Béal an Mhurthead, Co. Mhaigh Eo, 13-15 june 08

Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:16 pm

People:myself and fmcd

Duration: 5 sessions

Tide: all sorts

Weather: glorious to threatening clouds, but no rain the whole time

Bait: mack, sandeel, mussel, lugs, squid

Rigs: pats, ledgers, flappers, pulleys, float, spinning

Results: - 3 fish :shock: - read on!

Report:

got down at a decent time friday had no real plan so set up one of the west facing beaches

was scratching in close with lug tipped with mack and had cocktails of squid mack sandeel etc. out far

was expecting something for sure in close but it was very bright

after about 45 mins got a turbot happy days





typical turbot - 3/0 hook with mack and sandeel on it half the size of himself!

blank saved and now the scenery could be appreciated - numerous surfer types came down but the waves werent good enough - had the place to ourselves

fmcd was spinning on the points covering either end of the beach but nothing was showing

things had gone dead quiet for 2 hours and then i noticed a small tap - so curiously i struck - felt like a bit of weed or another small flat - not much pull out of it

but that all changed as i got in closer - then it started to pull like hell - didnt jump out of the water but made a good few runs but then the leader kept me in control and i landed a nice sea trout





happy days - fish of the weekend caught already - duly unhooked and nursed back into the water - few seconds of stabilisation and it was off like a shot - what a fish!

gave this spot another 30 mins and then left it for the evening - off to the pub

up in the morning and a quick call to kieran and it was off to a rock mark - hearing about all these big wrasse had wet my appetite - i also felt i had unfinished business at scotchport

arrived at spinkadoon and was agog at the scenery - but didnt quiet know where to approach this spot

i headed for the deep water on the point fair enough climb down - but maybe it wasnt so advisable

i was struggling to hold bottom with 6oz - started to loose rigs - decided to just ledger with junk leads - but the current was slaughtering me in the kelp

then went for broke with the conger gear - i got one huge bite but as soon as i got a hold of it - the eel was well back in its hole and my line was just shreded on the barnacles

had to give up on this spot after and hour and a half and head back to relative safety and calmer waters in the bay away from the point













that was the nice view down wards!

this was above





across the bay





and seaward





remember this was back from the end of the mark on the point - probably was a bit dangerous where i started originally!!!

fmcd continued the spinning on the rock platforms on the south of this bay to no avail

on the last cast i got an edible crab on the mack - but 15 metres up it was too much to expect it to land

after losing loads of gear - and another eye in my rod! - 4 hours was enough and onwards to scotchport - surely at least the macks would be about there to raise the spirits

but again it was like 2 weeks ago - very bright - huge potential and deep water

was ledgering, spinning and float fishing - for another 3 hours and all the action had was a 6 inch pollack who was going for the shad - only to be put off by a darting wrasse a metre from the rock platform - less than six inches - who didnt take the lure either

mind you those snowbee glasses are great!





perseverance in action!

was leaving plenty of junk leads and hooks in the kelp here too - so it was soon time to get something to eat and have a beer or two - there was always hope for tomorrow...

again had no real plan but i was in the mood for some easy ground fishing so onto another beach mark - extremely shallow on the eastern side - but was nice and sheltered





was on the fill but very little action for first 2 hours

then as i was bringing in a mack pat - a small trout made a go for it only 10 yards out!!!

no hook up but spirits were lifted

fmcd was at the spinning again after this!

sent another one out far and soon saw the tip moving - brought it in - turned out to be a mack

tried again with the fresh bait but the school boy error rose its head - was chatting to some walkers and forgot to release the bail arm and cracked off :oops:

went to get a lead none left - only stupid massive junk leads - so left this beach and went back into belmullet for leads - no chance everywhere closed on sunday

headed down to an eachleim where i had seen a couple of rods for sale outside the shop there a few weeks back and fairplay they had a few leads inside - took the right following the village and had rods out far and in close but got no bites

fmcd managed to get a small trout on one of the lures but lost it 5 yards out - wanting a good fight on light line has its draw backs

the evening was closing in and the bellies were rumbling so that was the end of the fishing

was expecting far more fish off the rock marks on the saturday - dont understand how there were no micro pollack or wrasse about - regardless of the monsters i was after - the marks looked perfect for the job

anyway another large enough seatrout picked up so i cant really complain the scenery up there just amazing - and plenty of fine weather to see it!

Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:43 pm

Superb on the sea-trout and the turbot, but sounds like it was one hell of a toil to get 'em.

Bad luck with the rod....have you any rods left now :?:

spinkadoon

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:10 pm

Hi Corbyeire

Fished Spinkadoon right out on the point the last week to no avail, even with a dead calm 1 metre wave, the current and swells are fearsome.

You were right to fish where you were, surprised you did not find wrasse there, as it is an ideal spot. Interesting to hear about the conger rod bite, might have to wander down there myself again with the boat rod :shock:
There is a small stream down from the road and then there is a big wide piece of rock with a gully that runs around it in a big wide U, with cliffs on the far side. I try to fish the gully back in because you do not know where the wrasse will be depending on the tide. For all that the stream can look like a mine run off, they can be collected right underneath the damn thing on occassion. I dunno, Mayo wrasse do not abide by the usual rules, the feckers! :wink: It is a fairly rough spot and you need to watch the tide, not that you get closed off, just there are rogue waves...

What I have noticed on days where there is brilliant sunshine is that the wrasse will often collect in the shadowed areas under the cliffs. They also like to muck around in any collections of loose weed which is awful but if that's where the fish are... no point in fishing somewhere else!

When you are up to it, I will show you a mark further up to Erris, long trek, even more spectacular scenery and a freakishly deep mark!

Tight lines, and brilliant sea trout btw, lovely hurling...

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:34 pm

Well done Brian smashing sea trout makes it all worth while :D :D

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:57 pm

Nice lookin' sea trout Brian. Turbot looks nice and thick also. :)
Good stuff. (You seem to be havin' a bad run on the gear loss :shock:)

Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:23 pm

unlucky on the tackle loss fella, but thats a stonking sea trout there well done. great surroundings regrdless of the fishing. great report matey

Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:39 pm

thanks for the replies

i have one functioning rod now on either coast :lol:

the conger gave the rod an awful bite the rod bounced in the tripod - i got a hold of it and it pulled three or four times really strong - but then i got jammed

couldnt really say but definitely double figures

will be interested to hear if you try it again kieran :!: