September started in style for my Tyrone clients.  Game Fishing Ireland customers from Strabane had superb fishing at Cappoquin on the Munster Blackwater catching 14 salmon in 3 days.  Day one was slow with just two fish.

A wee coloured cock fish.

Day 2 was fantastic with 5 salmon landed with Maurice Brolly catching and releasing what he believed was his hardest fighting Blackwater salmon to date.

Maurice Brolly with a big Autumn salmon that was released.

Day 3 saw a few more fish arriving off the big tides and the guys had a bumper day landing 7 salmon including some cracking fresh fish.

A chuffed Mike Devine kneels beside some of the days catch.

A client of mine told me about this awesome phone app called UFindFish.  It’s a great idea.  Basically you download the app to your smartphone and set up an account.  You can then mark your fishing hotspots on a map using GPS and Google Maps and save them to your account. You can add information about species of fish, lures that worked etc. It is up to you whether or not you want to share your hotspots.  You can also search the app for other anglers hotspots that they have shared.

Other features include hints a tips and a gallery for photos and video clips.  The app also has a Pro section where you can ask a Pro Fishing Guide a question.  You get a reply within 48 hours.  I am delighted to announce that I am the Pro for Ireland.  In fact, I think I am the first and only European Pro with UFindFish!  You can view my profile here.

This weekend saw some very weak tides, crystal clear water and very calm conditions.  Not exactly what you would consider to be good bass conditions.  However, sound tactics and a positive mental attitude paid off and Mike D was delighted with the hard fighting qualities of the bass that he tempted.

A really nice bass for Mike D.

Even some of the smaller bass we had this weekend fought really strongly for their size.  As anglers we all like to catch big fish but as I stressed to Mike, catching various sizes of fish at the moment is invaluable from a research perspective as Game Fishing Ireland is assisting Inland Fisheries Ireland with scale sampling again this season.

Some scales from this fish are in an envelope to be sent to I.F.I later in the year.

A few scales carefully removed and back into the sea for this fella.

If you are a bass angler and not yet taking part in the National Bass Programme I’m sure its not too late to get involved and request a scale envelope pack.

The Irish Fly fair is coming up in Galway on November 9th and 10th.  I have attended this Fair as a spectator for the past few years and must say Stevie Munn has done a great job.  It’s a fantastic show with lots of fly-tying, casting demonstrations and trade tackle stands.  Being a November Fair it is a great place for tackle bargains.  In fact, you never know what you might come across.  Last year I picked up some lovely soft plastic hollow shads for bass fishing at super prices. I must admit that I wasn’t expecting those at a fly fair! 

One of my local angling Clubs in Waterford takes a stand at this show to promote our reservoirs and I must say that the guys from the Committee also give super feedback on this show and no doubt they will be there again this year.  I myself will be giving a talk at the Fair on “Winter Tactics for Stillwater Trout”.  I’m really looking forward to it.  So if you are into fly fishing and/or fly tying this could be a very rewarding show for you.  Why not come along and check it out?

It was a super Saturday afternoon chasing Dungarvan bass.  The day just looked bassy to me before lunch so I gave Mike a shout and we organised a trip.  Paddy Ray from Cork came along also as he was keen to see some of the drop shot rigs I was going to use with soft plastics. I tried a few drop offs around low tide with the soft plastics and had a few good fish.

The fishing was really good for a while but unfortunately due to the showers of rain I was only able to get a few useable photos on the camera.

Later in the day the guys fished with plugs and caught a few fish with Paddy Ray dropping a really good fish right at the side of the boat – nightmares!!

In case you are curious about the plastics used today here are two images.  I haven’t come across many using these but they are quite effective.

With the bright sunshine and crystal clear water bass anglers have been successfully targeting fish during the day at low tide in deep estuarine channels with weighted soft plastics.  Undoubtedly the number one choice has been the reliable Fiish Minnow.

What is it about this thing?  I don’t know exactly but it has become a proven fish catcher around here.

A Dungarvan bass caught on a Fiish Minnow

The other lure that has really taken off the last few weeks is the Savage Gear Sandeel Slug.  This thing is now catching a lot of fish.

It is very reasonably priced and the Darting Jig Hooks that you use with them have really impressed me.  Simple and effective.  I really like the built-in metal pin to keep the Slug nice and straight.  If you haven’t used these jigs yet check them out!!!