TRYING A NEW SPEARFISHING SPOT IN CORK
The spearfishing season in Ireland is ending so I didn´t doubt. I had the chance for a short trip to Cork so I would go spearfishing too. And the chosen spot was around Cork. Didn´t want to drive too much. And even better, other buddy would come too.
This day I was going to try a new speargun too. A Salvimar Voodoo with roller modification and 16mm acid green rubbers. I was curious about how it was going to work.
I checked on Google earth for a place with easy entrance to the water and close to the city.
The day looked pretty good. No wind and no waves. And previous days were very good too so I expected good visibility. So it was. When I arrived to the spot I could see the sand and the rocks underwater. Probably 5-7m visibility. Now I would check it in the water.
It´s a nice spot. Like a small gulf surrounded by rocks and shallows. Low deep and without current. And one side is a small cape.
The worst thing is the tide. It´s going down first, then low tide and starting to go up. So I will need to check between the kelp and channels. Mostly ambush and waiting.
As soon we go into the water we see that it´s good visibility. But a bit “white”. There is not too much light and the sun is now low. In this condition the fish is harder to see in the kelp. We will watch it in the video. And the water is getting cold: 13 degrees.
We started going to one side. Max depth around 10-12. The kelp starts to be broken. It´s channels and small rocks. There is a lot of fish, mostly big wrasse and small to medium size pollocks. Some of them close to 2kg. And the first shot with the new speargun.
I hold quiet doing a wait. The fish comes close to me. An easy shot. Was very smooth without recoil. Just watch the shaft trespass completely the fish. First catch of the day.
So I continue looking for bigger fish. While I´m doing a wait I see a nice fish like the last one. But I want something bigger so I try to scare it and check where it is going. Sometimes they take you to bigger ones or where the shoal is. And here it is. I see a big Pollock, bigger that 6kg but is impossible. The fish are scared and run away.
I hear shots close to me. The buddy is having fun.
After some time checking this spot is all of it pretty similar. Channels, kelp and a lot of fish. But today is to check the place so I decide to change to the other side. A point which is around 400m. Look for the buddy and here we go.
On the way I make a few dives checking it. Seems good. Some shallows, big rocks with channels… I´m sure I would find some good fish here but I want to know how the other side is.
As soon as we arrive to the shore the bottom changes completely. It´s a bit deeper reaching 10-12m easy. Big rocks and holes close to the shore. It´s a shame the tide as it is low now.
I start swimming and check all this side going to the next point. The time goes by and the tide start going up. Now we are probably 2 hours going up and coming back everything changed. The spots with small fish has now much more and bigger.
Almost every dive I can see nice size pollocks around 2 or 3 kg. And wrasse too.
I am recording everything but I forgo charge the battery and only had half charge. So it stop working just at the best.
I find good spots with broken kelp and channels. Plenty of Pollock. Medium size swimming and biggest ones close to the bottom. In the kelp and in channels. Two hours ago in the same spot was nothing but small ones. And now I can see some of them around 4kg. I shot more and the day is almost done to me.
I have all I want to eat so now I look if I can find something bigger. And I want a good Wrasse as I want to do a “caldeirada” (Galician recipe) Don´t need to look too much, in a few dives I can find one. Shot in the head and the day is finished.
We go out of the water and comment the day. Nice place, both of us liked it very much. The buddy found lot of fish and most important he enjoyed the day.
I hope it was not the last dive of the season but the weather is changing and probably winter season has arrived.
