Ireland spearing 2010

[sunfish]

I've got a few fillets of various fish in my freezer so I haven't been taking many fish lately. When I go out it's partly recreational but I take a gun just in case.Yesterday I gave some fillets to one of my sons so I decided to take some pollack today if I could find any good ones. (I like thick fillets for fish and chips).
I drove about twenty miles west to launch the kayak near the "stags" and try some of my favourite pollack spots. The first two places I tried had small to medium fish but I left them alone and after a couple of hours I shipped the gun and just did some sightseeing among the rocky gulleys. The water was noticeably colder out there in the tide run. 13 degrees c.
On my way back I trailed mackeral feathers but only got one mackeral.
I stopped off at one last place where I've been pretty successful before and after a few dives I saw a reasonable looking pollack. I was letting myself drift towards it when a bigger one materialised in the gloom but it swam off as I changed direction. After four more dives I hadn't seen the big one again so I shot one that weighed in at 4.5 lbs. "One more dive then I'm off". Nothing. "Well just one more then".
Out of the gloom he came again. This time I didn't try to close in but risked a long shot, after all I was using a 110 cm gun. I hit the fish further back than I would have liked and the reel whirred as he dived into the kelps on the bottom. I cupped the reel with my hand as hard as I dared so he didn't tangle too badly then as I lay on the surface I managed to ease him out of the weed and slowly upwards 'til I could get my hand in his gills, kill him and get him on my belt. As I swam back to the kayak I could feel his tail brushing my calves.He weighed 11.7lbs.(11lbs and 11 ounces)

 

[Don Paul]

Thanks sunfish, what a beautiful coast and great looking fish, I put some Cali
pics in my earlier post.
Cheers, Don Paul

 

[williew]

hats off to you sunfish, that is a brilliant fish.
greek gills and another greek spearo are coming to west cork tomorrow and staying till sunday night when we will all head home. yianni is mad keen to bag a big pollock or two, so we will see how it goes. whatever happens we will have an amazing time camping and spearing, eating fish and drinking beer.

 

[Greekgills]

well done sunfish you are the daddy of the pollocks, i am leaving in 5 minutes and are on the way down to cork to meet up with willie and i really hope we are lucky as well and get one of this bad boy pollocks. well done again and i hope the next picture is going to be of us with a big smile.

 

[bobdonny]

This time I didn't try to close in but risked a long shot, after all I was using a 110 cm gun.

Hmmm, I was thinking a 90 but maybe 110 is the way to go....

Sounds like all the action is down west this weekend

 

[sunfish]

Hmmm, I was thinking a 90 but maybe 110 is the way to go....

Sounds like all the action is down west this weekend

A 90cm gun is a lot better in most ways. Occasionally when using one for pollack I found myself taking a shot where the spearline stopped the spear just short of the fish. I bought the 110 partly because of this and partly to use (with an extra band) if I ever get out after albacore off Kerry.
Well done on managing 7 days in a row Rob. It gets kinda addictive doesn't it?

 

[fcallagy]

Finally,and its my longest one yet, must be something about Cork.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKZfnSW5rgo]YouTube - cork apnea[/ame]

Also for the lads that are on Facebook if you did enjoy the course could you post a review in the review box on freedive Ireland and I will copy it on to the main site too.

 

[johnnybuoy]

excellent video feargus!! love it. what are the soundtracks??

 

[bobdonny]

excellent video feargus!! love it. what are the soundtracks??

Tomb raider!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fabbo Feargus! Just looking at it now!!

 

[fcallagy]

The song afaik is DJ shadow stem/long stem its all one track even with the fade out bits.
Glad you liked it.

 

[danas]

i think i will go to Kilmore quays for a couple days to try my luck. if any body want to join as for a dive , couple beers and BBQ all welcome....

 

[bobdonny]

i think i will go to Kilmore quays for a couple days to try my luck. if any body want to join as for a dive , couple beers and BBQ all welcome....

Would love too but I'm working this weekend. I hope to go out this evening, but it will be local-ish.

95 so sunfish

Review done Feargus

Baldyfish, I use facebook to put up pics and then link them directly here. Keeps all the images in one place etc.

 

[stone_shot]

I'm going to try to get wet on Monday - anybody else around Dublin interested?

 

[bobdonny]

Went out last night for a quick dip looking for pollock. My folks are coming over and wanted to try the beer batter
The vis was terrible at about 3 metres and there was a really bad swell I took a few dives (spooking a big turbot on my first dive - which spooked me also so I didnt even get a shot off) but conditions were not great for pollock so I abandoned it and went back inshore to look for some bass.

Came across the shoal almost immediately, about 60 mullet with 3/4 pushing double figures and bass swimming with them. I spotted about 5/6 bass and took 2 shots which completely missed due to aiming difficulties with the swell. I new my time was running out, the shoal was finishing feeding and numbers were dwindling. I was lying in some weed watching the mullet when I spotted 3 mouths come around a corner, 2 were mullet one was not.... I lines up quickly and took a shot as the rest of the head came around and got a nice stone shot through the eyes
It was a nice bass of 5lb, but the smallest one I saw. I was temped to get a few of the massive mullets but I didn't want to spook the shoal, and when I got the bass the shoal was mostly gone. Great swim tho, shame about the vis, it will be another day or two before it clears up I think.

 

[sjwpjw]

Nice one.

Saw my first triggerfish yesterday.

Are they recommended eating?

Cheers

 

[Old Man Dave]

Triggers make great eating but I warn you they BITE :martial.

Dave.

 

[zaratustra]

Is there somebody in kerry ??? Please PM me if there is. Thanks

 

[Mammal spearo]

Well done derek excellent ,

 

[sjwpjw]

Thanks OMD.

Hopefully will see another one. Is it therefore best to kill it before putting it on stringer?

They must be very rare in NI as that is the first one I have ever heard of any of the boys here seeing.

 

[sunfish]

Thanks OMD.

Hopefully will see another one. Is it therefore best to kill it before putting it on stringer?

They must be very rare in NI as that is the first one I have ever heard of any of the boys here seeing.

It's best to kill it before taking it off the spear. Your less likely to get a bite that way. They're hard to brain as their skin is tough. Kill it, string it and only then remove the spear.
If they hole up in rocks then you can catch them with your hands sometimes.