Cork boat angler Mike Plumber reports from a recent trip targeting bluemouth aboard the Saint Collette II out of Cahersiveen where everything fell into place:

Conditions were perfect for targeting bluemouth, no wind, slack tide and it had been settled for a few days before the trip. Rigs were shop bought Kilmore Killers, Sabikis, clown rigs, Eddystone eels and various lumi muppet patterns.

The fish were strong on the ground from the get go. I’d been chatting to a few lads who were fishing the same mark on Saturday and the weekend previous – they had had reasonable fishing but not many specimens landed. Bait was mackerel and ragworm but, being honest, if we’d used bare hooks on Sunday we would still have got a string of bluemouths!

There were plenty of big mackerel and we filled our boots and set off some 20+ miles offshore to the reef which is in 300 ft of water. As soon as the skipper put us over our mark, we dropped our baits and, when they hit bottom and we gave them a little jiggle, we all had a string on every drop.

I’d never fished for them before but after years of bookings and cancellations our crew of lads from Dublin, Cork and Kerry finally got to experience them.

We might have a two boat, one day, biggest bluemouth competition in 2021. Skipper and his deck hands netted fish like real pros. Most of the day was lads calling for the net or ‘measure that one quick!’ as they dropped back down for another chance for maybe the bigger one for the day or possible record 😍.

With the morale on the boat on a high after 2 drifts and 6 specimens recorded we keep at them in short drifts and found only certain parts of the drift produced the bigger ones. We got them from 15cm and biggest was 39cm.

The other reef species showed up when we drifted off the hot zone but we did a couple of drifts off the reef, for a change is as good as a rest! Pollack, coalie, octopus, wrasse, cuckoo, poor cod and ling all came to the boat.

With the main target the bluemouth mission accomplished for me after years of planning, and let’s just say the plan for a 2021 trip to Cahersiveen is soon to be hatched…

3  specimen – Michael Hennessey, Mick O’Callaghan

2 specimens – Gary Blake, Derek Kendrick

1 specimens – Ben Horgan

Go Fishing….

Saint Colette 11

Cygnus Cyfish33ft 5.9 Cummins QSB 425hp
Skipper: Brendan O’Connell
Licence: 1856
Base: Cahersiveen & Knightstown

Notes: Sails from Cahersiveen & Knightstown. Your Skipper Brendan has twenty years’ experience navigating the bay and our aim is to make your voyage fascinating, pleasant and safe. On board there is a toilet, seating, binoculars and all safety equipment. Also, Tea and Coffee provided onboard. Boat cruises at about 12 to15 knots. We can accommodate fishing parties up to 10 persons & Non fishing tours up to 12 persons.

Address: Brendan O’Connell Cahersiveen Sea Angling & Eco Tours, Castlequin,Cahersiveen,Co Kerry
Telephone: +353 87 3500843
Email: [email protected]