23/04/12 Prime conditions for the Black Beetle it wasn’t !
Headed for the sea after work on Friday, Pat and myself scouted a few preferred marks but we were disappointed to see heavy seas creating a lovely brown band reaching from the shore to approx 100 yards out. Varying wind direction made it difficult to assess the evening’s fishing. A call was made to try a mark that we very seldom fish, en-route we were joined by Barry & Crevan.
We made our way down to the water and fired out a few lures for the last of the rise into crystal clear water. We could see Gannets bombarding the water further out but our offerings were not touched for around 30mins or so. We made a move and fished on, this time encountering alot of suspended weed which helped the decision to move again.
The wind had now changed direction to Northerly calming the sea some what, the inshore water in front of us appeared clear as we made our way down, we walked for a bit before splitting up, Barry & Pat taking a deeper vantage point, Crevan attacking a flooded reef while I ventured on to an isolated rock some distance away.
It was cold and wet, and after 60mins I had 2 follows to show for my efforts, I could see see Barry & Pat now back up with Crevan as it was unfishable near the deeper water. I fished on working the lure as close as I possibly to a set of submerged rocks, the lure stops around 10 yards out and I knew it wasn’t stuck. Fierce head shaking followed a strong initial run before I finally landed the Silver. Happy out dot com !!
It was a reward catching it, you take for granted fish you catch on marks you are familiar with and it can ’some times’ become a formality on such a mark, not this time. This is a mark I wouldn’t be too familiar with which made it even better when the Silver hit.
We fished on as the tide dropped further out, the black clouds rolled in and dumped its load on us, we continued casting and moving before I hooked into another fish a few turns into the retrieve just over a submerged gulley. It was to be the last fish of the evening even though we fished on for another couple of hours as the rain got heavier…
Both fish were very lean – possibly after spawing already.
Taking under water pictures in April is not good for the hands.
Your next one could be your best one.
Danny Meagher
