Cod Have Arrived

The last couple of salt adventures for Cod have failed but today things changed!

 I originally planned to head out early Saturday morning but when I woke up at 6am Saturday morning I could not see the wall outside my house with the fog, So back to bed I went and that was that.

Sunday morning I got up at 7am and nipped down to the shop for a coffee the weather was lovely, the sea like a mirror and a slight bit of fog that looked like it was burning off quite quickly. I returned to the house a happy bunny and packed the car. All ready to head off to my local launch point 100 yards away I just happened to take a glance out the window " Not so good" a blanket of fog had returned from no where.

I normally would not dare, NOR would I advise any one to head out in these conditions but today was the only chance I had of catching a fish. Over the past few years I personally feel like I have been well trained by the members of Irish Kayak Angling and have gained the knowledge and experiences to deal with such a condition confidently and more important safely!
I went straight back out to the car and double checked all my safety kit, compass, flares, vhf and fully charged, phone also fully charged. I phoned my father and let him know that I was heading out and where I would be fishing, and while launching at the marina I let the lad know that runs the place of my plans.

Happy with all I could do I launched the yak and paddled out past the Harbour took a compass bearing back to shore (North west) and continued on out into the bay, approx half a mile out I lost sight of everything, an extremely freaky feeling.

My favorite rig on (Shamrock tackle bleeding glow worms) baited with mackerel and sent it to the bottom, BUMP.............straight away fish on , happy days then to make things better it was a long over due Codling. Shortly following that I had another things where looking good for the day until I snagged the bottom and lost the rig. Bummer this was the only one I had so I set up a euro champ in gold and continued.

During the summer I detest catching \scorpion fish but with things being slow over the winter I have started to enjoy pulling them up as no two are the same. The fog started to thin out and the sun was breaking through, conditions were picking up quickly and as the did a few lads on boats headed out past me.

In around 15 minutes it went from this!!!

To this.

By far the best day of the year, and the fish kept coming I had countless small codling and Scorpion fish all caught on a reef half a mile out from the bay. I thought I would try for a coley for the species hunt and paddled back to the shore, different tactics needed so out came the spinning rod with a berkley jig head and jelly fire tail. My personal favorite for Pollock and Coley, first cast I hooked a fish but to disappointment it was a small pollock.

I paddled half a mile north along the rocks with the spinning rod along the way I picked up another small pollock but things were poor for an hour after that so I headed back out to the reef for another bash for some bigger cod as the tide was full in. I got the anchor down in around 80 feet of water and put bigger baits on, again straight away I was into something a little bigger.........another Cod happy days as it was the biggest so far.

My father put the boat in for a run out and came out to me before heading up the coast a few miles to a spot that produces decent Cod and Ling on a regular basis, a short time later he was back with out a bite to fish the same reef I was on. He was the only other person that caught fish that day with four other boats on the water, he had 9 small whiting.

He was going mad as he had the whiting back to back then not a thing in an hour and I was still catching Codling ever drop with the odd Scorpion as well.

Another decent one....

They started to gradually get bigger but it was time to call it a day and head in

On the way in there was a lad getting towed in by another crab boat as his engine was giving trouble, just gives you another advantage of kayak angling!!!!

As I was passing the harbor I dropped a rig for the last time and had a few bites followed by a hook up....... another species for the year my first Coley ;)

It was an interesting day to say the least with decent fishing, not much I could complain about plus it was the first run out with my new scotty flust mounts and rocket launchers which allow my rods to face forward to allow me to see the bites instead of the rods resting on my lap, they also double up as decent arm rests.

Until my next adventure

Tight lines....

Home Turf

With the warmer weather recently it was time to have another crack at the salt!!!!

A quick chat with a Noel Mckernan and it was arranged to meet on Saturday in my home village of Ardglass Co.Down. It was nice to actually lie in bed to a reasonable hour and get up, organised and arrive at the launch point (100 yards from my house) all in less than 30 minutes.

We did not take long to get on the water as usual, and my main target of the day was Cod, normally this time of year there are plenty of them around here, also the local trawler lads are catching boxes of them up to 30lb weight only 5 miles out, so this also motivated me to get out there. 

The weather was great with a slight westerly breeze so we headed straight out into the bay in search of the previously scarce Cod, with in 5 minutes Noel was into a fish and long and behold it was a decent little Cod of around a few pound weight, he shouted over " Happy days we could catch these all day".............. Well that Cod must have been lost or something as I think it was the only one in the Irish sea that day!!!!! 

Things were very slow after that, we tried everything and all the close by marks that normally produce fish with no joy. I paddled closer to the shore and anchored up to try a spot that very rarely lets me down, not long after I got the anchor down in around 35 feet of water I had a hook up, and was I glad as it saved me blanking, especially on my local grounds.

Two small Pollock

After an hour had passed sitting at anchor with nothing more than the two pollock it was time for a change of location and tactics, we paddled a mile further south to a large kelp bed in hope for a Wrasse and on the way stopping and having small drifts to try to pick something up, I had one sea Scorpion on the way.

Arrived at kelp bed a short time later and fished it for around 30 minutes with not a bump, at this point I realized that there was a nearby reef around half a mile out. I aimed for it as I had some cracking fish from it over the years from the boat but never fished it from the yak. I had a few failed attempts of targeting it from the yak with weather so I was pretty keen to get to it seeing I was so close. We paddled out and on our way the weather started to pick up, sea state was getting very choppy and the wind had shifted northerly making things tricky, we persisted!   

When we arrived at the reef with the big spring tides we were in 90 foot of water, very strange as iv never seen it deeper than 80, but anyways we had a few failed drifts and with the increasingly picking up weather I called the retreat back to shelter. Once again the weather has beaten me in fishing this mark from the kayak!

 
On our way in Noel fished along the rock faces and picked up a few small Coalie, I was over in the bay still trying to catch my Cod, but the only thing I could catch were the sea Scorpions 5 in total.

We called it a day and headed in, once we arrived back at the harbor we had some bait left so we tried for some fatties and conger. Well this was interesting as I had put a large Mackerel head onto a size 8 circle hook dropped it down the side of the harbor wall and with in minutes the rod started thumping, I never had bites like it, it then started pealing line of the reel. I tightened the drag down and it started pulling me into the wall, then nothing.....so I brought the bait up to check it and the head was clean bit in two. I re baited with another large head dropped it down and the same started happening all over again, I tightened the drag one again and wound down......this time I had something of size on It took a few runs then I had the better of it as I was nearer the kayak I looked down into the water below me and as soon as I spotted the largest flat fish iv seen it let go and swam straight back down, it was literally the size of a bin lid and as it was bottom side up and pure white I have no idea what it was. I re baited and tried again and again, same thing over and over mental bites and runs with no clean hook ups until I was out of bait. I blame the circle hook......and I will be back soon with different rigs to see what is down there....

While getting melted with something stealing my bait on the heavy rod over and over I had a doggie and crab after crab on the lighter rod.

   It was a very tough days fishing and I never got what I intended to catch, but most importantly we never blanked. I am itching to get back to the harbor with some better set ups to see what is annoying me, whether it was a large conger and that I hooked the flattie by chance or is there big flatties roaming around down there, only time will tell.

Tight lines  

A Day To Remember

The weather is starting to improve with arrival of spring, the mornings are brighter and there is a stretch in daylight in the evenings, a very welcome sight that a lot of us have been waiting on all winter.....

Sundays weather looked promising, So David, John and myself arranged to meet at a lake in the midlands for one last bash at fresh water before the real fishing starts with the good weather approaching. I loaded the car up on Sunday morning and set off around 6am, arriving at the lake just over an hour later to find the other two had just arrived before me. A quick coffee while discussing tactics and setting up, we agreed on mainly targeting Perch as none of us have ever caught any. I have had a pretty productive winter chasing Pike and really wanted to catch a Perch to the point that I was not going to target Pike at all that day!!!

When we got to the waters edge there where a lot of small fish breaking the surface so we all set up simple rigs, small hooks some lead shot and floats with maggots as bait to small jig heads for drop shoting. David was first in the water from the bank and instantly pulled out a Perch, I couldn't believe it, nor was I amused as he caught one before me lol, but as soon as my bait hit the water I had my first as well (Above pic) shortly followed by John using drop shots. It was great crack we were pulling them out hand over fist all small but it was addictive fishing and as small as they were they put up a great little fight.

David with his first

Followed by John    

    

Anyways more to the point we needed to start catching them from the Kayaks, so on to the water we went. David and John had there first kayak caught Perch with in minutes and continued to keep catching them one after the other..........I couldn't catch one!.............It was driving me nuts and to make matters worse the lads were taking the piss out of me laughing at my misfortune, but what was I doing wrong as I caught loads of the bank?. My rig was fishing about two feet deep so I adjusted the depth to around four feet and BANG my first kayak caught Perch, I couldn't stop smiling lol.

    Another one for the species hunt!

After that they just kept coming, mostly tiny little fellas with the odd bigger one, John had the biggest of the day as far as I remember.

They look to have a right attitude problem :)

You could sit and catch them all day but as we caught what we came for it was decided to have a go for our last Pike of the season.

John hooked up nearly straight away with a nice fish around the 8lb mark but the man always underestimates his size, shortly followed by another small jack while David and myself paddled all around the lake trying everything with no joy. At this point we decided to head in for some lunch so I stuck on a copper spoon to trawl on the way in, with in 10 feet I had a thump on the rod........fish on......just as I was taking a pic my dead bait rod bent over and line started screaming of the reel like mad. I just about got a pic of the small Pike before having to drop it over the side so I could grab and strike the dead bait rod.............

  First little jack on a copper spoon

This fish felt a lot bigger every time I gained a little line it took double, It faught like mad and I was convinced it was going to be a personal best! After a cracking scrap I had the Pike on my lap in disappointment, It fought like a fish at least twice its size the water temp was up quite a bit maybe this has livened them up..... who knows.

    Number 2

Anyways happy with two Pike back to back it was time for lunch, I paddled in to find John just stepping out of his kayak too. As I went to step out of mine I felt one of my rods thumping at first it looked snagged on the bottom but as the kayak was stationary and the rod was still thumping I lifted it to find another Pike on the end of it lol,

No 3

The weather was great, but quite cold

After a quick bite to eat from our cook David and myself giving him some abuse as he had yet to catch a Pike we where back on the water as the day was becoming very much enjoyable.

I was not on the water for five minutes when I had hook up number Four

Again a small jack No 4

What a day I was having definitely my most productive fresh water session to date....

 At this point David lay down and give up, I think he was on ebay looking to buy a set of golf clubs on his phone....

 Karmas a B***h lol

John at this point was playing with the drop shop rigs obsessed with trying to catch a big Perch as apparently there are a few in this lake.

Then again my lure rod trawling the copper spoon about started thumping again, another hook up..........and YES another jack Pike.......starting to wonder is there any big Pike in this lake at all.

This one had some scaring from a bigger Pike or a bird.

We called it a day shortly after and on our way back in had one last crack at the Perch.

This last crack turned into an hours fishing for them as its bloody addictive 

We also tried with some sweetcorn to see what was about and had a few Roach too.

By far one of my most enjoyable and exciting days fishing with more Perch than we could count 5 Pike and Roach.

Until Next Time

Tight Lines...

4 Seasons in 1 Day

Car packed on the Friday night and up early on Saturday to take a spin to the south, approx 7.30am I arrived at David Smiths house. After a quick coffee we were of to meet Anthony Byrne and John Hardiman at Swords Angling to see what bargains they had on sale. We got a few bits and bobs and had a bit of breakfast in a nearby Cafe then headed on over to the yearly Swords Angling Expo.

We arrived early to find the place was packed out, there was a great turn out and a huge variety of stands from predator flys from Chasing silver to massive tuna lures from Kiwi Girl and tuna.ie.

As usual the Irish kayak Angling stand looked excellent so a big well done to the lads for organising it and all the hard work in setting it up.    

As we were in a mad rush to get fishing the four of us just about had time to get a quick look around the place, in doing so I noticed one of the clubs sponsors there South Side Angling and remembered I had a nice little voucher to use up. I thought of getting something a little different so I used it to get some nice Bass lures for the summer, a big to catch species this year.

It was nice to see some of the lads again out of the Club and putting some names to faces.

We were back on the road again in no time heading to the midlands to a lake for the night to set up camp, the wind was starting to pick up as we arrived but it was a fairly nice day for a bit of fishing.

Kayaks rigged and on the water things went down hill from this point on, we were not out 30 minutes when a big dark cloud rolled in, the wind was howling and it started snowing, then hailstones, then the heavens opened ( I never seen rain going up before) hoods up and continued to fish for a minute or two. Then it came, a massive rumble of thunder that seamed like it was not going to stop and it was right above us, I did not see a flash but take it from me I think the four of us set a world record for speed on sit on tops getting of the water!

It soon passed and the sun was out again the wind also settled down a fair bit so back out we went, things were very slow and extremely cold to the point I had trouble putting a pair of gloves on as my hands were failing to work properly. John had the first and heaviest Pike of the day around 8/10lbs shortly followed by Anthony. An hour later we agreed to head in for some dinner when i hooked up trawling a dead bait (Roach) not a big fish but certainly saved the blank. 

Also another species for 2015 IKA hunt.

Just as I released it David also landed one so we all had a fish, Anto landed two.

Considering the mental weather I think we all done exceptionally well landing 5 Pike between us, back to dry land we started setting up camp while John ( The Chef ) started cooking dinner Bear Grylls style on the fire. 

   

David invested in a large awning for the back of the van, a bloody great job to say the least once up we had a prototype propane bottle (Davids Idea) wood burner, camp chairs and a table.

We had dinner and a bit of crack before heading back out on a failed attempt on a night session as we literally froze to death, so kayaks abandoned and back to the wood burner it was were we remained for some time to thaw out!

     

 Anthony disposing of bank statements from the day so the wife dosent see how much he spent.

Next morning after a really cold nights sleep in the car, on occasions having to start the car for a bit of heat before getting back to sleep, we awoke to a great breakfast prepared by David.

Just what we all needed before packing up and heading home as it was a complete wash out.

I also made a new friend :)

It was a great weekend with brilliant company and stacks of crack, I am really looking forward now to the summer when the real fishing starts!

Until next time folks 

Tight lines.....

It Got Lumpy

January was a looong month for me, between poor weather and a few failed attempts to catch a fish I couldn't wait to February to see if things would pick up!!

I originally organised to meet a a friend (Mike Henry) for a bash at the pike on Sunday in a local spot but something came up and it was canceled. The Thursday before a few lads talked about heading down my way as the weather looked fair for Saturday, This was a bit of a problem for me as I work to 1pm. A quick word with the boss and Saturday was a go as he surprisingly gave me it off with short notice. 

Alarm woke me up at 7.30am Saturday morning and as I had the car packed for a weeks fishing the night before, to literally drive 100 yards down the street to the harbor I wasn't long getting out of the house. After grabbing a quick coffee from the garage I nipped around to the harbor to find Mike and Noel already there. Kayaks off the roofs and gear rigged ready to make a splash, at this point we were joined by Tony. We give him a lift of with his yak then left him to iy as we were keen to get out and catch.

A short paddle out into the bay to a mark that Never fails to produce a decent cod,ling or wrasse FAILED. Not a bite between the three of us over a good few drifts, there was a fair breeze but the sea was pretty much flat calm. A long time later,,, I mean short time!!! we were joined by Tony and to his surprise we had not had a fish, we paddled up the coast a little to another mark that produces a great variety of species but mainly Ballon Wrasse and Golden Shinny. On the way up things were changing quickly the wind had picked right up with strong gusts and the sea state became...... challenging to say the least. We were also badly harassed by the local seals following us about, that was not helping things either. At last I had a hook up with a small Pollock on a Shamrock tackle Euro champ rig (GOLD). I was off my long blank at last!!!! A short time later Mike had a Pollock as well.

          As you can see from the top pic things changed pretty quickly ( Tony and Mike)

Noel taking a short cut

                                                     Mike Henry

          

The weather was still picking up so we retreated back to the bay for shelter from the stiff northerly wind, anchors down and we were then joined by Brendan "who prefers his frys to fishing" again things were very poor, we all tried everything from a variety of rigs and methods to bait with only a few long spine sea scorpions caught. Tony had the first of them and it was a beast for its species.

Tonys Scorpion

I then had a few myself!

All in all it was a very physically demanding day with very poor fishing, but the summer isn't far away and neither should be the fish. It was great to get out with the lads for a bit of crack.We finished the day off with a bit of banter in a local cafe over tea and crumpets.

 Brendan 

Until next time chaps 

Tight lines.