Can this year get any better, and it's only april.

Hi all,
This a catch report and a news flash of sorts.
Well first the news FLASH.
The very kind people at https://www.typhoon-int.co.uk/ have been kind enough to sponsor me new PS220 extreme dry suit. A very nice piece of kit.
It was all organised trough Mike at wet and http://wetandwildwatersports.com/ in Belfast.
As you can see they have a fine selection of stock and can get pretty much anything you need.

Here is Mike, he's the man to sort your water sports needs.

 Oh I had to get a pic while the new suit was still clean, I am 5'7 and I have the small medium size and it is ideal for me. It was a great fit and very comfortable. But a whole lot more on that later.
Thanks to them both and back to the fishing.

A launch in the fog alone.
This particular morning I would be launching alone as the lads had a long way to come and I wanted to get out early.
I got there early but I was met by a thick fog.



I had 2 lots of gps devices with me so I was going out regardless. Soon I was out and searching for fresh bait.
Before I got clear of the bay one of the local lads Declan landed. He was for staying inshore so out deep I went.

Hitting last years marks.
After last years success with the Common Skate I have been trying at every opportunity lately and with the weather I have just managed 2 tries.
The first run out to the mark for our skate was a lot stickier than last year and I had my concerns whether things had changed over the winter.
In the end I anchored exactly on the mark and let the water wolf camera down to the bottom for a luck.
I was desperately disappointed when I got to see the vid at home the ground was devoid of the gravel that was there last year.
Now it is just pure large boulders.
All the gravel seems to be gone, hopefully it will come back. I am not hope full of that so I will have to go on the hunt for new ground and I think the water wolf and gps together will be a massive help.
Despite the fog it was fantastic to be out and the sea was a joy. There was a swell of 4 to 5ft but it was more like curved glass than an actual swell. Brilliant experience.
I anchored in various spots around my mark looking for a clear patch of ground but only hit very sticky ground which is not what you want when after skate.
But I fished on and hoped for the best, sure the day was that nice I wasn't to concerned.

Here come the boys.
After a few hours the lads landed and I headed in to meet them. The fog thinned and thickened as the day went on and half way in the fog thinned enough to get a glimpse of the land.

No bother to the lads, out they came and we headed for a patch of ground and anchored 100yards apart and chummed away like something out of the JAWS movie.

There was no messing with Brian he had a rod and reel with him that was well able to tackle JAWS lol. Mike was also geared up to do battle with what ever we could get but we only managed small stuff with Brian getting the best ling of the day of a few pound. I had 5 species. Dab, Whiting, Ling, Pollock and coalie.

I had one ok ling just big enough for a fresh tasty bait so on he went down to the bottom to see what would take him. He would have been returned but he had thrown out his stomach on the way up.
But he was sent down to the bottom and only a lobster or brown crab had a taste for my ling.
While the ling was on my lap out came this unfortunate creature, what looked like a small half digested 5 beard rockling appeared.

 



After many quiet hours.
The action was very slack and it was time for home, the lads had headed in a head of me and we all had a decent few coalies.
So that was the scene set for the next days fishing.

Day 2.
With the coalies arriving close to shore there was only one thing to do, scrap the original plans for a plaice chase and bring the kids out for some caolie bashing which they love. For those of you that have not had the pleasure, they are like mackerel on steroids and couple that with light gear they are immense fun.

So Craig, Eoin and myself headed out for our mark, there was a stiff breeze blowing across the bay but it was ideal to see what Craig could do paddling wise as he is keen to get out on the salt,]
but he won't going until he could do some proper paddling.

Here they are getting a feel for it before heading out in the bay.It was no bother to him.

 Well he done some proper paddling in bucket loads and could manage it even with his younger brother in the back.
They where a great laugh watching them fishing together.

They had a great time and they had some nice coalies and one point Eoin was shouting his rod was going to break lol. The coalies fought like deamons, it was great fun.

 

 

I will have the video up of the action very soon, Have to say it is one of the better under water action clips. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Thanks for reading and tight lines.