Posts Tagged ‘Bass fishing’

Bass Hat-Trick

Friday, October 2nd, 2015

My surf pole bounced in its stand as the rod top first hauled forward then immediately straightened in unison with the main line billowing. Instinctively grabbing the rod I ran backwards into the darkness while simultaneously reeling, my rod heels over, a thump thump contact is made and a good fish swims diagonally to my right. Now retracing my steps towards the water while keeping a tight line a fine bass appears in my headlight beam, all silver and spray as the fish head shakes in the surf line.

Bass fishing in County Wexford, Ireland.

My third bass of the evening all of which were like peas in a pod ranging three to four pound in weight, plump hard fighters in great condition. This fellow like the others had taken freshly dug black lugworm presented on a two hook paternoster fished at about 60 meters into what was a flat calm sea. Earlier a slight breeze wafting from the south east had manufactured mini wavelets however it died off as night fell to create a muggy, foggy, still evening. The strand now deserted of holiday makers was pitch black other than for the narrow swath of light cut by my head lamp beam. Apart from the swoosh of a single wave an eerie silence prevailed.

Beach fishing for bass in County Wexford, Ireland.

On only my second visit to this particular mark, I had always felt it would deliver on a big night tide, this being a four meter full in at 20.30 pm my hunch was proved correct. The first bite as dusk merged into dark had been just a tickle on the rod top, barely visible I thought it was a flat fish. The second had been a rod pulling rush out to sea, rod top bending over and staying down, the third a slack liner as described above. Three bass complimented by two flounder all condensed into a half hour blur of action, then it was over and the road home called…………

Sea Fishing in Wexford: Welsh Rarebit

Monday, September 14th, 2015

South Wexford has the ability to deliver quality sea fishing even when the odds are stacked heavily against you. Stalwart supporters and promoters of Irish sea angling Alan Duthie, Daron Lawry, Clive Jones and friends were making their third trip of Summer 2015 to Ireland only for the weather Gods to throw an almighty spanner in the works. Planning a September shore and boat fishing visit strong south easterlies not only forced the boys to stay ashore they also pushed mountains of wrack onto the beaches making shore angling extremely difficult.

Welsh sea angler Daron Lawry displays a fine shore caught  Wexford bass.

Undeterred the lads asked around and plummed on a beach venue free from the worst excesses of floating weed and set about fishing. Using bait supplied by local digger Joe Carley the boys were soon into fish, mainly good sized flounder with the cream reserved for Daron Lawry who caught a grand 55 cm bass.

Clive Jones with a grand beach caught Wexford flounder.

Not to be outdone the lads beached numerous flounder up to three pound in weight exemplified by the beauty displayed by Clive Jones in the photo above, as they say, out of adversity. Autumn into early Winter is the prime time to shore fish Wexford with resident bass and flounder mixing with codling, coalfish and dab to give wonderful sport which usually lasts until mid to late January. Tight lines………..

Bass Fishing in Ireland: Float Fishing with Live Sandeel.

Friday, September 11th, 2015

John George is a Pembrokeshire lad who first traveled to Ireland as an 18 year old with the sole intention of catching a Kerry bass way back in 1970, forty five years later he is still coming. Over the years John has seen the changes, from brilliant to bad to good and currently worrying and the man is concerned, like many of us, about the quite obvious and visible decline in bass numbers along Ireland’s southern coastline that has occurred in recent years. Prior to John’s current sojourn he contacted me with regard to getting to know a little about what Wexford has to offer in terms of bass fishing given that to date he has passed through the county on his way to Kerry, not stopping even once.

Welshman John George returns a nice estuary bass tempted by float fished live sandeel.

John informed me that he was bringing live sandeel, a bait that I have no experience of and a plan was formed to give John a Wexford welcome and hopefully a bass too, we would float fish an estuary location. Fast forward and one hour before low water John was briefing me on the set up and approach to this very traditional but effective form of angling. As John iterated, “no lure known to man can emit electrical impulses and that is where live sandeel scores”, boy was John right. Two fish and many more missed as the bass ran through on the first of the flood, it was a grand and extremely informative two hours in great company. Thank you John for getting in touch, safe journey to Kerry, we will definitely fish together again………

For a more detailed account of the day see: Float Fishing Live Sandeel for Bass.

For further Information: For guided bass fishing in South Wales contact John George through his website “Gower Guiding”http://gowerguiding.co.uk/.

Irish Kayak Fishing Open, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork, Saturday 15th August 2015

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

The Irish Kayak Fishing Open will take place on Saturday 15th August 2015 at Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork, commencing at 11.00 am with fishing until 16.00 pm. Sponsored by industry leaders in the kayaking field, first placed on the day will receive a €1000.00 Wilderness Systems voucher, second placed a voucher from Palm Equipment for €500.00, with Adventure Technology Paddles donating a €250.00 voucher for third place.

Wilderness Systems KayaksPalm Equipment Kayaks

The competition will be open to all anglers over 18 years of age, however every entrant must meet a number of criteria to ensure their own safety and the smooth running of the event. Check in on the day will commence at 09.00 am.

Gary Robinson, A Kayak Fisherman in Ireland.

Based in a sheltered venue renowned for its sea angling, the scenic West Cork fishing village of Courtmacsherry enables kayak anglers access to a range of species to include bass, flounder, dab, ray, pollack, wrasse and conger.

Angling writer and event organiser Gary Robinson from the A Kayak Fisherman in Ireland website in advance thanks all those who offered advice and encouragement in helping him put together what promises to be a great day out in a beautiful and prolific sea fishing location.

All enquiries to Gary Robinson at: kayakfishermanireland@gmail.com

Adventure Technology Kayak Paddles

Event Details

Irish Kayak Fishing Open, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork, Saturday, August 15th, Fishing 11.00 am – 16.00 pm.

The competition will be open to all anglers over 18 years of age, however every entrant must meet a number of criteria to ensure their own safety and the smooth running of the event:

  • Every competitor must have their own seaworthy kayak, paddle, appropriate clothing, PFD, camera, signalling equipment of some description (VHF, flares, etc.)
  • Must be confident in their own fitness levels, self-rescue and paddling skills and be well prepared for a day afloat
  • Must register to participate in the competition by sending an email to kayakfishermanireland@gmail.com by the Monday before the competition date
  • Must carry a measuring mat (to be provided by Inland Fisheries Ireland) and competitor’s card (distributed at check in on morning of event) as well as a camera.
  • Should carry relevant protection from the weather. Ireland has a tendency to throw four seasons at us in one day. With this in mind it would be a good idea to carry at least a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as well as enough food and liquids for the day.

Competition Rules:

  • This event is weather dependent. In the event of bad weather an alternative site will be considered but ultimately the event depends on relatively safe weather conditions. Judges will make the appropriate call on the day.
  • This is an individual event. There are no team prizes or challenges.
  • Entry fee will be small, probably in the region of €10. It is hoped that funds raised can be donated to the RNLI
  • Fishing time from 11.00 am  - 16.00 pm. Kayaks that do not make it back to the launch point by 16.00 will be disqualified. Check in from 09.00 where gear (kayak, PFD, etc.) will be checked.
  • Paddles or pedals only. No motors. This is in the interests of fairness to all competitors. Other electronic equipment such as echo sounders, GPS units and chartplotters, etc may be used.
  • No more than two rods may be fished at any one time. Static fishing rigs should have no more than three hooks. Jigging rigs for baitfish should have no more than six hooks.
  • Bait or lures – angler’s choice
  • The competition is based on the ethos of Catch, Photo, Release. Images, not dead fish, will win prizes. Competitors are free to keep fish as they see fit but for prizewinning purposes it will be the photos only that will be judged. Each competitor will be given a competitor’s token at check in. EACH image submitted for prize consideration must include this token. Photos submitted without the inclusion of this token will not be counted.
  • Prizes for species count, 1st, 2nd and 3rd and longest fish categories for selected species.
  • Judges decision is final.

 

 

The European Bass Fishery, Wake Up and Smell the Roses!!

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

Let us be clear and with not a hint of arrogance this angler can catch bass. Living within south east Ireland yours truly has access to a variety of marks ranging from estuaries to rocky headlands, tide races to storm beaches, all local habitats where over the last fifty years bass once swam in prolific numbers, were summarily decimated by both angler and commercial activity in the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s before making a partial recovery post 1990. Between 1998 and 2008 the recovering south east of Ireland bass fishery delivered consistent sport, enough to sustain a burgeoning tourist angling product. Today it stutters after 24 years of Irish Government initiated protection, why?

Competition landings of bass for Cork Sea Angling Club members 1963 - 2013.

Ref: Ed Fahy, 2014

Yesterday afternoon this writer after close on thirty hours of fishing effort over seven trips landed two five pound bass attracted by a shallow diving plug worked through a tide race within five minutes of commencing fishing. Great stuff you say, however the bigger picture must be taken into account, late summer/early autumn in south Wexford relative to the tides, times and marks fished should have delivered those much appreciated bass thirty hours previously, bass fishing in Wexford unfortunately experiencing terminal decline since 2010.

Irish bass from the archives, 2008 to be precise.

To place the feat in perspective Jim Hendrick’s last ever French clients, yes Jim has closed his successful and professionally run high end bass guiding business, South East Angling Ireland, after 10 years trading, encountered only 9 bass in over 120 hours lure and fly fishing over the last set of spring tides. Five years ago the same three anglers would have averaged 180 bass between them. Yours truly has lovely images of four bass caught yesterday ranging from 4 – 8 lbs. Until professionalism and responsibility is applied from decision makers, commercial interests and recreational anglers alike, An Irish Anglers World will not publish another bass image ever, the image above an oldie from 2008.

Recent annual bass returns for South East Angling Ireland.

Having attended and presented a perspective on the actual benefit of recreational angling to south east Ireland at the North Western Waters Advisory Council Bass Workshop held in Dublin Castle last Thursday 18/09/2014 it became clear how little is known about the species at official level and how the way forward to better management of the species is staring all vested interests in the face, sadly many but not all of them cannot see the wood for the trees. “When all interested parties to include the political establishment view the resource as a public owned entity then begin to learn, understand and accept the needs and wants of all interested parties, then reach out and through dialogue build trust the bass will survive and prosper”. Continue on the same old tack regurgitating the same old failed self centered mantras and you may kiss the European bass fishery goodbye, Ed Fahy’s “LPUE” graph a true reflection of where the fishery is at today………

Six Species from a Rolling Sea

Sunday, September 14th, 2014

Codling, whiting, pouting, flounder, dogfish and bass, the beach mark which fished so poorly last week opened its autumnal door a chink and hinted at what is to come. A warm south east breeze pushed a heavy swell onto the strand creating a large, heavy, single crumping wave which roared on breaking before racing creamily up the shingle bank. Water fizzed, the air was muggy and mackerel fishers lined the strand as Ger and I cast southwards into the deep gully. Employing fresh black lugworm on a rising tide full at 21.30 pm, Ger hit immediate pay dirt with three schoolie bass weighing 2 – 3 pound each within the first hour, happy days.

Sea fishing in Ireland, playing a bass on a south Wexford strand.

Fishing slowed after the initial flurry, however as dusk merged into dark yours truly landed a whiting/flounder double followed by a dogfish, Ger beaching a pouting. Post full tide a succession of codling in the pound class came to both our rods. Indication of a year class probably spawned in 2012, these young fish which have been evident within offshore charter boat catches all summer giving hope for the future and of course the winter shore codding to come.

An Irish school bass for shore angler Gerry Mitchell.

Yesterday evening showed how much energy the sea has stored up, the single wave digging out a hole in front of us at least six foot deep which ran right along the strand, then filled it in again as the tide receded. Swimming here and or wading is a complete no no. Mackerel fishers who the previous night enjoyed good catches by casting their feathers and kilty lures into the marauding shoals found it difficult to fish this evening due to the forty meter wide maelstrom in front of them. Natures washing machine releasing stored up ozone and oxygen into the air, it is sights, smells and sounds like this which make sea fishing so interesting, all told a nice evening……..

Bass from an Old Haunt

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

In 13 years I’ve only lure fished this once favourite mark twice, curiosity and nostalgia brought me back, will it still produce how has the workings of wind, wave and tide altered it? Not a lot really, a grey, calm, muggy first of September afternoon found me trudging up the beach to commence fishing on a neap high tide at a spot that pre 2001 delivered numerous bait and lure caught bass to 8.lb. With the ebb just commencing around 16.00 pm I cast my 32 gram silver kilty lure 70 meters out and slightly up tide, letting it swing round in the current and drop to a depth while counting to ten. Retrieving slowly with intermittent faster bursts a heaviness signaled interest.

Lure fishing set up, Kilcoole beach, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Greater sandeel or launce are common in this area and a good indicator that bass could be present, a foot long, green backed and silver sided, the first of three or four along with a small pollack attracted to the kilty lure as I worked my way slowly southwards to the car park. Water clarity was good, a sea trout jumped Polaris like and a fish, most likely a bass swirled in the back eddy up tide of the point. Dicentrachus remained aloof to my lure but no matter to be in an old haunt brought back memories and conversations with fellow anglers on the strand made for an interesting session.

A nice wee bass from Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

To Terry and Stephen, it was nice meeting and having a chat, your insight and sharing of information was much appreciated. As for Jeremy, well done on your first lure caught bass and thank you for sending the image. Over the years this beach has produced numerous bass up to specimen weight and it is nice to see that one or two fish are still about. With settled weather forecast for the next three days this soldier will definitely return for an early morning or evening session.

Ennereilly, August 2013, a Slow Death

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

In the early 1990′s this writer gave up beach casting as a waste of time due to the deterioration in size, quantity, and variety of fish stocks caused by over fishing at sea in conjunction with the annual visible destruction of the offshore environment off the Wicklow coastline inflicted by bottom mussel dredgers, subsequently felt onshore within a year or two of their moving on in the guise of a once burgeoning littoral zone now rendered lifeless.

Waiting for a bass, Ennereilly, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

By 2007 appalled at the extent of this decline made all too apparent after a first boat fishing trip off Greystones in nearly two decades, the idea for An Irish Anglers World was spawned, a website informed by regular sea angling trips and desk top research highlighting this inshore marine decline while also offering workable solutions. Dusting down the sea angling gear a first foray was made evening beach casting off Ennereilly on the 03/09/2007, a balmy Autumn evening characterised by slack winds and a calm sea.

Aidan Walsh with a summer codling caught on lugworm.

That evening using lugworm codling, flounder, gurnard, and dogfish were beached steadily throughout the session. Another trip added dab to that list and on the 14/10/2007 a fine bass of six pound and a seven pound smoothie brought the species count up to seven. Below is a diary entry for that day and an image of the bass which on being gutted proved to be stuffed with mussel.

Ennereilly, Co. Wicklow, 14/10/2007. Shore Angling, 15.30-19.30pm.

Tide: High Water Arklow @ 23.24 pm.

Weather: Southerly force 3-4. Overcast. Mild.

Sea conditions: Roll on sea, no white horses, single wave on beach, stirred up, no weed, no lateral tide run.

Bait: Lugworm, Ragworm, Frozen Mackerel.

Fish caught: Bass (6.00 lbs), Flounder x 2 (over 30 cms), Smooth Hound (7.00 lbs).

Trace: Two hook paternoster, 18 inch snoods, 2/0 Aberdeen hooks, no beads, 5. Oz grip lead.

All fish caught close in on Lugworm, close to rock forty meters out and to the right of my position. Bass and smoothy gave very light bite indication. Bass caught about 17.30 pm, smooth hound around dusk at 19.00 pm approx. Strong fight from each. Bass had mussel in its gut.

Fished north end of beach, band of weed about 15 meters out running from rocky spur to my left. Gap of about 50 meters to rocky weedy reef about forty meters out and to my right. Other than that sea bed clean. On previous
visit have caught Codling to a little over a pound here, also on Lugworm.

A fine shore caught six pound Irish bass.

Since Autumn 2007 according to diary entry records and file images 16 visits have been made to the same location. Dates and times have varied from May through to December with most sessions occuring between the period July to mid October. Up to Autumn 2010 fishing was consistant across the range of species listed above, with flounder particularly prevalent.

A typical Ennereilly flounder.

Since then it has declined considerably, year upon year getting worse. It is no coincidence that in late summer early autumn 2010 a mussel dredger was seen working in the area, most likely the same mussel dredger reported by the Independent on the 01/09/2010 which was escorted into Arklow harbour twice inside 24 hours for illegal mussel dredging. The skipper was quoted; “We are not fishermen, we are farmers. If we have no mussel seed we have no future.” Typically not a thought given to the wider public or the consequences of his actions.

Smooth hound, Ennereilly strand, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

2011 saw a proliferation of smooth hound with waves of this hard fighting doggie foraging along the shoreline. It was not unusual if fishing two rods for the pair to buckle over simultaneously the result of hungry hounds exiting stage left. Flounder and other species were noticably fewer on the ground that year with fishing trips relying on hounds to make the day. Whereas before rod tips would nod throughout a session if one got the tide and conditions right providing a range of species, now the mark was becoming more an all or nothing job with even LSD’s becoming fewer, the result one assumes of being fished for locally and converted into whelk bait.

Bass off Ennereilly, Arklow, Co. Wicklow.

In 2012 yours truly fished the venue once catching a smoothie, however friend David Murphy fished it on a number of occasions landing mainly hounds with an odd doggie and a surprise ten pound thornie bringing the species count to eight while resurrecting memories of the venues illustrious past. Overall though the fall from grace was manifest and this has continued into 2013 culminating in a session yesterday where accompanied by marine scientist Ed Fahy targeting bass with razor and rag under ideal conditions we blanked. Ed commented, “our baits are coming in untouched, where are the crabs?”

Mirroring the previous Sunday’s experience off Toberpatrick, Ireland’s east coast inshore waters through man’s intervention have become a desert. Mussel dredging is the cause removing habitats once home to a host of interacting species. Now homeless and exposed, possibly also deprived of their natural food they move on, are predated upon or die off. The end result is baits coming in untouched a clear sign of organisms down the food chain disappearing. Without their presence fish, even if they are swimming offshore, won’t be attracted inshore to feed, quite simply “no food, no fish, a sad feature common to the inshore waters off Co. Wicklow where mussel dredging has been practiced for decades. Sea angling, an activity worth €127.5 million to the Irish economy in domestic and tourism receipts is being slowly strangled due to blind political expedience towards a few. This status quo has to change, it cannot be allowed to continue, the above narrative a testament to the truth……….

Postscript, Wednesday 21st August 2013: Talking to an Arklow based angler who I know well, for certain at least one local whelk boat is not only netting LSD’s for bait but is also using smooth hound and bull huss too. Well that explains the reduction in size and numbers of smoothies caught off Ennereilly lately. As stated the whelk fishing sector is unregulated, they just do as they please.

Bass Fishing, Surf Schoolies

Monday, May 13th, 2013

There are a few bass about down Wexford way, at least for surf enthusiasts, lure fishing to date being curtailed by coloured seas thrown up by our still unsettled weather patterns. Digging five dozen large black lugworm with a south Wexford beach mark in mind, on arrival although a lovely surf was creaming in with little evidence of floating weed, one cast was enough. In an instant, main line festooned with wrack, plan B was put into action, hit an east facing strand.

Waiting for a bite, bass fishing in South Wexford, Ireland.

That’s more like it, an hour before high water, again a nice surf allied to a bit of depth in close and no weed, happy days. Popping twin 4/0 kamazan paternosters at thirty and sixty yards respectively, second cast a decent haul over bite connects. Typical of a schoolie, announcing its presence in adult fashion, only to be found out when the much anticipated bullish head shaking is replaced by a light swimming sensation. A pound and a half of albeit solid muscle is no match for a thirteen foot beach caster.

Wexford surf schoolie.

That said, at least small bass are present in numbers and have been for a number of years now, a good sign for the future, however where are their parents? Definitely in the right place on numerous occasions when surf bass fishing over the five years this blog has been running, schoolies have noticeably become the predominant catch. Back in 2008, when I started back sea fishing in earnest, surf bass of four – six pound featured in my catches from south Wicklow around to Kilmore Quay. Post 2009/2010 the average size relative to my diaries has definitely got smaller. I’m fishing the same venues at the same times yet the catch returns have altered, lots of juveniles but fewer adults……….What, if anything, has changed?

 

 

Bass fishing in Ireland, Invasion of the Spider Crabs

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Prevailing south westerlies over the last week coupled with a rise in temperature up to 16/17 degrees have at last encouraged bass to move inshore. Reports of bass, predominantly schoolies it has to be said, have been posted from Wexford right around to Kerry, with this writer having seen photo’s of a six pounder (Wexford) and a fine eight pounder from a Waterford strand.

A Wexford schoolie for Darren O'Connor.

Planning an evening trip down to a favoured south Wexford beach, a four meter five pm tide linking nicely with a rolling southerly sea, or so I thought. On arrival the wind had turned around north west flattening the sea creating conditions more suited to flounder then bass. Being single minded it was bass or bust, commencing fishing at six bells, an hour after high water, twin 4/0 paternoster traces were baited with lugworm and razor then lobbed sixty meters into the gutter.

Top Wexford bass baits, razor clam and lugworm.

Fishing is a constant learning curve, joined on the beach by Gerry Mitchell and two of his friends Darren and Billy, the lads set up a couple of hundred meters to my right. Other than a couple of schoolies for Darren and an odd flounder things were quite. Regularly putting out big fresh baits, coming on dark around 21.30pm I pulled in a small flounder followed by a biggish spider crab. From then on traces started to come in with an odd hook nipped off, signalling that the spiders had arrived in force.

Spider crab.

Running out of bait about 22.10pm yours truly departed, subsequently as I learned that’s when it all kicked off. Yes the spider crabs had been waging war on the boys traces too, however come 22.30pm Gerry started hitting bass with Billy and Darren making a dent on the flounder population. For two hours the lads were kept busy, funnily enough Gerry in the central position caught a dozen bass up to 55 cms with the boys only beaching flatties, such are the vagaries of fishing.

Gerry Mitchell surf casting on a south Wexford strand.

The above experience rubber stamps a trend which has become very apparent over the last couple of years, backed up also by the writing of Clive Gammon describing Wexford beach fishing in the mid nineteen sixties. Do not venture out surf casting with bait in Wexford until at the earliest dusk, and ideally black dark if you want to be certain of connecting with bass. Yes there will be exceptions, however as a rule of thumb and with a view to better catches this season and beyond, it’s advice that I will be sticking to from now on…….