Posts Tagged ‘Float fishing’
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
Flounder or fluke are a favourite species which I seek out in various estuary locations within Co. Wexford. It’s funny how sometimes we miss opportunities right under our noses, a case of the grass is always greener elsewhere maybe. Well a couple of weeks ago having witnessed a mullet angler take a number of quality flounder from a local estuary mark while float fishing, I decided to follow suit, which proved not only fruitful but fun as well.
An urban harbour location where a major river system meets the tide, I set up a float rod with a clear stick float to a size eight hook attached to 6.lb test, plumbed the depth along a likely seam, baited with lobworm and cast out. Slightly out of the main current my float settled then twitched and bobbed before gently sliding under. Setting the hook with a turn of my wrist a nice flounder proceeded to show how sporting these fish can be on light tackle. Nudging a pound and in tip top condition the flounder was one of a dozen plus flatties and slob brown trout I landed within a short three hour session up to and over high tide. Just as I was leaving Polish light line lure specialist David Kopczynski introduced himself to me. A thinking angler David has adapted freshwater light line lure techniques learned in his home country and put them to good use in Ireland catching some fine bass, wrasse, and flounder. Nice to finally meet and chat with you David, tight lines and good fishing…….
Tags: Angling, Brandlings, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Fishing, Float fishing, Flounder, Ireland, Lobworms, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Split shot, Waggler, Wicklow
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Monday, June 11th, 2012
Decided to have a crack at the mullet which frequent a local harbour. Weather wise things couldn’t have been better, sunny with just a light variable easterly breeze, warm but only just. Visiting various known mullet haunts around the harbour and up along the river feeding bread, waiting awhile before rechecking previous ground baited locations not a mullet was to be seen, maybe the heavy rain over the last few days pushed them out? Spying a couple of anglers I walked over and introduced myself. Both equipped with coarse float set ups and feeding bread mash they too were after mullet and also having no joy, that was to change though with a slight twist.
Francisc Szilaghyi hails from Romania and has lived in Ireland for many years, fishing is his favourite pastime and he’s very good at it, believe me a half hour in his company established that fact clearly. With the mullet not playing ball and having landed a six pounder at this location last year, Francisc was not deterred “I’ll try for the flounder instead“. With that he reeled in his trotting float slightly lengthened the drop and baited up with earth worm. A controlled underarm flick placed his rig in flat water along the edge of a seam, two minutes later the float bobbed before sliding under whence Francisc’s float rod took on a nice curve.
Flapping and diving while swimming in circles the flounder really put up a good fight unhindered by a five ounce weight and a heavy beach rod. My eyes had been opened, angling is all about having fun and cutting your cloth to suit conditions on the day, Francisc did both and within a half hour landed three flounder to over a pound, all lip hooked. Sometimes we forget that it’s not just about the biggest fish or the new sexy method of fishing, underneath all the marketing and celebrity b####x that’s pervading everything first principles will always stand tall. Nice meeting you Francisc, our interaction showed me the joy of fishing, simple is best……..
Tags: Angling, Arklow, Estuary, Fishing, Float fishing, Flounder, Harbour, Ireland, Mullet, River Slaney, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Wicklow
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Friday, February 17th, 2012
Yours truly is new to this coarse fishing lark and it shows. Last Tuesday Gary and I met in Athy, Co. Kildare with a view to repeating our successes of last year where we bagged up on two occasions, firstly on a cold February in the marina followed by an early April session in the main channel. Recent catch reports gave hope of a repeat performance, well we were brought down to earth with a bang.
On arrival the Barrow looked in perfect condition, setting up below the bridge Gary and I intended to feeder fish switching over to trotting a float if things were slow. Paul McLaughlin, who knows a thing or two about coarse fishing, showed up with similar aspirations and regaled catching 60.lb of fish from our chosen stretch only the day before. Chalk and cheese comes to mind, yes we struggled, feeder fishing maggot and caster not a fish showed.
Paul set up above us and trotting started to winkle out a few roach and dace. Gary switched over and utilising his Adcock Stanton centrepin connected also with a few silvers. After a couple of hours we decided on a move, Paul went upstream and I believe started connecting with prime roach, while Gary and I drove downstream a piece only to repeat our performance, however Gar’ saved the day with about 5.lb of roach, the less said about me the better.
With bait left over I decided to fish a Co. Carlow mark the following day. On both occasions the weather was bright and dry with a steady crisp north west wind, cold but bearable. This time my faith was restored, if not a fish a chuck it was certainly a bite. Again using the feeder in a deep backwater swim dace, roach, and small perch kept the tip nodding. Dace giving their customary quick fire rattles, roach showing their presence with a purposeful tap tap type bite, while the perch just hit with a thump. Four maggot or two and two maggot/caster did the job on a busy fun afternoon. I’ll be back there soon with a ledgered minnow or lobworm, there’s a big Barrow perch loitering with my name on it….
Tags: Angling, Casters, Centrepin reel, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Fishing, Float fishing, Ground bait, Ireland, Maggots, Perch, River Barrow, Roach, Trotting
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Thursday, May 26th, 2011
Setting out onto the headland we chose a bluff in the distance as a fishing platform and walked towards it. The sun was shining but the winds were still strong from a west/south west direction. Even though the seas had abated all our favourite rock marks were dangerously unfishable. Only for the shelter of the aforementioned bluff Roger and I would not be fishing today at all. Approaching and looking down we saw at first what looked like a raft of floating weed which on closer attention proved to be a large shoal of mullet about 2 – 3 metres wide and about thirty metres long feeding on the surface.
Waves were bouncing off the cliff face, surging back on meeting the next approaching wave they clashed producing a foam line where obviously food particles or plankton were collecting so concentrating the mullet. Setting up a coarse float rig using a large balsa float cocked with four swan shot Roger proceeded to break up sliced pan, wetting the bread before moulding the pieces into a ball before tossing it into the sea along the foam line. On impact the bread broke up into fine particles and small lumps. Almost immediately the mullet started feeding which was not our normal experience, it usually takes longer if at all. In fact they went at the bread with abandon and were not in the one bit shy which we put down to the choppy sea.
Roger folded a ten pence piece size of bread around a number eight hook and cast out. The float bobbed in the waves and grey ghostly shapes came over to investigate. She slid under and with a turn of the wrist the mullet was hooked. Line fizzed from the reel against the pre set drag, however this was a small fish weighing about 2.5 lbs and was soon in the net. Out went a new bait followed by a dipping float and no connection. This form was repeated over another couple of casts before Roger set the hook on a better fish. Backwards and forwards the mullet ran boring deep on occasions the fish would just not give up. Eventually I readied the landing net and a fine fish slid into the folds. Broad backed this could be a specimen, we will never know for on removing the hook it flipped and landed back in the water.
Roger fished on quickly landing another good mullet before he set the hook into another strong fish. This time there was no mistake, after a good tussle the mullet was netted transfered to the weigh net and brought the scales down to 5.lb 4.oz a specimen. We shook hands on a fine achievement, the mullet were on but it took skill and knowledge to winkle out four in the manner that Roger did given the conditions.
Two more mullet were landed by yours truly before we turned our attention to wrasse and pollack. Mullet have a mystique about them that they are impossible to catch. Roger is a Cornish man and a regular visitor to this corner of Ireland primarily for the fishing. He grew up targeting mullet and is not phased by any situation, “if you get them feeding they are no more difficult to catch then any other fish”. I would not doubt him and am indebted to his knowledge having now landed numerous mullet up to specimen size under his tutelage. Thanks Roger.
Tags: Angling, Beara Peninsula, Bread flake, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Mullet, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, West Cork
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Thursday, May 26th, 2011
It is always possible to find fish on the Beara even in the worst of weather as I found out over the last couple of days. Prospects looked grim for Roger and I with serial fronts blowing in from the Atlantic. Rain driven by strong winds which moved from north west to south and back again in the space of 36 hours makes for heavy seas and little shelter on this wonderful but exposed sea angling outpost. That said, a weather window gave us an evening and one full days fishing before it all closed in again and we made the most of it.
Digging fresh lugworm and white rag for bait we chose a relatively sheltered mark with flat fish in mind. Roger used a two hook flowing trace while I baited up a two hook paternoster. Distance has proved decisive on this location before and so it transpired again. From the get go dogfish made their appearance more or less every other cast to plain lug baits. Tipping off with white rag and being able to get that little bit further out due to the rig employed, a decisive pull down of the rod top followed by a slack line resulted in a fine flounder, the next cast producing a good codling. With night closing in we called it a day.
The following evening during a temporary lull we used up the remainder of our lugworm fishing a different rock mark that again gave access to clean ground. This time we both used two hook paternosters banged out and what a session we had. Fishing about two hours into the rising tide we hit codling averaging 2.0 lbs on our first casts with no let up until the bait ran out. Super fishing similar to what we experienced last October capped off by a cracking pound plus dab, one part of a codling/flattie double header.
The fishing continued with double codling shots occurring at least three times. At close of play Roger had the best fish topping 2.5 lbs. We kept a few codling for the pot returning most to the water. Two year classes were evident, one year and two/three years. Codling breed in their forth year so we are not out of the woods yet, however as stated before if this obviously prolific stock is managed rather than exploited then there is hope for the species.
The Beara is full of surprises, I have not caught codling like this in May since the late 1980′s, and as for flatfish well I will keep coming back. In the last three trips I have landed numerous plaice to 1.5 lbs and dab to a pound plus, with a friend catching a 1.5 lb specimen dab. This is quality fishing for the times we are living in, long may it last.
Tags: Angling, Beara Peninsula, codling, Dab, Fishing, Float fishing, Flounder, Ireland, Launce, lugworm, Lure Fishing, Mackerel, Mullet, Pollack, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, West Cork
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Saturday, May 7th, 2011
One of the first fishing books that I possessed was titled “Fishing Days” by Geoffrey Bucknall, a great read profiling the authors early angling exploits. In one chapter he fishes for tench and describes a fish that likes shallow marginal water, is a doughty fighter, and is best targeted before the sun gets too high in the sky. Gary Robinson recently fished a secret location for tench on the Royal Canal and had a spectacular session along with two friends Mark Handsley and John Herrieven.
Fishing the waggler and using three red maggot on a size 14 hook the trio bagged up over a weekends fishing. Sunday was the best day with fish surprisingly coming on the feed around 10.30am and continuing sporadically until 19.30pm. On arriving the lads had cleared a swim of weed a prerequisite for this hard fighting species, who like their cover and will head for sanctuary with a powerful run on the first instance of being hooked.
At sessions end Gary and the lads had accumulated over sixty pounds of tench which is some haul for the first few days in May. The best tench fell to Gary’s rod at 4.lbs 2.ozs with the average size nudging 3.lbs. If the mild weather continues tench fishing can only improve.
I would like to thank Gary for the report and images, an all round angler with a particular passion for coarse fishing Gary writes articles for “The Irish Anglers Digest”, and delivers introductory courses in fly fishing.
Tags: Angling, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Red maggot, Royal canal, Tench, Waggler
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Friday, February 11th, 2011
The River Barrow rises in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, Co. Laois, flowing in a south easterly direction through counties Laois, Kildare, Carlow, and Wexford, before meeting the sea below the town of New Ross. Ireland’s second longest river at 192 km from source to sea, the river Barrow is navigable from St Mullins in Co Carlow to Athy in Co. Kildare, a distance of some 68 km. An essential drainage artery historically linked to the spread of christianity, colonisation, and commerce, today the Barrow has a significant role to play both as a tourism resource and social outlet.
The Barrow is a superb mixed fishery within whose waters reside coarse fish such as roach, perch, rudd, bream, dace, and the mighty pike. Brown trout populate the faster flowing stretches, while salmon and sea trout return annually along with the mysterious shad, a herring like fish which enters the river from the sea in May, to spawn at the head of the tide close to the village of St. Mullins. Coarse fishing on the river has become increasingly popular spearheaded by two local clubs, the Athy and District Anglers, and Carlow Coarse Angling Club.
Gerry McStraw is the progressive chairman of Carlow Coarse Angling Club, a recent conversation with him elicited information that the marina at Athy was fishing its socks off and would be well worth a visit. Having heard of the venue but never fished it I had visions of floating pontoons, pleasure cruisers, and narrow boats, the reality was not what I expected. A derelict development site smack in the middle of Athy, adjacent to the Barrow and connected by a narrow channel, it has become an oasis for fish of all descriptions particularly when the river is in flood.
Leased annually by the Athy and District Anglers, preliminary works have created twenty six fishing pegs including two with disabled access. Day tickets at €5.00 or annual membership of €20.00 can be purchased at Griffen Hawe on Athy main street, or by contacting John Shaughnessy, email: shaughnessy244@hotmail.com. What an amazing fishery, in four relaxed hours Gerry and his friend Ian Warburton amassed an incredible 62.lbs of roach, hybrids, dace, and perch all returned to fight another day. This facility should be made a permanent fixture, as a tourism venue for visiting anglers and a social outlet in particular for youth it has tremendous potential. There are few towns in Europe hosting fishing of this quality, Kildare County Council, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Waterways Ireland, and whoever forms the next Government please take note…
Further reading: Feeder Fishing, River Barrow, Athy, Co. Kildare.
Tags: Angling, Athy marina, Bream, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, County Kildare, Dace, Float fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, Perch, Pike, Red maggots, River Barrow, Roach
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Friday, February 4th, 2011
A relative newcomer to coarse angling and keen to unlock any secrets that the River Barrow might hold, I was happy to accompany Gary for a days fishing on a favoured section of his between Carlow and Athy. The Barrow is navigable from New Ross in Co. Wexford to Monasterevin in Co. Kildare, shallow areas bye passed by a system of canals which in the past served a number of milling operations. Today many are derelict although some have been restored for private use. Waterways Ireland maintain the canals and manage the lock gates enabling private pleasure craft and narrow boat hire companies to avail of this wonderful resource.
Overnight rain had rendered the main channel unfishable so Gary and I turned our attention to a canal section. Fish seek shelter in these waters during times of flood, and with water fairly pushing through Gary decided to try out his new Adcock Stanton centrepin reel. I on the other hand stuck to the game plan of feeder fishing with red maggot. Employing a light coloured groundbait mix of crumb, sweetcorn, and various particles we set to work. Bites were fairly immediate mainly from quicksilver dace and small roach.
Missing a lot of bites, those dace are quick, Gary advised me to step down from using four maggots on the hook to just one or two, the result was three roach on the bounce and a couple of small hybrids. My efforts would have put a match fisherman to shame, but hey I was having fun. The Adcock Stanton reel was performing well, Gary trotting a quill float down his swim winkling out small dace supplemented with a few silver bream, roach, and hybrids.
The day had been cold throughout, sunny interspersed with a number of heavy showers. A constant breeze from the south west hinting at worse to come. By 16.00pm with bites becoming less frequent we decided to call it a day. Gary had a mixed bag of 10.lb+, the less said about mine the better although I was happy to have caught all four species mentioned above. A feature was their good condition and how cold they were to touch. We did not connect with any perch or notice evidence of pike although they are definitely present. The day though was positive, a steady stream of fish to christen Gary’s new reel and one or two of the Barrow’s fishy secrets revealed.
Tags: Adcock Stanton Centrepin Reel, Angling, Bream, Canal fishing, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Dace, Float fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, Red maggots, River Barrow, Roach, Trotting
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Friday, November 26th, 2010
The River Barrow is a wonderful resource that I am only beginning to get to know. A great mixed fishery with large stocks of coarse fish, a run of migratory salmon, the elusive shad, and quality wild trout fishing. The Barrow is navigable from St Mullins 65 kilometers upstream to Athy, and beyond to Monesterevin in Co. Kildare. A series of 23 canals and locks aiding circumnavigation of shallow stretches along its length.
Dace, roach, rudd, bream, hybrids, and perch are the main coarse species along with pike, the latter of which reach specimen size. Over the course of this winter and into the spring I hope to unlock some of the Barrow’s secrets, hopefully catching both a large perch and a good pike into the bargain if the fishing gods are kind.
A piking/reconnaissance trip yesterday provided much needed information but no fish. The locks and canals would appear to be the key providing fish with shelter from the main flow particularly in times of flood. Marinas such as the one at Leighlinbridge and the facility at Athy are another source of refuge for resident fish populations and are therefore worth considering also. That said they are obvious locations to target fish and so will be frequently visited.
Far better to get off the beaten track, either walk the towpaths or fish from a boat. Looked at objectively th
Tags: Angling, Bream, Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Fishing, Float fishing, Fly Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, River Barrow, Roach, Rudd, Shad, Trout
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Monday, September 13th, 2010
I had the pleasure in assisting eighteen Dutch anglers who travelled to Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan, specifically to fish Lough Muckno. Based in the Glencarn Hotel for eight bed nights, the group brought together through the initiative of Mr. Christiaan Kooloos, a freelance coarse angling journalist, planned to fish a series of matches along the Concra Wood and White Island shorelines.
Fully equipped down to the last maggot the groups collective heart sank when they heard that Muckno was unfishable due to recent heavy rains and high water levels. However, thanks to the combined efforts of local tackle dealer Les Harris, Geoff Quinn, Dick Caplice, and the Castleblaney Coarse Angling Club, a variety of alternative options were pursued to retrieve a difficult situation and get the dutch men fishing.
A small area of the church hill shoreline split in two sections was capable of accommodating the visitors. Pegging sections on Saturday morning the match kicked off at midday and ended at five pm. Feeder fishing it was apparent that the anglers present could cut the mustard. Within twenty minutes fish started appearing, mainly roach with a smattering of hybrids and one or two bream. Double red maggot coupled with a dark (almost black) feeder mix containing amongst other ingredients, sweetcorn, hemp, and castors, was the successful combination, with those using worm attracting the few bream landed.
At the end of Saturdays match Willem Van Der Helm was the clear winner with 11.40 kgs of mainly roach. A regular visitor to Ireland Willem’s bag given the conditions was a credit to his skill. The church hill shore was shallow necessitating casts of up to fifty metres, that and an onshore north westerly pushing intermittent heavy showers made conditions difficult for the anglers.
Sunday provided similar weather and lake conditions with the result that a friendly match between local anglers and the dutch group was held on the same shoreline and a section of Lough Ross. Twenty seven anglers fished, again the feeder prevailed with trip organiser Christiaan Kooloos coming out on top with a nice bag of roach, bream, and hybrids, for 9.10 kgs. Interestingly he was pegged where Willem had been the previous day.
Lough Muckno is arguably the best natural coarse match angling venue in Europe. It holds tonnes of roach, bream, and hybrids, and properly developed with vehicular access and permanent pegs would attract anglers from far and wide, Shorelines such as White Island, Concra Wood, Black Island, and Toome provide excellent fishing on the feeder, whip, waggler, or pole. Combined with the large pike, up to thirty pounds, that inhabit the lake it is a dream venue in a beautiful setting.
For more information on Lough Muckno click here: Lough Muckno, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan.
Tags: Angling, Bream, Castleblaney, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, County Monaghan, Feeder fishing, Float fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, Lough Muckno, Pole fishing, Roach
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