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Introduction - Co. Donegal - The Boats

Donegal is a mammoth fishing county, and it has recently come to world prominence for the exploits of several skippers in relation to pioneering a new Blue Fin Tuna fishery, running from Donegal Bay in the south right the way up to Burtonport and beyond...  The current Irish record Blue Fin Tuna of 968 lbs was caught on a 150 lb specialist rig in 2001 and is the biggest fish ever caught on rod and line in the British Isles.  What makes this fishery all the more impressive is the number of smaller Tuna, tiddlers or a mere 300 - 600 lbs that were taken in the same period from July to early November in successive years.  The big mistake would be to think that Donegal is only about Blue Fin Tuna, but far from it: - Donegal has a superbly well developed deep sea angling tourism infrastructure, amazing scenery, and huge potential that is only now beginning to be explored by boat and shore fishgermen.  There are marks from the shore like St. John's Point that deliver well over 10 species in a single day, including big pollack, codling, conger, and tough fighting wrasse!  Donegal also throws up its far share of unusual catches like the cold water torsk, and it has a wealth of reef and wreck marks to fish on...