Scratching about, Sligo and Donegal marks, 14th /15th Decemb

[johnwest]

Rigs 2 and 3 hook flappers, 1 up 1 down, Pennell-pulley

Bait Frozen mackerel, squid, prawn, lug

Results Turbot, flounder, coalfish, dogfish

Monday 14th. Despite the relatively warm temperatures the strong wind and damp air made it feel quite cool and with rain threatening I chose somewhere reasonably sheltered and not too far from the internal combustion engine. Arriving for the last hour of the ebb, I cast one rod short and the other a bit further just beyond the small breakers. Ten minutes later a good tug followed by a series of rattles resulted in a double of a chunky turbot and flounder, (25cm each). On the retrieve the flounder was doing his best to dart about in different directions while the turbot seemed to prefer trying to suck himself onto the bottom. This seemed like a good start and I allowed myself to build up expectations of a busy session but was disappointed when in the next 3 hrs only a further 2 small flounders appeared. By now the tide was about half in so I headed to a different spot with a bit more depth. First cast produced an instant double of small coalfish, quickly followed by a treble and a couple of singles. Suddenly the coalies disappeared to be replaced by..... nothing. In a change from my usual tactics, I set up a Pennell-pulley rig baited with a whole squid and lobbed it out into the rough ground where it lay fast asleep on the seabed until hometown. At least the fish you don’t catch on big baits are bigger than the fish you don’t catch on small baits. Meanwhile the other rod gave a couple of nods and in came a couple of small pouting. One more pouting a short while later and the bites dried up for the night. The weather on the other hand had turned windier and wetter so enough was enough.

Tuesday 15th. I returned to the same beach as yesterday but earlier to catch more of the ebb tide. The sea was flat calm; no surf at all this time. I set up anyway but with no great expectations and rightly so. Four hours later, no discernible bites, though I think I bumped a small fish off on the retrieve at one point. At one stage a seal pup was swimming along the beach about 20 feet out, my excuse for no fish? I wonder where do the fish go in these conditions, do they just go out into deeper water and wait for the sea to liven up a bit? Stomach to brain; “Feed Me!” So off I went to get some grub and then try the deeper water mark into darkness. Things started the same way as previously with a succession of small coalfish taking any bait offered, I think if the Pharaoh had gone fishing he would have suffered a plague of coalfish. While small coalies are normally a greenish colour, these were distinctly brownish, perhaps due to the massive amount of peaty coloured freshwater coming down into the bay from the Erne? Spurred on by yesterday’s results, I fished whole squid on the pulley rig again in the rough. No bites seen but when I reeled in at home time, there was some resistance. After dragging the rig through a snag, the dead weight turned out to be a dogfish, one hook in the mouth and the other in the tail. Still no sign of any whiting yet, not even the pin size ones. Well, that was enough scratching for a while.

[MC]

At least the fish you don’t catch on big baits are bigger than the fish you don’t catch on small baits.

great line, must use it sometime

[corbyeire]

good report and pictures as ever

a 25cm turbo is not to be sneezed at

think the old poutings are poor cod

fair play on getting out

[chuckaroo]

Nice for some...
Nice settled mild weather right now, it would be a joy to fish in but.. I'm stuck in work!
a few fish JW and nice pics, especially like that first opic with the turbot and flounder
Santa (Amazon) is bringing me a nice new TG-860 for Xmas.. if the post ever arrives!
have seen these golden brown coley up this way too over the years

I think they are pouting too notice the deep diamond shape.. the black marks at the base of the pectoral fins..
Don't know what Brian is on about lol

Pouting-Poor-Cod-Identification2.png

[guernica84]

Bigger one is def a pout

[paul skelly]

Nice one John good report

[ninted]

Seems quite late for turbot, do you normally get some this time of year?

[johnwest]

Seems quite late for turbot, do you normally get some this time of year?

I have got them almost every month of the year, the water is still quite warm at the moment.

Bigger one is def a pout

Thanks guernica 84, they were both definitely pouting, not the best photo for I.d. purposes.

Nice for some... i
Nice settled mild weather right now, it would be a joy to fish in but.. I'm stuck in work!

Yeah, I would thoroughly recommend early retirement but in the meantime keep working lads, somebody has to pay for my pension!