The inshore grounds off Wicklow Head are renowned for their ability to deliver consistent animal fishing. Tope, bull huss, thornback ray, and smooth hound start to appear in May and inhabit the shallow banks and deeper channels well into October. One such person well capable of putting anglers on to these fish is International angler/skipper Kit Dunne who runs the charter vessel Lisin 1, a 35′ offshore 105, out of Wicklow Harbour, which is located 25 miles south of Dublin.
With the seemingly interminable north east winds finally easing and shifting south so producing a mild day allied to the strengthening tides heading towards 4 meters, Lisin 1 anchored and squid/mackerel baited rigs were dropped into the flooding tide where very quickly dogfish began to show along with an odd smooth hound and ray. Over slack water at the top of the tide fishing slowed only to really pick up as the ebb commenced.
Myles Howell was first in with a nice tope followed by a couple of cracking huss, these pug nosed doggies mightn’t put up much of a resistance but their size and tenacity always makes for a welcome sight when they break surface. Down tiding using single hook flowing traces was the main method employed although Kit Dunne up tided at the peak of the flow landing a nice smooth hound. In fact given the relatively shallow depths fished ranging from 5 – 10 fathoms allied to the strong tides encountered in these parts fishing up tide is a useful skill to learn and employ.
In the last hour and a half the doggies eased off, a sure sign of bigger fish in the vicinity and a number of tope were caught supplemented by a huss or two. At days end the party had landed 7 tope, 6 bull huss, 3 hounds, 2 ray, and over 100 dogs, and it only mid May, on this form the summer season looks very promising.
For a day out on Lisin 1 contact skipper Kit Dunne through his website www.wicklowboatcharters.ie or phone mobile +353 (0)87 6832179, a full days charter costs €400.00.
