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Bass fishing in Ireland, 2014

Still can't get enough of the place

By Henry Gilbey

January 27^th, 2015

Some places just stir the soul that little bit more

I travel the world for my work, yet still there is nowhere on this rather magical earth that causes my heart to race as much as Ireland. I love it. I love going there with a passion that most likely borders on obsession. Sure, you can catch more and larger fish in some remote corner of the globe, but I live for that moment when I drive off the ferry at Rosslare and begin another Irish adventure. The people, the places, the fish, the way we catch them. Fishing and now guiding in Ireland is my drug. I am an addict and I don’t mind admitting it.

A double figure bass, the kind of fish that many of us spend far too much time dreaming about

Guiding, fishing, photographing, I'll take any or all of them

As long as it’s in Ireland

If you love bass fishing, then you love getting up early. You snooze, you lose, and I can’t live with myself if I miss a dawn like this when we’re on a trip over in Ireland. I can’t bring myself to go fishing without at least some camera gear in my rucksack, and by virtue of us anglers being out at all times of the day and night, the law of averages says that we are going to see the world showing off more than most other people.

Any bass is special, but taking them off the top?

Swirl, swirl, smash, engulf. Does it get any better?

We all have our favourite bits of fishing tackle, and for me my surface lure of choice continues to be the IMA Salt Skimmer. Why? Because it continues to catch plenty of bass for me and my mates. It matters not if you and I use different gear, rather let’s just love that we have a species of fish that is often inclined to come up and smash surface lures.

If there is a heaven, then it could very well be kerry

I’m not sure it gets much better than the south west of ireland when the light goes off

Very few people, plenty of fish, almost a silly number of different places to go fishing, the end of the road one could argue. Exactly where I want to be. Ballinskelligs Bay and the surrounding area quite simply takes me breath away, and I yearn to return again and again. The fact that I now get to do some guiding work down there with John Quinlan of Thatch Cottage Ireland is almost beyond my wildest dreams. Get in touch and come along if you can, and let us show you why this part of the world is so very, very special.

the sheer joy at landing a good bass

Go on, try and look all serious!

photography and fishing is so much about mood to me

but what is photographing fishing?

I don’t see myself as a landscape photographer, and I sure as hell don’t really know how to photograph people, but my photography of fishing is so much about capturing people in a landscape. Beats me, but I love it.

tumbling surf and fluffy white clouds

If chucking lures in water like this doesn’t float your boat then I would politely suggest that you take up something else

bass are a fish with attitude

go on, grab it!

flared fins and perfect symmetry

if Atlantic salmon are the king of fish in freshwater, then surely bass are our saltwater royalty?

early morning on the copper coast

The perfect bend?

you lookin' at me?

I love that dark, predator eye

the longer the walk, the sweeter the rewards

It’s not hard to get off the beaten track in Ireland if you go looking

Just watch out for the electric fences. “I went to a different place.”

bumping black minnows is a part of my fishing vocabulary these days

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slippery city

Just that little bit of white water can be all you need sometimes

a cold spring morning in kerry

The start of another perfect day

i love how these perfect creatures give us so much pleasure

And I feel that we owe it to the fish we catch and the sport we love to give as much back as we can

Spring bass fishing in Kerry is very special, and as per usual you move around and wonder where on earth everybody else is.

you're telling me you wouldn't want to get a surface lure out there?

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ireland does it again

We catch bigger bass over there, plain and simple

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electric blue

I love it when the fins on a bass light up

But I love it even more when the fish I catch then swim off nice and strong after a few photos and a careful release.

it's amazing what is really there if you can "read" a beach

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i can't help but love how fishing can bring us to places like this

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tell me you don't want to be fishing there

Around nearly every bend in Ireland there’s a spot that is calling you to come and fish it

big fish, small fish, it matters not to me

I just get off on anglers who love their fishing

And if the light comes together as if on cue, even better. I don’t ask for much eh?

breakfast is calling

But don’t be gone for too long

Another tide, another chance at the bass. Another excuse to spend time along Ireland’s shoreline.

Footnotes

If you want to come and experience a bit of the magical fishing that Ireland has to offer, come along on a guided trip and let John and I show you the ropes. Email me on henry@henry-gilbey.com

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FootNotes

If you want to come and experience a bit of the magical fishing that Ireland has to offer, come along on a guided trip and let John and I show you the ropes. Email me on [email protected]

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