Night Sea Fishing - Dublin - Howth

Hey guys,

I was just wondering about night fishing around Howth. I rarely go sea fishing and normally stick to lakes and canals but would be interested in starting this whole sea fishing business! I tend to randomly but regularly fish at odd hours when ever the feeling strikes and last night i went up to Howth for a look (I checked the tide times and arrived just as the tide was in around 10PM for last night)

My question is what is the best method for night fishing? From what i understand fish will still hunt at night and its just their behavior that changes and i am fully aware the best method depends on exactly what your fishing for so i suppose another question is whats in this time of year?

are there mackerel still about? will feathers work at night? or should you use a float with some really potent smelling fish meat?

will lures work effectively at night or are they useless? does a full moon help as it shines natural light on the water and might reflect the shimmer of lures?


any help or thoughts on methods or rigs would be much appreciated!

Not sure on the Macks but one thing that your almost certain to catch is small dabs off the rocks in Balscadden. Tactic is bottom fishing with a 2-3 hook flapper, size 4 hooks and snood length of 1.5 to 2.5 foot depending on water movement. Rag and Mack best baits. You should pick up Dogfish at dark too. Also Whiting, Poor Cod, Pouting and a few other mini species but the Dabs are in abundance. All small enough though. Never had any big ones out there but Im sure theres a chance. The place is a mess. I normally avoid the place but went up last week to meet a mate for a few casts and I was shocked at the rubbish. Last time I seen it was last October and thought it couldnt get worse but it has drastically. Do let us know how ya get on.

try the luminous bead type feathers at night and shine them up in the headlights of the car or a lamp before you use them.and

Macks stay in around Howth until November possibly later and they tend to be a better size.

Float fishing with mackerel strip can work, but it will increasingly attract coalfish and pollack and if you are lucky big wrasse. Congers are a pest and can take baits in mid water at night, especially if you are fishing around slack tide. Some monsters out there ( > 10 kilos easy) if you want to try for one but trying for them in darkness from rocks is not my idea of fun!

Legering will get you dogfish by the ton. Some pollack as well if you can cast far enough. Small gurnard have shown too. Whiting come in on calm nights in the bay between the harbour and the nose of howth.

HTH

If you want to fish the harbour which is well lit at night then maybe consider Lrf. It's a good style if you just want to catch whatever fish are there (usually small), and as you're using lures you can just headout on the spur of the moment. I have say though it's been slow there this summer but maybe that's just me.

Not great fishing in the harbor. You need to head to the nose of Howth if you want to catch anything decent. The only issue is I would venture there at night. WAY to dangerous. I would suggest possibly trying Highrock in Portmarnock. Safe enough there.