More Flatties, Donegal Bay, 18th December 2021

I make a fishing photo album at the end of every year and always include the first and last fish of each “campaign”; I was tempted to let my recent flounder p.b. be the final entry for 2021 but why waste a few fishing opportunities for the sake of personal vanity? Besides I had just finishing tidying my tackle box after my last day out and a little “local information” had come my way which I was keen to put to use. So there I stood observing the mark, (which has been on my “must try there sometime” list for a while), from the roadside. There was already a couple of guys fishing there, it is a small enough mark but there was also little to no surf on it to stir things up so I left them to it and headed to a different familiar spot which would more likely have some surf.
It certainly had some surf, a bit messy but it would have to do. The first mackerel baits on two and three hook flappers were launched just on low water and I sat down to wait. It was an hour before anything happened and a 34cm flounder decided it was lunchtime, not a bad start. Having waited an hour, two fish came almost at once, the second being a small turbot. Another hour later and the second flounder followed by the second turbot showed up almost together again. A fair lateral tow had developed as the tide filled so I switched one lead to a gripper and persevered with a plain lead on the other rod to search out the beach. It was another hour before the next fish showed; it did so by breaking out the grip lead. Another flounder so I was almost expecting an accompanying turbot (getting a bit like Groundhog Day) but it was another flounder which, unable to wait his turn, had broken the sequence of Flounder, Turbot, Flounder, Turbot, Flounder etc, or as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet would have it; Foxtrot, Tango, Foxtrot, Tango, Foxtrot, Foxtrot. Rather than a couple of minutes of activity every hour, this became a period of steady action as 5 fish weighed in in little over half an hour. The flounder seemed to be getting smaller, 34, 33, 33, 29, while the turbot seemed to be getting bigger, 19, 24, 25, but the final fish was a fine flounder bang on the 40cm mark. I know somebody desperate for a 40cm flounder, perhaps he could have the rights to this one, fee negotiable of course….
The fish seemed to have come on the feed properly at half-tide. I’ve always found this mark to fish better on the lower half of the tide though I recall once leaving at half-tide and meeting two local anglers just arriving to fish over the top of the tide, I had wondered if they knew something I didn’t. The messy surf I mentioned earlier was still messy out far but as the tide had filled there was a nice series of waves and tables in close which seemed to suit the fish better, something to remember in future.
Unfortunately I now had to commit the grievous sin of leaving feeding fish, Saturday night is Steak and Red Wine night in the West Residence, and I’m on kitchen duty. I was seriously tempted to stay for “one” last cast; this would have two major benefits. I would hopefully get a few more fish and I would also avoid Strictly Come Dancing, more Foxtrots and Tangos but definitely not the sort I’m interested in!
Still, a 40cm flounder isn’t the worst way to finish a session.

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Great pictures and an entertaining report once again. Many thanks!

Another great read and report JW, brilliant.

another brilliant report and your on a roll with the big flounders

Always puts a smile on my face to read your reports, Johnwest. You have a talent with words, and with Flounder. Thanks for sharing great angling, we’ll done.

I know somebody desperate for a 40cm flounder, perhaps he could have the rights to this one, fee negotiable of course…

Never!
(I will get my 40+ over the coming weeks )

Another great wee report JW, enjoyed the read
Some really nice fish there
Happy Christmas