Clare Island

[saving private brian]

Gents/Ladies

I might be going out here at the end of next month

Has anyone fished clare island off the mayo coast from the shore

Is there access to beaches, rock marks etc


Any help will be appreciated

Brian

[kieran]

Yep but not in a while

The harbour was good for wrasse, pollack and such like. Some flatties too if the ferry is not running. Nothing huge but decent. It was rebuilt about five years ago so there should be congers, rockling and such like there now.

The southern shore looks like rocks but it is good for sea trout and flatties, which looks odd but isn't. Nothing huge. Needs mild conditions, can get wild. The further west you go the wilder it gets. There are deep cliffs and gullies that probably hold monster wrasse and decent shore pollack but you need mountaineering kit to access some of them and its a long trek, usually over fields. Ask the local farmer for access...

The northern eastern shore is quite rocky and shallow but fishes around the top of the tide for the usual suspects. See reports on "the cove", a known mark. Not great but sheltered in prevailing winds.

If you can get out on a boat, there are three marks worth visiting - the dysaght (spelling?) rocks past the salmon cages (are they still there?) between the light house and Achill Beag, which fishes best on the drift when the water is moving, the deep water under the cliffs which hold everything including octopus but have been fished down over the years, and if the skipper will go there, the rock pinnacles to the west of the island. The latter can throw up anything. Only place I have caught a greater weaver (ugh!) and also missed a massive John Dory off it. Can have humongous waves here, 5 metres plus, needs calm conditions...

Hope this helps...

[saving private brian]

Kieran

Some excellent advice there. Thanks

Im interested in casting on to sand from the south shore if i can...what am i likey to get as in flats etc

Brian

[kieran]

There is the beach at the harbour for starters...

On the south coast - and everything is a walk unless you like transport boxes (!) - there are some rocky coves that have sand thrown up on them showing its offshore but there is a big rocky margin so you need to be able to cast > 80 m. Windy. I found sand otally by accident and pulled in a dab and a turbot on a scratching rig.

There is a small harbour near the old post office on the "southern" road. Don't bother with it unless you like corkwing wrasse and strap congers. From memory (don't hold me to this) the sandy mark was a bit further west, casting to the left of a big lump of white water off rocks. I was expecting pollack and other rough ground species and was stunned to pull in the flatties. 125 gram grips. GL

[saving private brian]

Nice one Kieran

Sounds interesting to me

Was the flatties of any size

Brian

[corbyeire]

as kieran said above, great fishing for wrasse and pollack - just mind yourself
about ten years ago we stayed two night and covered a lot of the southern shore
the beach only seems to have a few flounder on it
the pier had loads of species - small and dogs out on the sand - no ray
dont know how active the fish farm is there now
round on the east old pier only had small wrasse on it

[kieran]

Nice one Kieran
Was the flatties of any sizeBrian

Not huge but the dab was big enough for the pan. The mark is opposite a collection of houses, past Clare Island abbey on the coast road.
Follow the drain all the way down from the road, but once you hit the sea, go to the extreme left to under a green headland.
Cast directly south. The obvious health warning is that sand moves around a lot, but good luck anyhow. A wild beautiful spot.

[saving private brian]

Kieran

I think this where you are talking about

Brian

[kieran]

now this is some years ago but that looks about right
I think I was to the west of that headland on rocks near the sea, as it was safe enough... and casting straight south with a lead lift

HTH