Youghal, Cork, 18/10/08

People:17 Borough SAC

Duration: 5 hours 17.00-22.00

Tide: 20.38

Weather:Too good....no surf

Bait: Rag, lug, crab, sandeel, mackerel, razor

Rigs: various

Results: bass, flounder, whiting, coalies, dogs




Report: The evening was glorious. Unfortunately, fishing was slacker than it should have been due to lack of surf. First cast by one member was a double of two fat flounders. Then all went quiet. About 6pm I landed my smallest ever bass ( 25 cm). It took ragworm. Despite people saying crab is your only man in this area rag works very well. Nothing much happened until darkness started to appear. While fishing wasn't hectic lots of fish were caught. 13 fish ( I think) won the comp. There were only a couple of blanks. The quality of the fish was much better than on the East coast and no doubt the Borough will venture down south again.

Richard Butler caught the fish of the evening with a beautiful bass.

One matter that I find deeply disturbing is to hear that the wholesale slaughter of common shore crabs by a commercial fisherman is still going on. I do believe that this will destroy a wonderful fishery. The bottom of the food chain is being removed and there will soon be no reason for fish to come to Youghal. Once this happens a superb venue will be lost forever. As many anglers travel to the town I think that their spending must be of benefit to the area. No doubt it is worth more to the town than the amount being earned by this greedy individual who does not care what damage he does to the environment.

People may doubt this. However, many anglers will remember that Greystones was once a superb venue for cod and plaice. Then the mussel beds were dredged out. The cod and plaice disappeared never to return.



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Thats a great bass - what weight was it?

Very worrying to hear about the harvesting of the crabs Is there anything that can be done to stop that - short of sinking the scumbags boat?

The bass was about 6lb.

I will be away for just over a week but would like to start a campaign against the crab harvesting. I will put up a post on my return and maybe if enough people are interested we can get a plan of action together.

In the meanwhile I am getting ready to wet my lines in Gambia!

What are they doing with all the crabs ???

Your actually going to fish in Gambia

It's more than some of them do !!

from area and not only is it going to effect the fish but they are putting their pots outside the areas where we fish, making it almost impossible to cast have had heated arguments with one of the people involved ,lost a big fish to one such pot recently.would like to get involved with any one that has any ideas.

In the meanwhile I am getting ready to wet my lines in Gambia!

i hope it is only your lines that get wet

i here its more than crabs you can catch out there .
safe trip.

The harvesting of shore crab in Courtmac has been going on for yeras. Now granted its not exactly a big operation, 2 or 3 lads with a few pots but its never seemed to effect fishing of fish availability

That,s some great fishing theres is a lot of good fish been produced in youghal lately must give it a try soon