Common skate in Donegal?

Does anyone have any information on common skate in Donegal or the North West? I am just back from Scotland and am well and truely hooked on these big mamas. Would love to fish for them from my own boat but the only places I am aware of are Clew Bay in Galway or Red Bay in Antrim which are a bit far afield for regular fishing.

I know they like to lie in very deep water 300-500 ft, on a fairly clean bottom, but I'm not aware of anywhere with this kind of depth that I have fished before.

A few tope in the vicinity would be a bonus as well as they should hopefully fall to similar tactics.

Anyone any ideas?

There were Skate caught in the swilly end of last year

Google skate lough swilly and you should get all the info you require, if I remember right there is even an article with co-ordinates

There were Skate caught in the swilly end of last year

There was one caught during the rathmullan festival at the start of June last year, I think it was caught just north of Dunaff Head.

I would also say they lurk in Inistrahull sound, but dont think anyone targets them!

Where's that Paddy? Forgive my ignorance

Top job lads, swilly would be very handy for me to put the boat in at Buncrana.

Also been pointed in the direction of the Rosguill out of Downings, I see on his site they catch regular skate and tope/blues/porgies so that would be a good one too as I moor the boat in Port na blagh during the summer.

Keep them coming

Also check out the boat reports section for my scotland trip!

Trevor on Bonito out of Downings has caught them, somewhere nearby the Limeburner. Never could pin him down long enough the get the mark numbers out of him.

Bet there's halibut in the Inistrahull sound, too.

Also, you still here? Thought you were away in warmer climes on the other side of the world by now.

trevor and micheal mcveigh catch them occasionaly out of downings. your best bet is co antrim with hamish currie on board predator ireland or sean mckay on board lady lynda ballycastle hamish has a great website predatorireland.com would also be a lot cheaper than donegal charter boats

Where's that Paddy? Forgive my ignorance

!

Inistrahull sound is the deep trench between Glengad/Malin and Inistrahull Island, its like a miniture version of the trench between Antrim and Scotland.

Hi scrob, Hamish is probably the man to put you on skate up round here, he is doing very well this year. Im sure Sean McKay would put you on them too in the Ballycastle /Rathlin area. I bump into Hamish every week and he is skate on the brain just right now, dunno how booked up he is but there might be a chance. Even if not going to make a regular bookings with him a trip with him could be a valuable learning experience, never went for skate with him before but have learned good stuff from him the couple or 3 times Ive been out with him.

He's approaching 50 skate for 2011 already!

Did Daryll Grimasson not get a skate in Rathlin sound on 'the Big 6' TV programme a few years back? Maybe he was out with Sean McKay?