Thursday 31 January 2013

From Spring minnows to Autumn giants

To see some of the exciting range of bass flies that I have available, from early season mini flatwings to giant autumn/winter hollow fleyes then why not pay a visit to my stand at www.hooked.ie this weekend. All flies are hand tied in Ireland by Brian Healey.

Easy to cast, durable, and ‘fishy’, bass and seatrout like them too.

If your considering a venture into Saltwater fly then you’ll find a range of ECHO saltwater rods on the stand to suit all interested anglers. A small range of accessories for the Irish saltwater fisher, leaders, lines, line trays, reels, will also be on display.

A show special is available – When purchasing an outfit at the show (rod reel line) a complimentary five hour workshop Intro to Saltwater Fly Fishing is available for this weekend only!

Also on my stand will be a collection of Lucky Craft, SMITH, and Illex hard and soft lures suitable for both bass and seatrout fishing – tried and tested favourites of mine!

Of course workshops and guiding will also be available in both disciplines of Fly or Lure.

I’ll be at my stand on both days Saturday and Sunday and if you have any questions or want a quick chat regarding your bass fishing then I will be more than happy to try and help

Jim Hendrick

Thursday 24 January 2013

Collaboration

I don’t think I’ll ever be a successful fly tier, in fact I’ll probably never be a fly tier of any merit at all! I simply don’t have the skill to repeat the exactitude and visionary materials management required.

That doesn’t mean I cant dream of what a fly might or can do if it possessed certain qualities of shape and size and movement and colour and position…this is what I think about a lot of the time

Bass fishing wexfordA fly of a certain type in a certain place at the right time can surely help matters. Planning to be in the right place at the right is part of the essential skill of bass fishing.

But sometimes things just tend to graduate towards each other with no planning, no reason and sometimes the accidental, the mysterious reasons for that meeting are beyond explanation, the results however can be enormously positive. A mystery.

Brian Healey and I fenced around each other for a year or two, neither of us quite sure what the other had found. Circling and chatting and playing cards close to our chests! And then slowly and over time it has formed into an easy, strong and understanding collaboration.

Brian Healey builds me flies like no one else – the flies are simply what and how I would imagine and want them to be – they are locked onto my instinct for bass fishing, or then again maybe Brian Healey is, maybe its all just part of the mystery.

And the extension of that of course is the confidence I have when my customers or I are fishing them. Who cares where that confidence extends from, that debate rages all over the tackle industry, I know I’m happy and feel good. Its great to work together. To have the time and patience and rewards of working and doing and trying and failing and trying again.

If you are looking for something a little bit special, unique, of extraordinary quality, then why not pay us a visit at www.hooked.ie where we will present a range of quality Irish made saltwater flies for both bass and seatrout fishing in the sea.

Jim and Brian

Thursday 17 January 2013

Chasing silver returns ?

bass fishing wexford

Nothing is any good unless you work for it, and if the work is hard enough, you don’t have to possess the trophy to own it.

Robert Ruark – big game hunter, writer

www.chasingsilver.org

Monday 14 January 2013

You Jean Byrne and bass fishing

Nine steps to better bass fishing – A short presentation

At www.hooked.ie February 2nd 2013

 

  • Jean Byrne and ‘that dress’ - a theory or two!Jean Byrne
  • Optimising your skill whilst recognising your passion
  • Do you want to cast expensive pieces of plastic or do you want to catch fish?
  • Disbelieving the digital angling hype – after all you are only one person
  • A fishing schedule may not improve your angling
  • Fish like it’s your last chance to fish – sometimes
  • Constant change is the only constant
  • Risk can be costly, but routine can be meaningless
  • Make some of your own experiences yours and yours alone

Thursday 10 January 2013

The weather of 2012 Cold and very wet

bass fishing WexfordThe first three months of  the year and August reported above average mean temperatures, with remaining months of the year reporting colder than normal conditions in most places. March was the warmest month, relative to average,
with deviations from normal above 2.0°C at some Dublin stations and in parts of  the West and Southwest.
These stations reported it as the warmest March in at least 50 years. October was the most relatively cold month, with mean temperature as much as -2.0°C below average and the majority of  stations in the Northern half  of  the country reporting the coldest October since 1993 (19 years). Overall, annual mean temperatures were mostly on, or slightly below average with a few stations in the West, Southwest and Dublin reporting slightly above average.

Mean temperatures ranged from 8.7°C at Knock Airport, its coldest year since 2001 (11 years) to 11.0°C at Sherkin Island and Valentia Observatory.  The majority of  annual highest maximum temperatures were recorded during the months of  May, July and August. The highest temperature of  2012* was 28.3°C at Ardfert (Liscahane), Co. Kerry on May 25th, its highest June and annual maximum since 2006 (6 years). Other stations in the West and Southwest also reported their highest annual maxima in six years on the 25th May.  Most lowest temperatures were recorded in February, October and December with the lowest temperature this year* of  -6.7°C recorded at both Thomastown (Mt. Juliet), Co. Kilkenny and Carrickmacross (Dunoge),Co.  Monaghan during a cold spell the start of  February, with Derrygreenagh, Co. Offaly recording the lowest grass minimum temperature of  -12.2°C at the same time.

Annual rainfall totals for 2012 were near or above average nearly everywhere, with below average totals in some parts of the Midlands and West.  March was the most relatively dry month with percentage of  long-term average (LTA)values ranging from just 12% in parts of  the South, and with most locations across the country reporting it as the driest March on record. In contrast, June was extremely wet, with many rainfall totals in the eastern half  of  the country nearly triple their LTAs and the majority of  stations across the country reporting it as their wettest June on record. Percentage of  average annual values ranged from 77% at Mace Head to 123% at Casement Aerodrome with the percentage average rainfall of  103% at Athenry, its driest year since 2007 (5 years). Most other stations reported 2012 was not as wet as 2009. The highest daily rainfall of  the year was at 99.5 mm at Lough Glencar, Co.Leitrim recorded during thunderstorms on the June 8th, its highest annual and June daily rain bass fishing wexfordfall on record since 1993 (19 years) while Malin Head reported 50.9 mm of  rain on June 22nd, its highest annual and June fall since 1987 (25 years).

Sunshine totals were near or above average at most synoptic sunshine stations, except for Cork Airport and Valentia Observatory which both reported LTA values below 90%. Percentage of  average annual values ranged from 86% at Valentia Observatory which reported its dullest year since 1983 (29 years) to 106% at Belmullet which reported it dullest year since 2002 (10 years). Most remaining sunshine stations reported their lowest sunshine in at least seven to 18 years. The sunniest months relative to average were September and October, with June recording the least. During June, Cork Airport reported only 54% of  its LTA and its dullest June since the station opened in 1962 (50 years). The majority of  stations recorded their sunniest day of  the year at the end of  May, with the highest daily sunshine of  the year* of  15.7 hours recorded at Ballyshannon (Cathleen’s Fall), Co. Donegal  on May 27th, equalling its highest annual daily sunshine since 1988 (24 years).

Friday 4 January 2013

11th Guiding season – 6th year Probassfisher

‘And then the one day you find
Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun’

Pink Floyd – Time

Ten guided ‘fishing years’ have got behind me already, and sitting here writing this its hard to believe. I’ve seen, experienced, witnessed and learned a lot in those guiding years, most of it probably has very little to do with fish.

The experiences have no doubt, whether good or bad, changed my life and the way I see and interpret many things including people. I’m glad to say that the good times far outweigh the bad, and as I look back at any year from the past ten, whether good or bad from a fishing perspective, there are countlessbass fishing wexford significant moments of many many types.

Today I continue to surround my fishing life with people whom I want to fish with and indeed who like to fish with me. I work as hard as ever to improve and change the service and to demonstrate what this country has to offer, and I continue to learn of new fishing locations, techniques and methods. I am challenged constantly by fly fishing in the sea.

This personal investment grows greater within me every time I go to the sea. I spend very little time thinking about tackle to any great extent  - I have what I need, a rod a line a hook and bait, the correct clothing and accessories. I do however, spend a lot of time thinking about fishing and fish and tactics and influences and experiences. This has always been the way for me.

As each season now becomes more important, the things that make that season worthwhile, for both you and I, have a lot to do with the anticipation of the events, the times, the experiences that make us feel good. There is no doubt I have learned of many fishing irrelevancies and have become less and less inclined to spend time on any of them. The experience is where its at.

That enthusiasm to make the next session or season or experience better than the last suffered through 2012, badly. What lies ahead who knows. But I do know this, with the right people around you anything is possible! 2012 proved this to me again.

I intend to continue to have the right people around me – whether as a customer, a friend or a collaborator.

I look forward to kick starting a fledgling saltwater fly fishing group later this month, appearing at Hooked live in February, running the new boat, continuing on the BSc degree and adding to the Fly Shop, and more too -  busy busy!

I just heard the starting gun for 2013, season 11 starts…keep casting and stay safe! - Jim

New Website

The beginning AND the end…

Forwarded to - The Irish Bass Policy Group (David McInerny, John Quinlan, Shane O Reilly, Mike Hennessy, Dr William Roche, Dr Nial O'Ma...