Posts Tagged ‘Duncannon’

Estuary Codling.

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

It’s been blowing a gale for the last few days and the beaches are choked with weed. The codling must be having a feeding frenzy but how do you get at them. Eureka, head towards the Waterford estuary, there’s plenty of shelter from those southerly winds and numerous accessible marks to fish. The beach at Duncannon shimmered under a glorious sunset, four dozen hard won black lugworm glistened in my bucket, their tell tale casts and blow holes only making an appearance shortly before the sun set on the Waterford shore.

Winter sunset on Duncannon strand, Dec 1st 2011.

Darkness was closing in as I made my way to the Strand Bar for a bite to eat and a pint of stout, before heading up the estuary to a mark that had been producing of late. A handy spot, you can drive the car up, step out and fish. Making my first cast an hour and a half into the flood, a two hook paternoster loaded up with fat juicy lug, the gripper dug into the mussel bank and my rod tip curved as the current took hold. Immediately, thump, thump, thump, the rod leaned over as the most certainly hooked fish swam up tide. I could feel the kicks and heavy knocks through the rod and shortly after codling number one was swung ashore.

Pat Power with a nice Waterford estuary codling.

Nice fish”. “First of the night”, says I, before belting out cast number two. Pat Power, a local angler had come down to try his luck. While he was setting up my rod gave a double knock, strike two, “Hey you’re doing well”. “Yes, two in two casts, all on lug”. Pat using peeler crab found fish harder to come by although an odd codling, whiting, and coalfish came his way. So it went on, cast after cast bites every time, I lost count as to how many fish came my way. Double headers, dab, whiting, more codling, the sea bed must have been carpeted. Then an hour before high water it all stopped.

Five Waterford estuary codling from an evening December tide.

Now eight thirty pm, a hard frost was falling through the still night air. What a session, especially the first hour. Bites had been thick and fast, producing some fine codling. As the tide rose funnily enough the fish got smaller, by session end most were just on or over the 30cms. Waterford estuary has to be a nursery area for codling, and if so must be designated such. Retaining five codling for din dins, catch and release applying to the rest of my catch which easily topped twenty fish, I headed for home and a warm fire. Brrrrr.

See also: Christmas Coalies.

See also: Mixed Bag from the Waterford Estuary.

Duncannon Morning.

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

Saturday the 8th of October dawned bright and calm, by midday it was blowing a hooly from the south west/west and my fishing plans sank without trace. Having watched team Ireland eventually overcome by Wales in a cracking (at least for 60 minutes) rugby world cup quarter final, and with fishing and bait digging gear already packed in the car I headed for Duncannon, on the Wexford side of the Waterford estuary and a neap 10.00am low water.

Duncannon Fort, South Wexford, Ireland.

Taking a left at the crossroads before Ramsgrange, after about two miles the bay opened up on my left hand side, a wide expanse of golden sand, the sea glittering and calm framed by County Waterford to the west and Wexford’s Hook Peninsula to the east. A relatively unknown corner of Ireland with so much tourism potential and stunningly beautiful. Parking beside the Strand Bar I made my way down onto the pristine beach and commenced digging for fat fleshy lugworms.

Evidence of single digging for lugworms, Duncannon strand, South Wexford, Ireland.

The fine weather had early risers out walking the dog, beach combing, and generally just taking in the iodine laced view. A flat sheltered beach ideal for kite surfing, an introductory class was taking place close to where I was digging. The sport looks great fun, and what a location to learn. Digging bait here always attracts people curious as to what you are doing. Today was no different, the resultant marine biology based conversation and the visual size of what lies beneath the sand never ceasing to fascinate them.

Kite Surfing lesson, Duncannon, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

Knowing the area quite well Duncannon has it all, wonderful location close to the Hook Peninsula, the Arthurstown/Passage East car ferry, foody heaven with fine establishments such as Dunbrody House (Kevin Dundon), Aldridge Lodge (Billy Whitty), and the Strand Bar, two first class deep sea angling charter vessels, the fantastic beach previously mentioned, and with Waterford City, Dunmore East, Wexford Town, Kilmore Quay, and St Mullins all within a twenty five/thirty mile radius Duncannon is an ideal base for a holiday or short break.

Duncannon Strand looking south east towards Hook Head, Co. Wexford, Ireland.

Today it was not about the fishing, bait digging and what surrounded the activity funnily enough making up for the change in weather and subsequent best forgotten session. The sea, only just fishable due to the strengthening wind, looked to contain bass and with no weed showing except over the peak of the tide should have delivered. Instead a couple of small flats saved the blank but no matter, my endevours brought me to beautiful Duncannon on a sunny early October Saturday morning, I would not have swapped it.