Clonea, Waterford

Anyone fished Clonea recently. Only report I could find was from Kieran back in August 2003 and it wasn't exactly encouraging. A mate will be in the area this weekend and wants to know what species to expect and what tactics to use.

cheers

soc.

I assume that there is so little reports on this beach is that the fishing is very poor. I live very close to it and really only use it to practice my casting. On calm conditions you can get plaqued with dog fish, but in a good surf you can get the odd Bass, but its doubtful that they are worth targetting. You may get the odd coalie now, but there are much better venues close by. First if you do insist on fishing it only do so at night as day light is a complete waste of time and there are is to much activity on the beach.
If I was your pal, I would go to behind the pier at Ballinacourty and fish into the channel, or go to Ballyquinn east (road to ardmore) or Ballyquinn west. Lug works and mackeral works well of the beaches but you need crab for ballinacourty. THere is no run of coalies yet (appear to be late), but some coddling are showing altough most are small. There are some decent flounder about and plenty of dogs (sandeel or mackeral). Ballyquinn can always throw up a decent Bass when least expected and fishes well around low tide or high tide. Considerably deeper water than Clonea.
Good luck, hope this helps

Thanks for the sound advice Doc !

There's no substitute for local knowledge. I'll pass on your message to me mate.

Cheers

Soc.

Thx for the excellent pointers, any info regarding abbeyside in dungarvan (old church into harbour entrance). Will be staying there in late dec. early january visiting relatives, was thinking of trying some fishing from the wall by the graveyard, plenty of Lug in this area and thought that some flounder should be around - anything else?

BrazelC,
On a coming tide down below the wall fishing into the channel you should definatly get flouder at this time. But again crab is the killer bait in the harbour. The problem is that crabs will strip lug baits very quickly and if you have no choice you will end up reeling in every 10 mins or so otherwise you will be fishing without bait. On the opposite side of the harbour, the area called the lookout (in front of the bandstand) can fish very well over the Christmas period for coalies, but frozen crab is again the bait. For some reason some of us have found that frozen peelers outfish fresh for coalies, but I don't know why. As the tide increases it can be difficult to fish into the main channel at the harbour entrance, weed, current etc and thats why people go to the lookout. At low water its quite rough close in, but a cast of about 70 yards will see you avoid most obstructions and hit into a decent side channel. Reel in quickly or even use lead lifts to avoid getting snagged, but really its not a big a problem as it looks.
Another area that I have not fished in for a while is Lands end. If you go past the abbey through the builtup area the road comes to a dead end. Fishing off the rocks can produce a the odd bass on bigger tides. I have caught eel and flounder here before.
Good luck

Thx Doc, excellent info - will follow your advice, will give you an update early in the new year, thx again

DR SEAFISH.
Travelling to wellington bridge tonite & fishing tomorrow.
Any good locations & where to buy bait?????????