First of all congrats to Johnny and the misses well done.
Its been hectic in work since I got back from Cork so better late than never here's my report and some pics from the wknd.
Got to the hostel just after dark picked up our keys in the pub (which has the best beer garden ever) B+B for €25 is great value. After dinner we met Derek in the bar for a few pints and a chat. Up early the next morning and off to the dive spot amazing countryside and crazy twisty roads. Rob and Claire arrived shortly after us and we all got kitted up and headed out. The whole area was teeming with fish and very soon I had a few Pollack and a mullet on the stringer. I have never been very good at flatties so I was delighted to stab two nice flounder with my knife as well. We had a savage lunch in the little harbour Rob had managed to bag two triggers and was boasting something about inventing spearfishing or the likeroflroflrofl.
Filleting triggerfish with a dive knife aint easy but definitely worth the effort they are really tasty. Danas, Romas and Tim had arrived and were out searching the bay. Having searched the area on the right of the bay and the islands after lunch I checked out the left side I saw a lone bass in the stringweed. As I was swimming along by a drop off I noticed something white moving in the kelp about 5m down as I slowly sank towards it I realized it was one of the elusive triggers I had too shoot it vertically so it was a bitch to pull the flopper back out but I was delighted.
Then I lost my snorkel mouthpiece dumb I know after 7 hours in the water it was time to get out now anyway. Pedro had got some really nice pollack and a brown crab and Derek got two Triggers on his way back in as we all stood on the slip debating how long it would it would take us to get kitted up again as they were now shoaling in the shallows.
Back at the hostel we put our fish in the fridge and gratefully accepted some of the lads BBQ we all had a good chat over a few beers and Romas got his ferret out.........random I know. The next day we headed back to the same spot and Rob generously loaned me some fins and a snorkel the fins were great but me and the snorkel didn't get on so I was making too much noise for the pollack. I had a look around for some more flatties but no joy there so I met up with Pedro who had got a Trigger in the bay right where we all got in but couldn't find any decent pollack. I directed him to an area I had seen some big one's earlier and he said he would show me where the triggers were hiding under a rock. I knew what I was looking for after spotting the trigger in the kelp the day before so Pedro went after the Pollack and I headed back to the bay and started scanning the kelp on the walls. You really have to look at every piece of kelp but I found one lying on its side under a kelp frond so trigger number two and I was happy out.
I kept looking along the wall in case there were more as I was trying to adjust the snorkel I got the most unbelievable stinging pain on my lip and when I looked at my glove I saw the fingers were covered in anemone tentacles. My lip really started swelling and tbh I got a bit freaked out as it was like several wasps were having a party on my face so I got out. As I was standing on the slip feeling sorry for my face Rob came charging into the bay followed shortly by Pedro who guided him to the rock with the triggers underneath. Pedro had got a lovely pollack and a nice plaice too so everyone was happy. We loaded up the car and began the long drive home when I got back I weighed the larger Trigger from saturday 3lb 12oz gutted and dead 24 hours so it was well over 4lbs what a great weekend!!!!!
As for the t-shirt no contest its Pedros not only for his big pollack and plaice but for his humility and genuine delight at seeing his friends achieve their goals.
On a different note did anyone see Monty's Great Irish Escape the other night he was spearfishing.......... well he swam around with an unloaded gun most of the time then fired at a flounder in the sand from point blank range
Sorry about this but there is some more negative press here
Fly N Lure