Dodder opening day

Welllmade1745

Hey lads was just wondering what the turnout will be like for paddys day. Also I was thinking about what time you'd have to be getting down to get a spot ahead of the crowds- also any ideas on a good spot for the day,?? Have a few in mind but I am undecided.
Cheers

dodderangler

Welllmade1745 wrote: »

Hey lads was just wondering what the turnout will be like for paddys day. Also I was thinking about what time you'd have to be getting down to get a spot ahead of the crowds- also any ideas on a good spot for the day,?? Have a few in mind but I am undecided.
Cheers

Headed down with my daughter this morning. Was at my spot at half 6 and got the rods ready.
I had the spinner and my daughter had big fat garden worm.
First fish was on first cast on spinner and lost. Lost second and third after that.
Spinner hooks were bent. Next my daughters rod nearly went into water.
Nice fish if about 2lb.

Fixed my spinner and hooked into 4 more nice fish of roughly same weight.
Two nice fish for the pan.
Finished at half 8 after being pi55ed off. Had an argument with a complete idiot who was basically casting on top of me.
I lost a fish and he just casted literally on my line in attempt to land the one I lost
Drove past rathfarnam. 40 lads fishing side by side. That's not fishing and the Amount of lads using maggots was a joke. Went back to tallaght and same thing there. Lads baiting water with maggots and keeping every fish.
So lost 3 fish and landed 4 and my daughter landed one.
She was happy and wants to go fishing soon so that's a result

Bio Mech

dodderangler wrote: »

Had an argument with a complete idiot who was basically casting on top of me.
I lost a fish and he just casted literally on my line in attempt to land the one I lost
Drove past rathfarnam. 40 lads fishing side by side. That's not fishing and the Amount of lads using maggots was a joke. Went back to tallaght and same thing there. Lads baiting water with maggots and keeping every fish.

Sounds like my idea of nightmare fishing. Do you really have to be there at 6am just to get a spot?

sebcity

dodderangler wrote: »

Drove past rathfarnam. 40 lads fishing side by side. That's not fishing and the Amount of lads using maggots was a joke. Went back to tallaght and same thing there. Lads baiting water with maggots and keeping every fish.

Just out of curiosity, what's the issue with maggots? Too easy?

dodderangler

Bio Mech wrote: »

Sounds like my idea of nightmare fishing. Do you really have to be there at 6am just to get a spot?

Well I get there at that time because it's a small spot that holds trout and not much room so with one or two more people its poxy to fish so get early to it.
A for maggots it's just not fishing and afaik it's illegal and in same category as ground bait.

danbrosnan

Do they stock that river?

fiacha

Maggots also tend to catch young wild fish. Trout being trout, they are often deep hooked resulting in a higher chance of them not surviving.

fiacha

danbrosnan wrote: »

Do they stock that river?

Yes, but I don't know if it's only with triploids.

dodderangler

danbrosnan wrote: »

Do they stock that river?

Usually few days before season starts but sure what's the point when lads are watching for the truck and fish it before season starts.
Honestly feel that places should be stocked a good while before season opens. Give fish a chance to move around.

jack01986

dodderangler wrote: »

Usually few days before season starts but sure what's the point when lads are watching for the truck and fish it before season starts.
Honestly feel that places should be stocked a good while before season opens. Give fish a chance to move around.

I agree, it makes it a bit more of a challenge. I had planned to head out on the 17th but had a look at a few spots and it looked like combat fishing that you see up in Alaska for the salmon.

dodderangler

jack01986 wrote: »

I agree, it makes it a bit more of a challenge. I had planned to head out on the 17th but had a look at a few spots and it looked like combat fishing that you see up in Alaska for the salmon.

Rathfarnham was like that.
I usually leave after bout 2 hour and head home
Return next day. But couldn't this year

FishingNewbie

Hey guys,

I was out on Paddy's day, trying the spinner (mepps size 00) and even ledger on the worm.

Last year was my first year on the dodder and I had very little success (1 flat fish and 1 very small trout) despite hitting the river 10 or 12 times.

Myself and a friend got into fishing a few years ago, but we never had anyone to show us the ropes, so to speak, so its been mostly self taught trial and error.

I heard the opening day was a great opportunity for catching, so I did my research, bought my licence, walked a long stretch to spot rises the weekend before, bought a few small spinners, set up my ledger rigs, packed my gear and got up before dawn.

I hit a spot between Milltown and Clonskeagh, and ledgered for a while, then did some spinning. I covered from there downstream to Donnybrook, trying the worm and the mepps.

I was fishing till dusk, just over 12 hours, and not one fish.

I saw guys catch, kill and bring trout to their cars, then come back and catch again so no one would know how many they killed.

Everyone online seems to have caught plenty, and the poachers had their fill, but I couldnt land a single fish.

I live in Dublin, I love fishing the dodder and I've had plenty of blanks before, but I don't think I can go back after this.

I just don't know what I'm doing wrong?

jack01986

FishingNewbie wrote: »

Hey guys,

I was out on Paddy's day, trying the spinner (mepps size 00) and even ledger on the worm.

Last year was my first year on the dodder and I had very little success (1 flat fish and 1 very small trout) despite hitting the river 10 or 12 times.

Myself and a friend got into fishing a few years ago, but we never had anyone to show us the ropes, so to speak, so its been mostly self taught trial and error.

I heard the opening day was a great opportunity for catching, so I did my research, bought my licence, walked a long stretch to spot rises the weekend before, bought a few small spinners, set up my ledger rigs, packed my gear and got up before dawn.

I hit a spot between Milltown and Clonskeagh, and ledgered for a while, then did some spinning. I covered from there downstream to Donnybrook, trying the worm and the mepps.

I was fishing till dusk, just over 12 hours, and not one fish.

I saw guys catch, kill and bring trout to their cars, then come back and catch again so no one would know how many they killed.

Everyone online seems to have caught plenty, and the poachers had their fill, but I couldnt land a single fish.

I live in Dublin, I love fishing the dodder and I've had plenty of blanks before, but I don't think I can go back after this.

I just don't know what I'm doing wrong?

Stick with it man I'm not too sure what size lure that is but its possible that it could be too big someone else might be able to comment there. Also have you any bubble floats? If you get some flies and a bubble float that is a good way of fishing for the trout as well. There are plenty of fish there and they are hungry. A 12 hour session is pretty demoralising for sure but I'm sure you'll catch something with the bubble and fly method. If you google it there are plenty of examples on how to put it together.

dodderangler

Even on paddys day you need to know the river mate.
A lot of snags on that river so it's worth knowing it well before you go. My mates who I didn't know we're out fishing went to it and caught nothing but they dot know the river
Not exactly a case of finding water and you'll get fish.
Can be a tough river even when it's stocked but my guess is all the trout that were stocked are gone

FishingNewbie

jack01986 wrote: »

Stick with it man I'm not too sure what size lure that is but its possible that it could be too big someone else might be able to comment there. Also have you any bubble floats? If you get some flies and a bubble float that is a good way of fishing for the trout as well. There are plenty of fish there and they are hungry. A 12 hour session is pretty demoralising for sure but I'm sure you'll catch something with the bubble and fly method. If you google it there are plenty of examples on how to put it together.

Thanks for the help, I'll take any I can get to be honest.
The 00 mepps is the smallest size they do, 2 sizes down from the size 1, but I'm just now thinking that I have a 30lb braided line on and a snap swivel, which is maybe overkill and on shallow runs might be scaring the fish?

I'll try the bubble and fly for sure
sure. Took some lessons on fly fishing but my cast is so bad I worry the rod might end up in the river!

Thanks again.

Welllmade1745

Was out paddys day and the day after caught about ten fish In all- some on spinning a worm and others on a dead Minnow.

popsy09

30lb braid ? Are you using any mono or flourocarbon leader ??

Surely stocked trout can't be that hard to catch , I dont know how ya managed to spend 12 hours man , you have arguably the most important thing in fishing ,patience ha ha

Size 1 spinner will catch fish no problem so they either were just not there or your line was too heavy

FishingNewbie

dodderangler wrote: »

Even on paddys day you need to know the river mate.
A lot of snags on that river so it's worth knowing it well before you go. My mates who I didn't know we're out fishing went to it and caught nothing but they dot know the river
Not exactly a case of finding water and you'll get fish.
Can be a tough river even when it's stocked but my guess is all the trout that were stocked are gone

Yeah, hit plenty of snags where they'd been clearing trees upstream.
I don't mind doing the homework, and finding the right spots, but I just don't have faith in my methods or set up.
I cast a small mepps along a nice stretch every few feet, covering every inch of water, with no bites or anything.
A kid comes by, and we get chatting, he's on the same small mepps, but has landed several big fish on the same stretch earlier.
Good lad had put them all back, even a big sea trout he showed me pics of, caught closer to the Aviva.
He then points out a man further downstream, who he saw catch the same sea trout, only to bash it's head in and then hid in his car so he could kill more fish.
The lad was almost in tears, he loves the river and he'll be there week after week. He would have kept putting that fish back for more sport for everyone, but it's gone now.
Anyway, I watched his technique, casting to far bank, and steady return with rod tip down, and watched him pull out 2 more fish in a 10 min spell.
I copied that, for the next hour and a half, without a single bite. I'm doing something wrong, and until I figure it out, I can't keep wasting days and weeks hoping it fixes itself.

FishingNewbie

Welllmade1745 wrote: »

Was out paddys day and the day after caught about ten fish In all- some on spinning a worm and others on a dead Minnow.

Never tried spinning a worm, you need a specific type of spinner or worm, or will a normal mepps and garden worm work ok?

Welllmade1745

FishingNewbie wrote: »

Never tried spinning a worm, you need a specific type of spinner or worm, or will a normal mepps and garden worm work ok?

No mate nothing like that.
Use a size 10 or 12 hook with a single shot about 15 inches up from it then get a while small worm or a half a big one and just hook it through the front leaving as much tail end hanging off as possible, the cast it out and retrieve it as slow as you can while still moving the worm- allow different sink times too explore all the depths.

Just watch the worm in the water the action is unbelievable and it is a lethal technique, think I had about 6 fish over two days on it

Also their is nothing to stop you using a little rubber lure instead of a worm, I used little grubs to great effect last year.

Welllmade1745

I'd just like too put in here for pple complaining about pple keeping fish, I kept one fish on paddys day as it died on me and wouldn't swim back.

But saying that you pay your license fee for the year to allow you too take fish from the river, your fee pays the club to buy those stocked fish, so you are more than entitled to one or two fish per day.

I understand its annoying when pple kill everything, however when I hear pple complain about a guy taking one measley fish home for himself and is family it make my blood boil !!

FishingNewbie

popsy09 wrote: »

30lb braid ? Are you using any mono or flourocarbon leader ??

Surely stocked trout can't be that hard to catch , I dont know how ya managed to spend 12 hours man , you have arguably the most important thing in fishing ,patience ha ha

Size 1 spinner will catch fish no problem so they either were just not there or your line was too heavy

No, just the braid, like I said I never had anyone show me the ropes so I learn as I'm going, the basic stuff may be the reason I'm not catching.

I literally got up at 5:30, walked to clonskeagh, then Milltown, back to Clonskeagh,
Donnybrook, ballsbridge, Donnybrook... Etc
I worked it out, I had walked 15km in all, I collapsed when I got home!
I love this sport, I was obsessed with this day for the last month. But to fail when I should be at least landing something, is just demoralising beyond words.

the evasion_kid

FishingNewbie wrote: »

Hey guys,

I was out on Paddy's day, trying the spinner (mepps size 00) and even ledger on the worm.

Last year was my first year on the dodder and I had very little success (1 flat fish and 1 very small trout) despite hitting the river 10 or 12 times.

Myself and a friend got into fishing a few years ago, but we never had anyone to show us the ropes, so to speak, so its been mostly self taught trial and error.

I heard the opening day was a great opportunity for catching, so I did my research, bought my licence, walked a long stretch to spot rises the weekend before, bought a few small spinners, set up my ledger rigs, packed my gear and got up before dawn.

I hit a spot between Milltown and Clonskeagh, and ledgered for a while, then did some spinning. I covered from there downstream to Donnybrook, trying the worm and the mepps.

I was fishing till dusk, just over 12 hours, and not one fish.

I saw guys catch, kill and bring trout to their cars, then come back and catch again so no one would know how many they killed.

Everyone online seems to have caught plenty, and the poachers had their fill, but I couldnt land a single fish.

I live in Dublin, I love fishing the dodder and I've had plenty of blanks before, but I don't think I can go back after this.

I just don't know what I'm doing wrong?

Salted minnow my friend,hook them at the back where the heads meets the body and it will spin in the current,I can't understand how you didn't catch on worms? I caught 3 paddy's day on the worm,normally I'd stick 2 on the hook and cast it out and every few minutes just give the reel a turn or two to move it a bit and most times that's when you get a bite,in saying that my mate blanked that day using worms and he was fishing in the middle of two of us who were both getting bites consistently.

FishingNewbie

Welllmade1745 wrote: »

No mate nothing like that.
Use a size 10 or 12 hook with a single shot about 15 inches up from it then get a while small worm or a half a big one and just hook it through the front leaving as much tail end hanging off as possible, the cast it out and retrieve it as slow as you can while still moving the worm- allow different sink times too explore all the depths.

Just watch the worm in the water the action is unbelievable and it is a lethal technique, think I had about 6 fish over two days on it

Also their is nothing to stop you using a little rubber lure instead of a worm, I used little grubs to great effect last year.

That sounds great actually!
I worry when I ledger worms that they're not in the right spot, or caught in a snag, and prefer to spin cause it keeps me busy and I can cover plenty of water.
I'll give this a go on a lighter line next time and see if my luck improves.
Thanks again!

Welllmade1745

FishingNewbie wrote: »

That sounds great actually!
I worry when I ledger worms that they're not in the right spot, or caught in a snag, and prefer to spin cause it keeps me busy and I can cover plenty of water.
I'll give this a go on a lighter line next time and see if my luck improves.
Thanks again!

No problem mate

I've a few more tips about that technique.

1)YOU WILL MISS FISH - sometimes they will just eat the tail and miss the hook.(don't get annoyed,I missed as many as I caught )

2)if you get a knock DONT STRIKE just keep reeling. If a fish takes close to the bank and you strike u will pull it out his mouth, so if you get a take and miss it just stop reeling for a second let it sink down and twitch it a bit then keep reeling.
I had about 2/3 fish right under my feet-I saw the takes, very exciting method of fishing !!:)

FishingNewbie

the evasion_kid wrote: »

Salted minnow my friend,hook them at the back where the heads meets the body and it will spin in the current,I can't understand how you didn't catch on worms? I caught 3 paddy's day on the worm,normally I'd stick 2 on the hook and cast it out and every few minutes just give the reel a turn or two to move it a bit and most times that's when you get a bite,in saying that my mate blanked that day using worms and he was fishing in the middle of two of us who were both getting bites consistently.

I saw a huge fish rise in a bend in the river, landed a ledger right on top and left it there for 10 mins but nothing!
But I only tightened the line, never checked that it was free, maybe a heavy weight ledger is the wrong way to go, and my 30lb braid may have been a bad choice.
Also, my ledger was a big line weight on the main line, above a swivel leading to maybe 2 feet of line and a size 8 hook, and this may have buried the worm with each cast!
Like I said, I've had to figure this stuff out on my own, and I wana make sure there's not obvious mistakes I'm making that are causing my regular blanks.

FishingNewbie

Welllmade1745 wrote: »

No problem mate

I've a few more tips about that technique.

1)YOU WILL MISS FISH - sometimes they will just eat the tail and miss the hook.(don't get annoyed,I missed as many as I caught )

2)if you get a knock DONT STRIKE just keep reeling. If a fish takes close to the bank and you strike u will pull it out his mouth, so if you get a take and miss it just stop reeling for a second let it sink down and twitch it a bit then keep reeling.
I had about 2/3 fish right under my feet-I saw the takes, very exciting method of fishing !!:)

This is the sort of advice I was hoping for.
Basic stuff I can improve to give me at least a chance.
I didn't get a single trout last season, I'm determined that I can.change it this season.
Thanks again!

the evasion_kid

FishingNewbie wrote: »

I saw a huge fish rise in a bend in the river, landed a ledger right on top and left it there for 10 mins but nothing!
But I only tightened the line, never checked that it was free, maybe a heavy weight ledger is the wrong way to go, and my 30lb braid may have been a bad choice.
Also, my ledger was a big line weight on the main line, above a swivel leading to maybe 2 feet of line and a size 8 hook, and this may have buried the worm with each cast!
Like I said, I've had to figure this stuff out on my own, and I wana make sure there's not obvious mistakes I'm making that are causing my regular blanks.

I dunno I keep it fairly simple for my trout fishing,6 pound chameleon line,one or two split shots two or three foot away from a size 8 hook,sometimes I use a swivel,even if you snag its not a lot of gear to lose.like I said I'd normally give the reel a turn or two to move the bait in case its stuck hidden in weeds and a lot of the times the trout in the vicinity will see it and bite.

Welllmade1745

FishingNewbie wrote: »

I saw a huge fish rise in a bend in the river, landed a ledger right on top and left it there for 10 mins but nothing!
But I only tightened the line, never checked that it was free, maybe a heavy weight ledger is the wrong way to go, and my 30lb braid may have been a bad choice.
Also, my ledger was a big line weight on the main line, above a swivel leading to maybe 2 feet of line and a size 8 hook, and this may have buried the worm with each cast!
Like I said, I've had to figure this stuff out on my own, and I wana make sure there's not obvious mistakes I'm making that are causing my regular blanks.

30lb braid is a no no - I fish 3lb mono.
I use a single SSG OR BB shot with a size 14 hook when ledgering, big leads and size 8 hooks won't do a great job of it.

the evasion_kid

FishingNewbie wrote: »

No, just the braid, like I said I never had anyone show me the ropes so I learn as I'm going, the basic stuff may be the reason I'm not catching.

I literally got up at 5:30, walked to clonskeagh, then Milltown, back to Clonskeagh,
Donnybrook, ballsbridge, Donnybrook... Etc
I worked it out, I had walked 15km in all, I collapsed when I got home!
I love this sport, I was obsessed with this day for the last month. But to fail when I should be at least landing something, is just demoralising beyond words.

Just out of interest what color braid? It might be possible it could be spooking the fish a bit especially with a lure,but that's a whole other debate

FishingNewbie

the evasion_kid wrote: »

Just out of interest what color braid? It might be possible it could be spooking the fish a bit especially with a lure,but that's a whole other debate

Dark green braid.