Clones Strand Wexford

Has anyone ever fished a beach in North Wexford called Clones Strand. I will be visiting this area quite a bit between now and the summer and was wondering if I should try it.

By the way, I have done very little beach fishing and any I have done I have used a 12ft pike rod and a spinning reel.
Anyway, I am going to be doing a lot more now so I am open to suggestions on a type of rod and reel to use here.

Do I need to go for distance on this beach, I suppopse that's the question I need answered before I buy my tackle.

By the way if anyone is looking to offload any second hand beach fishing gear in good condition I would be interested.

Finally , the bait what works best for this beach and where do you get it locally. I would prefer to dig/ctach my own bait than buy it as I would like to know how to learn to collect bait as well.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Clones and Kilgorman (they're a continuation of each other) are great beaches. From now until March, they have plenty of flounder and dab. Any storm will entice some codling ashore and there are the usual whiting. I had a 12lb huss from the shore here 2 years ago. From May until October, these beaches can produce great specimens of smoothound, ray and some bass. It is night fishing or very early morning as they are full of bathers during the season. Beware though that the beaches can be crammed with dogfish and nothing else will get to the bait. Best bait this time of year is lug tipped with mackerel or sandeel. In summer crab and fresh mackerel will be better. King rag at dawn or dusk could extract a good bass. Distance cen be important but not critical as the offshore sandbanks are at various distances and often close in. Find the tail of a bank or a gap and you are in business. Watch out for southerlies as they will whip up a wild sea here. But get down there after the sea settles for some good sport.

Don, if you can at all don't limit your fishing to just one beach in north wexford, there is great fishing to be had around courtown, pollshone, roney, cahore and maurice castle with a mix of species to be had. 'Cooke' is right about the beaches busy with holiday makers in the warmer months, so while you are investing in a rod and reel you might want to consider some sort of light source as much of the fishing is best done at night. as for bait there are a couple of suppliers in Gorey, not sure of the quality , never used them, but they might be handy untill you locate your own source.

Cooke and Mick,

Thanks for the tips I really appreciate it.

Tight Lines,
Don.

Hi Don

If you are fishing a beach in the summer at night, and using a tilly lamp or similar, a good investment is a tent, beach buddy or wind break that you used to see on beaches years ago - a common mistake anglers make is not to shield the light from the sea. On some marks that can be a disaster, especially at low water. I remember a loving couple left their lights on in their car some years ago near Greystones and when I went up to complain I got to see more than I had expected!!! :roll:

FWIW...

Hi Don

I remember a loving couple left their lights on in their car some years ago near Greystones and when I went up to complain I got to see more than I had expected!!! :roll:

FWIW...[/quote]


who said fishing was a boring past time !!!!!

Hi Don

I remember a loving couple left their lights on in their car some years ago near Greystones and when I went up to complain I got to see more than I had expected!!! :roll:

FWIW...

who said fishing was a boring past time !!!!![/quote]

I'll make sure to bring the camera as well as the tilly and shelter from now on.