Current conditions are pretty tough today (thursday). Water is heavily weeded and becoming full of particles. It looks like the wind may calm for a short period on thursday night and early friday morning but winds increasing again all day friday. If they blow westerly we may be in luck. I have already driven both sides of the county today chasing clear water - found none but thats life!
Things look like improving over the weekend and early next week!
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Continued surprises
Eileen, my wife is a Cork woman. Her father and mother are both Cork people, we were married in Cork and we have holidayed quite a lot on the Cork coast, in fact we spend a lot of time in Cork. We have our different reasons, Eileen having spent long summers at the holiday house as a child finds a connection, I on the other hand at some time try to connect with fish, Dan and Ruth are 100 metres from the beach and the rock pools! Circles.
Its inevitable that the times we spend in Cork are usually based around neap tides, thats the rule in our house, we live our lives around the tides - no its not quite as bad as that. But yes if I dont have workshops on a neap tide week and Eileen can take one or two days then we are gone. The fishing gear goes too amongst all the other stuff, a small amount at least. Its a small amount but its a good amount. I never plan my fishing times or anything and often, just after a weeks guiding, I don't want to fish for a while. The urge always creeps back though, usually after about 48 hrs.
So my fishing in Cork over the last ten years or so has always been a hit and miss affair or more of a miss I think. Last year I came across a location that held mullet, Gilthead bream, (small) bass and garfish and had a good day with light lure fishing - this year I planned to try them all on the fly. And as they seemed to be present on a neap tide that was exciting too. I went there this week and the fish weren't present - simple.
There is part of me that is resigned to not fishing for bass on neap tides with any real conviction, the other part (the sad one) says different. So on Monday having been to Fota wildlife park with the kids and knowing I was fishing a falling neap tide, in the afternoon mind you, I went fly fishing for bass. Heavy rain, high humidity, strong westerly winds I trudged over to an unfished venue, well at least by me anyway.
Sometimes you just know the fish will be there. Suddenly - gone was the water seeping up my sleeves, gone was the sweat and sluggishness, gone was the resignation. I walked down along a finger of rock and watched the waves roll over them going whiter than white against the dark sky and the green and blue water was fizzing with oxygen and the water was clear and the tide wasnt as far out as I thought and after 20 tough casts I had a fish or a rock no it was a fish - and I was surprised again and again!
Its inevitable that the times we spend in Cork are usually based around neap tides, thats the rule in our house, we live our lives around the tides - no its not quite as bad as that. But yes if I dont have workshops on a neap tide week and Eileen can take one or two days then we are gone. The fishing gear goes too amongst all the other stuff, a small amount at least. Its a small amount but its a good amount. I never plan my fishing times or anything and often, just after a weeks guiding, I don't want to fish for a while. The urge always creeps back though, usually after about 48 hrs.
So my fishing in Cork over the last ten years or so has always been a hit and miss affair or more of a miss I think. Last year I came across a location that held mullet, Gilthead bream, (small) bass and garfish and had a good day with light lure fishing - this year I planned to try them all on the fly. And as they seemed to be present on a neap tide that was exciting too. I went there this week and the fish weren't present - simple.
There is part of me that is resigned to not fishing for bass on neap tides with any real conviction, the other part (the sad one) says different. So on Monday having been to Fota wildlife park with the kids and knowing I was fishing a falling neap tide, in the afternoon mind you, I went fly fishing for bass. Heavy rain, high humidity, strong westerly winds I trudged over to an unfished venue, well at least by me anyway.
Sometimes you just know the fish will be there. Suddenly - gone was the water seeping up my sleeves, gone was the sweat and sluggishness, gone was the resignation. I walked down along a finger of rock and watched the waves roll over them going whiter than white against the dark sky and the green and blue water was fizzing with oxygen and the water was clear and the tide wasnt as far out as I thought and after 20 tough casts I had a fish or a rock no it was a fish - and I was surprised again and again!
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
In Bass Fishing Files Now - Bass fishing on the Cork Coast
Guided Bass fishing today between Kinsale and Crosshaven!
Fishing Report July 29th - Jim Hendrick
Between Kinsale and Crosshaven - 2hr session 4 bass - 3 landed
Landing gear
Redington CPS #7
Danielsson LW 6/9
Vision extreme distance #7 intermediate
Fly - Ger potter hand built half and half 7 inches.
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Fishing conditions were a little difficult with the #7 and the large fly, and as winds blew SWesterly during the afternoon F4-5 throwing diagonal waves onto rocky promontories, and this was of course accompanied by the inevitable rain. The water remained clear and air temperatures very high. Casting was made on the seaward side of the promontories and the fly was allowed to be carried over them into deeper water and then stripped. The fish were hunting along and down behind the wave action and each take was visible often at less than 20 yards - several of the landed fish were mobbed on the way in even in the rough conditions.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Saltwater Flyfishing in an open timber boat
SEAi has aquired an open timber boat - 17 feet long and constructed from larch and oak, it is my intention to use her for Spring seatrout fishing, and summer and autumn bass fishing in and around Wexford harbour.
A team of 'painters' and 'shipwrights' have been gathered to perform the neccessary repairs and I personally will pursue the qualifications and insurances needed to operate her safely over the next few weeks. It is hoped to have her operational before the autumn season begins.
Not built for speed I bought the boat to create an 'experience' of relaxed estuary fly fishing. I feel it will also add a new dimension to 'the one day' fly fishing visitors as we will have the opportunity to reach fish offshore in tidal rips from sandbars and sandy shores.
.JPG)
Conditions South East - Week 31
As tidal co-effecients decrease over the next few days so too will the bass fishing. Weather conditions however look to remain warm, cloudy and winds are remaining light with temperatures high. Towards thursday of next week tides again return to their optimum and I expect the arrival of my next fishing party and hopefully some good fishing too!Im off to Cork for the next five days to chase Gilthead bream and mullet on the fly in some 'secret' locations - I hope to make some good photos and post them here when im back.
Until next week - Bendy Rods
Jim
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Fishing Report July 25 - George and Marc
Marc and George arrived from Ballina on Sunday for some bassfishing. Marc spends his winters in Paris and his summers at Ballina. George doesnt do anything as exotic as that, but gets a head start on the spring salmon!We've had a reasonably good few days even if at times it is tougher than i expected. Numbers of fish whilst good are down a little, but we have had fish every day on both tides. There are lots of net marked fish in many of the systems and the usual poaching activity and its core exponents remain highly visible. There is no intervention by any of the authorities except that placed on anglers.
Spirits are high as we reach mid week and the fun is great - Marc missed what I would consider to be a VERY big fish on monday - we intend to re-introduce ourselves before Saturday. Various
lures and techniques have worked well all week -
Landing Gear Lures – Sammies, spooks, and others
Colour – Brown, grey and brown, black
Rods - Smith Blowshots
Reels - Shimano stella
Line - Powerpro - 8 kgs
Tippett - Rio flouroflex
No particular lure seems to want to stand out this summer so far with most types working well - at the moment I have a slight inclination towards the spook!
Conditions over the week varied from bright sunshine to heavy and muggy overcast days. We were managing on average 9 fish per day which is below my expectations given the almost ideal weather and tides.Thursday proved the most fruitful with the sharp easterly putting some action into the sea and generating some nice little waves providing oxygen.
We will fly fish today and saturday for more bass!
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Conditions South East - Week 30
Its beginning to shape up to be another good week for bass fishing conditions on the south east coast. Winds are currently in a North westerly direction and may be making the water a little 'hard'. During midweek it looks like more cloud cover high temperatures and as the wind swings more westerly that 'softness' will return - thursday looks like a little rain and an increase in wind strength making great fishing conditions. Tidal co-efficients remain good right through to next weekend.Bendy Rods
Jim
Friday, 18 July 2008
In Bass Fishing Files Now - 'Guiding On The Waterford Coast'
I have been doing a lot of work on the Waterford coast recently - I travelled to guide some customers late yesterday evening and today - you can find the flies, the techniques, the strategy here later this weekend!
Ger Potters Summer of Silver Continues
Whilst guiding Ger Potter on the waterford coast on friday his summer of bass on the fly continued with this beautiful fish.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Fishing Report July 16 - Stuart Duncan
This was Stuart Duncans (who travelled from Angola) first ever bass! I'm estimating the fish to be very close to specimen weight - it (amongst others) went back nicely today.
Landing Gear
Lures – Zara super spook - LC Sammy
Colour – Brown and grey
Rods - Smith Bayliner
Reels - Shimano Tecnium 2500
Line - Powerpro - 8 kgs
Tippett - Rio flouroflex - 12 kgs
Conditions
Temperature - 16 degrees
Wind - South/South west 4- 5
Cloud – Lots of cover and rain
Water - Clear
Tide - Mid Spring
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Conditions South East - Week 29
It looks like a reasonably good week ahead for bass fishing on the south east. Water clarity has improved dramatically and prevailing winds will tend to be westerly in the next few days. This will help to keep water clarity high. Temperatures are high and as tidal co-efficients build during the week I expect fishing to be good.A lot of cloud cover is forecast so light levels will be very good too!
I dont see surface lure or fly fishing to be a problem - lets keep our fingers crossed
Bendy Rods
Jim
Friday, 11 July 2008
On the fly this week
It has been a busy week with four saltwater flyfishing workshops delivered. Alan Chadfield from London flew in on Monday for a One Stop Solution to techniques and methods for saltwater bass fishing on the fly.On Tuesday I enjoyed the company of Bill Mosse and his group of trout and salmon fishermen - the guys also wanted to know the basics of saltwater flyfishing and casting.
Fintan dropped in on Wednesday evening to try for a bass on the fly but was met with very difficult conditions - colored water and strong south westerlies. So we worked on some casting techniques - Im guessing he had some fun (see left). It took Alans visit on Friday to finally get a fish - Alan also attended the Saltwater flyfishing workshop during which he also caught some nice bass!A good week by any account.
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