Donegal Ray

[chuckaroo]

People: myself and Jack

Duration: 5pm - 8.30pm

Tide: high around 6pm

Weather: great. calm

Bait: mack

Rigs: 3/0 hooks, wire traces

Results: my first ray

Report: should i / shouldn't i ?... that was the question. in the end decided that i should..
so, the previous day i texted no less than 5 people to see if they fancied joining or meeting me, but none could. excuses of stag parties, child-minding, and couldnt be bothered came back (oh, and one no repsonse.. ) so i thought it looked like it was going to be me and my own. ah well, i had done it many times before. i was determined!
saturday morning came and conditions were perfect, i just couldnt put it off any longer, i was going. i wanted to get away early but decided to have a bit of a lay-in eventually got up and got myself ready but then the nephews and nieces arrived so didnt get away until after lunch the going was a bit slow in the busy Saturday afternoon traffic but it was a great day and plenty to see. arrived at the mark about 4.30pm - it was just perfect - sunny, calm and quiet. great

after a snack and some surveying of the area i got the first rod out to distance. i thought i'd have a quick spin on the other rod to see if there were any sea trout about (it looked as if there could be) but soon gave up on that; i sat down to set-up that rod for bait fishing also. thats when the first rod took a nice knock - only 10minutes into the session - happy days. i struck in and reeled in a nicely spotted (lesser) doggie - so that was me reasonably happy, at least i'd saved the blank. (note to self: always remember that the wellies arent chest waders.. )

with the wellies and socks off in the hope that they would dry-out in the sun i got the second rod out. just as i sat down to relax the first rod took another knock, a nice bend, and so rushing to the waters-edge (barefooted mind ) i struck in. i could feel a slow lunging pull on the fish, one that i had never felt before, and so i started thinking that this could be it! - my first ever ray! and indeed it was, happy days, im guessing about the 3lb mark - not big by any means but i was more than chuffed! a few photos and off it went. yes!
anyway, got another doggie and another ray after that. at one point a very decent mullet came in close into the shallows, about 6 or 7lb im sure, and a few tiny sea trout jumped; also, a seal popped his head up for a while to have a look at me. things started getting very slow in the last hour and then the feckin midges came out. eventually they got the better of me and, with the fishing slow, it was time to pack up.
headed home a very content fisherman. i had had a great day with perfect surroundings and perfect weather. really enjoyed the whole day, journey an' all

journey total: 1hr55mins to get to mark, 1hr35mins to get home, £30+ petrol. 180mile round trip. well worth it (once in a while)

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Last edited by chuckaroo on Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:54 pm, edited 4 times in total.

a couple more....

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Well done on the ray Cracking photos also!!

Great photos, Scary lookin lads the thornies

[chuckaroo]

cheers lads

quick video of release too:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3zodFFr_K4Q

Last edited by chuckaroo on Sun Jun 12, 2011 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

nice ray there, well done

Well done on Ur first Ray Nice photos thooo

great when a plan comes together well done on your first ray,great pictures and report

nice one i enjoyed yoyr wee video too..for one second i taught there was going to be no ray in the vid at all

man well done great fishing.congrats on your first ray looks beautiful im rubbish at estimating sizes but christ he looks a bit over the 3lb mark!a few more trips to that mark in the coming months i imagine
tightlines
fergal

Nice result chuck, well worth the round trip and the 30 quid!!

Well done on getting your first ray. The first of many I hope. Nice photos as well.

well done nice ray, many more to come & great pics

Great stuff pal, glad to see you finally nailed one. I really must get up there again myself some time and have a proper bash at them.

Long way, hard graft but well worth it!

Well done on the ray. Cracking result for the effort.

well done on the ray chuck!!!! im after my first 1 myself, heading over to swilly this week some time, i hope i get 1. its nice to have 1 of ur wishlist, well done mate!!!!

nice ray

you have given me hope that i might get my first one this year

Great photos, Scary lookin lads the thornies

mad looking beasts they are Cormdogg and i wasnt aware they could have thorns all up the edge of their flanks either! i was caught out a bit there.. cheers

nice ray there, well done

cheers grady, was nice to get one

Well done on Ur first Ray Nice photos thooo

cheers Zud

great when a plan comes together well done on your first ray,great pictures and report

cheers mate. indeed, the plan came together nicely. was pretty chuffed. i could very well be back to try for a bigger one

nice one i enjoyed yoyr wee video too..for one second i taught there was going to be no ray in the vid at all

its in there from the start brian.. then disappears for a bit ...i wasnt chasing it and getting another soaking down the wellies again!

:D man well done great fishing.congrats on your first ray looks beautiful im rubbish at estimating sizes but christ he looks a bit over the 3lb mark!a few more trips to that mark in the coming months i imagine
tightlines
fergal

cheers fergal. i'll defo be back sometime, great spot. hey, the more i think about it maybe it was over 3lb - but only just

Nice result chuck, well worth the round trip and the 30 quid!!

aye, knowin the price of petrol these days (and being a Ballymena man ) i would have been disappointed to have blanked! would have been nice to have got a big one too tho

Well done on getting your first ray. The first of many I hope. Nice photos as well.

cheers tom, the first of many i hope too

well done nice ray, many more to come & great pics

cheers Fisherking

Great stuff pal, glad to see you finally nailed one. I really must get up there again myself some time and have a proper bash at them.

Long way, hard graft but well worth it!

cheers bootster man, but not too hard a graft in the end i reckon. much easier drive home when you have succeeded in the mission.. was a great day - weather-wise and scenery-wise...

Well done on the ray. Cracking result for the effort.

cheers lad

well done on the ray chuck!!!! im after my first 1 myself, heading over to swilly this week some time, i hope i get 1. its nice to have 1 of ur wishlist, well done mate!!!!

cheers fagan. its a very different fish that im used to catchin so was nice to see one up close. i tried the swilly 2 or 3 times before without success but put the time in and with a bit of luck i hope you get one mate

nice ray

you have given me hope that i might get my first one this year

ha, just need to be in the right place mate. good luck!

good going lads,,,well done on getting your ray chuckaroo,,,great pics

love the report man, well done on the ray