Archive for January, 2013

Deep Sea Fishing off Kinsale, Cod and Bonny Haddock from a Rolling Sea

Monday, January 21st, 2013

Picturesque, historic, beautiful Kinsale, situated on the Bandon river estuary eighteen miles south of Cork city, more noted today for gastronomic excellence, has a tourism sea angling tradition which predates its modern culinary fame. Back in 1964 after returning from working in the USA and Canada, native Irishman Gary Culhane decided to create a tourist sea angling centre modeled on the hunting and fishing lodges he had experienced while on his travels. A visionary, Gary not only earmarked good fishing as a requirement, but also extra curricular activities and amenities suitable not just for all male angling parties but families too. The peaceful coastal haven of Kinsale giving access to both the incredibly fish rich and diverse Ling Rocks grounds and the wreck of the Lusitania lying eleven miles south west of the Old Head of Kinsale fitted the bill admirably.

A grand reef ling for Rob Porter caught on Sundance Kid out of Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland.

Gary had two boats commissioned and built for offshore work and also hired dinghies and outboards for those customers who preferred to go it alone and fish the inner harbour and estuary. He constructed a wooden chalet and also provided space for caravans on the site which is now the Trident Hotel. Working in conjunction with Des Brennan of the Inland Fisheries Trust he invited journalists such as Clive Gammon to sample and write about what Kinsale had to offer tourist sea anglers, with the result that they came in their droves, in particular from Holland and the UK.

Back then common skate could be caught in the outer harbour and also turbot which swam and fed in the race off the Old Head. The Ling Rocks gave access to superb mixed fishing for a vast range of species to include big cod, pollack, whiting, coalfish, ling, gurnard, conger, and blue shark. Presently they still hold the rod and line record for thornback ray of thirty seven pounds, caught by M.J Fitzgerald on the 28/05/1961, a weight which will probably never be beaten. Traveling on out to the Lusitania initial forays produced big catches of specimen ling. This incredible marine diversity linked in with Kinsale and the surrounding hinterlands natural beauty, charm, and ambiance became the catalyst for a sea angling tourist product that at its height maintained a fleet of six deep sea charter boats.

Butch Roberts, skipper of Sundance Kid, displays a specimen red gurnard.

Unfortunately today, like many sea angling centers around the Irish coastline, Kinsale trades on its past. As a teenager in the seventies I was drawn to the town, initially on a youth hosteling trip with the school, then captivated by its location, how it resembled a Cornish fishing village, and of course its famous pubs such as The Spaniard, Bullman, and Hole in the Wall, on most bank holidays from then until the early 1980′s yours truly would be found resident. Camping around Charles Fort, a wonderful star shaped 17th century structure now preserved by the OPW, fishing other than for mackerel was secondary to girls, drink, and craic. That said, if one took a late afternoon stroll up to the Trident Hotel of an August bank holiday a regular sight would be large blue sharks strung up on a gantry. A sad legacy to ignorance, but it has to be said, we didn’t know any better then.

So full circle and a call last week to Mike Hennessy, Inland Fisheries Ireland’s sea angling maestro. In conversation Mike told me about the fabulous haddock fishing he experienced the previous weekend out with skipper Butch Roberts off Kinsale. Letting Mike know that I had never fished out of the venue, “in fifty two years a major personal oversight“, he said “leave it with me”, hung up and two minutes later rang back saying a party was heading out with Butch next Saturday and I was welcome to join them. Three days later at 08.30am on a cold, grey, dismal morning I hopped aboard Butch Roberts 38 foot Aquastar named Sundance Kid and made my introductions to both him and the anglers present.

A brace of codling for sea angler John Young aboard Sundance Kid out of Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland.

A mixed party, immediately I felt welcome, there was Dubliner Nick Ward, two knowledgeable anglers from the Cork City based Carrigaline Sea Angling Club Rob Porter and John Dennehy, and John “forever” Young, a Scotsman who sailed his yacht into Kinsale over a dozen years ago and never left. Preparing tackle as Butch guided Sundance Kid clear of the Castle Park Marina before steaming up the estuary past the twin bastions of Charles and James forts, our skipper then set a south easterly course out into the open ocean to a mark where hopefully the haddock would still be present.

Six miles south east of the Old Head of Kinsale charter boat Sundance Kid pitched and rolled under a dirty grey sky. The sea, still heaving after Thursdays gale, had thankfully settled enough for the 38 foot Aquastar to leave harbour, force eight south easterlies being replaced by a steady north east breeze pushing occasional wintry squalls ahead of it. Blowing at a slight angle off the land its effect was to flatten the sea somewhat, although in reality a short chop now became superimposed on a heavy swell, safe but uncomfortable. Baiting up with frozen razor clam and slivers of mackerel we lowered our rigs 100 feet towards a clean bottom of shale.

Nick Ward displays a nice haddock.

Instantly John Dennehy’s rod signaled bites which resulted in a brace of plump whiting, a false dawn as things went quite after that. Skipper Butch instructed lines up and we motored to another mark close by where he dropped anchor just as the tide was beginning to push west. To the north east I could make out Roche’s Point, while to the north west obscured by a sleety squall one could just make out the Old Head of Kinsale. Every so often we would dip into a trough and land would disappear, that’s the kind of day it was. Butch, Captain Ahab like with his beard, oozing sea going experience from South Africa, his native land, to Australia, was a constant source of reassurance. He’s been fishing these waters since he first came to Kinsale in 1984. What attracted him, “a woman of course”.

For an hour as the tidal flow increased bites came slowly but steadily, haddock made an appearance with Nick landing a grand four pound fish while John Young boated a brace of nice codling. Top rod for the day was Rob Porter, employing a two up one down rig laced with beads he regularly contacted haddock and large whiting, with his fish of the day being a ling in the eight to ten pound bracket. Best fish of the trip turned out to be a specimen red gurnard of 2.2 lbs caught by a rightly chuffed John Young, and I was delighted to see a number of big whiting landed, Kinsale at one stage home to the Irish record.

Rob Porter plays a good ling aboard charter boat Sundance Kid out of Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland.

At days end motoring back in conversation with John Dennehy about the quality of sea fishing off the Cork coast, what he described gave hope. Yes, based on historic catches sea fishing has diminished with species overall smaller in size and less common. That said he and his friends fishing regularly throughout the year catch not only a range of species but fish to a good weight also. What I witnessed aboard Sundance Kid at the tail end of the season on a rough, cold day, backed up John’s narrative. Not a lot of fish were boated, that most definitely being down to the conditions, however codling to four pounds, whiting close to if not over two pounds, haddock averaging a pound and a half, a couple of good ling and a specimen gurnard in this day and age represents quality fishing. What might be achieved in the high season with good weather I intend to find out, roll on next summer.

John Dennehy with a nice plump winter whiting.

Fact file: Charter boat, Sundance Kid. Skipper, Butch Roberts. Telephone: +353 (0)21 4778054. Email: info@anglingkinsale.com. Website: www.anglingkinsale.com

Ghost Predators

Monday, January 14th, 2013

A hard frost lay on the ground as we approached the secluded lake through a foggy murk, moorhens dipped and splashed while a family of swans glided across the mirror calm water. Dank and cold, David and Robbie pointed to where they had landed five pike to 9.lbs plus and experienced numerous runs throughout the session not a fortnight previous. That day was warm and breezy from the south, today being chilly, grey, and still conditions couldn’t have been more different. Discussing the possibilities while choosing our respective swims, we set off around the frost encrusted bank to stake a claim before proceeding to tackle up.

A small lake pike for angler David Murphy.

Each fishing a ledgered popped up dead bait along with a roving sliding float set up, we cast onto a weed bed covered by ten foot of water lying about fifty meters off shore. Using frozen roach and dace for bait on this occasion runs were scarce, six for the day converted into one medium pike. That said, noticing a line straightening, a float dipping before sliding under, or the sound of a pod buzzer creates a level of excitement only anglers can identify with. Yes there is frustration when one leans into a running fish and the connection doesn’t materialise, however the electricity generated narrows the quite gaps in between while sustaining the determination to carry on. “The next one will be a lunker“. As the fog closed in and light faded around five bells three lads knew it was 5 – 1 to old Esox, but that’s OK aren’t we anglers not fishermen. “Where are we going next week?”

Barrow Silvers and Jammy Pike

Saturday, January 5th, 2013

Plump roach, dace, hybrids, and pike, graced a relaxed first session of 2013 fishing an urban location on the River Barrow downstream of Graiguecullen. In flood for the previous week, the mighty Barrow had dropped substantially, with pike in mind David Murphy and I searched a backwater to see if old esox was in residence. On arrival we could see that Dave’s friend Robbie Lacey had set up for a spot of feeder fishing, indicating bait fish present we tackled up in earnest.

A small River Barrow hybrid.

Feeder fishing castors close to a line of over hanging trees on the far bank Robbie started catching, albeit intermittently some plump roach along with an odd dace and small hybrid. David and I set up float fishing rigs baited with dead roach and cast them towards likely spots. An hour in Robbie called that a pike had taken a roach he was reeling in. The fish held on for about two minutes then let the fortunate redfin go. Taking the cue I dropped my bait upstream of Robbie’s swim, no sooner had the orange bung settled when it bobbed then slowly dipped under.

Robbie Lacey with a plump River Barrow roach tempted by castors.

Counting to five I leaned into not much to be honest, a small jack indignantly thrashing on the surface while spitting out my roach bait. Quickly netted and released, it was a pike at least so the session was properly christened, now for its mother. A while later fishing close to a harbour area an unmerciful commotion caused me to turn around. Witnessing the foaming aftermath of a predator attack in jig time I re-positioned my roach bait in the water. Bait fish hopped in the air as a large green back snaked a foot below the surface, instantly my float disappeared.

The River Barrow below Carlow town.

Counting to ten with no sign of the float coming up I leaned, the rod coming around solid then nothing, float and empty trace surfacing seconds later. Having used a large bait which the jammy pike had obviously grabbed but not turned in its mouth. Should I have waited longer who knows, one thing’s for sure its hunger was satisfied because it didn’t come back. No matter an exciting moment which punctuated a fun first day on the river.

On a not so nice subject though but it has to be said, Carlow County Council need their collective hand slapped. The area fished was an absolute health hazard due to the amount of dog excrement present. A wonderful location to teach kids coarse fishing is rendered a no go area due to the complete lack of civic responsibility shown by users, residents, and the powers that be. Please sort it out immediately…….