Dingle Peninsula

People:The Unofficial Newtownabbey Sea Angling Club

Duration: 1 week

Tide: All states

Weather: All states

Bait: Allsorts

Rigs: Allsorts

Results: Bass Turbot Plaice Flounder Dogfish




Report: This was our second trip down this year to the peninsula and again we had a great time allround. The 5hr journey seems to get shorter the more we do it . We had planned to fish the surf beaches for the week but the weather had other plans and we only managed 3 days. For anyone on the site who hasnt made the journey theres only one way I can describe this part of our beautiful island ' Fishing Heaven'. We had fished day and night sessions on the surf beaches but I would stress the night sessions can be a bit hairy if you are unfamiliar with the terrain especially when your on one of the storm beaches with lateral runners, one second your up to your ankles in water next second its making its way inside your chest waders , we actually have found that there is just as much if not more catches during the daylight and its a lot safer so I would advise that option. I, on behalf of the club would like to thank Gerry O'Connor the crab man from Blennerville, hes a top bloke whos kindness was very much appreciated, if only all fishermen had his attitude. Also the locals in the area are a fantastic advertisement for tourism in the area and they looked after us no end and were very thankful.

On a sadder note, on our previous trip we had met a local couple who advised us on a good place to dig lugworm, we found it and the lug was plentiful and easily collected, so on our recent return journey we headed for the lug beds but when we got there it looked like the surface of the moon, huge craters the length of the flats and on closer inspection virtually lifeless. We had a go at collecting some lug but after an hour we still never had any so we just ploughed on with what we had brought down with us. On our way to the venue we called into a local shop and the girl in the shop told us that there had been a competition on the previous week with about 150 competitors taking part, she explained that they had been digging the lugbeds all week with up to 30 people at a time, the local fishing community are saying this area may never fully recover. I have a few words for the organisers of this competition and the competitors but I will restrain myself and save a ban from the site, your a disgrace and you need re-educating, did you seriously think that digging 30-40lb of lugworm per day for 5 days solid doesnt have a detrimental effect on the enviornment?

Anyhow I dont want to dwell on this as we still had a fantastic time and yes we did get some fish, heres a wee link to them
http://s1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff5 ... le%202010/

Congratulations to Tommy and Gordy for their first Turbot and Bass respectively, these fish are special whether the 1st or 100th, unfortunately we forgot scales and were only guessing at the weights. Well done lads.
Roll on May 2011

Tight Lines
Aaron

That some turbo in the picture and some nice bass aswell

Good going lads, some cracking Turbot there and some fine Bass...

well done lads thats a cracking turbot and fine bass
as well

well done mate brilliant fishing.. just looking through some of your photos there, were did ya stay and how much was it.. might head down in January

that is a deadly turbot

Great report , this is what it's all about . Some great fishing there and one of the best shore caught turbot I've ever seen

What a week yis had, cracking fishing lads

Great fishing lads. That's a beast of a turbot!

Just a note to say if those lug beds are in an SPA or SAC then the National Parks and Wildlife Service could very well, and quite legally ban all bait gathering in an area, probably a bigger geographical area than the specific beds.

This kind of behavior can affect everybody in ways that we couldn't imagine once the machinery of state gets the wheels moving.

Maybe the next time there is a competition entrants can be warned.

thats sad news alright about the lug beds - ive heard it all over the country about lug beds being dug out and not recovering

Keeping it all positive, some fine looking bass and I agree that Turbot is a massive fish to be caught of the shore. Well done and I bet worth the trip

cheers guys, the turbot is a cracker and he will find it hard to better that of the shore.

Lovely report there lads really was.. If I am been honest i would s*** myself if i seen a turbot that side on me line!!!

well done nice turbot, a couple of spots on the dingle area to dig lug, barrow harbour tralee bay. killishannig brandon area.some big turbot to be had at banna strand, enter through the tralee golf couse course takes you to a carpark 50 yards fom the beach.

smashing pics in ur foto bucket.love that big turbo.can get loads sa small 1s but not that size.that marks looks good too with plenty surf