Anti cyclones and reasonably big tides produce great conditions for smooth hound fishing off my local Wicklow/Wexford beaches. Although they will take during the day, evenings into the night are best. Armed with freshly dug black and yellow tail lugworm I headed towards a favourite south Wexford strand. The evening was glorious, almost clear blue skies and a light variable breeze, a far cry from the constant strong southerlies of recent weeks. With high water at 19.00pm fish could show at any time.
I beach fish with matching Diawa surf poles and 7HT’s, capable of putting a twin paternoster baited with lug out beyond a hundred meters, that is far enough to catch anything that swims along these strands. Today though distance was a problem due again to floating weed carried by the current, not as bad as a fortnight ago but still a pain. Casting short to avoid the worst of it a tap tap tap on the rod tip signaled a flattie, sitting on my hands to let the bite develop a yank down followed by a jump back indicated a slightly larger suspect. In a second I was backing up the beach rod in hand winding hard to connect with the fish. Kicks down the line and a silver tail in the wash, bass with a flounder chaser, a good start.
Gerry and Billy arrived setting up to my right. The lads were fishing crab and lugworm with a view to bass and smoothies. Certainly on this strand lugworm will cover both, it’s good to play the percentages though. Weed was a problem until around 10.30pm when it fell away as the tide run eased up to slack water. Bites would surely occur now, livening up what other than the early promise had been a pedestrian session. Slow leans on both Gerry’s and my rod heralded a pair of dogfish, returned.
A movement to my right, Gerry is winding hard his rod curved, a thrashing in the wave wash is illuminated by Ger’s head lamp, a decent hound raises the spirits. A couple of photos and I walk back to my stand, as I near the far rod pulls down hard, grabbing the butt while striking in unison the hound takes off. First left and then right a spirited struggle ensues before I eventually grab the heavy leader and drag my prize clear of the water. A fine male smooth hound caps a successful outing.
Fishing on a further bite less half hour I decide to call it a day. Two target species have been accounted for so I will head for home while the going is good. Saying my good byes to Ger and Billy I trudge through the sand dunes towards the car and a welcome cup of tea back at the ranch.
