St. Johns Point - mackerel - 20th April 2005

Got first mackerel of new year yesterday - great to see them again. Only got the one, mixed in with small pollock and coalies. Never seen got one of the shore this early so was really pleasant to land one. Also lost a conger of about 6lb at top of water. Thousands of tiny jellfish in the water, thumbnail size but an amazing amount. As it got dark they lit up the water with little bursts of phosphorecence, beautiful sight. Summers a comin'

Pete

Good to hear. What did you catch the conger on? St Johns has always fished well over the years but the last few years the place seems to be drying up.

Where do you fish when you go? I usually go right down behind the lighthouse and fish around the wee island thingy for pollack and wrasse.

Anywhere else in Donegal fishing well? Was thinking of heading up around Malin direction next week - any reports?

Shamrock,
Got the conger on mackerel, frozen stuff that I got from factories. Fished from rocks below the lighthouse, lot of divers there that evening though. St. John's can be a strange place at times, quite often it's all or nothing. Becoming busier every year though between divers, walkers other anglers, I wouldn't bother with it at all on bank holidays now.

Pete

Hey pete, which side of the point do you fish, the side facing sligo or the side facing killybegs??

Mark,
Sligo side mainly, deeper water that end.

Pete

Do you fish around where the small pier is, where the divers go? Or do you fish around the coner from this?

Mark,
Either. You'll lift fish all along there, just be prepared to loose gear as its 'hungry' ground.

Pete

I've spoken to the divers a few times before down there and they say they take a slice of bread underwater with them and the ballan wrasse come up to them and eat it out of their hands! :shock: