North Connemara 24.05.10

People: vinnycorrigan, chrisfeeney30, Bradan(wasn't fishing), myself and a group for the WRFB fishing awareness day

Duration: 18:00-01:00

Tide: LW@21:00

Weather: Beautiful Dry day wind rising ENE gusting F5/6

Bait: lug, sandeel, mackerel & squid

Rigs: long and lows, 2 & 3 hook clipped, flappers and running ledgers

Results: Flounder, Turbot, Whiting, Dogs, Thornback Ray




Report: I'd arragned to give Bradan a dig out at the fisheries board awareness day, so collected Vinny and Chris and set off. Arrived to find a flat calm beach with an Easterly offshore wind. After helping out demonstrating tying rigs we all helped the novice group with baiting up and casting. There were a few fish caught by the group early on including a lovely Turbot by the only lady in the group a nice plump 30cm. After the group had finished up around 21:00 Chris, Vinny and myself got down to some serious fishing ourselves. Chris had a flounder on the board already from earlier, Vinny had setup a running ledger on his Bass rod one of his favourite methods of fishing, i opted to send out a 2hook clip down with two nice Ray baits on them while Chris was scratching in close. Vinny lets a roar up the beach fish on feels good so grabbed the camera and went down to him and in comes a nice Thornback Ray Chris landed another Flounder at the same time. While i was still fishless having put out two sizable Ray baits earlier I was prepared to give them a good soak. I got a few knocks picked it up struck fish on in came a double shot of Ray the bigger one being 44cm Vinny meanwhile had just beached himself a 2nd Ray so we got a pic of the 3 together. I sent back out another two nice Ray baits and Chris put on a 3 hook clip down looking for Ray too. Vinny got a dog then I got another knock left it develop and got a much stonger hit and slack lined.... Good bit of weight this time i was thinking if this is one fish its going to be a cracker but having seen the first hit a few mins before the 2nd bigger hit i was pretty sure it was a double in came a nice brace of Male and Female Thornbacks the bigger being 46cm.....Chris then got off the mark with a nice Thornback Ray and followed it up with another 2 single Ray.... we had a few more dogs and the lads had some whiting. The wind was picking up as the night wore on and was gusting very strong in an Easterly direction. We packed up a 01:00 but would have loved to stay on fishing as it was turning into a decent session with 9 Thornback Ray landed..... there's always next time

Final Tally: (correct me if i'm wrong)

Vinny: 2 Thornback Ray, 1 Dog and 1 Whiting
Chris: 3 Thornback Ray, 2 Flounder, 2 Dogs, 1 Whiting
Myself: 4Thornback Ray, 4 Dogs

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

more pics......

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

last few...

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Was a nice day out, the lack of any sort of surf and clear water made the scratching tough but worked well in the end, nothing like getting ray from a beach
Well done to the new anglers too, they started to pick it up pretty quick!

excellent report Conor and a very good result by all means, I love the picture of the rays in the water, their camouflage is incredible, a big well done to all Starting to have withdrawal symptoms, again!!! Aarrghhh

really good report - like the first pic a lot

Well done Conor, Chris and everyone. That was some day's fishing. You's caught some really nice rays, good going. Great report as always Conor.
Who knows, if the wind hadn't have changed direction you's could have stayed on and got even more! - not that you's needed to, you's had enough at that stage to go home feeling very happy and pleased with yourselves.

how come there is never any women around to hold my fish when i catch em... hehe


sounded like a brilliant session lads.. well done

well done lads helping out on fishing awareness week now im really sorry that we did not get out! especially after looking at that first pic!! and the fish were'nt bad either!

nice going lads I think some of ye should have invested in some sun protection cream

really good report - like the first pic a lot

Ohhhh Brian, your so gonna be in trouble when I spill the beans this weekend

In fairness your right about that 1st pic, she's a cracker, boy would i like to catch one of them

.............. a 30cm turbot that is

Great fishing lads, and some good work done with the program no doubt, must have been the karma gods looking after you with a session like that - save some ray for me this weekend please

Excellent Stuff Conor.

really good report - like the first pic a lot

I agree

Very tasty indeed, I mean the fishing that is, lol

great to see ye supporting and promoting the awareness week lads , great fishing too , and lots of good photos here too .
That's a cracking pair .......... of thornbacks

smashing session there lads.all pics r great.im dyin 4 a turbot and thornie my self

cracking session lads with plenty of thornies all round . good to hear the fisheries awareness week went well too

must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives

must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives
must get me a turbot before baby arrives... must get a turbot before baby arrives

I was sure you hooked into a whopper that time you got your first ray1 Pity haha

use are like flys on shite nice fishing lads

Good session lads some fine fish