Shannon Estuary 26th june

People:Me, Jim and Andy from Dover SAC

Duration:6hours

Tide:low 14.21

Weather:Everything exept snow

Bait:Fresh mackerel, squid sandeel

Rigs:pulleys

Results: 1 dog 1 flounder 2 thornbacks
12lb 4oz stingray




Report:

I have been doing a few sessions with the Dover lads since they arrived on Monday. Up to today we have managed to land 15 rays and countless dogs in two sessions.

When I arrived at the mark the lads were already fishing. It didnt take me long to get two baits in the water, but unlike the previous days things were very quiet. Andy opened up the score with a dog and then Jim with a thornie of about 5lbs. I was getting no end of abuse for not being able to catch on home ground!!

A slack line bite signaled a ray to me and I was thankful for the bite to shut the two lads up. When I struck I thought I was snagged but as I worked the rig loose it shot of uptide, I hadnt a clue what I had hooked but it was taking line,then it turned and came directly towards me, I thought it was a big bass. I was delighted when I managed to beach it. It was my first stingray and my first double figure ray in Ireland.

I had a few handling problems with it as it was the angryest fish I have ever landed and its tail and sting thrashed about like it was possesed. After weighing and a few photos (none of me holding it) we managed to get it retuned where it rested for about 10 minutes before making its way back to the depths of the Shannon.

Well done on the stinger mate, great report

cool stinger and cool shades jesus they have it all down on the shannon

amazing fish well done

class wat bait did it take and wat weight line were you using for the trace

class wat bait did it take and wat weight line were you using for the trace

Fresh mackerel mounted on a pennel pulley rig. 5/0 varivas big mouth hooks. 80lb sakuma rig body and hook length. 18lb red ice mainline. 5oz impact grip lead

I use 70/80 lb hooklength for all my traces so it can put up with Bullhuss tearing at it.

Well done! Great Sting Ray!

well done on the sting ray,i would love to catch one i think

Well done! Great Sting Ray!

You can see where it was from the photo. Im still over the moon to have caught it. Had some good rays over low there this week but the weed has made it difficult to fish.

well done with the sting ray i bet it shut the others up

well done mate nice to see new species landing

nice going. good to see a local outdo the english lads . i bet that shut them up.

Well done on the Stingray

Paddy

Sweet as Neil sweet as i'll have a big corona for ya on the next outing.... Congrats super fish

Congrats,great fishing welldone

Tightlines

KC

those heavy traces you always use finally have a decent fish on the end of it!!!

great catch neil

those heavy traces you always use finally have a decent fish on the end of it!!!

great catch neil

Do they make hooks smaller than 4/0????