clare island, mayo, 17th-19th

People: myself, shamoo and 2 others

Duration: 3 evening sessions and one afternoon session

Tide: high 7, 8, 9 pm approx

Weather: overcast humid friday and sunday, saturday started bad and then got downright awful

Bait: rag, mac, pollack, sandeel

Rigs: various lures, feathers, 3 hook flappers, pulleys, ledger rigs

Results: poor cod poor cod poor cod, followed by dogs, wrasse, pollack and mackeral and in my famous last words therell be no whiting i got 2 micro whiting not even pins

Report: after being told there were 2 stags and an 18th birthday party on the island it was camping with all accomodation gone.

got down to the pier in roonagh in good time 4 of us raring to go - but the boat was farting around a lot so we started into a few beers while we were idle - this was to be the general ethos for the weekend, bar luckily! when we went rock hopping

we got to the island and with all the gear needed 2 runs in the car a local volunteered to get the gear to the "campsite" - which turned out to be very exposed at the beach edge on uneven ground - the catering facilities did not exist and the showers were a euro on top of the tenner per tent

we got the camps up, had a bit to eat and then down to the pier - there was 2 locals there with the feathers and had 1 already

were told to fish the back by the lads in shore thing in westport - big pollack, specimen wrasse - this was before we told him we had the rags already

with the wind floating wasnt on and the ground was well rough - mark got a couple of pollack as the 2 new lads lost leads and sets of feathers

i pretty much gave up on it and instead focussed on staring the locals out of the end of the pier but instead ended up chatting to them

they told me over the high water go for macks and sure enough they had 5 in the hour and then left

so i was in with the feathers after and no joy but the bait rigs started to hop at our feet with poor cod

never seen anything like it - as the others set up the rods - more poor cod - the place was alive with them - everyone caught which was great - and the bigger ones all closer to the pier - less of them as you got out

got a few dogs on sandeel but apart from that nothin much else to report

headed to the pub then and heard that there was a hostel and it was empty and then proceded to get lashed and play poker - with all the locals telling us of how desparate saturday was going to be

up early out of the tents at ten and got the breakfast in but already the wind was getting fresher - by the time we got packed to go fishing it was a good breeze and raining

chose to go west and south and eventually picked a few rocks we could get down to and started for wrasse - nothing for me for half hour but then had 1.5lb

the other lad got a few then so did i - and then dropped the biggest about 4lb - but the sea was jumpy and i didnt like going down further on the ledges

at this stage mark who was round the corner had a few wrasse and was into bigger ones so he says!!!
and donal had dropped a 4lb pollack - huge potential all along the rocks here between the promontory fort and the old pier on the os map

back into the main area and 2 more lads joined us and it was to the pub for a bit of refreshment

after a while it was down to the pier again for the evening - the wind too bad for spinning so on the baits again - pretty much the same as the night before - think mark maybe got a wrasse and i picked up a 10cm whiting for my sins!!!

the 2 new lads didnt fancy the fishing so we headed back to the pub
the weather just got worse and worse so stayed there for the night

following morning decided to head east and north again with the light gear - day was much brighter and clear but still windy enough - up near the capnagower side

the 2 lads that arrived the night before headed home so we could indulge in the fishing even more

we only got one wrasse to robin the man who was getting an awful taste for the fishing!!! - we stayed there but kept losing gear very shallow with thick weed and then waves every so often from the north that caught you by surprise

finished up and went for grub in the pub and more black stuff watched the hurling and then went down to the pier again - this time we had the barbie with us

i was convinced the night before a large dog i dropped was a huss and was lumping out big baits but no joy - didnt have any squid so it was all mac - but no joy

same really as the night before except we had some ultra fresh mac and pollack - i was busy supping on a few cans and rebaiting for the other lad but robin kept at the feathers and lures hard and we eat well

then he wanted a dog and got one - how happy was this chap (see pic below)- i think hes hooked

back up to the pub again and another late one - we had great talk of going for big wrasse the next day but the 3 days had taken their toll and we headed back to the mainland at lunch.

definitely go back - no surprises but good solid fishing and any amount of exploring left to do

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sounds like ye had a good weekend and went fishing too

Ah, its a hard oul station ,,, a few beers ,a bit to eat and then down to the pier to stare the locals out. To the pub then to to get lashed and play poker. Up early,, out of the tents at ten and got the breakfast in. More fishing and back to the pub for a bit of refreshment. More fishing but the 2 new lads didnt fancy the fishing so we headed back to the pub. Next day more fishing and went for grub in the pub and more black stuff. More fishing then back up to the pub again and another late one. No wonder the 3 days took their toll Great weekend, well done,,,if only i was 10 yrs younger

should have said we were steadily supping on the tins on the pier aswell - some serious drinking - not fully right yet!

still waiting for the other lads to give me their pics which should be better than above

Well done lads sounds like ye had a bit of craic anyone fall asleep at their post?

nice reading m8...and well done to all of you

Great report - sounds like a great weekend - apart from Saturday's weather

nice one lads sounds like it was good oul craic

sounds like a great weekend and good fishing well done

well done Brian and the other lads,nice to see a report from one of the islands,nice too see ye got some fish and plenty of beer

good stuff corby thats my kind of weekend

that was some trip brian i'm surprised you can recall all that detail with all the "supping" that went on quality stuff and great report man

im still waiting for mark to come in with a post detailing everything ive forgotten! - but then again he could have been just as bad if not worse than myself

fishing and beer amongst friends - how bad

Was a cracker of a weekend, even if the weather didnt permit better fishing.

Been away on business (and yep you guessed it, more boozing ), I'm only just back, so will add more detail and some photo's later.

Roll on the kerry trip