Shore fishing report for 2011
Posted: 06 Feb 2012, 21:16Beara Shore Fishing Report 2011
The year started pretty much as it finished with plenty of cod and bass about, in fact they far outnumbered the anglers and I virtually had the whole peninsula to myself.
Mid April saw Jason, Simon and Sean arrive and fishing proper started. Lovely warm sunny weather and higher than normal water temerature gave them a great weeks fishing with thornies to 8lbs, Huss to 11lbs, conger to 20lbs, loads of pollack to 6lbs and the icing on the cake a specimen Homelyn (Spotted) Ray for Simon at 5lbs 12ozs which turned out to be the top one of the year.
Best Thornback of the year fell to Gav from Shoreham with a 12lbs fish from DOD but he was pushed hard with plenty of double figure fish caught through the year.
The pollack fishing was a real highlight of the season and provided lots of arm aching exercice. Nick and Marcus Dean from Manchester had a day out at Dursey and caught 70 fish to 7lbs 4ozs and a solitary wrasse of 3lbs. On the same day Ferry, Edwin, Tonni and Martin from Holland were having their first experience of pollack fishing and finished up with 38 including our best of season, a cracking 9lbs 2ozs. A must mention for Steve Nicks from Kent who on his first visit to Ireland caught 128 pollack to 8lbs in a hectic 3 day visit.
It was a welcome back to Dromagowlane to Henry Gilbey who found bass on the Beara elusive but he made up for it with the pollack as he took lure caught fish to 8lbs while fly fishing guru Nick Hart joined in the fun with fish to 6lbs on the fly rod. Also here for all to short a visit lure masters Danny Parkin and Jim O'Donnell.
Harry Mounsey and brother Mike visited us both in June and September and were rewarded with several fine 10lb plus huss and conger. Also into some good huss were father and son Barry and Greg from Suffolk with over 40 for the week up to 11lbs.
No really big conger to report but plenty of fish to 16lbs and a few tales of monsters that got away but we know where they live and you can be sure there will be several people targeting them in 2012.
As summer started to slip into Autumn the fishing carried on with little change except I wondered if/when the cod of last year would make an appearance. They were found by Chris and Mike from Worthing who caught18 species during their visit topped by a superb 3lbs 9oz plaice By Chris. This was the best plaice recorded in Ireland last year and its picture was used on the front cover of the 2011 Specimen Fish Report.
Late October saw the annual arrival of Belgian anglers Bart and Davey and to see some of their results check out 'Belgian guy goes fishing' on You Tube where there are several video reports.
Into November and a mini invasion from Dorset and Somerset saw a hectic weeks fishing. This was the groups 7th visit and the target to win the money pot this year was a species hunt.
Mark came out the winner with 17 species while the group took a total of 26 for the week including out of season sea trout, bass, cod and a few species we had to get the books out to identify!.
A regular visitor is my good friend Ashley Hayden from Wexford with Dave, a first time visitor to the Beara. Straight into Flounders, dabs, plaice and codling they also added some good bass to 4lb+ and on their last session Dave had a fine Bull Huss which could have been best of the year but sadly no scales to prove it, however a fish of at least 12lbs+.
The season finished in mid November with Dave Tims and John Horseman arriving for a 3 day blitz and fishing a mixture of bait and lure they accounted for 26 bass and a 'by-catch' of 20 codling between 2-4lb. Best bass was 5lbs 11ozs.
A feature of this year has been the number of new species being caught and this is no accident as we have looked at new marks and moved away from purely fish baits to seek out the plaice etc. that we always knew were in the area but never fished for. The unknown is what can make a days fishing and Steve Escott from Norfolk showed to expect the unexpected when I put him on one of my favourite huss marks and he put out rag on a second rod and caught two fine sole, best fish at 1.5lbs.
What can we expect in 2012?
Well more of the same will be good enough for me, a few new marks to be explored and certainly different baits on established ,marks could produce a surprise or two.
Whatever comes along Anne & I wish everyone a healthy, wealthy and fish filled 2012 especially if you are here on the beautiful Beara and apologies to the guests who caught many fish and many personal bests but did not get a mention.
www.bearaseafishing.com
www.dromagowlanehouse.com
The year started pretty much as it finished with plenty of cod and bass about, in fact they far outnumbered the anglers and I virtually had the whole peninsula to myself.
Mid April saw Jason, Simon and Sean arrive and fishing proper started. Lovely warm sunny weather and higher than normal water temerature gave them a great weeks fishing with thornies to 8lbs, Huss to 11lbs, conger to 20lbs, loads of pollack to 6lbs and the icing on the cake a specimen Homelyn (Spotted) Ray for Simon at 5lbs 12ozs which turned out to be the top one of the year.
Best Thornback of the year fell to Gav from Shoreham with a 12lbs fish from DOD but he was pushed hard with plenty of double figure fish caught through the year.
The pollack fishing was a real highlight of the season and provided lots of arm aching exercice. Nick and Marcus Dean from Manchester had a day out at Dursey and caught 70 fish to 7lbs 4ozs and a solitary wrasse of 3lbs. On the same day Ferry, Edwin, Tonni and Martin from Holland were having their first experience of pollack fishing and finished up with 38 including our best of season, a cracking 9lbs 2ozs. A must mention for Steve Nicks from Kent who on his first visit to Ireland caught 128 pollack to 8lbs in a hectic 3 day visit.
It was a welcome back to Dromagowlane to Henry Gilbey who found bass on the Beara elusive but he made up for it with the pollack as he took lure caught fish to 8lbs while fly fishing guru Nick Hart joined in the fun with fish to 6lbs on the fly rod. Also here for all to short a visit lure masters Danny Parkin and Jim O'Donnell.
Harry Mounsey and brother Mike visited us both in June and September and were rewarded with several fine 10lb plus huss and conger. Also into some good huss were father and son Barry and Greg from Suffolk with over 40 for the week up to 11lbs.
No really big conger to report but plenty of fish to 16lbs and a few tales of monsters that got away but we know where they live and you can be sure there will be several people targeting them in 2012.
As summer started to slip into Autumn the fishing carried on with little change except I wondered if/when the cod of last year would make an appearance. They were found by Chris and Mike from Worthing who caught18 species during their visit topped by a superb 3lbs 9oz plaice By Chris. This was the best plaice recorded in Ireland last year and its picture was used on the front cover of the 2011 Specimen Fish Report.
Late October saw the annual arrival of Belgian anglers Bart and Davey and to see some of their results check out 'Belgian guy goes fishing' on You Tube where there are several video reports.
Into November and a mini invasion from Dorset and Somerset saw a hectic weeks fishing. This was the groups 7th visit and the target to win the money pot this year was a species hunt.
Mark came out the winner with 17 species while the group took a total of 26 for the week including out of season sea trout, bass, cod and a few species we had to get the books out to identify!.
A regular visitor is my good friend Ashley Hayden from Wexford with Dave, a first time visitor to the Beara. Straight into Flounders, dabs, plaice and codling they also added some good bass to 4lb+ and on their last session Dave had a fine Bull Huss which could have been best of the year but sadly no scales to prove it, however a fish of at least 12lbs+.
The season finished in mid November with Dave Tims and John Horseman arriving for a 3 day blitz and fishing a mixture of bait and lure they accounted for 26 bass and a 'by-catch' of 20 codling between 2-4lb. Best bass was 5lbs 11ozs.
A feature of this year has been the number of new species being caught and this is no accident as we have looked at new marks and moved away from purely fish baits to seek out the plaice etc. that we always knew were in the area but never fished for. The unknown is what can make a days fishing and Steve Escott from Norfolk showed to expect the unexpected when I put him on one of my favourite huss marks and he put out rag on a second rod and caught two fine sole, best fish at 1.5lbs.
What can we expect in 2012?
Well more of the same will be good enough for me, a few new marks to be explored and certainly different baits on established ,marks could produce a surprise or two.
Whatever comes along Anne & I wish everyone a healthy, wealthy and fish filled 2012 especially if you are here on the beautiful Beara and apologies to the guests who caught many fish and many personal bests but did not get a mention.
www.bearaseafishing.com
www.dromagowlanehouse.com