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Visting angler Padraig Fitzmaurice from Tuam, Co Galway enjoyed some good fishing with me over the last two days including this beauty caught on a Small Ayu Xlayer mounted on a 10g jig head. Padraig landed a second fish of the same size during an early morning session in beautiful weather. To celebrate Padraig consumed the Mega Fry Breakfast at O'Donovan's Hotel to round off a perfect morning...
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You would think that a reasonably competent and extremely well
equipped angler in the hands of a world class guide on the most reliable spots in the country in beautiful weather just after a blow with perfect tides and 5.00 am start would have a few fish to show for 10hrs hard fishing....I'm afraid not. This underlines the fickle nature of Bass fishing anywhere, if its not quite right they just don't turn up to feed and there's nowt anyone can do about it other than persevere and hope things pick up or back off until conditions
appear to have improved. That was the results aspect of today. The full story was a fascinating day seeing
Wexford through the eyes of Jim Hendrick, visiting some amazing places and
generally blowing away
the cobwebs of the closed season. What will
tomorrow bring? Nobody knows, not even Jim (Sorry)
that's the beauty of fishing.....
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Getting ready to hit the road tomorrow for my annual pilgrimage to Jim Hendrick in Wexford, which is truely God's country when it comes to Bassing. New trebles have been debarbed and swapped with last seasons old and now rusty ones. Soft plastics have been mounted, braided lines changed, I've even packed some clothing ! Planning to catch up with Cian and Henry somewhere enroute this year in Waterford. Can't wait !!
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The new season is finally upon us, be safe and enjoy !!
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During the Irish Bass closed season I have been reading a fascinating book on an iconic fish species that the world loves to eat but, if you're like me, you know very little about its history and struggle for survival.
"COD by Mark Kurlansky, A biography of a fish that changed the world" is a good read, especially if you care about the oceans, as it graphically illustrates the demise of a species the was once thought to be inexhaustible due to statistics such as " Nine million eggs in a cod fish of middling size - a number that will baffle all efforts to exterminate it !"
Tales of Cod waters so rich that only wicker baskets were needed in order to hoist up untold fish to the size of, a staggering, 6 foot long and 211lbs!
Its all here to read, from the amazing, initially secret, discoveries by the Basques of rich fishing grounds off of what is now known as the US mainland, to the horrendous fatalities and hardships of the early cod fisherman, to methods of preservation after the discoveries of some bloke called Birdseye in the 1820's (I kid you not).
I found this to be a uniquely informative read. Available from all good...........
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Rumor has it that there is to be a pilot scheme opened up for commercial bass fishing by long lines / trolling in Irish waters.
Please write to, or email the Minister -
Simon Coveney to express your concerns.
Thank You.
