HAPPY NEW YEAR!

One small step......

I have been craving to get out on the kayak, but the weather is unreal at the moment.
High wind.. low wind..high wind...very hard to pin down the forecasts.
But i cancelled yesterday and picked this morning for another attempt at Pike on the fly.
Up at 6 am and off i go, set up and on the water for first light 8am. The water is very clear and i am positive to start.
The set up is the same as last time, 9 weight outfit and line (inter. sinking) to 30 lb mono looped to iron claw wire and a clip (all about 6 feet long).
The fly is a Replot stinger from Baltic flies in chartreuse.
And the weather begins to deteriorate all morning till i am forced off the lake at 1pm.
And a bonus is one hit from a Jack!
The learning curve continues, this time the fish came out of some underwater rocky feature, not the reeds.
So another lesson learned.. fish all features!
By the end of the session i was pretty cold!
Tight lines for now!

Happy Christmas..........

Wishing you all the very best for the Holidays... tight lines!

I want to live here!!

What do you think of this.................cool?

Cortland 444clear sl sink tip rocket taper..(Ghost tip)

I was given a present of a fly line recently by a good friend of mine, and he had won it in a trout competition, so a 9# line in a bit heavy for his fly wands!
Thanks again Pat!
Its a Cortland ghost tip line, and although the rear section floats, the tip sinks and is clear.
Looks the biz, and having asked a few experts, it seems its a pretty good Bass line.
I sure am looking forward to using it next season, and i will try to get it out for a few casts over the holidays.....
Tight lines!

The first sprinkle....

This will complicate the weather problem even more....a couple of mm of Snow in Ireland usually shuts us down.....lol.....

Neo counter...

I was always wondering.... who reads this stuff?
So i fitted a neo counter today ... and i am already amazed at the countries that have hit on this blog!
So i really need to get out there and give you something to read!!
Tight lines!

Weather....

I just cant seem to get out right now... the weather is all over the place, and with x-mas coming up.... not sure when i will get the chance....
So i will post a look at a nice pressie i got later...
Tight lines if you are getting out!
Edit....
Sea Area Forecast


Gale Warning

1. Southwest winds will reach gale force on coasts from Roche's Pt to Valentia to Loop Head this evening. 2. Winds will veer northwesterly early tonight and gale force to strong gale force 9, occasionally storm force 10 winds will extend overnight on coasts from Carnsore Pt to Roche's Pt to Valentia
Issued at 06:00 on 14-Dec-2011

Yes....fishing....

This clip sums up fishing pretty well...


You hunt and catch a single fish and then a shoal comes along and they wont take the fly....lol....

1st December urban recon .....

A break in this dreadfull weather had me out in the Harbour right up near Blackrock castle for a recon.
The water was very dirty as expected and the shoals of mullet are gone, with only the odd fish here and there breaking the surface.
Weeks of windy and rain filled squals have left there mark, and there are more due at the weekend.
The paddle was 2 hours long and i felt it at the end...

It could have been perfect...

The weather has been pretty awful,lots of wind and rain,but i had the chance for a day trip to try for some Pike and the forecast looked good.
But when i got there the water had risen a lot and visibility was down to 3 feet in the water.
The fly rod was assembled and the yak fitted out.
But i knew the going would be tough.
I had used the replot stinger for most of the day and also a fly Allen tied with a rattle built in, but not a touch....
I cant say i didn't enjoy the peaceful setting though.....it was a beautiful day!

Snaps......

Oh yes the "fancy camera" thing is not easy... out of about 200 snaps... a few gems...(mind you ..no sign of me...lol)

Out for a cycle ..and the mullet still about...

BVK fly rods...

Jim H did a thing on his blog, months ago about these... have a look...click on title!

Smashed...

My "middleling" got hold of my fly rod tip section, about two weeks ago, and used it as a fairy wand...thus converting it to a 4 piece rod!!!
But i phoned Leeda last week and they sent a new one which arrived today...
Great service ...to be fair....
I have been looking at the BVK rods... if only Santa will bring one?????
Santa???

Why did i bring the rod?

Its the Cork Jazz weekend....

Grrrrrreat!

Allen's fly.....

This is the kind of fluff i want to chuck in 2012...
Allen, why did you not give me it sooner?


Nice slim profile and sparce... looks great in the water.. baby pollack or wrasse??
More please Allen....lol!

I flung it about tonight from 5:45 till 8:00 pm... conditions were tough big swell/surf and loads of lifted debris... no fish but i enjoyed myself!

Replot Stinger...

I headed to a lake little known for pike,and spent the morning in the wind and rain throwing the replot stinger from Baltic flies around.
(Theres a link in the link section.)
I hit a jack fairly soon and missed another and a move later saw me hit a better fish of 3 or 4 lb but it came off seconds later!!
(so no new P.B. lol)
I guess i should have struck home harder!
Anyway ...nothing more after that, and Allen arrived and we headed to another lake to fish off the shore with flies and lure but no luck...
But we did spot a hen harrier with made my day!!!





Rod ..9 weight
Line...a mill end inter. sinking
Leader.. 30lb clear mono with an Iron claw wire tip section.
Fly.. Baltic flies replot stinger.

October Sprat Feast.....

More pics to follow......
So i arrived to see a bait ball being attacked by gulls and i thought this could be good!


The tools of the trade...9 weight rod with two reels one has an inter. sinking the other a floating line.. line tray.. box of flies and a net.

Started with the floating line and the fish just came on ... fish after fish after fish.. pollack mostly with a few mack...
Flies that worked...
Chat. bleeding clouser
Chat. clouser
white glitter critter
white seaducer

Black or dark flies got no hits nor did a small sprat -like deciever in blue/black.
And i managed a mack on a chat. Gurgler... while the pollack head butted this into the air!! Brilliant!

Some pics of some of the fish.... i finished up with a black hollow fly with no takes and called it a day around 9pm.