melmore + tranarossan, donegal, 22 october '08

People: mefein

Duration: 3hrs melmore, 3hrs tranarossan

Tide: full and ebbing

Weather: 3-4 heavy showers, surprisingly bright in between, strong winds

Bait: lug, mac, squid, sandeel

Rigs: 3 hook flapper, 3 hook clipped

Results: blank melmore, 2 turbot on tranarossan

Report: was very surprised at the many private or inaccessible beaches up the coast from milford - settled at the small cove at melmore as i needed to get out badly after the driving

very deep shelf on this beach - a diver was busy thought it was a good sign - weed was obvious but on the other side of beach

in close was okay for a while but then weed came on as tide started to turn - then a seal turned up - then the distance rods were covered in weed so packed up

thought it had loads of potential

headed up to tranarossan in the rain - had a look - huge surf but no weed

tide flowing pretty strong and coming back off the point - but at least it was ebbing

first turbo on a lump of mack the size of him!

then about an hour later - a slightly bigger one - again on mack alone

got dark and packed up

at least the two of them showed - dont know how youd get ray off that beach - must be a completely different place on a calm day

You should have fished on into the dark on Tranarossan. Probably would have been more productive and also a chance of a Bass. Never seen or heard of a Ray being caught on that beach, i had a caravan up on the hill behind Tranarossan for 10 years. If you had of fished Mulroy Bay on the right hand side as your going out to Melmore then you might have got ray. There are loads of wee coves and beaches up round that way that i haven't even tried and i'm sure they would throw up a few surprises!!

thanks for that - the weather was brutal so i always had cover in mind!

tanglerat had told me of a few spots for rays - but i just didnt get a chance - or fancy the rain!

Well done on the turbot did you manage to christen the new rod?

if you go to the right of the beach and fish off the rocks you should come into contact with some ray long old walk but supposed to be fairly good.we usually fish where you go on the beach from the carpark we've caught some cracking flounder there up to 47cms with seatrout,turbot,coalies dogs putting in an appearance aswell.

good spread of species there fishingquinn

salty no the rod hasnt been christened - was afraid to use it much incase it headed off to sea with a wrack of weed or the like!

I meant to check in with you for the other days, but I'd cleared my phone's memory and lost your number.

So I reckoned you'd taken the smart option and stayed indoors when I hadn't heard from you - that wind and rain was seriously miserable fishing weather!

Sounds like you made the best of it, with the bad weather and all.

It was pretty horrid this side of the country most of the week, with the odd suprise day of sunshine

nice part of the country and some isolated marks, are the rays still showing of the head at tranarossan or have they gone for winter , i was gonna try it this month but thought the rays cud have gone by now.
rab

theres still some thornys getting caught a portsalon pier btu you'll need to go weekdays r get there very early weekend mornings to beat the polish (call them anglers if you want) tits there catching ray,conger,whiting,coalies,pollock and as usual nothing goes back