Tales of a failed fisherman 2008

Cormdogg

Another fruitless days fishing.
Spent half an hour in Dunlaoire Bike and Fishing shop absorbing as much info as possible from a lovely guy in there.Me and my buddy got two breakaway sinkers and two rigs size 12 one up one down rigs each and 30 lug worm.The guy in the shop told us to park at the driving range in Greystones and walk out the tracks for about 15 minutes cast out about 20 metres and we'd be in!

A lovely day for it.There were 3 other chaps there ,I suppose the only landmark was a couple of containers beside the tracks.We were using lug on one hook and mackeral strips on the other.I lost both my new rigs on my first and second cast (great start). 6 hours later and not a bite,there was big enough surf coming in so there was alot of sea weed in the water which was bit of a nightmare.After a big rain came in,we were a bit wet and a bit hungry and stinking of ould mackeral we called it a day,My mate did in fact land something, a little rockling of all things about 8 inches nice gold colour.

The three other lads hadnt got anything either, I must be spreading my curse. Whats going on? Is it just too early? So far this year Ive had 2 days on the dodder(worms & bread),one day at Ballybough(maggots) on the canal and two days in Dunlaoire (spinners & feathers)(I caught a sea hen,which was traumatising for me and the bird) and Greystones, Not a bean!

Where am I going wrong? and I just bought a dinghy in Lidl for €550!
maybe Ill never see that 25 Mackeral day in Westport last year again.( I havnt caught a fish since)

Should I head up to a fisheries lake to lift my spirit?

Degsy

Cormdogg wrote: »

Another fruitless days fishing.
Spent half an hour in Dunlaoire Bike and Fishing shop absorbing as much info as possible from a lovely guy in there.Me and my buddy got two breakaway sinkers and two rigs size 12 one up one down rigs each and 30 lug worm.The guy in the shop told us to park at the driving range in Greystones and walk out the tracks for about 15 minutes cast out about 20 metres and we'd be in!

A lovely day for it.There were 3 other chaps there ,I suppose the only landmark was a couple of containers beside the tracks.We were using lug on one hook and mackeral strips on the other.I lost both my new rigs on my first and second cast (great start). 6 hours later and not a bite,there was big enough surf coming in so there was alot of sea weed in the water which was bit of a nightmare.After a big rain came in,we were a bit wet and a bit hungry and stinking of ould mackeral we called it a day,My mate did in fact land something, a little rockling of all things about 8 inches nice gold colour.

The three other lads hadnt got anything either, I must be spreading my curse. Whats going on? Is it just too early? So far this year Ive had 2 days on the dodder(worms & bread),one day at Ballybough(maggots) on the canal and two days in Dunlaoire (spinners & feathers)(I caught a sea hen,which was traumatising for me and the bird) and Greystones, Not a bean!

Where am I going wrong? and I just bought a dinghy in Lidl for €550!
maybe Ill never see that 25 Mackeral day in Westport last year again.( I havnt caught a fish since)

Should I head up to a fisheries lake to lift my spirit?

This isnt the best time of year to fish,especially the sea.Most of the best fishing is during the summer and autumn.Mackerel wont come inshore till may or so and the same goes for bass.Freshwater too,its a little early,its the trout season sure but you'll ctach more fish,especially coarse fish in a couple of months.Above all have patience!If you're seriously desperate to catch something,you're chances would be better at night IMO.

Compton

Well said,

I won't repeat the above, now, chances are maybe a stray pike or brown but not as good as summer, also, for coarse fish, maybe try feeder fishing the lakes for some roach, but that's about it at the moment.

pullandbang

Cormdogg wrote: »

Should I head up to a fisheries lake to lift my spirit?

Get a Salmon licence and head North to the Drowes....there's a few fish being caught there. Even if you don't catch one you're sure to see them jumping which is nearly as good.

adonis

move further away from ballybough if u are fishing the canal too...
try phibsboro or leixlip
should be getting roach and stuff on maggots now...maybe try to concentrate on one style of fishing rather than loads of different ones?

Cormdogg

Hit the dodder again on Saturday evening. The house mate was at me to do a bit of "night" fishing. Arrived down in Rathfarnham behind Congs. There was one fellah fly fishingand a couple of young lads.We were all set up ready for the long haul,a few sandwiches and a couple of beverages.Met a fellah earlier in the day who was in the bookies in his wellies and with his rod.He said he caught a nice brownie down behind tesco of all places!more trollies than trout in there!We packed it in around 10.30 because it was just too cold,grand in the legs and the body but the both of us were suffering from ice cube toes.We were using red and white maggots,no floats,I actually got a bite but lost it and we could here the fishing leaping around but once again alas,No fish for me.One thing I was wondering about was that ducks were landing and taking off infront of us the whole time.Do the ducks scare off the fish? Has anyone an opinion where the best spot on the dodder is? Maggots or worms? Bread and or sweetcorn?I dont know how to fly properly so maybe Ill try spinning,Im headin back after work today I have about 2000 maggots to drown. What are the best spinners to use and would I want to be in there in my waders to spin. It says on my DAA membership that groundbaiting is forbidden,Ive seen people at it there so what exactly constitutes groundbaiting,does that include using a feeder above your hook? Is that a club rule or a by law?
Cheers!

Cormdogg

Zip, zilch, nada! Braved the hail to no avail ! (see what I did there!) Nothing going on the worm,the maggots or the spinner yesterday evening.Went to three spots, Had a good chat with a fellah who was fishing below the waterfall on Rathfarnham road. He might be bit of a conspiracy theorist. He reckons the stockies wern't put in he says the numbers dont lie (where do they go in?),He caught nothing either and hadnt yet this year. Im done with the Rathfarnham strech now,Could it be just over fished.I havnt seen anyone yet to actaully pull one out infront of me.So next stop for me is furthur down to milltown I think, maybe up to firhouse or maybe up to Bohernabrianna

coolwings

Cormdogg wrote: »

....It says on my DAA membership that groundbaiting is forbidden,Ive seen people at it there so what exactly constitutes groundbaiting,does that include using a feeder above your hook? Is that a club rule or a by law? Cheers!

Groundbaiting = free feeding = putting in extra bait that is not on your hook while fishing.

It's frowned on when fishing for game fish where the natural stocks have to be maintained in the face of people removing caught fish to eat. Mostly it's illegal too. Like using a net and calling it fishing.

pullandbang

Cormdogg wrote: »

I dont know how to fly properly so maybe Ill try spinning

Stick with the fly - get a rod and practise in the garden without a hook. Tie on a pice of brightly coloured wool so you can see where it's landing.

The fly is much more rewarding than sitting on a bank watching a rod tip or a float. With the fly you're moving all the time and dry fly fishing is the ultimate.

Compton

pullandbang wrote: »

Stick with the fly - get a rod and practise in the garden without a hook. Tie on a pice of brightly coloured wool so you can see where it's landing.

The fly is much more rewarding than sitting on a bank watching a rod tip or a float. With the fly you're moving all the time and dry fly fishing is the ultimate.

good point, most of the time you'll be using a small size 12 black coloured fly, thatt's what I use and it works.

remember, walk and cast upstream, pull the line back as it returns.

adonis

pullandbang wrote: »

Stick with the fly - get a rod and practise in the garden without a hook. Tie on a pice of brightly coloured wool so you can see where it's landing.

The fly is much more rewarding than sitting on a bank watching a rod tip or a float. With the fly you're moving all the time and dry fly fishing is the ultimate.

i dont know about that comment.
watching a float can be very active especially if trotting an avon or something.
Its just a different style of fishing..you can also be very active while float fishing for pike or wobbling deadbaits.

Cormdogg

I used a net once, she told everyone I was ba*tard!

pullandbang

adonis wrote: »

Its just a different style of fishing..you can also be very active while float fishing for pike or wobbling deadbaits.

How can you be active watching a pike float? I've fished Mullagh lake a few times for pike with our local club and watching the float is boredom beyond belief. I gave up after a while and switched to spinning just to get active.

I can understand shrimping for salmon on a river with a float because you're constantly reeling in and casting.

But at the end of the day it's whatever floats your boat!:D

adonis

depends where u fish etc.
if you are float fishing for pike on a river you have to move...
cast it out, wobble it back...
i wouldnt say dry fly fishing on a lake is particularly active or dry fly fishing in one of those paid stock annamoe style fisheries that are becoming popular

Cormdogg

Woo! Two little brownies last night! Went down to rathfranham village, opposite the garda station. Not even the dodder its the owendoher, I reckon the stockies come up the owendoher from the dodder and reach the waterfall under the bridge and there they stay. Got the two of em on the worm (from my grannys compost) with a couple of weights,got a few other bites but the didnt take.I'd say I had got more if I stayed.Was only down there 7.30 to 8.30.
Well anyways I was delighted, Im off to westport on Friday and we've a bout chartered for Sunday from the Helm,only going to do four hours but sure well be getting sick for the first two Id say!

So lads where are the big boys in the Dodder, Ive been back to the doddeer twice since my last post, at Rathfarnham Bridge in Bushy and the weirs in Firhouse(very snaggy),Tried a bit of spinning in both, any recommendations for spinners?

Thanks for all who gave me advice. I think it was the worms that did it!

Anyone ever here of gang hooking worms to present them better? two hooks tied in tandem and hook the worm at both ends so its streched out instead of a worm ball,id be a bit concered it would do too much damage to the fish.