howth

7 - Howth Harbour Bizarrely there are four marks in or around Howth Harbour. Just as you drive up the steep hill at the eastern end of Howth heading for Balscadden there are steps down to a small shingle beach that will give the odd Bass and some Flounder, especially near the rocky margins on both sides. Behind the far pier, there is a small strand with dangerous currents but it is also a known Bass mark. Species & Techniques: The Harbour itself is another matter. The East Pier fishes similar to the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire, with rough ground to the seaward side, leading to sandy patches for distance casters, whereas the West Pier is less popular, but offers similar fishing. The sand between the piers is the best mark for Flatfish. Mackerel and Garfish will fall to feathers during the summer and Mullet feed on offal off the big commercial fleet. Dabs are taken, with the odd Plaice. The east pier has a resident 50 lbs + conger.

Don't know about that anymore, saw a monster taken and killed on a NYLON rope tied to a rock this afternoon.....though it was more like 25lbs not quite 50.

why is it every time i hear of a conger being caught it always ends up being killed??!!!!!!!


what's the piont?

The reason people kill conger is that they're afraid to unhook or indeed to pick them up alive. But they want to hold them up for photographs. There's a sickening parade of such pictures in the angling mags every month. What makes it worse is that it's often kids of 12 or less you see in the pictures. So much for passing on any concept of conservation.

I don't know how long it takes an eel to get to 25, or 50, or 100lbs but it's pretty sad to see them killed for the sake of a snapshot or because some fool is out without a disgorger, pliers etc.

I have held up live conger to over 30lbs for photos and have never really had any problems with them, its extremely frustrating to see anglers killing one just for a quick snap and then dumping them back in. idiots i mean, not anglers

We fish Dingle harbour a lot for them and its a regular occurance to see dead one's just thrown on the rocks!!, Brainless stuff! :roll:

why is it every time i hear of a conger being caught it always ends up being killed??!!!!!!!


what's the piont?

Well if it helps he did seem to want to eat it as they weren't 'fishing' for it - Blue NyLon rope with a leader and a baited hook tied to a rock!.

An undignified end to a mighty fish but then again so is being scooped up in a net (and I do like a bit of Cod now and then) or a some guy in Clare told me, he had mighty craic last year "shooting Bass with a shotgun in Quilty" !!!:?

Hilarious! :lol: Does this guy from Clare also spin for pheasant? He wasn't wearing a big white coat with the arms tied behind it, by any chance?

Only in Ireland....

Hilarious! :lol: Does this guy from Clare also spin for pheasant? He wasn't wearing a big white coat with the arms tied behind it, by any chance?

Only in Ireland....

Spin for pheasant :lol: :lol:

ah yes well if it's gonna be eaten i won't feel too miserable. i think the pheasant spinning has cheered me up too!!