Joys of hard rock fishing

Co. Donegal

Another few fantastic days out fishing. Nothing can beat when just everything click together, the fresh air, perfect conditions, breath taking view, and all what you have to do is fish hard to catch a dream fish. Its better than any therapy on the world and by the time you hunt for the " life time fish" do you still so happy with any size witch decide to take bend on the rod and let you to take your trophy shot. And see them happily swim away after release .

Fishing for wrasse is slowly make me wonder more and more about sea fishing. As a fresh water angler is quiet a big word. No matter what size they are , always top sport on soft plastic lures.

Its seem they cant resist for some sorted colours such as pumpkin seed, water melon red,chartreuse sparkle, motor oil, gudgeon, pumpkin seed blue sparkle specially from Z-man rabel, we use them successfully on the trips. In variations of shapes like, curling tail grub shads, senkos, paddle tail shads, slender tail worms, beaver style baits, soft plastic crabs, scented shrimps, yabby craws. The sky is the limit. But once you got the right colour in the right shape its not always enaugh, because this fish designed to live in the gullies and rocks and feed mostly on crabs etc they still not predators and really facy abaut the lure presentation. Quiet a challenge to work all this points out well, plus read the weather conditions and tide times, such a short time to think, once they switch on feed you have to be ready to rock and roll.

My personal best wrasse 4.5lb on this trip

Cant wait to go back to this stunning country side and stunning coast line of the Atlantic Ocean. So much more to discover. But maybe back a little bit for the fresh water fishing, the northernn pike season gonna kick  soon and really dont wanna miss that meeting with the green beautys, plus have one more extra adrenalin bomb about, i have a chance to try and test some Megabass lures from the Japanese guys. New big adventures coming up so stay tuned guys and tight lines .

All for one and one for all

Abu Garcia Veritas

( 7ft, 3 -15g )

This rod is became as my one and only, well as a maniac its not the only rod what i had but still the most special from all of them. People complaining that fishing is too expensive sport, well i think i easely can deny that. The market is insanly hudge, i cant even choose myself but with a little clever thinking can discover a lot of tipe of pieces with a great set up. For example this rod is perfect for spinning around salt or fresh water . Light enaugh to have good fun on perch or seatrout, but tough enaugh to handle a decent seabass or pike. Very popular rod for  american anglers, use it very succesfully for fresh water large mouth bass. Im personally in love with this series, mostly because its a "tough guy" when it comes to handle a fish, but such a sensitive body to feel every single little moves on the lure.  Of course to choose a rod its different and personal for everybody, but once you find "the great love"  you hooked on.

Daiwa Legalis 2506 SH

Ohh yess the Daiwa legalis, well the Japanese company really knows whats the fishermens dream. Should say this reels one of must have sexy piece of kit.  Im personally not a fan for the heavy set up when its comes to spinning. if you knows how to fight with the fish not really need it anyway. A few details of this beauty :

Gear Ratio: 6.2:1 (93cm) , Weight: 260g , Ball Bearings: 4+1 , Max Drag: 4.0kg , Spool Cap.:5lb/140m. Its a pretty fast reel witch is ideal for sea fishing, provide amazing speed for top water lures. Also very succesfull on fresh water as well specially at summer time when the weed comes up and makes the spinning a bit more difficult. I also think another special feature for this reels the super smooth drag system, set it up for the right line i never has broken line on me when it comes to fight with bigger fish.


So however im still not spend the future on my kit but for a bit of invest i have what i need . Next mission is gonna be about " match the hatch" between fresh or salt water lures .

Wrasse paradise

Finally get a few days out on the rocks, hunting for some "gold fish". I personally love fishing for wrasse, they are pretty powerfull species. Manage to fish for them a good few time since last year and have to say i have surprise every time end of my line. From the bite witch could take the rod out of your hands if you lame , actually never can tell the size what you hook. Even the small ones provide exellent fight on light gear, and the variation of colours is magnificent, every single one of them has different pattern and beautiful shades of colours.

The feeding habit of wrasse could be very tricky and operated on tide levels and weather conditions. Well the "fight with the elements" never been new for fisherman any way. But once they switch on the feed we manage double hook ups on the session, right place right time. The interesting thing was that we fished around the spot for 4-6 hrs before they decided to feed and before that manage a few fish but they where very picky abaut lures and presentation etc, by that time the tide turns low to high and the sky gets cloudy a bit, booom with those conditions we have non stop blend on the rods.

Awsome ground to try soft plastic lure technics.Because they could be pickey most the time, could be usefull if you target a few colour and shape variations under your slave. Can try different rigs, the presentation also important for them, they are not predators but somehow the Fiiish Black Minnow is savage for them, witch completly fish shape imitation they still take a bite. Also used with very much succes soft plastic worms, senkos, and crab imitations rigged on texas,carolina or jika rigs.

Jika rig

 Texas rig

Well at the end i spend a really awsome few days on the rocks of Atlantic, learn a bit more how the sea and the conditions could effect the fish feeding habit, and experience a hudge variety of technics and lure choices, styles. One step closer to read the sea :)