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Irish Angling Update - Sea Angling
02 September 2010
Sea Angling highlights
- Big bullhuss in Dundalk Bay.
- Sea fishing off Loop Head as good as it gets.
- Lisdoonvarna Fanore SAC International.
- Blue sharks for Rosguill.
- Predator takes porbeagles off Antrim coast.
- Stephen lands a garfish at Portstewart.
Bass
Eastern Region
David Byrne reports:
E-mail: info@erfb.ie
[01/09/10]
Co Louth and Meath Coastlines
Rod Coan reports that Pat Rankin’s boat was the only boat that went out last weekend due to the weather. It was a juniors day our and the club had 6 boys on the boat with us. Despite the rough sea's they had a good day out catching plenty of mackerel, coalfish, pollack and cod.

Photo: A14lb Bullhuss caught recently in Dundalk Bay by local angler Joe Mulholland on his own boat
Dublin to Wexford
Josie Mahon reports that there is good mullet fishing on many of the inlets piers and estuaries in north county Dublin and Wicklow. There is good bass fishing all along the east coast. Well known boat angler Tony Taite caught a lovely 0.7kg red mullet in Wexford.
Des Fraser caught a nice 4lb 14oz mullet on Sunday last 29th August in Wicklow. Reports were also received of a 10lb 10oz bass being taken on a north Wexford beach on a soft plastic lure.
Southern Region
John Flynn reports:
enquiries@srfb.ie
[no report this week]
South Western Region
Michael Hennessy reports:
E Mail: swrfb@swrfb.ie
[26/08/10]
Shannon Region
Brian McManus reports:
info@shannon-fishery-board.ie
[31/08/10]
Sea fishing off Loop Head as good as it gets

Photo: Pollack are feeding well and are full of simming crab and baitfish
Fishing is flat out here at the moment and with weather cooperating, fishing on the drift 8 or 9 miles sw of Loop Head is as good as it gets. Pollack are feeding well and are full of some swimming crab and small mackerel and sprat. Fishing them on shads is providing great sport. With slight changes in tactics and ground, Ling, Haddock and Red gurnard are all available and even a few Codling are to be had.
Indeed fishing all over the grounds are good and a bit of effort anywhere west or north of the Loop are producing a variety of fish. We had some fine Ballan Wrasse off the reefs at the Loop and Cuckoo Wrasse are plentiful.
The estuary is producing more mixed fishing. While there are plenty of mackerel, targeting any other species is more problematic. There are some fine Thornback Ray between Scattery and Hog Island and also at the other normal marks but it does take some patience to get them. However we have had some up to 11 lbs over the last days. There are also some Bullhuss, dogfish and Congers about. Just below Kilcredaun there are some handy Pollack about and surprisingly, a few small Codling.

Photo: This 130lb blue shark took 60 minutes to boat with a 30lb set up
The Shark fishing is picking up and the last drift saw 4 sharks on the boat the best a 130lb Blue. The sharks do seem to be lively and are giving a good scrap. The 130 pounder took 60 minutes to boat with a 30lb set up!
Luke Aston
Clare Dragoon, LOCHIN 366,
650HP.
Carrigaholt Co. Clare
Telephone: +353 65
9058209 or +353 87 6367544
Email: lukeaston@eircom.net Web: www.fishandstay.com
Western Region
Kevin Crowley reports:
E-mail: kcrowley@wrfb.ie
[01/09/10]
Lisdoonvarna Fanore SAC International
James Linnane from the Lisdoonvarna Fanore club sent in a report on the recent International Week held by the club. Despite these recessionary times a group of 45 anglers competed over 5 days in the Blackhead, Ballyreen and Arkeen areas of Fanore for the title of International Angler of the Week.
On the first day of the competition in Ballyreen, John Garrihie from Wexford set the pace when he landed a 14kg (31.5lbs) conger eel. This is among the heaviest conger ever caught in this area.
On the second day of the competition some fine thornback ray and small tope were recorded in Arkeen. Bull huss up to 4.3kgs were also recorded at this venue. Over the week a huge variety of fish were recorded including lesser spotted dogfish, bull huss, pollack, ballan wrasse, dab, flounder, tope, thornback ray, and conger eel. Under the conservation rules of the club all fish caught were recorded and returned to the sea alive. In all over 300 fish were recorded, which was slightly higher than last year.
In 1st place was Michael Curtin from Kinvara on 516 points. 2nd prize went to George Dugdale from the Isle of Man on 285. John Garrihie from Wexford was 3rd with 250. 4th was Andreas Shefzig from Doolin on 247, 5th was Kevin Quinn from the Isle of Man on 208, 6th was Paul Norton Jr. from Ruan on 207, with Cathal McCormack from Ennistymon 7th on 203, and Paul Norton Snr 8th on 203.
The top junior angler was Joseph Birney from Clarecastle with 247 points, 2nd was Stephen Birney with 113, and Jack Breen from Wexford took 3rd with 105.
The heaviest fish was John Garrihie’s conger eel of 14kgs.
Tribute was also paid to Carmel McCormack from Wexford who organised a table quiz in conjunction with the competition and €1,600 was raised in aid of the R.N.L.I.
Well done to all at Lisdoonvarna Fanore SAC on another successful International Week.
North Western Region
Bryan Ward reports:
E-mail: info@nwrfb.com
[most recent report 26/08/10]
Northern Region
Lindsey Clarke reports:
E-mail: info@nrfb.ie
[01/09/10]
Blue sharks for Rosguill

Photo: We had a couple of good blue shark the other day. One was 93lb and the other a very respectable 106lb.
Michael McVeigh
Rosguill 43' Aquastar.
Twin 310 HP
Downings, Co. Donegal.
Telephone: +353 74 9155080
Email: info@rosguill.com Web: www.rosguill.com
Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries
Lionel Knobbs reports:
E-mail: lionel.knobbs@loughs-agency.org
no report this week - [most recent report 26/05/10]
Northern Ireland
[31/08/10]
Predator takes porbeagles off Antrim coast

Photo: A big porbeagle is landed on the charterboat Predator.
Last week I had onboard some special guests so I decided to do something out of the ordinary for them. We crossed the channel to a piece of ground I've been keeping my eye on. I had a good idea there were really big porbeagle sharks on it and we weren't disappointed. The lads landed 6 in one day. 4 were really large ones. To capp a really great day off we finished up on the island to sample a few Scottish malts and stayed overnight. The next morning we hit a wreck on our way back taking some ling, conger, pollack, spurdogs and a tope.
Hamish Currie
Predator
II
Red Bay Stormforce 9.1 Rib
Web:http://www.predatorireland.com/ Email: info@predatorireland.com
Telephone: 028 2177 1828 Boat: 07720440117
Garfish for Stephen

Photo: Stepehn Gammon caught this fine garfish while fishing from the rocks at Portstewart using a float and rag worm. This is the first report of a garfish from so far north this year. Well done Stephen!