Hard won victory.

Easterly winds never do much for my fishing.... i still really don't know exactly why.. but the weather was sunny and calm and i went to a shore mark.
I set up and fished away and as the sun set on this mark i thought the pollack would come on the feed at least.
Slug -go sp's and hard lures were the choice of weapon!
After a while i finally got a take and this "perfect" little fellow came ashore for a photo...back he goes......
He took a white Abu rocket minnow 110mm.....
The fishing never improved though but the sense of summer was great...
Roll on the south/ south westerlies!!!

first of many!!

4 am start.. no Bass but a very close encounter

My 2011 Account is open!

Well what a night,
The north westerly wind should come over the hill and flatten the sea on the mark i was to fish.
Got there and it was perfect, but a little bright. I started with some weightless weedless slug-go in foam.. and straight away ..nearly ..i could see fish moving.
No takers, so tried a few different lures.. again nothing... every now and then a flash of silver .....
Then the sun dipped behind the hill.. a shadow fell over the area to be fished.. and i put on a favourite lure of mine....
Bang! fish on!
Landed and a very nice fish too just over the 4lb mark...photo and released... then another missed hit... then a big hit.... good fight and landed a 5.5lb'r.. this was looking good... photo and released... then during the evening 4 more smaller fish all on the same lure... photo etc!!
And as it got dark i changed the lure to a black slug-go weight/weedless and twitched it in and BANG! fish on!!!
Seven Bass in total and about 4 missed hits!!
What a way to start the season.... glug! glug! Beer o clock!
Here is a sample of Irish gold..em ...i mean silver.......ahem..

Dawn raid fizzled out....

Up before 5 am and off to the mark.
The plan was simple... lure and soft baits on two rod's and hopefully get the first Bass of the season....
I launched before first light and it all looked great!
The conditions were good, although the east/south east winds never seem to help me!
But again... nothing..
Not too worry though the terns have arrived, so the eels will be moving and the sport should begin..
I think the numbers are not in the harbour yet, so a shore trip is on the cards next...I may even have a picture of a "fish" to put up????

Setting up....flat calm and a flooding tide...

Coffee break.....

getting fed up!!!!

Ah well... cheer up time Chicken Jalfrezi and Lots of BEEEEEER......
Maybe i should start a cooking blog.....LoL....

Well the forecast was pretty poor.. but i thought i could have just a paddle behind Cobh island...
The south westerly winds should come over the top of Cobh and flatten the water...

And for once i was right!
Flat calm water with the sound of high winds rushing through th tree's on the top of the island.

Funny....a fly rod found its way onboard for a troll while paddling...
Not very much sign's of life... i saw one sea trout jump and one mullet in the shallows..
But i got a good paddle in.....

So things are still slow... but early next week i plan to try again for my first Bass of the season....

I guess its a start....

Out looking for Shirley today.... but she no show...
I did get a nice Pollack on the fly rod... nice....Tried all my tricks but the Bass didnt care!!
Were they there??

I thought i had a plan.......

All set.....

Hmmmm... calm?

Too calm......

Pee time......

tea time......

is that a seal?? yup! a big one... (dot)

Home again......

5 hours on the water... fly... lure... and feather (hokkai)... nothing... what a day though... got the miles in and i could feel it.
Got a bit lumpy later on and i got the most out of the day, a few boats about too, and i think they had the same luck as me.
Next trip is to my favourite reef... outside the Harbour.