Exploring the local coastline

Today was a slightly different day to normal!!!
A few of the guys got new kayaks so we went out for a paddle around the local coastline from them to get there new sea legs settled inn.

It was a beautiful day with glassy like conditions so the fishing gear was certainly not forgotten. We set out and paddled to a nearby bay opposite the launch spot at my local harbour Ardglass. Here we walked about and explored some of the sea caves and part of the coastline, a short time later we set off on down the coast close in exploring the very rocky shore. We stopped off on a small island or large rock a mile or so down the coast and had a bite too eat before heading back to Ardglass bay.

On the way back I stopped of at a few little bays too see what I could catch, I did not have any bait so I stopped off at the shop before heading out and bought some fresh prawns, a bait I personally would never use……

Shockingly they outfished a lot of baits I usually use like worm of fish baits, with in and hour or so I had caught 8 species of fish including several Wrasse species. The Wrasse went mad for the prawn and while hooking up every time my bait hit the water I caught my first ever Rock Cook Wrasse! The most beautiful fish I have ever caught here in Ireland, it was more like something you would catch in the tropics.

This mark using prawn baits seams to fish very well for pretty much fish every species of Wrasse you can catch here in Ireland with no shortage of fun on very light gear.

After an hour or so fishing around the bays on the way back we practiced self rescues, helping the new guys and teaching them some methods of re entry and other various safety drills like reading a compass correctly and the use of a VHF for emergency. It was a fun day to be afloat with friends and one to be remembered……