courtown

I'll be holidaying in Courtown at the back end of August, can any of you fine fellows tell me what I'm likely to catch then and what sort of bait I can get in the area.

Cant comment on the open sea stuff, but courtown harbour is where I caught my largest grey mullet at a shade under 6 pounds. Float fished bread in the harbour proper, groundbaiting being as conplicated as throwing in handfulls of torn up bread.Fish next to any boats tied up, early in the morning. Fantastic on light tackle. Bloke beside me also caught a sea trout on floatfished bread, and the harbour is pretty grotty it has to be said.

On the other side of the scale...

There was a truly mammoth conger eel - 45 lbs at the last time of record about two years ago - resident in courttown harbour. Released back and they are very territorial so I suspect it could still be there, just a bit bigger!

Mackerel flapper on 200 lb line holding a 6/0 or even 8/0 bronzed hook, lowered down the quay wall at low water, with a top quality swivel attaching the trace ot the main line... no lead required, mackerel will sink slowly...have the drag off and ratchet on.... wait for the full run and then hang on tight!

FWIW...

I fished Courttown over the new years break.
Caught a few dabs and a very small bass from the beach. From the harbour we caught some decent size plaice and a 3 bearded rockling.
A spot that might be worth checking out is just to the south of the harbour, there's a beach and some rocky coves that might be worth a try.

I used to live around that area and fished it regularly as a young fella. I stayed clear of the habour and always fished the various coves south of the habour. I have taken bass to 7lb, plaice, smoothound and the pesky dogfish form that area. I think Luke Scully's thread on courtown is spot on, it really does need to be fished at night or a rising tide into dusk. I have fished there recently in daylight a few times and caught very little. Luke is also right about a place called Roney Point. it can be full of lads spinning off the rock but if you manage to set yourself up for darkness you could have the beach to yourself with great fishing to be had. the usual bait is required - rags, sandeel, peeler and mackerel. There is a bait / tackle shop in Gorey.