kicking like mad and inching towards the water. Running over, he picked up the rod and bent into a good fish and after a good struggle, in came the best wrasse of the day at 2lb 14oz. I retaliated with a small wrasse of about a pound and then a better one at two pounds. I followed up with a couple of small corkwings, all of which failed to impress The Apprentice who was now into the high teens, mostly small coalfish and pollack. A short time later I had another double, this time a small pollack and a welcome mackerel, a few small coalies and pollack also added to my tally but by now of course the goalposts had shifted to biggest fish so I was still 2nd in a field of 2. It has to be said that the wrasse were disappointingly scarce, this mark is usually much more productive. The light was starting to fade thus further reducing the chances of any more wrasse, indeed a couple of tiny pouting to my rod reinforced that. I managed another mackerel, quite probably my last of the season, and a better pollack at 1lb 6oz while The Apprentice finished on about 24 fish plus his wrasse.
8 species for me, 3 for The Apprentice
4 wrasse for me, 1 for The Apprentice
Probably equal numbers of fish each
No doubt about the result then as The Apprentice declares himself the winner.

[johnwest]

I suppose I should show a pic of The Apprentice with his winning catch!

[chuckaroo]

Are there any tips that the 'apprentice' could give you JW? lol

Some lovely wrasse there Looked like a cracking day for it

[rushnaldo]

Great fishing there lads. Memories the young apprentice will have for years to come nice one

[MC]

Nice wrasse maybe your appreciate can give us all tips

[Deleted User 3488]

That's a clonker of a wrasse, well done.
It won't be long before the master becomes the apprentice.

[booner]

great report as usual great pictures!

[Derek M]

welldone good to see a young man enjoying his fishing and doing it well nice post

[JoeBrady88]

Lovely wrasse fair play