2 marks one galway one clare - just

People:myself and vinny

Duration: 11 to 1.30 then 2.30 to 4.45pm

Tide:lw at 2pm

Weather: cloudy light breeze mild

Bait: mack, squid sandell

Rigs: 3 hook flappers, 2 hook flappers

Results: blank not even crabs!

Report: was just such a nice day to be out and forgot how easy it is fishing in daylight pity the fish didnt oblige - but what about

had seen two spots when i was looking round that osi map i wanted to try

gave vinny a shout and was more than happy to go for a scout about


first off was lough sallagh near kinvarra - formed by two islands either side of this deep but small bay

plent of water at different depths and speeds about - we had lost a good amount of water by the time we got there

the 2 old piers were still out nicely into the bay and not too damaged to work off

plenty of birds feeding about but no fish for us

dropped some feed about the pier and no crabs even touched it!

still lovely setting and im sure in the summer should produce - had a lot less weed than anticipated - more algae on the bottom with slime than wracks of weed

saw a flounder shoot off when the water was an hour off lw

with this i showed vinny a few more marks and tales

and then got to carrownabranra just over the border and went to take a road on the osi map - seems the owner of the tower there doesnt allow acccess to the shore on it contradicting the osi map - with a large wrought iron gate across the road

anyway parked back up near the causeway and got down to the sandy side by foot

the water had certainly turned and was coming in steady

there was a noticeable stream filling in behind us and we being perched on a sandbar had one eye on it - as we watched the geese and all the other sites around

after some fast moving with the tide and the stream behing the sandbar getting bigger it was time to get across - even in the 10 mins that passed it was hectic to get across - wouldnt have like to have been in more stormy conditions - always keep an eye on the sea!!!!

another reason to check out new spots in the daylight

anways a good recon - but no fish - but cant wait to try again

the sandbar was well covered 2 hours before HT - plenty of potential to lob baits onto it and around to search for fish

nice way to spend the 14th of feb

Nice on the recon that 2nd spot sounds interesting with the gully around the back nice run for fish.... unlucky on blank lads!!

Hard luck on the blank lads, but you certainly picked up plenty of info on your recon

i suppose the other advantage was no pin whiting

Nice day out lads, hope ye got back to Galway in time to romance the womenfolk...

and then got to carrownabranra just over the border and went to take a road on the osi map - seems the owner of the tower there doesnt allow acccess to the shore on it contradicting the osi map - with a large wrought iron gate across the road

anyway parked back up near the causeway and got down to the sandy side by foot

the water had certainly turned and was coming in steady

there was a noticeable stream filling in behind us and we being perched on a sandbar had one eye on it - as we watched the geese and all the other sites around

after some fast moving with the tide and the stream behing the sandbar getting bigger it was time to get across - even in the 10 mins that passed it was hectic to get across - wouldnt have like to have been in more stormy conditions - always keep an eye on the sea!!!!

another reason to check out new spots in the daylight

Howdy Brian was over that way earlier doing a bit of business and had my scratching gear with me collected a handfull of lug near mike's place (very good lug) gave it around an hour and a half resulted in one dab but the water was quite low definately big potential there. That stream and inflow can be crossed at high tide if you walk down in the direction of the Martello tower about 100 yards and come up from the shore there is a road which leads to the tower but also has a bridge leading back to the wrought iron gate, so there is no chance of getting cut off. You can also access the Tower from the Western side at the crossroads where you turn left to fish New Quay looking across at Lenans from Aughnish, take a right instead follow on till the road comes to an end you can park here and walk to the mark or there is a unlocked gate there which has a dirt track leading all the way past the tower over the bridge down to the wrought iron gate might need to seek approval before driving onto the land. I've asked one of the locals i know to find out who has the land to see if they'd mind us "once in a blue moon" accessing it from this point. Bottom is very clean nice gully just as you said some rocky out crops close in to the curve in the bay which should see a run of fish searching for food as the tide floods. Will give it another crack soon with more fresh lug bit of shelter there from winds from W / SW

unlucky with the blank brian it's real hard going at the moment trying to get a fish during daylight hours

interesting result there conor - the lugs at mikes place are good to get and a decent size - no snakes but no tiddlers

eager to get out there again - i can just imagine what would be cruising up the eastern side - its almost like natural groynes with those rock out crops

alan

to be honest - the blanks can be expected at this time of year and especially in daylight

im not really too bothered as it was all about checking out a new spot - sometimes you just have to learn the hard way

the satisfaction is greater when you learn how to fish it properly - well for me anyway

particularly when youve recently caught over a 1000 pin whiting

quality over quantity - bar match fishing

tight lines