East Ferry / Agahada in a boat? Worth fishing?

Hi guys,

I've spent 2 days over the last week or so fishing from the entrance to east ferry in cork, along the deep channel between the green and red bouy and over the sand closer to marlogue woods with nothing to show for it.

Because of the closed season on Bass (doesn't seem to stop the shore anglers tho!) and the sea trout in the area I'm mostly trying bottom rigs (lug, crab, fresh launce) for flatfish and the odd feathers or muppets but as off yet its been all blanks... (which is making the new boat had to justify to my missus )

I'm new to fishing from boats in the harbour, and have not ventured passed the refinery yet.
My boat is very sea worthy at 18ft, but it just takes so long in my 8hp engine to get anywhere (tidal moorings at Ballinacurra).

I would rather spend time fishing than travelling and was hoping that aghada / east ferry would have good boat fishing as the shore marks can be good.
Has anyone experience or advice on boat fishing here?

I was tempted to try the deep water around Browns Island but the dirtyness and some forum feedback on it put me off.

Any advice at all?

Ta,

Why not drive to youghal it's only 1/2 hour away and I guarantee you won't have a blank....
I know you said you did not want to travel but it would be worth it

True, but my boat is moored and that half hour turns into more like 2/3 by the time I drive the boat over to the slipway and get my trailer from west cork

Thanks, maybe I'll hit some shores around Youghal, ain't been having too much luck on the beaches either.

hi looking at your post you have a 18 ft boat with a 8 hp engine the engine is to small for the boat if your planning to go sea fishing the 8 hp would be a great back up engine better off getting a bigger main engine

Are you drifting or anchoring up?
Never really fished East Ferry just left from there to go fishing.
Did anchor once on way back in before turning into East Ferry and caught a load of dogs.
What boat have you got? As Steryman says you might do with a bigger engine.

Yappo

I think you have little choice but to head for the outer harbour. Long steam I know, but the quality of the fishing is better. the fishing on offer in the ferry can be good but you could spend a long time searching. Even if you took a few drifts around no.6 with baited hockeyes you'd surely get a few codling. Get to them quick as they should up and leave any day now!

Steryman: Its a popular boats sea nymph an GRP displacement hull, and I've been told it can do a max of about 8knotts so I had thought about a bigger engine but I'm not too sure I would get any extra speed.



Yappo, I'm drifting I guess I could try anchoring, aint too keen on the dogs tho

I was afraid you'd say that Jim, guess I just gotta bite the bullet!
I've been aiming for turbot bank but one thing led to another and delayed my start so I just stopped at aghada as it looks like the MUST be fish there... maybe not

hi donnyboy shes a grand boat just taught a 20 hp would be perfect on it give you a steady 13 to 15 knots make your trip a bit better and quicker but if your happy tipping along boat is fine nice hull i fish there anytime i go to cork good fishing great number of species

Its a popular boats sea nymph an GRP displacement hull

Well there's a blast from the past! We used have one of these! It was modified so the engine was on the transom. A grand solid boat but you are correct about the speed side of things. I'd say she would take more than an 8HP a 15hp might push her along a bit better, if I remember, they are a heavy boat. Looks like you'll just have to factor in longer travelling times. You could consider the tide as well... head off with the dropping tide come back with the flood.

Either way....Enjoy!

Might even have been yours, I don't think there are too many round these parts

I was thinking of taking it to a dealer next season and seeing if it would take a 15/20hp no point paying for the extra horsies if it can't take it!

Yep I was thinking to go on a dropping tide, might just give me an extra bit of comfort!

So in summary, there is much better fishing a bit further and aghada area is a bit hit and miss.

Fair enough, thanks for the help.

Its a popular boats sea nymph an GRP displacement hull

Well there's a blast from the past! We used have one of these! It was modified so the engine was on the transom. A grand solid boat but you are correct about the speed side of things. I'd say she would take more than an 8HP a 15hp might push her along a bit better, if I remember, they are a heavy boat. Looks like you'll just have to factor in longer travelling times. You could consider the tide as well... head off with the dropping tide come back with the flood.

Either way....Enjoy!

Hi JimC, sorry to drag up an old thread....

But i'm in the middle of trying to decide on a new engine for her and there is no plate on the boat so I am not sure what load the transom can take?

I'm looking at a 15hp at around the 50kg mark, but I would really like to go 20hp but that is pushing 70kg? Would it take this weight and hp?
I'm using the original internal transom in between the two back seats.

No problem.
If memory serves we had a 15hp 2stroke on the back. I would guess at around 8-12knts.
Problem is really the design of hull. A 20 might give you a bit more but more than likely will end up pushing a wall of water and not doing much more speed – It is a displacement hull after all. It’s a hard call as there are not too many SN’s around the place to have a look. Any that I have seen on the net etc. all seem to have 15’s. It would be great if you could test on the water before buying.
Perhaps a post on WSF might help; there may be a few more knocking around the UK.
As for taking the weight, I cannot say for certain. Ours was modified to fit the engine on the transom rather than inside. If the inner transom is in good nick and you did not see any flexing with your old engine then I would probably take the chance – with a good safety rope

Thanks Jim,

I redid the transom last summer so its as good as the day it was produced... only I don't know what it was rated to take back then!

Currently I have a 8hp 2stroke at about 30kg. I will chance going to 50kg... not sure about the 70kg.

I'm in agreement with you with the speed and was aiming for a 15hp, only a well known mariner from CObh told me that a 20hp would give a little extra 'umph' if the weather turned bad... lets say cruising into a strong headwind. So its not necessarily extra speed I'm looking for.

The 20hp I'm looking at is a Parsuns with 500cc and is almost half the price of the mariner 20hp(15hp) with 350cc.

Thanks again for the advice!

Perhaps a post on WSF might help; there may be a few more knocking around the UK.

Good advice... lots of info there, also helped me figure out a place to put the transom mount transducer!!

For the record the 20hp gives me very little extra in speed. 2 adults and 2 kids at about 200kg and gear at about 50kg, in the 8hp gave me about 7knotts

The exact same setup with an extra 50kg on the engine gives me about 8-9knotts. However... I use about 3 times less fuel....

I ran around cork harbour all day sat about 5 hours driving and only used about 10 litres of petrol...

Its hard to beat that....

The odd time I needed a little grunt from the engine it was there. A 15hp would have been perfect but the 20hp was the same price. A modern 10hp with remote controls would be fine but I think you'd use considerably more fuel and drive the boat at a higher rev which may contribute to more petrol maintenance costs perhaps?

We're happy anyway!

She's getting there!