North Coast Turbot. Ballycastle Fri 27th and Sun 29th April

People:Friday: me and Darren, Sunday: just me

Duration:Friday: 3pm - 9pm, Sunday: 11am - 8.30pm

Tide:HW early afternoon

Weather:sunny but chilly. fresh cold wind both days

Bait:mackerel, sandeel, rag

Rigs:3 hook flappers. 2 up 1 down

Results:flounder, dab, sea trout and turbot

Report: For the last while now I have been trying to get a turbot from the shore but have failed on each and every attempt, until yesterday. I eventually got one I have been to North West Donegal, the Inishowen Peninsula, to the Whiterocks in Portrush, and now to Ballycastle. And, believe it or not, it was Ballycastle, the place closest to home, that produced.

On Friday I met up with Darren and fished with him from late afternoon into the evening. It was a fine sunny day, but cold, and the fishing was very slow, well, particularly for me anyway. It was Darren who produced the most fish as he managed a few flounder and dab, and he was happy with a nice wee sea trout of about 1lb that fell to a rag bait tipped with mack. I only managed two small flounder the whole session if I recall, things were just not to be and so I had to resign myself to returning on Sunday to increase my efforts.

Sunday came along and Darren met up with me in the morning to provide me with a nice box of fresh rag. So, with fresh rag, frozen sandeels and mackerel, and with it being another fine sunny day, I was all set to go for yet another attempt - I just needed the turbot to turn up as by this stage I was beginning to think that they were something of a myth...

I put three rods out, all with three hook flappers and all with combinations of different hook sizes, rag, mack and sandeel baits. And, so anyway, to cut a long story short,..... on my first cast.... I caught a turbot I couldn't believe it! Seriously, i really couldn’t believe it I had to take a double-take as i watched it come out through the surf (it had gone for a small mack bait). I thought eventually, after all this time and effort, here was a little turbot right here on my doorstep. Happy days.

I was well happy and with the spirits soaring after having been successful on my first cast, I was thinking that with whole day ahead of me then there would surely be more turbot to come... but there wasn’t I stayed in the same place for the next for 4 or 5 hours, only to stop for a bite to eat, and only managed just a few small flounder. I then took advice to try other spots along the beach which i did but having casted out all distances with all rods in all directions, I got not even one bite over the last few hours of the evening...

Alllllll good. Now to get a bigger one on the fly...

A few pics below:

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few more:

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Well done on the turbo, I am after them too and cant seem to get em, good report and pics : )

Well done Chuck, thought you might get one there, congratulations!!!

Well done Chuck, I'm glad your effort paid off!!!

I've caught a few at Ballycastle in the past and I've always wondered how big they get to up there?

Great pics too!!!

HAPPY DAYS! man.
so the turbo quest is finally over. what's the betting the next time you fish waterfoot you'll get another one
great quality pics and report as always man

now theres a happy man!!!!

well down boss, glad to see you getting one.

dave

wicked stuff alltogether you caught your turbot congrats and had a few fish and some sublime pics aswell.

Good days sport. Always good to get your targets. well done

good going chuck well worth the wait,,,,,,nice fishing

Great fishing Chuck and cracking pictures, love those sunsets.

Monty

well done on your quest for a turbo. in the next couple of months you will find them bigger and more plentiful..

Well done Chuckaroo Good to get one after all your effort. Lovely photos too!

jump for joy chuck, u got 1. great result mate all the effort has payed off.

hope i get 1 now.

well done!!!

Well done chuck nice wee Turbot & a new species for the list.

Well done on the turbo, I am after them too and cant seem to get em, good report and pics : )

cheers tom, the persistence paid off eventually. class species of fish i reckon. keep at it mate

Well done Chuck, thought you might get one there, congratulations!!!

cheers dave. indeed, probably good a place as any to target them..

Well done Chuck, I'm glad your effort paid off!!!

I've caught a few at Ballycastle in the past and I've always wondered how big they get to up there?

Great pics too!!!

was pretty chuffed man, thanks. well, all i can tell you is that there were a few caught a couple of weeks ago form the beach and they were considered keepers i.e. they were kept for the pan. heard they they were a pound or two in weight so that sounds promising..
darren talked about how his dad reminisced of the "dustbin-lid" turbot that apparently used to be caught off that beach regularly maybe 30 or 40 yearns ago, they were commonplace. not the case now of course unfortunately would say you'd be doing well getting one at a pound or two mate?

HAPPY DAYS! man.
so the turbo quest is finally over. what's the betting the next time you fish waterfoot you'll get another one
great quality pics and report as always man

cheers Al. aye, i'll probably get a couple at waterfoot alright hopefully they will be huge!

:lol: now theres a happy man!!!!

well down boss, glad to see you getting one.

dave

cheers dave. happy man indeed

:P wicked stuff alltogether you caught your turbot congrats and had a few fish and some sublime pics aswell.

thanks fishy.

Good days sport. Always good to get your targets. well done

cheers crazyfish. a good days sport and a good days weather.. cant complain

good going chuck well worth the wait,,,,,,nice fishing

thanks polaris. now to get a bigger one..

Great fishing Chuck and cracking pictures, love those sunsets.

Monty

thanks Monty. was a fine evening indeed, pretty special sunsets over the bay, had to take a few pics

well done on your quest for a turbo. in the next couple of months you will find them bigger and more plentiful..

thanks ghosty. hey, if i find them more plentiful and bigger then i'll be well happy. hope your right

Well done Chuckaroo Good to get one after all your effort. Lovely photos too!

cheers Sweetwrasse. thanks

jump for joy chuck, u got 1. great result mate all the effort has payed off.

hope i get 1 now.

well done!!!

thanks fagy good luck on getting yourself one mate, hopefully they will start turning up more regularly now..

Well done chuck nice wee Turbot & a new species for the list.

indeed Fisherking. cheers!