Newbie in galway

Hello everyone, new to sea/shore fishing, very interested in learning the vast amounts of info on it and practicing it. I have found this site very useful for tips and advice so far. Was out in spiddal pier twice last week, using a bottom rig (sandeel, squid, fresh sardine)with no luck, wind was strong onshore and the swell was big enough, next time ill probably try one of the small rocky beaches close by on a calmer day. I also went to blackhead for a few hours on another day, again using bottom rigs (sandeel, squid, fresh herring) and then i switched to a float, but not even a bite! It could be too early as someone mentioned in another post. Either way it was good to get out and practice. I am going to have to upgrade my equipment at some point as im using a fairly basic setup. If anyone has a good quality second hand rod and/or reel for rock/beach (12ft)and think it could be suitable please let me know. Not sure to look for a multiplier or fixed. Any tips or advice welcome. Thanks

hi Firbolg
welcome to the site,you will get plenty of help from the Galway lads on the site including myself,I live out near clifden and fish all around west galway

fishing is a bit quite every where at the moment,if you want to take a spin out connemara I will pm you a few marks or i can bring you to some of them
I fished spiddal pier a few times lately and had little luck as well,if the water looks brownish forget about it,plenty more spots that will produce a few fish for you

there is a for sale section on the site but Only Frequent Posters of 6 months standing have access to the forum

To be honest id stick with fixed spool for a while till you improve your casting,multipliers are great for distance but need a lot of practice,by the sounds of it you aret doing anything wrong,its just very hard fishing everywhere at the moment.happy fishing.

Welcome to the site... what part of Galway are you based in? there's a regular group that go fishing around Galway you'd be more than welcome to join in... next time your going out put up a post in the Buddy's Meets and Seats section and i'm sure you'll get someone to meet up and point you in the right direction... the quickest way to learn is to join a club

Hi firblog . i too fish galway area a good bit and it is poor fishing lately. its between species at the moment the winter fish are moving out and the spring summer fish are moving in and this is one of the hardest times to get a good catch. i fish with a fixed spool reel and i find its not always a long cast that is needed to get fish. some are only a few yards away from the shore line. also a fixed spool reel is easier to manage when starting out. hope your next session turns out with tight lines.

Hi Lads,

Thanks very much for all the advice. I live in Moycullen but im about Galway most of the time. Ill check out GBSAC. Ill definitely post before my next outing and check to see who else might going out or where might be worth checking. Thanks again

Hi Lads,

Thanks very much for all the advice. I live in Moycullen but im about Galway most of the time. Ill check out GBSAC. Ill definitely post before my next outing and check to see who else might going out or where might be worth checking. Thanks again

the home place is 6 miles from moycullen and I am often down at the weekend,I know a lot of marks down along by spiddal as well
I use a multiplier and fixed spool reel and if you want you can have a few casts to try them

not that great at fishing myself but I will pass on the few bits I know

I fished with some of the GBSAC members,great bunch of lads that will pass on great tips

let me know when you are heading out and I will try to meet up

Another newbie here. Regarding Spiddal and Silverstrand, is it a case of lugs being the best bet for a novice at any stage of the year? I've a few sand eels in the freezer since last autumn so wondering whether I'd be wasting my time with them now?

Im no expert but id say give them a try anyway, i'm sure lug and sandeel would be tasty for a fish or two! Ive been using frozen sandeels, fresh mackerel and fresh herring when ive been out, saying that i havent caught anything yet this year!! Hopefully that'll change soon. Give it a go and see..

Im no expert but id say give them a try anyway, i'm sure lug and sandeel would be tasty for a fish or two! Ive been using frozen sandeels, fresh mackerel and fresh herring when ive been out, saying that i havent caught anything yet this year!! Hopefully that'll change soon. Give it a go and see..

Thanks. I'll give it a whirl next weekend and see how it goes so.

Another newbie here. Regarding Spiddal and Silverstrand, is it a case of lugs being the best bet for a novice at any stage of the year? I've a few sand eels in the freezer since last autumn so wondering whether I'd be wasting my time with them now?

hi grubber welcome to the site,lug and rag works well on the beaches for the flat fish but the sandeel will work too,use the sandeel you will get a lot of species with it,i have used sandeel that has been refrozen a few times and still caught fish