Mason Island- 23-29 oct- MY Island

People: Me mostly

Time: various, usually only 2 hour sessions

Tide: again, various...

Weather: light showers,and some calm overcast days

Bait: Mack, sandeel, rag and Jellies

Rigs: 3/0 pennel pulleys, jellies with drilled bullets

Results:Pollock, wrasse, bullhuss....

The Report

So it was time for my annual ' Bring a group of my mates off for a long weekend of mischief around halloween time'. We've done Castles, deserted villages in valleys and such... this year- an island...
I booked it for the week, as it was only €240 for the week, eventhough I knew most would leave Monday

Got to Carna on Friday, And the owner of the house, Tom Geary, brought us out in his Currach... What a place! It is the only inhabitable house on Mason Island, which lies bout 1/4 mile off land. I was the only one fishing most of the time, and each session was short due to ppl wantin me to get bladdered with em, but one mate also fished one day.. I initially tried the beach and channels at the back, but tide was on the ebb both times and nothing biting, but all looked promising.
I found a deep water mark on the sheltered side of the island, only 10 mins stroll from house. You have run of the island, bar sharing it with a herd of Bullock
The water is crystal clear, and from this mark I had Pollock from the get go on Storm Jelly sandeel, they outfished all other jellies I had with me. Fish came up to 5lb, and almost a fish a cast, averaging 2-3 lb. I had a float rod so tried the rag I had- wrasse came a leppin at them! nothin mostrous, best bout 2lb, most though were those 8 inch fellas....
after gettin a sore arm from battling Pollock, I put out a pennel pulley with mack/sandeel, it had not settled when the rod was gettin pulled outta the rest!!! I grabbed and had a brief tussle before snagging..lost fish and rig...dammit! I knew it was rough ground but fished on.. Had 3 bullhuss in quick succession, no monsters, bout 3lb or so..

I also had a 2euro shop keepnet out as a prawn net, baited with mack... OUt of the corner of my eye I noticed the rope tighten... Followed it out to where the net was, only to see a conger of about 4ft tryin to liberate the mack!! The hoor managed to get out, I rebaited the trap and popped back out, it was only in the water maybe 2 mins, when the trap diasspaered into the kep, as , though deep, the water is crystal clear!!! I pulled and fought it back- to find the bottom of the net torn out, the framed alltwisted and buckled, and the mack gone- damn conger!!haha..

This was the best ses I had, Tend to keep returnin here, as DIdn;t want to spend anymore precious sessions tryin out other spots to only come up blank. MOst evenings I'd come down with tele rod and jellies, bag a Pollock for dinner, and have it shallow fried , only dipped in flour, black pepper and paprica. yum!!

I cannot speak highly enough of this little gem of a find! the waters seem largley unfished. The house sleeps 11, but unless lads are very close pals, you could really be lookin at 67 max stayin, that's a bed each but hey, what happens on the island can stay on the island, to each there own...

I'm defo gonna return in '10, not with a gang of drinkers, but just me and a few fishin people friends.. and more varied bait!!
only downside was the elec comes from a diesel generator, so a9 ppl using it on average 20 hours a day notched up the price, but could be done frugally with cop on, candles, batteries, briquettes etc..
I'll attach the link as to where I found it or ya can give Tom Geary a call if you're interested in bookiin it yourselves...

087 2249487- Tom Geary

http://www.shamrockcottages.co.uk/prope ... carna-217/

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Some more pics....

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looks like a place id fancy a few days in
how on earth did you come across it

man that sounds like paradise .Nice report well done

Well done Dáire those Islands are great craic alright Pollack are the biz at that size on the light gear.... i'll send you a PM something of interest recently discovered around those Islands too by the way did you get a sniff of any Raymonds?

No rays, but as I marked, there are 2 channels at the back, that I reckon fish well for em, I was against the clock most sessions, so didn;t get too adventurous tryin different marks after I found a spot that worked well.....

I use that shamrock cottages site alot, Like to book cottages and go off for a week alone, painting and fishing, I'm essentially a loner, that crazy old mountain man, hence the beard I guess

YOu can get great places for as little as 150 euro for a week, hidden gems, to hell with 2 week package holidays I say..

You didnt mark where the buried treasure is on Brokeback Island ,,,,,,only joking thats an excellent find Daire, great report which would definitely get me interested ,,dont suppose theres any Bingo nearby for the wife ,,i'm just thinking of her trying to start the generator

Very interesting stuff daire, sounds like you had a ball, shame you didnt get more time fishing by the looks of it.

I'll save that link/no, I'd fancy a trip there next year

Fishing, beer & solitude....does it get any better

Ah the generator starts with one big green button in the house,-very fancy stuff...

I got to fish bout an hour or 2 everyday, but figured people have seen enough pictures of pollock and wrasse
There is a burial ground on the island, you could dig that up and see what the ghosties bring you as treasure.

As for bingo, I don't know, but I did hear a rumour thta the bullocks were running an illegal slots room somewhere down the back of the island...

Great report Spindle nothing like a bit of isolation fishing,lookin out your window every morning surrounded by water hhhmmm i wonder what ill do today.When you shallow fried the Pollock did you add some of those wild mushrooms looks like there was plenty on that island.

It's so good they have named a island after me i'm so proud. Did you find any treasure x marks the spot.

excellent report man . that looks like a fishermans paradise. i'd be careful what mushrooms you pick for the pan fried pollack a handful of liberty caps could make a night session very interesting indeed could end up somewhere between wild fishing with henry and the blair witch project

Yeah, avoided the mushrooms, but there was plenty of weeds and local connemara 'water'...

Great find there say its worth a weeks fishing

now thats living the dream well almost[10 blokes deserted island?]must have been great to have the freedom and choice
to go and hunt for different species and know no one is going to disturb you thats paradise you dident see a fella with
I SHOT JR on his shirt did ya

bookmarked that link - looks like a great spot! Great report.

Conor

now thats living the dream well almost[10 blokes deserted island?]must have been great to have the freedom and choice
to go and hunt for different species and know no one is going to disturb you thats paradise you dident see a fella with
I SHOT JR on his shirt did ya

There were actually ladies there, girlfriends and such, just used the terms 'mates' to describe friends being there...

I want to go back and hunt the conger off the rocks, as the water is so clear, you can see the beasts down in the deep when they are at our chum bait/ prawn traps..

Great report - but shame you didn't get more fishing in as it seems to be a great spot. You better bring a few dedicated anglers with you next time.

great report daire and awesome place indeed,shame about the fishing didn't work out right

nice one Daire, that looks like a real GEM of a place, would love to spend a week or so on there. " an anglers paradise " by the looks of it great report and love the pic's mate