Posts Tagged ‘Lure Fishing’
Wednesday, October 1st, 2014
The great pike hung motionless within the reeds concentrating, observing, twenty seconds earlier the chug, chug sound of an outboard motor invaded its space, a common enough occurance the sensory invasion presenting no fear. Next second a rhythmic pulsing grabbed the pikes attention, becoming alert its eyes darted left and right triangulating then homing in on the source of the physical sensations entering and transmitting along its lateral line. A silvery flash, target locked on, half a dozen purposeful sweeps of the hungry fishes paddle like tail and Bang!!
Pawel Augustyn’s reel started screaming as the now startled pike exited stage left connected to a very excited anglers small trout spinner, Pawel will continue the story;
First I thought it’s just a bottom hook so I stopped the boat and tried to roll back the line when I realised my line is actually moving to the left. I knew then it’s a fish on. I knew it’s something big until i saw it under the surface for the first time it was actually a massive pike. It was 1 p.m.when the fish hooked . The fight took me 20 min and it was really strong fish. Maciek netted the pike and the net broke under the weight of the pike. Luckily we managed to get the fish on the boat. I couldn’t believe the size of the pike especially because I’ve never caught a fish this size.
The pike was hooked on a very small trout’s lure( I attach the pic) and my line was only 4.kg spinning line. We took a few pics and put him back in the water. We let him to get energy back and water to flow through his gills then after a few mins the fish swam away. He is waiting somewhere in the water for another lucky angler; This was the best fishing day of my life.
An absolutely fantastic catch, I am extremely thankful to Pawel for sending me both the story and images. Knowing the water upon which Pawel and his friend Maciek were fishing, it does not give up pike easily, so well done to both anglers and tight lines for the future…..
Tags: Angling, Boat fishing, Fishing, Ireland, Lure Fishing, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Trolling
Posted in Fishing Diary, Pike Fishing | Comments Off
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014
“That’s a grand looking lure Ger”, said I. Replying Ger iterated that it was a shallow diving plug with a particular action, “a cross between a surface and subsurface lure, watch”, and with a flick the lure was arcing through the air to land thirty meters out. On commencing the retrieve immediately a number of boiling swirls indicated fish, “get your spinner in the water Ash”. Fascinated by the offshore dance Ger’s words prompted yours truly back into life. Flicking out the silver Kilty, two turns of the handle and Bang fish on. Pulling and darting short runs commenced, an occasional flash of silver indicating where the fish was. Imagine the surprise when out of the calm sea emerged a garfish, an unusual catch for this neighbourhood.
There was obviously a small shoal of them however no more were forthcoming. Proving an interesting end to another fine evening walking the strand while casting a line at various points along. This scribe has written at length about the damage wrought by unregulated whelk fishing and mussel dredging along the Co. Wicklow coastline, how an inshore aquarium was turned into a marine desert. Sadly one can also add the demise of North East Atlantic mackerel to this mix too. That said yesterday evening provided evidence that the sea possesses wonderful levels of endurance.
Yesterday evening launce, a single small pollack and that garfish attacked my lure, a small shoal of about twenty grey mullet finned and filtered their way up tide parallel with the shoreline and a lone angler fly fished for sea trout, an odd fish announcing its presence, careening skywards then disappearing with a splash. A bass showed yesterday and Kit Dunne chartering out of Wicklow has contacted black bream, a mini revival? Time will tell, however to observe such marine life and behaviour along a much loved stretch of coastline after many barren years provides hope and that feels good……..
Tags: Angling, Beach fishing, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Garfish, Ireland, Launce, Lure Fishing, Mullet, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Wicklow
Posted in Fishing Diary, Sea Fishing | Comments Off
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.
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.
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.
Tags: Angling, Bass, Bass fishing, Beach fishing, Fishing, Ireland, Lure Fishing, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Wicklow
Posted in Fishing Diary, Sea Fishing | Comments Off
Wednesday, June 25th, 2014
Clearing the pier head Dermot gunned the engine, 135 horses kicked into life and a whirlwind drive to the Saltee Islands ensued. Within minutes Fishion Impossible was racing through the sound before veering starboard to eventually nestle in behind the great Saltee. Gulls working the bay indicated bait fish in abundance, strings of greater sandeel quickly coming to our feathers and sadiki lures. If our traces managed to get to the bottom 60 feet below, small pollack and codling in the 2 lb bracket rattled the rod tips, all this and it was only 06.30 am.
The Brandies, Conningbeg and Conningmore are pinnacle rocks found to the south east and south west of the Saltee Islands respectively. Rising almost shear from the seabed, which depending on location averages 9 fathoms (54 feet) below but can reach 16.6 fathoms (100 feet) plus, all bar the Conningmore only become exposed as the tide drops. Characterised by strong tides that deflect off these and other raised pinnacles which never show, the seas especially west of the Saltees can become very confused and dangerous in contrary winds.
Drift fishing using three hook jigs or single shads is the standard approach when fishing the reefs off Kilmore Quay, the jumbled rock and kelp covered sea floor keeping anglers on their toes. Raising and lowering the rod to tap the weight off the bottom creates a mental picture of the ground below, while keeping the line more or less straight up and down as against streaming out maintains contact with the business end, reducing tackle losses and increasing productivity due to the lures working properly.
Shamrock tackles “Munster Mawlers” black, chartreuse and red jig combination worked a treat on the day, attracting pollack to eight pound along with a smattering of codling, an odd pouting and small ling. Dermot was adamant that baiting the lures was an unnecessary chore, advice duly ignored by Gerry and I religiously baiting our bottom hooks with sandeel strip, Dermot’s words at session end being justified. Yes, Gerry and I attracted a few more codling, Dermot’s rig however proved irresistible to the pollack.
At three bells Dermot called lines up and we headed for harbour, not so fast this time as a north east breeze had picked up creating a chop. Fish, most of which were caught and returned, had come to the boat from the off with the only fallow period occurring as the tide strengthened close to high water. Glad of the invite, thanks so much Dermot and Gerry, it being ten months since yours truly had last dropped a bait into Davy Jones locker. The sun warmed us all day, fish were obliging and even the gulls made welcome companions as we gutted our catch. That’s sea fishing off Kilmore Quay, sure where else would you want to be……..?
Tags: Angling, Boat fishing, codling, Fishing, Ireland, Kilmore Quay, Lure Fishing, Pollack, Sandeel, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, Wexford
Posted in Fishing Diary, Sea Fishing | Comments Off
Saturday, August 24th, 2013
Two feet below the surface tightly packed herring fry swam close to my rocky perch, suddenly, long darting flashing shapes snaked amongst the terrified mass snapping here and there. Launce having balled up the shoal moved in for the kill, behind them out of the depths, like a World War One fighter squadron of old flying out of the sun, appeared tiger striped mackerel and they meant business. Josh and Sean, two local teenagers enjoying the last days of their summer holidays were already running feathers through the frenzy. “Look full house, ah s##t one’s fallen off”, the joy on the lads faces saying it all.
Nature in full view and a right of passage re-enacted annually since the dawn of time, instantly I was transported back to my youth. Firing out a silver toby, letting it sink then retrieving, the hit, the zig zag fight, and to cap it all the mackerel falls off just as I’m swinging it ashore, laughs all around then off again. The shoal wasn’t big staying around for a little over an hour before eventually moving on. However the calm surface regularly dimpled first here, then there, with fry jumping clear of the mini predators below, the larger chasing bretheren occasionally head and tailing.
At session end we all had a enough mackerel for tea, young Sean had caught his first conger whom I’ll quote, “that fish has made my summer”, and Jay God bless him helped me to understand this LRF business, of which more later. You can take all your economic surveys, holiday visitor numbers, specimen fish tales, celebrity anglers, the latest piece of tackle that’s going to change the world and place it all, well you know where. Yesterday afternoon in the company of Josh, Sean, and Jay encompasses all of what sea angling is about, the rest ultimately is bollox………….
Tags: Angling, Fishing, Ireland, Lure Fishing, Mackerel, Mackerel fishing, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, Toby spoon, Wicklow
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Sunday, May 26th, 2013
On the road by 04.00am a plate size full moon sitting over the Blackstairs Mountains, motoring through familiar places as night merges into day, Carnew, Bunclody, Kiltealy, Ballymurphy, not far now. Muggy and warm on leaving the house, mist lying in the hollows between Graiguenamanagh and Glynn hint that the air might be chilly once one enters the River Valley at St Mullins. Tents fill the green outside Blanchfields pub, dog leg left then down the steep hill before sweeping right into the car park. It’s only 05.30am and already anglers line the bank, driving a short step along the towpath I park up, grab my previously assembled rod and walk towards a familiar face. Boy there is a nip in the air.
Dave from the Lurefish-Ireland website was plying his luck after shad and on cue hooked into a fish which was duly netted, photographed, and released. His second of the morning along with a few takes, Dave’s experience of the shad season to date reflected this years trend, one or two fish per session with a lot of casting in between. Working a blue/silver tazzie across the flooding tide, first a bang then a more solid take resulted in a hook up. A good shad it zig zagged, jumped, and even tail walked before sliding over the net, a fine fish indeed.
A flurry of activity then silence other than the swoosh of rods and the rhythmic turning of reels. As the mist burned off Dave and I decided to venture upstream to the island. On arrival we observed that the Barrow was alive with fish sipping, rolling, and jumping. An occasional bronze flank breaking the surface indicated hybrids or bream while dace flashed silver, if shad were in situe they certainly did not make their presence felt.
Wending our way back up the towpath we decided to throw a few casts downstream of the lock. Close in under the bank a second shad took my lure, again leaping clear of the water after a brief tussle like its predecessor the fish was netted and released. Having achieved my target of fish and photographs I decided to say my goodbyes and hit the road. Only 08.30am mission accomplished and a whole Sunday still ahead, whoopee………
Further reading: The Elusive Shad and other Stories.
Click on: Shad Fishing in St Mullins, video clip, 26th May 2013. Courtesy of Dave Fitzpatrick (lurefish-ireland blogsite).
Tags: Angling, Co. Carlow, Fishing, Ireland, Lure Fishing, River Barrow, Shad, Shad fishing, Tazmanian Devil
Posted in Coarse Fishing, Fishing Diary | Comments Off
Monday, May 20th, 2013
Shad enter the three sisters river system in late April early May piggybacking on two sets of spring tides over a three to four week period. This year the main run has yet to materialise, probably down to our prolonged winter. Anglers however have been making their customary south east migration in anticipation of hooking up, but to date results have been more miss than hit.
St Mullins in early summer is a special place though even when the shad are delayed and Sunday May 19th was no exception. Anglers lined the towpath, fish rolled and jumped, families enjoyed a leisurely walk down to the Island, stopping off on their return for a coffee or something more substantial at the Mullachain cafe adjacent to the old boat slip, while foxes, herons, and a host of other wild life went about their business, wonderously observed.
Having taken a run down more for the air than to fish it was nice to meet up with Gerry McStraw, Ian Warburton, Neville, Tadelis, and Declan, stalwart members of the Carlow Coarse Angling club who do a great job protecting and promoting fishing along the River Barrow from Athy right down to St Mullins. Coarse fishing, the lads encountered a steady run of fat roach, dace, hybrid, bream, and trout. I didn’t get to taste one of Gerry’s spicy scotch eggs even though I was offered, silly me, there’s one thing for sure though those boys look after themselves and have the craic when their out on the river.
Taking a walk upstream casting a blue and silver Tazzie I happened upon a number of shad seekers fishing more in hope than with intent. Combining a spot of feeder fishing and shad searching Darren Snidall on cue banked a nice wee shad for the camera. Conversation, a feature of the day, surrounded the moment ranging from Newfoundland to Bell lake Waterford, such is the way with fishers.
There is an affinity which goes beyond hooks, lines, and sinkers, an ice breaker common to anglers. On Sunday May 19th it was the dearth of shad, “anything happening?”, the door is opened and before you know it an hour has flown by. Early summer in St Mullins recharges the tired winter batteries everytime, what a grand day……….
Further reading: Shad Times at St Mullins.
Tags: Angling, Bream, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, Lure Fishing, River Barrow, Shad, St. Mullins, Tazmanian Devil
Posted in Coarse Fishing, Fishing Diary | Comments Off
Sunday, May 5th, 2013
May sunshine, a gentle breeze, a rising tide, camaraderie craic and banter, and nature finally throwing off its winter blanket. Yesterday the River Barrow came to life, not firing on all cylinders but showing enough to fashion a wonderful afternoons fishing in that magical south County Carlow location where freshwater merges with salt, so creating a unique mixed fishery which every May explodes with abundance.
It being the May weekend a number of specimen hunters lined the tow path, casting the preferred blue/silver Tazmanian Devil towards the far bank hoping to connect with an early shad. Again having traveled with bream in mind, I set up at my chosen swim shortly before the rising tide cleared the “scar” a quarter of a mile downstream. Casting out a 40 gram feeder at regular sixty second intervals bites came on within five minutes, however the pattern settled into slow/steady as against constant.
Initially a few plump roach showed interest followed by a small trout and a dace or two. Close to high tide proceedings slowed, the water torpid and glass like. In unison with the ebb kicking off however my swim came to life, a bream and three hybrids taking my bait with confident abandon, wrap around bites being the order of the day.
At this point I have to extend thanks to Waterford angler Paul Millea who kindly gave me some ground bait mix, enough for an extra hours fishing, which made all the difference. That’s the beauty of angling, you meet people for the first time and the connection through the shared hobby does the rest. Setting up a tent close by, Paul and his friend Alastair were down after bream and hybrids, and even if the fishing was slow they were still having the craic.
Preparing to leave around five pm a commotion downstream had me running for my camera. Regular visitor from the north of Ireland Duncan Cole, while spinning for shad, had connected with a very sizable wild brownie. Netted after a spirited tussle, the four pound trout more than made up for the absence of Duncan’s primary target shad. “There’s always the next tide“, he quipped. I couldn’t agree more…….
See also: Persistence Pays Down Barrow Way.
Tags: Angling, Bream, Co. Carlow, Coarse Angling, Coarse Fishing, Fishing, Game Fishing, Hybrids, Ireland, Lure Fishing, River Barrow, Wild Brown Trout
Posted in Coarse Fishing, Fishing Diary | Comments Off
Friday, April 5th, 2013
Took a spin down to a local stream today, literally. With snow still lying on high ground, interminable easterlies delaying the onset of summer, and water temperatures below normal for April, having fly fished on a number of occasions lately with mixed results I decided to call into action my trusty light spinning rig with a view to fishing some deep pots and slow sections. Flicking a size 1 Mepps into likely holes and runs is a method of fishing that I used a lot back in the day on Wicklow streams such as the Vartry. Cast upstream or down, into pots, worked under low lying branches close to the bank, or in channels between banks of weed, small bar spoons can prove irresistible to both brown and sea trout.
Utilizing a 7 foot, 5 – 18 gram casting weight, rod matched to a spinning reel loaded with 4.lb b/s line, I attached a 1/0 tear drop copper Mepps sporting red spots, a favourite lure of mine. The biting wind necessitated woolly hat, scarf, and gloves, a far cry from the 20 degree heat experienced towards the end of March early April 2012. Making my way downstream I found a nice shallow run flowing off a bend into a deep hole. Casting a long line at about 30 degrees down and across the lure plopped into the stream close to the far bank. Caught by the current a rhythmic pulse transmitted through my taught line signaling that the blade’s working ok. Swinging across, now working deep and slow, guided between two banks of ranunculus, bang, a nice half pounder.
A little later while prospecting the far side of a long wide pool, towards the tail a good take pulls my rod tip over, definitely a better fish. On light tackle the trout fights well, guiding it quickly towards my hand, close to three quarters of a pound, good for this river. Nicely spotted, yellow bellied and quite plump, quick photo for posterity and away.
With not a hatch in sight come three pm everything went quiet, and also very cold due to the wind chill. Next week the weather is predicted to turn southerly, it can’t come soon enough, a bit of warmth and the river will blossom. Roll on the evening rise……
Further reading: Blustery Day on the Derreen.
Tags: Angling, Fishing, Game Fishing, Ireland, Lure Fishing, Mepps, Spinning, Threadline fishing, Wild Brown Trout
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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.
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?”
Tags: Angling, Dead bait, Fishing, Float fishing, Ireland, Ledgering, Lure Fishing, Pike, Pike angling, Pike Fishing, Wire trace
Posted in Fishing Diary, Pike Fishing | Comments Off
