Courtmacsherry in spring

[Herman Nijland]

Hello all,
since I don't like to stampede in a newsgroup without some kind of
introduement, here it goes - I am a Dutch fisherman, preferably fly but
quite flexible if need be. No fly purist, I like to choose the tool best
fitted for the job, but nothing beats a decent fish on a fly rod :-).

I'll be in Courtmacsherry (West-Cork, Ireland) next spring, probably by
the end of April. I read quite a few websites so far about the fishing
possibilities, and it looks like I'll be in seafishing Mekka if
everything everybody promises is only half true :-).
Still, I can't imagine that all species listed will be available all
year round for shore fishing. I'd love to catch something on the fly
while I'm there, but honestly, I haven't got much of a clue what to go for.
I'll probably take a 8-weight flyrod, a spining rod, a carp rod and may
be a beachcaster if there's any room left.
Any tips, like what to take, what to leave home or don't waste your time
on bass because there won't be any would be most helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Herman Nijland

[Mike Connor]

"Herman Nijland" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
<SNIP>

if there's any room left.
> Any tips, like what to take, what to leave home or don't waste your time
> on bass because there won't be any would be most helpful.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Herman Nijland

Ah Herman, what´s a nice guy like you doing here :) They all tell lies you
know!!!! :) Send me a mail, maybe we can meet up in Ireland. We will most
likely catch bugger all, but they have some nice whisky there as well!

TL
MC

[Cerumen]

"Herman Nijland" > wrote in message
...
> Hello all,
> since I don't like to stampede in a newsgroup without some kind of
> introduement, here it goes - I am a Dutch fisherman, preferably fly but
> quite flexible if need be. No fly purist, I like to choose the tool best
> fitted for the job, but nothing beats a decent fish on a fly rod :-).
>
> I'll be in Courtmacsherry (West-Cork, Ireland) next spring, probably by
> the end of April. I read quite a few websites so far about the fishing
> possibilities, and it looks like I'll be in seafishing Mekka if
> everything everybody promises is only half true :-).
> Still, I can't imagine that all species listed will be available all
> year round for shore fishing. I'd love to catch something on the fly
> while I'm there, but honestly, I haven't got much of a clue what to go
for.
> I'll probably take a 8-weight flyrod, a spining rod, a carp rod and may
> be a beachcaster if there's any room left.
> Any tips, like what to take, what to leave home or don't waste your time
> on bass because there won't be any would be most helpful.
>
I'm just along the coast a bit from Courtmacsherry and although I'm not
really an expert and mostly fish from my boat rather than shore fish I can
assure you the fishing is excellent and species wide ranging. There is a
close season on Bass but I can't remember what it is right now, and a bag
limit as well.
There is a very good tackle shop in Clonakilty and the owner fishes
regularly for bass. I could let you have his email address if you care to
email me. My reply to address works.
--
Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

[Derek.Moody]

In article >, Herman Nijland
> wrote:

> introduement, here it goes - I am a Dutch fisherman, preferably fly but
> quite flexible if need be. No fly purist, I like to choose the tool best
> fitted for the job, but nothing beats a decent fish on a fly rod :-).

OK, you'll like Irish fishing :-)

> I'll be in Courtmacsherry (West-Cork, Ireland) next spring, probably by
> the end of April. I read quite a few websites so far about the fishing
> possibilities, and it looks like I'll be in seafishing Mekka if
> everything everybody promises is only half true :-).

Oh it's all true, the fishing can be first class but that doesn't mean it
will be easy.

> Still, I can't imagine that all species listed will be available all
> year round for shore fishing. I'd love to catch something on the fly
> while I'm there, but honestly, I haven't got much of a clue what to go for.
> I'll probably take a 8-weight flyrod, a spining rod, a carp rod and may
> be a beachcaster if there's any room left.
> Any tips, like what to take, what to leave home or don't waste your time
> on bass because there won't be any would be most helpful.

Ignoring the beachcaster (which will catch dogfish, lots of them) and
concentrating on the lighter gear:

I usually fish a bit farther west - fo no good reason, the whole coast is
fishy. You'll need to move around a bit - finsd few rocky areas as well as
the inlets and beaches and work with the tides.

There will be bass there by then though it's not peak season. The bass will
probably be chasing sandeels but if the weather is warm the crabs may have
started to peel and the fish will concentrate on them.

The pollack will have finished spawning and there should be some close
enough to take a fly from the rocks where there is some tidal flow - you'll
want -big- flies though, 15cm is reasonable. Groundbaiting from the same
rocks will attract garfish, you can use a smaller fly for them but hooking
is tricky. If you are really keen you can try throwing a leaded prawn
imitation into deeper steep-to kelpy areas for a wrasse but you'll lose a
lot of flies.

In Courtmasherry inlet itself (or any estuary where there may be flounders) a
baited fly - use a cm of ragworm 'secret weapon' style - is worth trying as
the tide floods.

You're not far from Rosscarbury where for a small fee you can fish for trout
in the lagoon - but you are really after the cracking mullet that may feed if
the weather is hot.

The weather is going to dominate your fishing. You could get practically
anything short of sea-ice and you may go from sweltering to snow and back
again within a morning. If conditions are poor on the coast you have
several alternatives inland - The salmon will be up at Iniscarra on the Lee,
you can often get day tickets for the water below the dam just by phoning or
turning up at the hut in the morning - weekends and public holidays need
advanced booking. It's probably a bit too early for the Bandon and the
Ilen.

There are several ESB run trout fisheries in the area, mostly rainbows, the
westrn ones are usually stocked with fingerlings that are allowed to
grow-on a cheap all-fisheries ticket is available if you feel like touring.

Many of the smaller strams in the area are free brown-trout fishing (check
in the nearest pub) and if everything else fails head for Loch Hyne and fish
a small fly for joey mackerel.

Cheerio,

--
>>

[Derek.Moody]

In article >, Mike Connor
<URL:mailto:[email protected].> wrote:
>
> "Herman Nijland" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> ...
> <SNIP>

> > Herman Nijland
>
> Ah Herman, what´s a nice guy like you doing here :) They all tell lies you

Hi Mike, long time no modulate :-)

I've been using your builder's twine backing quite sucessfully (including
swoffing in Cork to keep this vaguely on topic) so much so that I have
comissioned my niece to get me some more while she's working a year in
Berlin. With luck it'll be my Christmas prezzie. Thanks for putting me on
to it.

Cheerio,

--
>>

[Mike Connor]

"Derek.Moody" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...

<SNIP> Thanks for putting me on
> to it.
>
<SNIP>

Hi Derek,

I was more or less offline for quite a while. I look in occasionally now.

Glad the backing suits you! It must be available in England though!

TL
MC

[Derek.Moody]

In article >, Mike Connor
<URL:mailto:[email protected].> wrote:
>
> "Derek.Moody" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> ...
<snippage>
> Glad the backing suits you! It must be available in England though!

Nowhere round here at any rate. The standard equivalent is laid rather than
braided. I've asked my neice to find out who manufactures/wholesales it so
I may be able to track it down yet.

I have a feeling that I missed a lot of fish this swoffing season due to not
being able to get down on the better tides. Can't complain about the
quantity and quality when I did go though except that prawn feeding went on
a lot longer than usual and I was caught out without enough imitations a
couple of times.

Cheerio,

--
>>

[Herman Nijland]

Derek.Moody wrote:

<snip very useful info>
> There will be bass there by then though it's not peak season. The bass will
> probably be chasing sandeels but if the weather is warm the crabs may have
> started to peel and the fish will concentrate on them.
>
> The pollack will have finished spawning and there should be some close
> enough to take a fly from the rocks where there is some tidal flow - you'll
> want -big- flies though, 15cm is reasonable. Groundbaiting from the same
> rocks will attract garfish, you can use a smaller fly for them but hooking
> is tricky. If you are really keen you can try throwing a leaded prawn
> imitation into deeper steep-to kelpy areas for a wrasse but you'll lose a
> lot of flies.

Do I need to tie fish-like streamers, or will something of the right
color do? The Seaducers like like easy ties, I don't really like to
spend a lot of time on flies I'll probably loose.


> In Courtmasherry inlet itself (or any estuary where there may be flounders) a
> baited fly - use a cm of ragworm 'secret weapon' style - is worth trying as
> the tide floods.
>
<snip>

Bloody unethical for a flyfisher.. I love it :-)
Thanks a lot for the extensive info, I'll certainly post a report when I
come back.

--
cheers,
Herman

[Derek.Moody]

In article >, Herman Nijland
> wrote:

> Do I need to tie fish-like streamers, or will something of the right
> color do? The Seaducers like like easy ties, I don't really like to
> spend a lot of time on flies I'll probably loose.

Stresmers and sandeel imitations for the predators.

Wrasse have always been an occasional fly-catch for me (I rarely fish for
them so they are accidental catches) - they probably will take streamers,
they certainly take J13 Rapalas at times but something smaller and bulkier
with weedguards is a better idea. I used to get some good ones on floating
red Hi-Lo plugs about 6cm long set to dive steeply. Flies in about the same
proportion but a little smaller have worked for me on occasion. I tie one,
we call it a Greenwell's Nightmare, with lead on the back of the hook so
it rides point up and a rough bundle of bouyant yellow-brown deer hair tied
firmly on the front of the hook set so that the hair-tips guard the
hookpoint and reduce snagging and the butt ends flare muddler-style into a
hemispherical body. The fly can be cast into graunch and inched over the
bottom or dropped ito gullies with a good chance it'll come out again.

I would expect somthing bouyant fished booby style to work well in graunch too.

> In Courtmasherry inlet itself (or any estuary where there may be flounders) a
> > baited fly - use a cm of ragworm 'secret weapon' style - is worth trying as
> > the tide floods.
> >
> <snip>
>
> Bloody unethical for a flyfisher.. I love it :-)
> Thanks a lot for the extensive info, I'll certainly post a report when I
> come back.

Have fun, Cheerio,

--
>>