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I am afraid I abandoned ship yesterday and the swff gear stayed at home. A light pike rod was selected a few lead weights a small multiplier and a few traces along with a couple of packets of sandeels. All were marched down to my favourite place on earth. A desolate surf strand here on the west coast of Ireland. Human contact at this venue in January is highly unlikely. Make a mistake here at this time of year and your probably never be found!

The sea was beautifully clear and blue, the sky was an incredible shade of blue the surf was reasonably manageable and coming in quite regular tables, with the breeze light and sunshine warm. A nice 10c. Was this really the middle of January?

I know these types of locations can be very hard going for the Bass fisher, especially at this time of year. However, something seems to draw me back to this spot time and time again. I spent a couple of very enjoyable hours wading just beyond the second table of surf and letting the tide roll the bait around. I never had a sniff from anything but include a picture to just set the scene.



Without too much warning or without any apparent change in weather or wind strength the surf got bigger, more angry, and very loud and intimidating. I knew I was on borrowed time before having to run for cover. Here’s a second picture, quite a change in maybe only half an hour. My favourite pastime of taking a tumble was also in the back of my mind as I made a hasty retreat.



Its an old cliché but sometimes catching really is a bonus, it was a magic couple of hours standing in the surf holding the rod and feeling the line for a bite on such a beautiful day. Hope you like the pictures. Today it’s blowing a gale and wet. It was a very small window of opportunity, but I sure am glad I took it.

Beautiful images JEM7. If you had said it was the Carribean and the temp was 30c, I would have beleived you. Must be a great spot in the summer.

Thanks mate, you could visit this strand 50 times and you probably would not see it look as good! Hence the pictures. It really was a beautiful day. Unfortunately in the summer it becomes popular with surfers and you really have to fish dawn or dusk or at night. Its needs the surf as well, without it you will catch bugger all.

It’s a hard venue but does produce some nice fish even at this time of year. The runners can be very strong and the push of water can see you standing up to your knees one minute then almost to the top of your chest waders the next. As a provisional license holder of surf fishing it’s not hard to see how I have fallen over a couple of times

Very nice pic's, water looks the nuts. love those south west strands, will be back on them this coming season.

Dai.

very nice im hopeing to go that direction this year instead of the usual waterford run