Mackerel reports '09 here.....

Hello,
Fourth year of this thread.. What it is and the reasons are as before:

"I think it would be a great resource for many SAI supporters to report the presence (or absence) of macks from shore all throughout the season in as close to real time as possible.
Not looking for any secrets here, just the type of info that someone driving by the bridge in Kinsale will know if s(he) sees mackerel being caught. This website gives a chance to have info feeding in from all over the country to one spot for the entire season.

Why?..
A better idea of where and when the macks are about might:
1. Increase chances of catching nice dinner
2. Tempt you to try fishing for them with a fly rod or very light gear
3. Allow you to bring nippers along, they'll NEVER forget catching the first mack
4. If it works it might mean less time fishing for bait (if the bait is mack)
5. it might mean less need to haul in loads at a time for bait for the freezer during the season
6. Use the info to avoid mack bashers (I have found the morning tide can be like a different planet, a quiet, safe one
above are the 'selfish' reasons, other reasons are:
7. If supported it could provide an annual 'database' on mack stocks, allowing rough comparison from year to year
8. Might cut down on the need to take extra macks in a session, which is good for the fish.

(BTW reporting the presence or not of mack bashers might be a good idea during the high season, also reporting a blank would be just as important as reporting a catch)

I will continue to put reports of my attempts during the season ahead, I hope others will join in."

Another good thing about this is that if you are new to the site it's a great way to start reporting.

If you think it's a useful idea please continue to put up posts, it will definitely be of interest to fellow forum users (100 views for every one post in the last couple of years).

First full house plus photo came from Clare on April 14th last year!

Blackie

A few Mackerel turning up sporadically at Bridges of Ross and Castle Point in West Clare.

3 landed on boat fishing out of kilmore quay last saturday 4/4/09.

i had them on 8/1/09 in kilmore on the boat might not be much but there are a few around

none around mayo yet,but will report when we catch,great idea!!worked well last year.

girls, isn't this supposed to be about macks caught from the shore?

catching mack from the shore this week is about as optimistic as a fianna fail back bencher's chances of ever ironing 5 shirts again on a sunday night after the next election.

girls

is it politically correct to address your fellow anglers like that?

girls, isn't this supposed to be about macks caught from the shore?

Uvox - surely all posts welcome, sometimes us landbound anglers get out in a boat, what harm one thread for all reports, just that if it's a boat report to say that.

catching mack from the shore this week is about as optimistic as a fianna fail back bencher's chances of ever ironing 5 shirts again on a sunday night after the next election.

First photo from last year was April 14th, just five days to go! Maybe you'll be the first this year Uvox??? (and BTW the FF supporters will be back like the macks in summertime come the next election )

Blackie

Just to clarify - the mackerel caught at The Bridges of Ross and Castle Point in West Clare were SHORE caught.
Well................ from Cliffs actually!

I could be wrong here, but when lads start to hit mack in good numbers off the boats it should be an indication that they will soon be in casting range from the shore.Anyway boat mack reports help people when deciding were to fish and where they know they can pick up fresh bait on the way to fishing grounds

Just to clarify - the mackerel caught at The Bridges of Ross and Castle Point in West Clare were SHORE caught.
Well................ from Cliffs actually!

First shore catch goes to Clare then (again), roll on the summer........

Blackie

Well done blackiemc.
I'm new to this forum and I think it's a great idea.
I was fishing off Cahore Harbour just yesterday and I was thinking to myself how would I know where the macks are and when they're about.
With three young children, I agree, catching their first fish, hopefully a mackrel, will be an occassion they will remember for the rest of the lives.
Thank you again for posting a great topic.
I will keep an eye out on it.

Yep as Ross said there at the castle.. I seen two caught as I tried for an hour on Sunday morning there was 6 including myself fishing… the other 5 people looked very tanned I don’t think they where locals,

As big as the Atlantic ocean is one of them managed to cast over my line twice.. the first time as I watched him from 30 yards away untangle the lines he looked at me while he held my lead I told him to chuck it out to sea with a hand signal…. This he did narrowly missing being hooked by the following feathers,

The second time he caught my line he wasn’t so lucky… after he sorted the tangle he again looked at me and I again pointed out to sea,

As I watched him prepare to launch the lead it looked like he was aiming for an imaginary dart board he held the 8 oz lead like a dart and gave it a good fling it travelled about a yard then stopped in mid air and swung back at him

I seen him grab his hand before he slipped behind a ledge out of sight and just as I was about to get worried about ever seeing my new feathers again his mate appeared and carefully dropped them over the side,

I had another few cast’s then went over to see if there was anything I could do to help as I had a first aid kit in the van But he was very brave and settled for some toilet roll that his mate gave him,

At least I caught something.

At least I caught something.

not sure if this qualifies as a catch report, unless he had gills but nice to see you are practising C&R

As always “nearly always”

Was fishing at St johns point during the weekend there..Seen plenty off shoals but not really within casting distance, however a few smaller ones did come in..Now i did nt catch any myself but my two friends caught 3 in total. I know its not much but its somethin..

mack boat report, mack shore report may solve the report problem!
give it a go and watch the reports come in.
my only mack reports are coming from Southside and Rory's!
do tackle shop freezers count? :L

Was fishing at St johns point during the weekend there..Seen plenty off shoals but not really within casting distance, however a few smaller ones did come in..Now i did nt catch any myself but my two friends caught 3 in total. I know its not much but its somethin..

Hopefully the weather starts to warm up a bit and they'll start coming in closer and travel on down south more.

got this wee guy on a sand eel i think. it was the earliest mackie i've ever got. we were fishing 3 hook flappers at our usual spot at donaghadee harbour on tuesday 13th january 2009 you'll get all the details in the shore report i posted at the time. i've not heard of any there since. but after reading nobuzz's report about makie bashers there at the weekend mabey the locals have had a few to justify the bashers decending like a bunch of locasts

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Looks like the 1st Mack of 09 goes to Alistair, now who's going to get that full house?