Ireland spearing 2010

[fcallagy]

On the plus side Rob you gave us all a good story and still have a nice fish!!!

 

[johnnybuoy]

keep at it is the only tip ya need. had a lot of those days when i started too but everything that went wrong wont go wrong again. my entry into the FOM doesnt qualify as the photo is crap. biggest bass there too:rcard. ah well better keep tryin!!:martial

 

[sunfish]

my entry into the FOM doesnt qualify as the photo is crap. biggest bass there too:rcard. ah well better keep tryin!!:martial

I always go to the neighbours for a paper, going door to door 'til I get one. I never read the things and I'm too mean to buy one.

 

[johnnybuoy]

ill do that next time dave. got out east again today. took 7 shots at bass, 2 of which were over 6lb but missed 5 times and had 2 tear off, one of those days:vangry. vis was terrible, 2m max. took a 3/4lb mullet and that was it. nice to be out though.

 

[bobdonny]

from fishing days solunar thoery suggests new and full moon are some of the best times to fish... is this the reverse for spearing?

went to a bass/mullet spot on sat after work for an hour. sun was setting so i took a torch... great swim but only saw some massive 3 foot doggies.

went to another spot last night after training for an hour, again not a sign of bass/mullet (and its usually crawling). i did grab a wrasse and in the last few mins i ran into some nice pollock and took one. also thinking back to the fom discussion thread i chanced my arm at shooting a sandeel.... and got it!!! but the stringer wouldnt fit through his gills so i put it throut the spearhole and when i got out the sandeel was gone... musta lost it on a rock

ps...vis was an amazing 10-15m yesterday! worth a swim alone, but my back is still bad and cant wear weights yet so only using the 3mm so limited to 1 hour.

no pics as they were processed and in the freezer when i came down from the shower + putting kiddies to bed

so tell me, does the solunar theory work in reverse for spearfishing? should have hit a surf beach instead of a reef?

 

[NZRegan]

Hey lads,

I've been reading the various Ireland spearing threads over the last few weeks, learning a lot about spearo action in Ireland. It's good to see the fish are coming in thick and fast this summer. Can't wait to get out there now!

I come cap-in-hand hoping to be put in the right direction for a dive for the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend! From Dublin, I'm heading up to Donegal (Dunfanaghy to be specific) for Sat/Sun/Mon and trying to figure out where would be a good to go for a first dive - somewhere like a relatively protected bay would suit.

I'm not trawling for any 'X marks the spot' locations; just a place where I can maybe hide from the weather (looks like 20knt, 2m westerlies up in Dunfanaghy this weekend) and trial my spearfishing gear in Irish waters!

Cheers, Regan

 

[NZRegan]

from fishing days solunar thoery suggests new and full moon are some of the best times to fish... is this the reverse for spearing?

so tell me, does the solunar theory work in reverse for spearfishing? should have hit a surf beach instead of a reef?

Hey BD,

My take on the solunar fishing situation is that fish are more likely to be out feeding during these moon times, which works nicely for bait-toting fishermen. The difference between spearos and rod fishermen is that we actually get a daily snapshot of the fishing environment, whereas fishermen pull in either more fish or less fish. In my experience for subsequent dives at the same dive sites, you will definitely get 'fishie days' and 'non-fishie days' (i.e. you see less fish out-and-about). I think that the solunar calender is something that spearos should keep an eye on, but it's not the only factor for getting 'above-the-odds' when you go fishing. Others are:

* Tide time. Getting into a good amount of current is a sure way of coming across pelagic fish. Added to that, I find that an incoming tide often has better visibility.
* Time of day. Sunrise and sunset.
* Spawning season. During spawning season and normally for a while after, fish move into shallower water and generally as spearos we see more of them.
* Swell and Visibility. We need the weather to play ball so we can dive.

But the most important factor to remember is...

* The best time to shoot fish is when you're in the water! No wet = no fish!

 

[bobdonny]

Hey BD,

My take on the solunar fishing situation is that fish are more likely to be out feeding during these moon times, which works nicely for bait-toting fishermen.

Thats what i reckon, and the poor bait fishing times should help spearfishing in the holding area's.

i dont know any sites outside of cork (maybe u should come down ) but good luck in 20nts and 2m swell

 

[johnnybuoy]

rob, i was on a surf beach yesterday(u can prob guess wat one)and there were loads of bass but just couldnt get one so maybe you are right. i always reckon they feed in the bad vis of sandy areas when the swell is up around the 1-1.5M mark. plenty of sandeel but the bass were spotting me first:rcard.
On a brighter note, my suit came, great suit but no loading pad. better toughen up my chest i suppose!!!!

 

[williew]

hi regan
i have been up to dunfanaghy a couple of times. a more remote and beautiful place you wont find in ireland. i spent some time on gola island , you could try there. if you climb there is some amazing sea cliff climbing, i snorkelled and saw lots of fish.(wasnt spearing at the time). you can get a boat over and camp on the island, its uninhabited but there is fresh water.
hope thats some help

 

[bobdonny]

rob, i was on a surf beach yesterday(u can prob guess wat one)and there were loads of bass but just couldnt get one so maybe you are right. i always reckon they feed in the bad vis of sandy areas when the swell is up around the 1-1.5M mark. plenty of sandeel but the bass were spotting me first:rcard.
On a brighter note, my suit came, great suit but no loading pad. better toughen up my chest i suppose!!!!

Yep, Johnny I know the spot Its where I would go if I was using a rod when the fish are hunting... I went there once on the same tidal and solar / lunar condition as you had yesterday... Vis was so bad I left the spear gear on the beach after an hour. Then when I was playing in the surf they were all around me, but I could not see them underwater, when I stood up at waist height I could, fins everywhere, they were surfing, 4/5 a pop in the waves in front of me, but in the water... no chance.

I reckon they are the same shoal then, I had a feeling they hunt the beaches east and west and hole up in that other spot.

I've been temped to go far over to the right of that spot, the rocks look great!

I went to a new spot today, extremely deep, from 4ft to 40ft in a few metres!

I saw nothing but wrasse, small coalfish and small pollock, 1 double figure bass and one mullet but with vis as over 10m they saw me very soon and pegged it. Just as I was getting out the baitfish started coming in so I reckon I was there at a bad time.

Vis is amazing, think I will be hitting a spot west tomorrow if the weather holds out!

 

[sunfish]

I had to go to Bandon this evening so I took the gear with me, intending to make a "diving detour" on the way back. Alberto Martignani is over here from Italy at the moment and I was wondering how he was getting on. As I walked out to my spot I saw a diver leaving the water onto the sand so I backtracked to meet him and indeed it was him! With two bass so he was getting on OK.
Time was getting on so after we'd introduced ourselves I had to hurry off to get in the water. Vis still wasn't great here but there were plenty of fish. I was hoping for something big so I didn't shoot any at first.Just kept easing through the weedbeds, looking for an enormous tail or nose or fin or patch of bluey grey in among the weeds.
After I'd covered the ground I came to do I doubled back deciding to settle for a nice table fish now. I got this one of 5.4 pounds.

While walking back to my car I met Alberto and his wife and this time had time for a chat. They seem like very nice people and I hope they enjoy the rest of their holiday.

 

[bobdonny]

my wife's 5.5mm suit came today, she's gonna come with me for a swim and chance her arm off my foldspear

 

[Fitzy_1982]

Hi guys

I was in waterford last weekend and tried out spearfishing for the first time with my new gun. I got to shoot the gun a few times but unfortunetly not at any fish, i didn't see one while I was in the water. heading for Achill this weekend so hopefully I might catch my first fish. i just hope the viz on the west coast is better than the east coast at the moment. I'll be staying in dugort if anyone knows any good spots.

Cheers

 

[williew]

try keem beach in achill its the very far end of the island, you drive through keel up the side of a mountain and down to the cove at keem. there are tons of fish on both sides of the cove close to the rocks especially at the point on the right hand side

 

[zaratustra]

HELLO leds.
Is somebody here from Kerry????
I am looking for company in freediving around Kerry/tralee

 

[Don Paul]

My dad's dad was from Cork, I looked through several posts here. Can someone post a image of the sea or harbor. T hank's in advance .
I'll trade for a image of Cali diving.:friday:friday

Cheers, Don Paul

 

[Derekn]

Due to a really bad head cold, poor weather conditions and work commitments I hadn't been out spearfishing for the last two week. I finally was able to take a break from work and get wet again this afternoon.

Tide was 3 hours after the low tide and on the rise, vis was around 3-4 metres and better at times, water was 21c and full of life. After passing by several very friendly and inquisitive mullet and small wrasse I just caught a glimpse of silver flash to my left as it sped past me, damn it I thought, that was a big bass.
I stayed motionless with the spear pointing straight ahead and let the current carry me a little when all of a sudden my silver friend came back to check me out and click....my first bass and what a beauty. Just under 27" and about 6.5-7 lbs, then to top it all off I ran into an area full of flatfish. I took four flatfish in total before swimming ashore with my best catch yet.

 

[Don Paul]

Very nice fish mate, Cheers.:friday

Don Paul

 

[johnnybuoy]

21 degree water derek????? where do u fish??????rofl
nice catch too.:friday
I have a few photos of cork harbour but i gotta dig them out so will post them soon Don Paul.