In the world of waves curving crashing in to shore breaking white and clean at three feet breaking and falling over and running up and then more slowly back, mixing with others into a place a time a now where you stand to groin depth where you are reduced to simply only how you can fish with what you have, the sweet rain and warm wind forgotten tasting the salty champagne mist on your lips feeling it burning your face and then suddenly all doubts all pointless thoughts worries and anxieties are banished by a fish that takes and runs hard across the shallow surging surf

This is the moment when all is forgotten – all

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Guiding – David Norman today.

Fishing remains extremely difficult in ideal conditions, some fish about but generally very patchy. Weather windows, exact timings and presentations with ‘focused’ fishing in otherwise productive locations leading to some results.

October Bass Festival at the Hook Peninsula –

Having been invited, I attended a meeting this morning in Fethard as part of a working group involved in creating a Bass Angling Festival on the Hook Peninsula. Many aspects for the proposed development of the Festival were discussed.

I emphasised my usual cautionary approach to ‘development’ of the fishery, and having built a small business that utilises the reasons why many people want to come to Wexford and to fish bass, I expressed and re-emphasised that many bass anglers simply like the environment, peace and a sense of isolation combined with a chance of exploration and the challenge of the fishing.
Those same people contribute to local economies throughout the season on a day by day basis in many Wexford coastal communities without using my services or having to experience it through the medium of a Festival.

Anglers use the peninsula and the facilities provided there all of the time, they do so on the basis that it is simply what it is and it already provides what they need. Indeed many are not necessarily bass anglers. Not everyone is aware of this.

This doesn’t mean I am opposed to the Festival, I think its an opportunity for the Festival committee to demonstrate and to add and include other bass fishing related activities, some evening presentations, local history workshops, tours of the Peninsula to provide a sense of the magic, the spirit of the place. An inclusive experience for people.

As a Wexford person who has invested ten years of my life in bass fishing in the area and many places in close proximity , how much I can contribute I’m not entirely sure as its the busiest time of year for me – I do know that the dates the Festival is on I will be just finished working with two returning Dutch visitors!

Friday October 26th – Sunday October 28th

Dark and silent late last night,
I think I might have heard the highway calling …
Geese in flight and dogs that bite
And signs that might be omens say I’m going, I’m going
I’m gone to Carolina in my mind. – James Taylor

I guess after much deliberation and debate and toing and froing and confusion the decision is made and taking delivery early/mid autumn.