Donaghadee pier, Co Down, 15/03/09

People:Me

Duration:1000 - 1300

Tide:rising

Weather:sunny, slight breeze

Bait:mack

Rigs:1 up,1 down - float - 3 hook peternoster

Results:a big fat blank, and 2 broken rods!!




Report:Was itching to get out for the first time this year,do headed for the Dee this morning, even though daytime is a bad time to fish at this time of year.
Set up my first rod, and cast out, then went to set up my other rod ( a cheapy telescopic that I usually just fish down the wall of the pier). As i was tightening the reel seat, the collar which screws up split right down the middle! Not to be beaten, i raided my first aid kit and found some large elastoplasts to hold the reel roughly in place!

Things went from bad to worse when later on I rebaited my first rod and was about to cast, only for the tip ring to fall off. Determined not to have a totally wasted trip, I switched to a float rig, on the logic that i would have better bite detection with the float rather than looking at a rod tip with no ring!!

Had one good take when the float shot under like a bullet, but no hook up.

Judging by the bird activity, there were fish at the far side of the harbour, well out of my casting range

Still, it was a pleasant day, and hopefully that is my bad luck over for the year!

I think every fisherman has had a day like that vamper, everything goes wrong! It was a lovely day though. I'd say mid April you'll start getting a few wrasse in daylight at the Dee, until then it'll be very hit and miss chum.

Cheers Rab

I can laugh about it now but it wasnt funny at the time

The Dee fishes notoriously bad during the day at this time of year, but theres always a chance of a pollack or coalie. Anyhow,weather was good and it sures beats sitting in.

Weather certainly was good mate. I was wading waist deep in strangford lough chasing sea trout, lovely weather.

new to this, was round the corner at millisle 2pm - 5pm self and son . great big zero, tried mak , prawns and lures, also the same over the last week at grays point , saw the trawler . it was close

Stick at it bitsinbobs its a very difficult month but when it gets mid april/may then the sea fishing will pick up and you'll reap the rewards. Ask plenty of questions and pick up plenty of knowledge off this site. In my opinion you're best hitting the antim coast and doing a bit of flattie fishing to get a result this early in the season. I myself fish for sea trout till the season kicks in. Best of luck mate.

i mean new to this after about 30 years LoL have forgotten so much ,,,,but the tranquility !!!!!! head showered etc

new to this, was round the corner at millisle 2pm - 5pm self and son . great big zero, tried mak , prawns and lures, also the same over the last week at grays point , saw the trawler . it was close

when your fishing millisle try lug, rag, mussel, squid, mack or peelercrab, if you get a good breeze from the south east fish during the day if calm fish at night or all day in summer. where in millisle did ya fish and i'll give ya a few tips, i have spent all year last year and most of this year fishing millisle............

hi, was at the BEACH PARK , slipway to right , as tide went out went out onto rocks

hard luck mate with the rods but every one has days like this, hopefully yours is behind you and your luck improves

Cheers MC. I certainly hope so.

Should be able to pick up a tip ring easliy enough, and as for the telescopic, looks like I will just have tell the wife that I need to buy a better replacement

what a run of rotten luck vamper but at least you stuck it out me and dawsey hit the dee for a few hours in the day the other week with much the same results all of a sudden i've got a new found appreciation for wrasse and mackeral, at least it's something to target during the day. come back...,,,, all is forgiven

new to this, was round the corner at millisle 2pm - 5pm self and son . great big zero, tried mak , prawns and lures, also the same over the last week at grays point , saw the trawler . it was close

Hey, I was down and speaking to your son, I suggested a move to the Standing stone between Millisle and Donaghadee, then I said that Donaghadee was a better option, and it was free as I'd just been there.

Millisle's not great.

Don't let dan here you say millisle is crap drew.

Don't worry Rab, He's family, if he gets out of hand he gets a wee slap.

thanks for the info ,I saw you talking to son and he did say about the Dee but not about the stone