Take the Youghal road from Cork,

when approaching Middleton take the                        Paul Hannover with a coalie March 2008

By-pass. At the roundabout turn right

For Whitegate. Travel threw the small

Village of Saleen, up the hill and take

The next left. There are signposts if

You can spot them, take the next

Right and the second left, this road will

Take you to Inch.

If you are a sea angler, you would have heard of Inch.

World famous for bass. You would picture in your minds

eye a storm beach with even tables of surf, crashing

into never ending golden sands. Your imagination might

Run to clutches of semi-naked girls basking in warm summer

Sun. well enough of that! Its not that Inch.

That’s not to say that my Inch doesn't have its attractions

It does, and it’s the reason I’m a sea angler.

 Where to fish…..                                                                        

Inch is a small beach, a miniature                            

Of the Inch in Kerry. A dozen anglers              

would fill it, I prefer the left hand side by        

the small stream, right of the rocks puts you      

short casts accounting for bass and dabs        

while a longer shot can pick coalfish at

night and doggies and codling in winter.

 Bait and tackle…..

Simple single hook rigs with short snoods are the best for

bass, as the tide tends to tangle long flowing traces and

don’t forget, big hooks for big fish. Lug is the only bait I

have seen successfully used for bass here. Though I’ve seen

others use many different baits, (without catching). Fish bait

at distance for the other fish. Last year I caught a potential                     

record dab on sandeel here and am still gutted that I didn’t

realise at the time.

 Time and tide…...

Inch is a storm beach, shallow in its  

nature yet vicious rip tides tear along its

 length. The bass sweep in and around

In with a chance. All the beach can produce,

once or twice a tide. I try to fish a comp-

lete coming tide to be in with a good

chance.