Anyone fishing in Belmullet recently?

I'm new to shore angling but hope to get out to Belmullet over Christmas. I've checked out the mark info on this site, can anyone recommend the better ones for this time of year? I want to bring my 9yr old so the safer the better. (I know not so easy in Belmullet!).

Also what should I be targeting? The aim really is to have the young fella catch something. Any advise really appreciated.

Hmm .... Not sure if no replies means that it'll be a waste of time or not!

Well as I'll be there I'll give it a go, think I'll go to the pier in Ballyglass.

Any advise on the best rigs/bait to try?

Thanks,
Jim.

Hi Jim

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you...

Ballyglass pier is reasonably safe and fishes very differently depending on the current / tide and darkness or in daylight. Check out the December issue of the Irish Angler for a feature on the rock marks near there - you could try the Sailors Graveyard mark on a calm day such as we have now - but it is not a place to fish in a big swell or in wet and windy conditions. For safe marks, head south to the bigger beaches, either in the sound itself like Elly or Cross. The Glosh tower has the odd bass too... or so I am told! :wink: Avoid Blacksod rocks or the pontoon as they are very hit and miss, and you need a big tide to bring the fish in.

In daylight with a medium tide in Ballyglass I would expect to see whiting now although it also produces small pollack, pouting, and coalfish often in plague proportions. If they are "in" you will catch nothing else. You will pick up the odd flatfish if you can keep the bait on the sea bed and have freshly dug lugworm. Mackerel strip offers the option of a small brill / turbot. As an alternative to the pier, you could fish into the channel between the small island and the mainland just inside the lighthouse complex in relative safety... and there is a good depth of water there.

In darkness on the pier you get dogs, especially around slack water, and you will also find huss and the congers out roaming - there hasn't been a frost here to talk about yet so they are still on the move. Whiting for a few hours after dark being replaced by coalfish. I've even reports of scad and mackerel from some of the sheltered bays where there is no river...

The channel has sea trout and throws up gurnard on occasion as well.

Try Elly Bay down south if the wind is in the west, on a coming tide and ideally into darkness. It is surprisingly deep off the point if you can cast 50 metres. There are plenty of small fish in the suds for the lad...

Hope this helps...

Thanks Kieran, plenty to choose from there.