The bass season

SeaFields

Just a reminder for any of those that may not be familiar with it but fishing for bass is prohibited from the 15th May until the 15th of June. Any bass caught from now until the 15th June should be returned alive.

This is for the good of the species as it is their spawning season.

The bass is a wonderful example of management of a species purely for recreational angling and the population has increased in great numbers since commercial fishing of bass was outlawed.

I know some fellas are under the impression that you can still fish for them as long as you release them but the closed season is only for a month, there's plenty of other species out there so just give them a break!

peterk19

couldnt agree more i mostly float for wrasse, mackeral and mullet for the month great fun too on the light tackle im thinking of trying for the dogfish on a 9 foot trout spinning rod at a mark i know that they are right under your feet

SeaFields

Cheers peter, plenty of big pollock starting to show up now too. Plenty of other opportunities for sport out there.

peterk19

yea i forgot to mention Pollock i have a few marks around howth that wouldnt be fished much but look like they should hold pollock and wrasse great fun on the float and spinner should be had if im right

jArgHA

@peterk19

Sorry this is a bit OT, I'm curious about float fishing having never tried it before. Can you tell me what kind of setup you would use to float fish for wrasse?

peterk19

Pretty much this with a 1/0 hook and pieces of ragworm , whole shrimp or a whole small hard back crab, dont bother with fish baits like mackeral i never have as much success

using one of these floats fished about 3 foot from the bottom

Floats




here how to tie a stop knot

Linky

Pete

jimi_t2

jArgHA wrote: »

@peterk19

Sorry this is a bit OT, I'm curious about float fishing having never tried it before. Can you tell me what kind of setup you would use to float fish for wrasse?

Feathers off rocky outcrops will get them, but they tend to be right in with the weeds so rotten-bottom your weight and, if you tie your own jigs, try varying strengths of line with quick release swivels so that a good tug will only loose you a hook at most.

Never fish off the east coast myself, but gurnard are a hell of a lot of fun off light rigs. Or find yourself a sewage outlet or where effluent from fields leaks into the shore and you'll find monster mullet.

Oh and bring a camera for Cuckoo Wrasse as well, they're spectacular just out of the water.



(Not mine)

Degsy

If you're absolutely stuck for bait then knock a few limpets off a rock,shell them and use that,they'll take wrasse and will stay on the hook very well.
Personally though ragworms are the best bait.