Mullet | An Irish Angler's World

Posts Tagged ‘Mullet’

Sea Fishing in Ireland, Flounder on the Float

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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Mixed Bag from the Beach.

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

It’s the 22nd of November and the temperature reads 9 degrees, with only two mild frosts to date we are a far cry from last year when we entered the freezer for a month of snow and double digit minus temperatures. Codling are definitely hitting the beaches with reports of fish to 5/6 lbs amongst the general run of two pounders. On some venues bass to 7.lbs are swimming with the codling, mobile phone images do not lie this really could be the best season in many a year. The key is to get out there regularly and fish the correct marks, tides, and times, high water at dusk or one/three hours after appearing to be the optimum.

Arriving at my chosen location two hours into the ebb tide just as dusk was closing in around 17.00 pm, I quickly set up twin surf casting rigs utilising two hook (2/0 Kamazan 940′s) paternosters baited with lugworm, lobbing one in close and belting the other out. Using long (18 inch) snoods it quickly became apparent that schoolies and or coalfish were resident, quick single thumps of the rod tops announcing their presence. These fish tend to play with the bait, darting in for a quick nibble, shortening the snoods would have resulted in hook ups but I was after bigger things. A rattle and a slack line, rod in hand I tighten up and feel, a thump down is countered with a strike in the opposite direction, fish on. This feels like a good bass, pulling the rod around, quickly swimming in, backing up the beach and reeling like f**k I make contact, head shaking in the surf, a white belly in my headlight beam, MULLET? Now that’s a first, on lug of all baits, hooked fair and square in the top lip.

A few flounder, schoolie bass, coalfish, and dogfish follow in quick succession all on the inner rod before a classic thump thump slack line bite has me running up the beach again to make contact. Thankfully the rod heels over and I feel the kick of a nice codling, running 3/4 lbs lets hope that there is another. Shortly afterwards I get a repeat performance, another good fish on, the fight intensifies as the undertow takes hold then nothing. Reeling in I check the trace only to find that my hook knot has unravelled, you clot Ash.

Shortly after things went quite, I fished on until the bait ran out bang on low water at around 21.00 pm. It had been a good session with certainly the first two hours providing regular bites. In this day and age six species and two good fish in the three/four pound bracket is nothing to be sniffed at. With favourable tides over the weekend here’s to another crack at it.

Tags: Angling, Bass, Beach fishing, Cod fishing, codling, Fishing, Ireland, lugworm, Mullet, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Surf casting, Wexford
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Mike’s Specimen Mullet

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Forrest Gump may well have said, “sea fishing is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get“, after all he was a shrimp fisherman. The same could be said for a certain beach that both Mike Wright and I fish, for never having met until last night, we both agree that this favoured venue always has the capability of producing quality fish across a variety of species. Mike will remember Wednesday evening the 17th August for a long time, as while jigging feathers for mackerel he hit into what he felt was a solid wall until it started to run and thrash about not thirty meters out from the shoreline.

Hearing Mike shout and turning to notice his rod in a hoop and a very angry fish showing its presence in the surf, my first thought was “bass and a good one”. The fight was similar, head and tail swiping from side to side, the grey fading to white colours and broad tail completing the illusion. Imagine Mike’s, and all those present surprise, when on beaching the prize fish identified itself as a mullet. What a cracker, officially weighed on Penlan SAC member John Richards digital scales at 6.lb 2.oz before being released, the mullet was well over the Irish specimen weight and a PB for Mike. Visibly shaking and chuffed at the same time Mike accepted our congratulations on his surprise catch. One for the winter evenings and that’s a fact.

Tags: Angling, Beach fishing, Fishing, Ireland, Lure Fishing, Mullet, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Wexford
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Co.Wexford, a Shore Thing.

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

While placing an order for peeler crab with Joe Carley of South East Bait Supplies conversation turned to fishing as you might expect. With strong southerlies most likely putting weed on the beaches either side of Kilmore Quay, I asked Joe about a sheltered alternative that might be on form. One particular venue he mentioned intrigued me and never having fished it I laid plans accordingly. Digging lovely fleshy black lugworm close by I commenced fishing about two hours before high tide at 17.00pm.

A number of anglers were present at the mark on arrival, one having landed a 5.lb+ bass to lug on his first cast. Call me superstitious, but my experience of scoring goals or catching fish in the first minute equates to eventually losing the match or a lean session. So it proved to be, an enjoyable but slow evenings fishing in good company, with enough quality fish landed to show the venues potential.

Fishing two rods, one in close and varying distance with the other, I baited up twin hook paternosters with lug and settled down. Bites were slow although chaps to my right reeled in a steady stream of small flounder as the tide rose. With most anglers I talked to along the shoreline using lug, there is no question that peeler crab will accompany me on my next visit here. Over the top of the tide however things picked up with a number of heavy leans signaling decent flounder, one of which is pictured above.

A funny incident occurred an hour after high water, when a crashing sound to my left caused by a tripod and fishing rods falling over made me turn around. Neighbouring angler Sean Tobin had been chatting with his mates leaving his gear to fish unattended, a good bass had taken his ledgered lug bait and was now heading for the deep Sean’s rod in tow. With the rod snaking over a half submerged weed bed, Sean rapidly made up the ground grabbing the butt and lifting into what turned out to be a fine bass. A spirited tussle ensued before a happy Sean posed for the camera while being subjected to some light hearted mickey taking surrounding unattended fishing tackle and over enthusiastic bass. A great end to a lovely evenings fishing.

Tags: Angling, Bass, Bass fishing, Beach fishing, Fishing, Flounder, Ireland, lugworm, Mullet, Peeler crab, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, Surf casting, Wexford
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Sea Fishing in Ireland. Coastal Mullet.

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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Sea Fishing in Ireland. Stormy Monday Flatties.

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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Beara Peninsula Adventure

Monday, October 25th, 2010

A sea fishing trip to the Beara Peninsula over the October weekend delivered in spades. The weather was typical for the south west ranging from mediterranean, to monsoon, to full on gale, however given the nature of the terrain a fishy mark was always available and boy were the fish obliging. Over three full days shore angling intrepid visitors from England Roger Ball, Dave Hoskins, Rob Hume, and I landed ten species of fish to include pollack, coalfish, codling, wrasse, mackerel, scad, mullet, plaice, dab, and dogfish. With a sizable conger lost at the waters edge and one or two marks off limits due to the sea and weather conditions our species tally could definitely have been higher.

The Beara is a rocky outpost in Ireland’s south west totally undiscovered in terms of sea angling. Having fished there on four occasions previously I am aware of its potential but this trip really took the biscuit. Circumstance due to the weather put us on marks we had not considered initially and the results were startling. With out doubt our group enjoyed the best mixed shore fishing any of us have had in twenty years. It was not just the species count but the quality of fish we encountered. Pollack to over six pound, four pound plus wrasse, codling up to four pounds, dinner plate plaice, and a specimen 1.lb 8.oz dab. Cornwall is England’s equivalent in terms of sea angling and the boys as one agreed that there is just no comparison, the Beara wins by a country mile.

Methods used included jelly worming and spinning for pollack, coalfish, mackerel, and codling, float fishing for mullet, down the wall for wrasse, and general shore casting over clean and mixed ground for a range of species to include the flatties. On a couple of occasions the flat rocks below our self catering cottage provided a nice platform to fly fish for pollack with a bonus fish being a large scad, a first for me on rod and line. Besides lures we bait fished with fresh mackerel, ragworm, locally collected hard back crab, and lugworm. The latter of which were big, black, and fleshy, ideal for the job in hand and devoured by the codling we encountered.

The first full day of fishing took place under ideal conditions of blue skies and flat calm seas. We were privileged to the point of distraction of seeing nature at its finest. Dolphins chasing shoals of mullet, mackerel, and herring, the water in front of us a virtual aquarium. Crystal clear and deep blue the kelp swayed, dense shoals of fish darted their sides reflecting the light, unseen predators from below causing the surface to occasionally boil, and this a backdrop to some top notch wrasse fishing. Presented with hardback crab or ragworm they attacked the baits with gusto, beautifully coloured and real bruisers what an afternoons sport.

The holiday provided lots of moments to savour and some real surprises. Over fishing in Ireland’s coastal waters has decimated cod and flatfish stocks rendering shore fishing for both a limited exercise. Working on hunches for the flat fish we hit pay dirt with plaice to over a pound and a cracking specimen dab for Plymouth’s Dave Hoskins, without doubt the best flattie fishing that I have encountered this side of 1990 in terms of numbers and size. Who needs to travel to Iceland with shore sport like this on our doorstep.

Yes we had to work hard in terms of accessing marks, collecting quality bait, and braving the elements but it paid off. Ireland and the Beara peninsula opened the door to wonderful sea fishing opportunities for us capped by the best winter cod session any of us have had again this side of the early nineties. It might be that a set of circumstances have come together based on EU quota restrictions coupled with a good year class but the south coast of Ireland has a young cod stock again. Hopefully the powers that be give it a chance to grow and mature, we can only live in hope that those that manage get it right this time. That said let us not get morose, the Beara peninsula, West Cork, Ireland from May through to Christmas is a superb sea fishing destination for the shore angler. Its secrets unlocked with every new visit, this trip surpassed the wildest expectations of four seasoned sea anglers, a beautiful rugged location, a sea angling paradise.

Further Information: Beara Peninsula Guide.

See also: Beara Peninsula Magic.

Tags: Angling, Beara Peninsula, Ireland, jelly worms, lugworm, Mackerel, Mullet, Pollack, Pollack fishing, Rock hopping, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, shore fishing, West Cork, Wrasse
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Vartry Estuary Mullet, the Return Visit.

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

On a high from the success of yesterday I could not resist another crack at the mullet. I rang a friend Gerry Mitchell to see if he wanted to accompany me but he was busy at work, so off I went arriving at the chosen location about 13.00pm, just before high tide. Setting up the coarse float fishing outfit I proceeded to fire torn up pieces of sliced pan into the water. Fish were wallowing in the current, bow waving, and occasionally turning flashing silver off their flank. Showing signs of interest, the resident mullet ignored the floating pieces but were quite happy to suck in bread which had started to sink.

Trotting my float towards a group of about five fish, like the day before I momentarily slowed its progress causing the hook bait to rise. Immediately as the hook covering bread flake rose a mullet swam over and mouthed it, striking too early the opportunity was gone. Re baiting I cast again repeating the procedure. This time a mullet approached the bread confidently, sucked in and turned. A sharp movement of the wrist, an explosion of spray, and my reel screamed as the fish ran upstream. Severel runs later just as I was netting the mullet I heard a voice, “in already, that didn’t take long”. It was Gerry looking down from the bank, he had rattled into the work and finished early, the lure of fishing.

“Where would you get it, fishing for a euro”, said Gerry gesturing towards his sliced pan. Setting up he fished in a similar way targeting groups of fish and working the float down towards them. Within five minutes the words “I’m in” were carried by the strengthening easterly breeze. Looking up I saw Gerry playing a good fish. After a short fight he beached a nice mullet. Admiring the fish, easily four pounds plus, we took a few snaps and released it back from whence it came.

After that things went quite. An easterly breeze had strengthened ruffling the water causing it to colour from disturbed sediment. We fished on for an hour, an odd fish bow waved or broke the surface, but no more bites were forth coming. However, with fine weather forecast for the weekend, and with the mullet bug really having took hold, those River Vartry “thick lipped” would want to be on the look out.

Tags: Bread flake, Float fishing, Ireland, Mullet, River Vartry, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, Wicklow
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Mullet fishing in the Vartry Estuary, Wicklow Town.

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

I have had a mind for a long time to go mullet fishing in the Vartry estuary, Wicklow town. Having done my homework, asking people in the know, and walking various sections from the harbour right up into the broadlough, I established a pattern. A tide was picked, the weather was fine, the moment of truth had arrived. Mackerel was minced and combined with bread crumbs produced a nice ground bait which hopefully would entice the fish to feed. Armed with a coarse float rod and reel combination, using 4.lb maxima straight through to a size 10 kamazan below a small quill float, I set off.

Having reconnoitered some possible fishing spots one area in particular contained a good number of mullet. Proceeding to ground bait it was not long before the fish started to swirl and move through the cloud of minced mackerel and crumbs, mouths opening and closing. Casting out I trotted the float with the tide. After a number of attempts, seeing some fish porpoising at the end of the swim I slowed the float. The bread started to rise up with the current, a fish turned and inhaled the hook bait. In the same moment I lifted the rod up, bang!! away went the fish.

What a scrap, staying on the surface the mullet tried to swim upstream. Applying side strain it eventually stayed in the bay making runs to all points of the compass. Twice the mullet came close to the net only to take off again. Eventually on the third attempt she was landed. A fine fish, broad shouldered and deep set, hooked well in the upper lip. After a few photos the mullet was slipped back to swim off at a rate of knots, seemingly none the worse for wear.

Tags: Angling, Bread flake, Float fishing, Ireland, Mullet, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, Wicklow
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Rock Hopping on the Beara

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

When it comes to sea angling on the Beara Peninsula, West Cork, I do not need to be asked twice. So it was with great delight that I accepted an offer from Roger and Corinne Ball of West Sussex, England, who were holidaying on the Beara, to join them for a couple of days and go fishing. Heading down on Sunday last the 23rd May I made on overnight stop at Dromagowlane House, http://www.dromagowlanehouse.com/, a bed and breakfast specialising in sea angling breaks ran by Paul and Anne Harris, located in Adrigole, out the road from Glengarriff on the way to Castletownbere.

Leaving Dromagowlane early Monday morning with a present of frozen sandeels from Paul, “the mackerel are scarce due to the cold winter”, I met up with Roger and Corinne around nine am. Based on last years fishing Roger recommended a trip out to Crow Head rock hopping with Pollack and Wrasse in mind. Filling our ruck sacks with just the necessary tackle we said our goodbyes to Corinne and headed off. The day was sweltering with hardly a cloud in the sky, little or no wind, and temperatures certainly rising to the high twenties. Leaving the car at the end of a lane we set out across the headland on foot.

Roger pointed out a number of rock marks that he had fished last year. One in particular stood out, a flat shelf with reasonable access, which we opted for. What a choice, plenty of room with options to fish Wrasse, Pollack, and whatever might be lurking in the deep. Tackling up with jelly worms attached a meter below a 60 gram barrel lead we commenced fishing. Casting out and letting the lead hit the bottom before starting a steady retrieve resulted in a string of Pollack up to five pounds plus hitting the lures. Fishing on occasions was frantic with both rods buckling over as Pollack hit the jellies and crash dived for cover.

Mid afternoon saw our attention turn to wrasse. Roger had collected some hardback crabs from the harbour at Garinish, supplemented with Ragworm we set about searching likely holes earmarked by white water generated by the lazy swell. Simple one hook rotten bottom rigs weighted by spark plugs were cast in. Almost immediately the wrasse attacked the baits with their customary double tap bites. Missing more than we hooked, these Beara wrasse are very adept at stripping baits, we still caught our fair share in the two to three pound bracket. Pugnacious fighters the wrasse put determined bends in the rods, with Roger hitting a real mother which eventually made its escape in the kelp forest below.

The fishing did not abate right through the day and before we knew it day had turned into evening. We upped sticks and headed for home tired but exhilarated. We had only tipped at the potential, mullet were a constant site patrolling the rock edges, and surely the deeps must hold conger, huss, and probably ling. Mackerel were conspicuous by their absence, maybe the cold winter has delayed their arrival. However, mid June should see the fishing in full swing, I cannot wait.

Click on : Open sea mullet on the Beara , to read about a session targeting coastal mullet.

Tags: Beara Peninsula, Bread flake, County Cork, Ireland, jelly worms, Lure Fishing, Mullet, Pollack, Pollack fishing, Ragworm, Rock fishing, Rock hopping, Sea Angling, Sea Fishing, West Cork, Wrasse
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