Sea fishing

ComfortKid

Just wondering, what kind of fish could I expect to catch at this time of year? It'd be fishing from Rocks,Pier or beach in Waterford/Cork? Usually fish for trout so looking for something to do whilst waiting for the season to open.

.red.

This time of year isnt brilliant. The winter species are starting to move out and the summer species wont come back in for a while. From mid march/april things can get better.
Theres always a chance of a few fish from the beaches tho. Especially from waterford and cork. Best bet is to fish lug worm, crab and maybe razor fish with small hooks. Vary your cast from 20 yards to 60.
The coalies should still be about, their one of my favourite round fish to catch off the beach. Really good scrappers if you tone done the gear from proper beach casters. Not the best eating fish tho and a lot of them will be small.

ComfortKid

.red. wrote:

This time of year isnt brilliant. The winter species are starting to move out and the summer species wont come back in for a while. From mid march/april things can get better. Theres always a chance of a few fish from the beaches tho. Especially from waterford and cork. Best bet is to fish lug worm, crab and maybe razor fish with small hooks. Vary your cast from 20 yards to 60. The coalies should still be about, their one of my favourite round fish to catch off the beach. Really good scrappers if you tone done the gear from proper beach casters. Not the best eating fish tho and a lot of them will be small.

Thanks for the reply, very helpful. It's not food I'm looking for anyway,just a bit of sport. Where would I buy lug worm or do I have to go digging for them?
Would my spinning rod do the trick then if it's small fish il be aiming at? Are you in that area yourself? Tips on best locations?

dodderangler

From a pier you've always a chance of conger. Don't even need to cast far
You can drop it off the side of the pier at the end of it with a flapper and you should hit something but talk to locals for advice on where the holes in the pier are as they'll be hiding in the holes and under the rocks near the edge

Gloomtastic!

Any fishing tackle shop will have live lug worms. About €5 for 20.....

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Any fishing tackle shop will have live lug worms. About €5 for 20.....

The 2 in the town nearest me don't. Neither does the one in the next town.

ardinn

Im sure they could get some - mackeral is a good bait too. I recently started sea fishing myself and must say I am nearly converted from coarse/game.

Its a big change by the way - i started with my freshwater gear but just bought some proper beach gear and the difference is amazing.

Species so far off wexford coast are pin whiting, cod, dab and flounder - Looking forward to the summer chasing snoothhounds and tope. Bass fishing is very poor these days I hear though.

As I said it's a different animal, learning the rigs and using 8oz weights, trying to cast 150yrds - even learning new casting techniques (I nearly killed myself with my first pendulum attempt!!)

Havnt fished off a pier so I presume it's easier with your average fly or pike setup. I'm just going off the beach atm.

bpmurray

I don't know of any shop that sells lug - I've always had to dig it myself. If you look around, you should be able to find a shop that sells ragworm, though. I find rag stay on the hook better than lug, and a cocktail with mackerel and/or squid often works better.

For conger, you want fresh mackerel, not the week-old stuff in the supermarket. While that will work sometimes, it's the fresh stuff that catches them most often.

popsy09

Still getting very good cod off youghal bridge I had 5 fish around the 3/4 lb mark and snapped my trace lifting one up onto bridge he was at least 5lb , the fella with me reckons bigger but I'm just leaving it at 5lb so I won't upset myself too much ha ha

chopper6

bpmurray wrote: »

For conger, you want fresh mackerel, not the week-old stuff in the supermarket. While that will work sometimes, it's the fresh stuff that catches them most often.

And what catches conger better than anything is mackerel heads...because the bait isn't huge you tend not to miss many takes either.

ComfortKid

Dont think my spinning rod would be strong enough for conger? As I said I'm only looking for something to do while waiting for the trout season to open so I wont be investing in beach casters or any sea tackle really. Just thought Id be able to cast in a worm and catch something handy

chopper6

ComfortKid wrote: »

Dont think my spinning rod would be strong enough for conger?

It prolly wont be..they live under rock overhangs and in caves...they'll head in there and you'll have to haul them out..a spinning rod will most likely snap in half.

ComfortKid

That's what I was asking. Is there any type of fish I could try and catch with spinning rod? It's a good rod and reel with 20lb line

chopper6

ComfortKid wrote: »

That's what I was asking. Is there any type of fish I could try and catch with spinning rod? It's a good rod and reel with 20lb line

Wait til summer..you can have good sport floatfishing for Pollock or spinning for mackerel.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

chopper6 wrote: »

Wait til summer..you can have good sport floatfishing for Pollock or spinning for mackerel.

The problem with that is the OP, like myself, is predominantly a trout angler and the summer will hopefully be spent on the river or lake. Sea angling out of trout season was his query.

ComfortKid

Reese Crooked Turtle wrote:

The problem with that is the OP, like myself, is predominantly a trout angler and the summer will hopefully be spent on the river or lake. Sea angling out of trout season was his query.

Exactly. Only 5 weeks to go, looks like il have to wait it out!

dodderangler

ComfortKid wrote: »

Exactly. Only 5 weeks to go, looks like il have to wait it out!

Well 15th of February is starting point for a few lake in Ireland for trout. I will be bringing my daughter out on paddys day to the dodder
It'll be her first time open day fishing so in lolling forward to it.
As for pike well lamprey can be spun aswell. I didn't think it but a relative of mine proved me very wrong one day when I said it wouldn't happen spinning a lamprey. True enough he hooked.
Lamprey is very oily and leaves a good scent but I've lost and not set the hook with lamprey more than most other baits

chopper6

Reese Crooked Turtle wrote: »

The problem with that is the OP, like myself, is predominantly a trout angler and the summer will hopefully be spent on the river or lake. Sea angling out of trout season was his query.

You can fish the sea in summer too...this time of year isn't great for sea angling.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

chopper6 wrote: »

You can fish the sea in summer too...this time of year isn't great for sea angling.

Oh, I know and I do. I was just pointing out that the OP was looking for something outside of trout season. That's all.

chopper6

Reese Crooked Turtle wrote: »

Oh, I know and I do. I was just pointing out that the OP was looking for something outside of trout season. That's all.

I know what he was looking for thanks.

And I can answer him without you acting as interpreter.

.red.

If its just a trout rods you have then have a go at a bit of lrf, light rock fishing or little rod fishing as its comonly known. Try to get a pack of isome worms. Their about €7/8 and will last a while. Be carefull opening them. You can reseal the bag and it will keep the liquid inside. The worms will go to bits without it. I prefer to keep them in a small tupperware box as its handier and less chance on them spilling out. Find a pier or set of rocks and pop on a tiny hook, #8 or smaller, half an isome and a split shot. Jig it about and you should catch plenty. Its good craic and you could have 20 fish in an hour. All small but good fun all the same.
All your trout gear will do the trick. If you have 20lb line on id be inclined to put some fluro on as a leader. 4/6lbs should do the trick.
If your about the coast at low water look out for rock pools with a few feet of water. Youd be surprised whats in them. A friend had a ball of fish last week in the rock pools. Think they had 5 different species.
Give it a go. If you can get your head around targeting 10-15cm fish youll enjoy it and itll cost you less than a tenner.

dodderangler

^^ true that on the rock pools.
A friend of mine hooked a 3lb+ pollock in a rock pool with a spinner. Couldn't believe me eyes but that was years ago when I didn't know what'd be in them.
Rock pools are also great for getting peeler crabs aswell,

.red.

Use the lightest rod you have too. Mine is only rated 0.5-7g. I had a big rockling on it a few weeks back and it was bent double

ComfortKid

.red. wrote:

Use the lightest rod you have too. Mine is only rated 0.5-7g. I had a big rockling on it a few weeks back and it was bent double

My rod is rated 70 grams 270cm long. Have another cheap one there it's 128cm long but the current alone would bend it in half! Thanks for the tips anyway red im going to give it a try next weekend hopefully. I know a few spots with rocks down around Ardmore. A small fish can give a good fight on light tackle so il tone it down a bit.

chopper6

ComfortKid wrote: »

My rod is rated 70 grams 270cm long. Have another cheap one there it's 128cm long but the current alone would bend it in half! Thanks for the tips anyway red im going to give it a try next weekend hopefully. I know a few spots with rocks down around Ardmore. A small fish can give a good fight on light tackle so il tone it down a bit.

Fishing rock pools is easy..leger the bait just off the bottom and wait for something to hit..you can catch rockling,eels and wrasse this way

ComfortKid

dodderangler wrote:

Well 15th of February is starting point for a few lake in Ireland for trout. I will be bringing my daughter out on paddys day to the dodder It'll be her first time open day fishing so in lolling forward to it. As for pike well lamprey can be spun aswell. I didn't think it but a relative of mine proved me very wrong one day when I said it wouldn't happen spinning a lamprey. True enough he hooked. Lamprey is very oily and leaves a good scent but I've lost and not set the hook with lamprey more than most other baits

Thats class man, I cant wait till my little one is old enough to bring off with me aswell, the missus says il have her turned into a right tomboy haha not many girls into fishing. Il be out paddys day myself. Hoping for some rain now for the next few weeks all the rivers are fairly low. Out of interest are you fly fishing or bait and lures? They seem to love the mepps early season around here

dodderangler

ComfortKid wrote: »

Thats class man, I cant wait till my little one is old enough to bring off with me aswell, the missus says il have her turned into a right tomboy haha not many girls into fishing. Il be out paddys day myself. Hoping for some rain now for the next few weeks all the rivers are fairly low. Out of interest are you fly fishing or bait and lures? They seem to love the mepps early season around here

My missus says the exact same thing. I do have my little one carrying rabbits and all when I'm out hunting. But were due again in June so she's prob hoping for a boy so she an have her princess back
Il be spinning. Usually bring size 0 and 1 of silver and gold mepps. 2 of each ( can be a little rusty after the off season )

ardinn

dodderangler wrote: »

As for pike well lamprey can be spun aswell. I didn't think it but a relative of mine proved me very wrong one day when I said it wouldn't happen spinning a lamprey. True enough he hooked.
Lamprey is very oily and leaves a good scent but I've lost and not set the hook with lamprey more than most other baits

I was floating Lamprey yesterday on a canal on the barrow in Carlow, (I probably should have been spinning it to be honest but I am very lazy) Had 2 rods out. Came across a good little spot I thought a pike or two could be hiding in so let in my Lamprey.

Was getting a lot of water activity, bubbles, line brushes, wakes, but never got a bite. I had to leave at 5pm to be in work for 6 (between 5 and 6 would have been brilliant I think could I have stayed) So I might head out again Monday and give it another go.

Underwater Ireland has several videos on Lamprey trolled along side various other baits, (roach, trout, perch) and I was shocked to see the lamprey ignored in favour of the rest on most occasions. Pike seemed very wary of the lamprey, following then stopping or actually going around the Lamprey to get at the other baits.

In my head and after what I had been told Lamprey was the biz. Not so sure now!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu7n3a1NX6E

Joeseph Balls

I love Smelt meself. Well using it as bait obviously