Bass Fishing Workshop Today

Salt water fly fishing Ireland

Silver on the Fly

David Anchell went to the forge on Thursday and struck silver on an olive and white sloopy. Rising tide freshening south-westerly wind and crystal clear water breaking over a reef....delicious.

David took several fish to 5lbs as the afternoon progressed.

Landing Gear
Rod - Hardy Zane #8
Reel - Hardy Zane #8
Line - Rio Outbound intermediate
Leader - Rio sltwater tapered
Fly - Sloopy Droopy - Olive

Rio T11 Custom Cut

Want to put your fly where the big fish are ?
Rios Outbound T-11 custom integrated shooting taper offers an adaptable fast sinking tip fly line that can be customised to many rod sizes and specific fishing conditions. The outbound T-11 custom sinks fast and fishes deep. The custom series has a coldwater coating built over Rios durable Powerflex core. The line retains high line speed for long distances and tangle free performance. The sinking head section length is 35 feet long with an intermediate running line – the total line length is 120ft

Features

T-11 sinks at eight inches per second
Multiple rod sizes compatible 7-11wt
Supple coldwater coating
Tangle free single strand Powerflex core
Intermediate running line

Custom cut guide

35ft = 385 grains 29ft = 319grains
34ft = 374 grains 28ft = 308 grains
33ft = 363 grains 27ft = 297 grains
32ft = 352 grains 26ft = 286 grains
31ft = 341 grains 25ft = 275 grains
30ft = 330 grains 24ft = 264 grains

What a guide hears -{ occassionally :-) }

What the client says - Aren’t they beautifully marked little fish?
What the guide hears - Ok so where are all the bigger fish?

What the client says - That was a great fish to start
What the guide hears - Where are the rest of the fish?

What the client says - It was a beautiful day in amazing surroundings
What the guide hears - Where are the fish?

What the client says - It was tough out there and at least we tried
What the guide hears - Where are the fish?

What the client says - Its just not happening for us today I guess.
What the guide hears - Where are the fish?

What the client says - Low Pressure is always a real bummer
What the guide hears - Where are fish?

What the client says - Its been a challenging week both mentally and physically
What the guide hears - Was there ever anneeee fish?

Greater black backed bass!

A little bit of lethargy has crept in around the fish in the last few days - yes we are getting them no doubt but its not easy. A little bit of a kick is needed - on the way soon!

Release II

Summer silver surprise

It continues......

The fly fishing continued today in a strong Northerly breeze - touching force seven at times. Feeling a lot fresher and considerably brighter didnt seem to affect the fishing to any great extent. I fished a Teeny T400 deep and fast with smaller brighter flatwings - white and chartreuse.

First came several pollack then a quiet period followed by the spiky thugs! The action came thick and fast with several fish running greater than 80 cms's. Then I was hit by a train - the last time I heard the allbright go clink clink clink at such a rate was way back in November in the Bahamas - stripping at least thirty yards of backing and staying deep my heart was racing - then ten yards more and finally, finally surfaced - breaking white water around a massive shaking furious head.

Even holding the fish in the current was a struggle - then he decided to use that tail - what an afternoon - I gained back five then ten - the fish swam upcurrent and took it all back - then swam down current again oh joy - the Redington arced nicely fight him off the butt, fight him off the butt - Dan and Ruth called from the shore 'Is it a big fish Daddeee?' I saw Eileen slip with the camera!

Fish landed, photos made, returned, swam away properly - I smiled - its not often I get my own photo taken with fish - 84cms's. Thanks Eileen.

Landing Gear

Rod - Redington CPX #8
Reel - Orvis Battenkill LA
Line - Jim Teeny T300
Leader - Rio Fluoroflex - 2 meters non tapered 9kgs
Fly - White and Chartreuse Flatwing - size 1/0

See some of the fish taken in the sequence above

1000th bass on the fly from the shore

With todays light winds high temperatures and dark brooding skys combined with the possibility of thunder I was pipping! We had abandoned any notion of sailing.

I messed around in Cork harbour with Dan an Ruth in the little tender in between heavy showers. Then I went off to meet the tide to a new untried shore location. It was probably one of the greatest bass fishing sessions of my life taking several fish in excess of eight pounds and two greater than ten pounds.

Fish lay in the current chasing giant sandeels to the surface in a boiling frenzy! I took what I estimate as my 1000th bass on the fly during this session.

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It was a true JULY SESSION as indicated HERE

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Landing Gear

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Rod - Redington CPX - 9'0" #8

Reel - Vision XLA - #7/9

Line- Shooting line A.Jensen .25" 30 metres - Sinking shooting head then Intermediate shooting head - 9.30metres the Teeney T350 later in tidal sequence (taking the two bigger fish)

Leader - 10'-0" self built tapered leader - Rio Fluoroflex Plus

Fly - Custom built 9 inch hollow fleye variants from Andy Elliott

Note I - I never attempted to match the hatch once (colour)
Note II - The pollack loved the Steve Farrer flies.

Note III - The speed of retrieve was critical

Note IV - The take was gentle and so subtle at times beyond belief

Note V - The bigger fish took later and as always deeper in the tide

Kilmore Friday 23rd July

The launch of the Kilmore Sea Angling Hub brochure will be held at 16:30 on Friday 23 July - attending is Minister Sean Connick - interesting moment to hear what he has to say regarding recreational angling, its benefits, sustainability, and socio-economic impacts - particularly in the light of recent interest in re-opening the commercial bass fishery.

Some of Minister Connicks recent opinions regarding fisheries from his facebook page can be found HERE

Holiday

On holidays for 7 days

Conditions South East - Week 28

Sunny spells with isolated showers at first on Thursday morning. However, the showers will become more widespread during the day and will intensify, and there will also be the returning risk of thunderstorm activity. Highest temperatures on Thursday of 16 to 19 degrees in moderate southwesterly winds.

Friday will have a mixture of sunny intervals and scattered showers. The showers will mostly affect northern and western areas while the sunniest areas are likely to be the south and southeast. Winds will be moderate, initially fresh, westerly, backing west to southwest later. Many places will be dry on Friday night with broken cloud but further showers will affect parts of Ulster and Connaught, perhaps prolonged for a time in coastal districts. Southwest to west winds will freshen again in northern counties and it will feel much cooler overall. Showers will continue for a time in northern areas on Saturday. However, most other areas will be dry and bright, with sunny spells developing. The showers will finally die out in the north during the afternoon and southwest winds will decrease light to moderate. Late in the day, cloud will increase from the west and outbreaks of rain or drizzle will develop on Atlantic coasts. Turning milder as winds back southerly. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will spread from the west to most parts of the country early on Sunday, with extensive hill and coastal fog developing. However, rain and drizzle will die out in many areas as the day goes on and it will become brighter in some places. Nevertheless, drizzle and fog patches will persist around southern and western coasts. Winds will become moderate, locally fresh, southwesterly and it will be very mild and humid generally. Source Met Eireann

Made in bubbleland

Landing Gear

Rod - Smith Blowshot

Reel - Shimano TP 3500

Line - Powerpro 9kgs

Leader - Rio Fluoroflex plus
Lure - Lucky Craft Gunnfish

A short session between weather systems produced some nice fish this morning. We were lucky and happy.

Guiding - another ten things

1. A guide will always be on time
2. A guide will never put his clients in danger
3. A guide will never serve coffee from the soup flask
4. A guide will never fill up with petrol or diesel on the way to fishing
5. A guide will never suggest leaving the cars at Aintree
6. A guide will always carry a first aid kit
7. A guide will never fish unless invited to do so
8. A guide will always carry a magic lure or fly
9. A guide will be optimistic and also realistic
10. A guide will offer alternatives

Guiding - ten things

1. A guide is not a slave neither is he/she subservient or stupid
2. A guide can have a bad day too
3. A guide cannot control the weather, the relative softness of your bed, the colour of the sky, the direction of the wind, or the mood of the fish
4. A guides day has a beginning and an end
5. A guide does not have all the answers
6. A guide will react according to your expectations - be they reasonable or unreasonable
7. A guide is not a clairvoyant
8. A guide can be a solution provider but is not a provider of solutions
9. A guide knows fishing bullshit when he sees, hears or smells it
10. A guide watches, listens and works harder than you can imagine
    

High Tide Saltwater Fly Rods

High Tide Saltwater Rods

For a while now I have wanted to supply rods that are capable of casting both long lines and shorter lines with full control, as this often one of the crucial aspects of saltwater fly fishing. I wanted a fishing rod and not just a casting rod too. With many modern fly rods you can only get the rod properly loaded with a lot of line outside the tip ring, and only from that point on will you cast with full control. I wanted rods to load with short lines quickly, but still be able to cast longer lines if necessary.

Then I came across the A.Jensen Advanced Helical Taper

In order to achieve what I wanted I had found a rod maker that builds a so-called “compensated tip”, meaning a tip that loads quickly. Some manufacturers make the tip of softer material, but then you get a rod action that can feel a little strange when casting. Instead of this compromise A.Jensen use “Advanced Helical Taper” technology and thereby created a rod where the top of the rod loads quickly, without being or feeling in any way soft.

From A.Jensen - the detail.

The “Advanced Helical Taper” technology means changing and opening the angle of the helical wound graphite towards the top. By using the same material, and still under the same amount of tons of pressure as the rest of the blank, they build a rod, which performs with a unique balance.
The quick loading top has many benefits. When fishing the salt you can shoot the first meters of line, as the rod actually casts the line right from the first false cast. There is no “waving” the rod, to get a lot of line out, the rod actually loads and casts very quickly.

Your casting strokes will be more balanced, as you get a rhythm right from the start of the cast, it will, simply put, feel easier.
On top of that the rod is a light and sensitive instrument, guaranteed for life and an absolutel joy to play a fish on.

This brings us back to the where we started – I wanted to supply a fishing rod, not just a casting tool.

Forecasting the weather - July - 11

I came across a little book recently - Signpost to the weather by D&K Barlett. First published in 1949, I have extracted their forecasts for each month of the year. I hope you will enjoy their weather theories over the next few months –

The Month of July according to D&K Barlett with BASS indications by Jim Hendrick

This month is unreliable. There is generally a good deal of cloud and rain, mostly of the thundery character. This rain can be heavy but quickly over. It tends to be a less settled or sunny month. These are the worst features of July.

However, a heat wave spell can usually be relied on to come, generally around the middle or the end of the month. The nights are warmest in this month. The difference between day and night temperatures is the least. The sea is now warm enough for bathing.

Heavy thunderstorms at this time of year usually occur during the early part of the afternoon.

The weeks of July

1st to 7th Changeable, thunderstorm weather, with brilliant short spells of Sun

8th to 15th This is a more settled period with warm days gradually setting in, especially in the south.

16th to 23rd A warm spell can occur during this week with some doubtful thundery days too.

24th to 31st Usually there are sunny periods with warm temperatures at first, but gradually becoming more thundery at the end of the week

Bass Fishing: Cloudy dark days and warm nights, hot, humid misty south westerlies and clear white warm water can only lead to one thing- BIG FISH DAYS. Often one of the best months of the year with tides really pushing fish inshore through and towards the middle days of the month - opportunities can exist almost on demand.

Rating - 4/5
July Bass Fishing Experiences Here Here Here

June weather summary

June was another dry month at almost all stations, continuing a spell of relatively dry weather everywhere since the beginning of 2010. Six-month totals for the year so far are around 75% of normal generally, with only 63% of normal for the period measured at Claremorris. June, like the previous months of this year, was also sunnier than normal everywhere, while most days were warm.

High pressure was the dominant influence over Ireland during much of the month, bringing dry and sunny weather on most days. Monthly rainfall totals were around half of normal in western and northern areas and it was the driest June since 1941 at Malin Head. There was a total of between five and 10 wetdays (days with 1mm or more rainfall), compared with the normal range for June of nine to 13. Little or no rain was measured between the 14th and 27th, with most rain falling in the periods 6th/7th and on the 28th and 30th.

Mean monthly air temperatures were between one and two degrees higher than normal and it was the warmest June for 40 years at both Mullingar and Cork Airport. Mean maximum temperatures were over two degrees above normal at some stations; the period between the 20th and 27th was particularly warm, when daily maximum values rose above 20°C in most areas. Minimum temperatures fell below average around mid-month, with slight ground frost recorded on both the 15th and 19th.

Sunshine totals were above normal for the sixth successive month and were again well above normal in the southwest. Valentia Observatory’s sunshine total for the year so far of 1034 hours represents just over 150% of normal for the six-month period, by far the sunniest such period in over a century of sunshine records at the station. The sunniest days this month were close to the summer solstice, with around 16 hours of daily sunshine in places between the 19th and 21st.

Just reading an article from my old Peche en Mer collection this evening - September 2002 - Eric Le Guyader on the cover - a great guy!

Conditions South East - Week 27

The outlook is for changeable and often unsettled weather. Humid and wet initially ( Thursday night to Saturday morning) with some blight type weather, but brighter and drier later in the weekend and on Monday with sunny spells and scattered showers. THURSDAY NIGHT will be a cloudy night with rain becoming widespread. Close and humid; temperatures staying up in double figures, and fresh southerly winds developing also. FRIDAY will be a dull, damp day, with further spells of rain. The rain will be heavy and persistent over parts of Munster initially, but in most parts of the country later. Mild and humid with temperatures in the high teens. Fairly windy too, with fresh to strong southwesterly winds. Further rain overnight, with the heaviest of the rain likely over Leinster, much of Ulster and east Munster. SATURDAY looks set to start off cloudy and wet in eastern coastal counties of Ulster and Leinster, but this should clear during the morning, so that all parts of the country will have some dry, bright weather with sunny spells, but there will be some showers too. Brighter days for Sunday and Monday with sunny spells and scattered showers, with a good deal of dry weather overall. Top temperatures 16 to 21 C., highest in eastern areas - Source Met Eireann

No crap

.....a word of warning: these fish are not easy and they do not tolerate a lot of bullshit like running motors, bad casts, and know it all fishermen

The minute you choose to spout off on your goofy flats prowess you might as well consider yourself dead while they laugh in your sunburnt face.

www.thisisfly.com

Inland Fisheries Ireland

As part of the overall rationalisation of State agencies that the Minister for Finance announced in Budget 2009, a new national inland fisheries body is to be established which will replace the existing Central and seven Regional Fisheries Boards.

The restructuring will involve the creation of a single national inland fisheries authority, Inland Fisheries Ireland. It is clearly in the nature of the inland fisheries work that the new Authority should be organised with a strong regional presence. The Authority will, therefore, have strong regional executive structures which will be aligned on the basis of the following River Basin Districts:-

* Eastern River Basin District
* North Western River Basin District
* Shannon River Basin District
* South Eastern River Basin District
* South Western River Basin District
* Western River Basin District

The new Authority will continue to be responsible for the conservation, management, regulation and development of the inland fisheries resource in accordance with the existing legislation governing the inland fisheries sector.

You can visit the Inland Fisheries Ireland website here www.fisheriesireland.ie

Alternatively you can continue to use this website to find out about the past activities of Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Up to date angling information and reports are available from the IFI angling site: www.fishinginireland.info/

A difficult but rewarding week