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Ireland Spearing 2012

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Johnny I can't like your idea enough :)

Didn't some boat angler get a 3.5 lber or something like that last year in or near that place? In a boat angling comp?
It was a 6lb plaice landed in about 8m water about 500m east of where we anchored.
On a different occasion, I met a angler in a boat near guileen and he told me he used to spear along this coast years and years ago, he said he used go to that same spot for flatfish... but it was the black sole's he used get... 2 or 3 a dive so he told me. This is before I told him anything about the plaice.
I went there once from guileen in my kayak but it was a very long paddle to and back.I plan to launch from the slip at roches point next and go around that way, its shorter but there is more boat traffic. Actually the time I went there with my kayak I spotted a turbot about hand sized... he was impossible to see unless he was actually moving, even when I knew where he was... I'm sure his brothers are nearby!!

So between your plaice's, our shot cod, the area littered with bass, The old spearo / anglers sole and my spotted turbot it really does sound like a great spot from several different sources...

Its just a balls to get to!!

But anytime you feel like poping out there, just say the word adn we'll do our best to organise something... friday could be good ;)
 
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I'm out with the rod Friday to the ling rocks for big cod hopefully.
I'll keep an eye on the weather and make a plan!!
 
Hello guys, greatings from Russell in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand!!!
How is the new year going so far and what was the summer season like as I didn't get a chance to go out at all, beside one magical week in Donegal in August.
I hope you all a good coming summers season and Happy New years from down here :D

The water around here is so nice, no need for a wetsuit and the fish are soooo plentiful, it's almost too easy. Not like back home where you really have to work for it :p

Jason.

Ah, Russell. Great spot. Always a shame to leave Northland to go back to work.

The general story with Russell is that the population explodes over xmas/ny, and fishos/divers with boats come from far and wide, chuck their cray pots over the side and pretty much clean up all the crayfish and/or chuck their dredges over side and pretty much clean up all the scallops for the holiday period. Right now I wouldn't want to be a spearo trying to get a feed of cray/scallop from a shore dive in Russell - there probably wouldn't be much around.

Are you permanently in NZ, Jason? Where are ye based? I'm coming over at the start of March for a couple of weeks, and my schedule is pretty much just going to be hunting or fishing. :D
 
Ah, Russell. Great spot. Always a shame to leave Northland to go back to work.

The general story with Russell is that the population explodes over xmas/ny, and fishos/divers with boats come from far and wide, chuck their cray pots over the side and pretty much clean up all the crayfish and/or chuck their dredges over side and pretty much clean up all the scallops for the holiday period. Right now I wouldn't want to be a spearo trying to get a feed of cray/scallop from a shore dive in Russell - there probably wouldn't be much around.

Are you permanently in NZ, Jason? Where are ye based? I'm coming over at the start of March for a couple of weeks, and my schedule is pretty much just going to be hunting or fishing. :D

At the moment I am working in the Duke but i'll be leaving in the next week to go down to the Marlborough sounds for 3 months. Working in Ferneaux Lodge (an hour and a half boat ride to get to!!!). I'm in NZ on a working visa holiday, till next December, so once I finish up in Picton I will be completely foot loose again. If you want I can PM you my mobile number so if you want to send me a message when you get over here to arrange a possible spearing day.

Also I got a pair of Cressi Gara 3000LD's and I love them to bits. In my 15 years of snorkeling/freediving I have never had a pair of fins like them. I'm very happy :D
 
Johnny I can't like your idea enough :)


It was a 6lb plaice landed in about 8m water about 500m east of where we anchored.
On a different occasion, I met a angler in a boat near guileen and he told me he used to spear along this coast years and years ago, he said he used go to that same spot for flatfish... but it was the black sole's he used get... 2 or 3 a dive so he told me. This is before I told him anything about the plaice.
I went there once from guileen in my kayak but it was a very long paddle to and back.I plan to launch from the slip at roches point next and go around that way, its shorter but there is more boat traffic. Actually the time I went there with my kayak I spotted a turbot about hand sized... he was impossible to see unless he was actually moving, even when I knew where he was... I'm sure his brothers are nearby!!

So between your plaice's, our shot cod, the area littered with bass, The old spearo / anglers sole and my spotted turbot it really does sound like a great spot from several different sources...

Its just a balls to get to!!

But anytime you feel like poping out there, just say the word adn we'll do our best to organise something... friday could be good ;)

Sounds like a great spot for a night dive, except the issue of getting there and back. An overnight Spearo camping trip during the summer perhaps?
 
Sounds like a great spot for a night dive, except the issue of getting there and back. An overnight Spearo camping trip during the summer perhaps?


That, my friend, is a dam fine idea!!
I might even help organise it!!

So in 2012.... we'll have a few freedive ireland weekend dips in sligo! The west cork trigger fish weekend at the end of the summer... and the roches point flattie bashing weekend + optional night dive :)

Looking good!!:wave
 
Only thing is you need to be able to spot the plaice when they're buried!!!!
I re-ran that vid a few times and still couldn't see the fish until he'd shot them. I reckon he was fairly deep too but there didn't seem to be any current.

Hi Sunfish, They are very hard to find but once you find a big 5lb+ Plaice its fuel to keep you looking until the next. My average catch was 4 from 60 dives in deepths from 8m to 11. Some spots were deeper,11m to 15m. There was a current running but i picked my dive times. I needed days with good viz so when on the surface breathing up you could keep a eye on the reef so as not to loose the spot i last dived. Some times the current would move me off it and i would end up diving the ground i had already dived. Its like say diving for bass,you get a eye for the type of ground they like and its the same with the plaice.
I use a 35mm camera so its very bulky. Diving to those depths is tiring with a bulky bit of kit like that so i used to leave the gun with the camera on attached to my float. The float would be close by attached with a drop weight. I would find a plaice and if he looked like he was going to stay put i would come straight up look at the float to mark the spot. Swim back swap guns then go back and look for the plaice. Some times i would take ages to find that same fish again. Even though i knew he was there it would take several dives to find him.
Still it was great fun diving for them. Great for improving fitness and bottom times. A change from the normal stuff and most of all great eating.
Dive safe guys
 
I'm out here at the moment. Vis is rubbish. Scrap tomorrow's session.

figured a boat dive would be rubbish... I was planning a shore dive at a east facing location. Should be a few days clear-ness there!

Any fish biting out there now?
 
Had octopus, wrass, cod, gurnard, pollock, big whiting and even found a huge bait ball. Amazing. Stuck the net in and got loads of bait!! Little herring. Live bait and all but no big fish.
 
Had octopus, wrass, cod, gurnard, pollock, big whiting and even found a huge bait ball. Amazing. Stuck the net in and got loads of bait!! Little herring. Live bait and all but no big fish.

Octopus sounds crazy!!! Have you any plans at all for tomorrow?
 
Effen delighted!!!!

IFI staff seized 45 bass and over 1000m of net in a fisheries protection operation yesterday morning.
http://www.facebook.com/inlandfisheriesireland
409186_290339967680634_167934446587854_748663_813732614_n.jpg


Following an investigation into illegal activities in east cork.... it was a raid this morning.....

Barstewards!!!!
 
Yep. All hands on deck. Be vigilant lads and report illegal fishing.
It's Everyone's responsibility to keep our stocks up.
This will be the first of many.......
Poachers beware!!!!!!
 
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