John Sheehan is one of Irelands top shore anglers, living in the prolific county Kerry, John is a fishing guide and top bait collector. He has helped many anglers while in Kerry and is one of the counties top fishing experts. So over to John now…
http://www.facebook.com/john.j.sheehan.73
Me: Hello John, can you tell us how you started fishing?
JS: I had often gone mackeral fishing as a young fella but I only reall got into it about six years ago. Friends of mine were fishing and it started from there really.
Me: Whats your favourite way to have a relaxing fishing session?
JS: Any day of the week a bit of rock fishing for wrasse and stuff
Me: Was there any fish early on that had you hooked so to speak?
JS: It was a painted ray of 10.5lb off Fenit. It was my first ray ever and there was an old lad on the pier and he helped me land it and that was it I was hooked.
Me: Can you tell us about the ray fishing in Kerry?
JS: I think it’s the best ray fishing in the country, there is up to five species. Although I have not had one, there is cuckoo ray in Cahersiveen. Besides that we have stingray, painted, undulate and thornback.
Me: Last year you had the biggest recorded stingray in Ireland, can you tell us about that session?
JS: Over three days I had stingray of 40 and 50lb. We were out with Mike Thrussell who is a well known angling journalist as you know. We were trying to get Mike his first stinger and we spent three days hard fishing. There were eleven stingers the second day, mostly small from 5 to 10lb and a few bigger ones. It was during the bass closed season and we quickly returned a lot off bass that took our crab baits. The big stinger was caught the day of my birthday and I’m a big believer in karma. The day before I had the 40lber and we weren’t ready for her as we had no sling for that size so she was released without being weighed. The next day we had everything and I caught an even bigger fish, and it was great to enjoy it with friends.
Me: Kerry is one of the best Irish counties for bass, what are the best times of year?
JS: This month (August) and September are the best months, though here in Kerry bass are present all year round though mostly further West in the Winter like Brandon bay and Inch.
Me: Whats the rock fishing like in Kerry?
JS: Obviously the wrasse and pollock fishing are great and the conger of course, there are also the mini species if you enjoy the LRF as many people do.
Me: What was one of your favourite sessions over the years?
JS: I had one of my favourite sessions in Dingle two years ago with my friend Eugene Farrelly. We were to go conger fishing but were too early so we went back to a beach we had fished during the Daiwa pairs. I had some lug and we got at least 60/70 bass between us in just a couple of hours. The baits were only hitting the water and being grabbed. We still talk about that session, but also the session last year where my daughter had her first bass that was very special.
Me: Where else in the World would you like to fish?
JS: Norway or Iceland, not from a boat though just shore fishing, it’s something I would love to do.
Me: And finally John, what are your fishing hopes for the rest of 2014?
JS: To keep doing some guiding, and look forward to the Daiwa pairs, but other than that just keep going the way I’m going and enjoy the fishing thats what it is all about.
8.4lb undulate for John Sheehan
Me: Well thanks John for the talk
JS: No problem Paddy anytime
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