Donaghadee Pier, Co. Down. 23rd May 2010

People: Me & Daniel

Duration: 9:00 - 12:00

Tide: High at 8:00ish

Weather: Too nice!

Bait: Rag

Rigs: 2 hook flappers

Results: Me - 1 flounder, Daniel - Nil




Report:

What can I say. Lovely day out but no fish!. There were 3 other guys fishing and none got so much as a touch. Even the crabs didn't seem to be at home.

Was the dredger still there? I was reading an article on the net which said once a harbour has been dredged it takes a year to 'recover'. Don't know if this will apply to the Dee but will be interesting to see how it fishes over the year.

Kelvin,

I've heard of fish being caught since the dredger finished.

I guess we just got it on a bad day.

We normally fish the edge of the piers so the dredger won't have ripped these apart.

Its still a bit early for the Wrasse which normally form the bulk of our catches there.

im really in 2 minds over the whole dredger issue.......

I appreciate it disturbs the environment and rips apart anywhere food stuffs may like to congregate, and so will thus affect the fishing. I know i wouldnt do to a chippy that had no food in it

HOWEVER, when i was a younger man (im only 28) i spent a lot of time down in wexford town when they were constructing the new marina. Previously to this, the only thing to be had in the harbour was flounder and schoolies (with the exception of the annual 10lb bass being talked about in the bar). once they started disturbing the seabed to construct the marina, a huge head of codling came into the harbour! most were small but i saw some up to 3-4lb being caught!

just a thought...

unlucky alan. still seems to be blowing hot and cold then . but just one note of interest. since the dredging there seems to have been more flounder caught there than i can remember in the last 3 years . mabey it's gonna be a good flattie mark for the future

nobuzz,

I believe the wrasse fishery down there is pretty dead. I've been watching it low tide over my past few sessions and the ground that would have held the wrasse down the edge is all but gone. it's pure sand right up onto the lip now. Maybe over the back wall will weild a few more wrasse but I definitely think you're barking up the wrong pier for wrasse this year anyway....

There's a good head of flounder in the mouth of the harbour now, Accompanied by a good load of 20-40cm Coalfish, You have to try harbour for the variety fishing there once was but there's definitely still a lot to play for down there.

and as for the dredger issue, I think the dredging may have been a blessing for the area I havent enjoyed Donaghadee fishing this much in many years.

I'm gonna give it a go some evening soon to see how it goes.

Aim to the right of, but not as far as, the yellow drum.