Split Rock & Balscadden

Fished split rock from 8am to 10.30am on Saturday 8th May - not a nibble. Quite a cool breeze blowing which made bite detection hard anyway, but the bait was coming back a little more wet than it went in. Bait was mussel, lug, rag and squid cocktails. Decided to try balscadden high rocks. One other guy had just started fishing there so joined him. 2 hours later and still nothing. Couple of bites, but nothing. The other chap caught a small (3 inch) plaice!

I read Wes's post on the Bailey - same thing at Split Rock and Balscadden - rubbish everywhere! I wish fellow fishers would take more care over the environment they fish in and take their rubbish home. Discarded fishing line, empty bait boxes, empty beer cans, bits of rag and plastic bags - makes it uncomfortable to fish in amongst that sort of crap not to mention how harmful it can be to the wildlife.

Hi

Walk to the farther corner to the east and face directly north towards Ireland's eye. At about 1 to 2 o'clock, there is a reef running from 70-100 metres offshore. You have to land on it or ideally just over the far side and you will have plenty of pollack in the coming months. Mackerel bait. It is not an easy cast due to the windy conditions there and you really need to bang it out. Keep the snoods short or ideally clipped down...

FWIW...

Where abouts do you mean Kieran? Do you mean off the flat rocks near the toilets or off the low rocks? Anywhere for some decent fish!!

Still need to get some help with my casting though!!!

Hi ID

That is the split rock, the eastern section.
The reef will be at two o'clock if you are facing due north...

Alternatively cast directly across the "bay" to the stacks on the nose of howth for some cracking wrasse, but be swift on the retrieve as the bottom is very rough. Check the information on the mark itself...

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/Mark ... 0howth.htm

Hope this helps

Kieran,

Ahh, still on split rock, now I know what you mean. Last time I fished it, I fished the main rock on the nice grassy patch. Just for laughs I thought I would fish the smaller rocky portion to the south (the right hand side of the split looking out to sea). There were some crab pots laid out to the south east in front of the bird colony, so I fished toward Ireland's Eye. The pinnacle of the reef was about a foot or so out of the water when I got there and was covered by the time I left. Maybe I just can't cast far enough. I tried float fishing in the bay for wrasse and ledgering for whatever. The rotten bottom rigs saved most of my tackle.

Maybe I should have stayed over the high tide?

Ian

Lion's head seems to be the best mark around Howth at the moment. Concerning Split rock when I fish it I cast from the very front of the rock at about 2 o clock. If this produces nothing drop it in the deep hole in front of you about 20 yards. All the marks around ballscadden bay generally fish better during the winter with the exception of cat rock and split rock to an extent.