Achill, Mayo 9th June 2012

People: Myself

Duration: 4pm - 10pm

Tide: coming in to HW (3.8 m)

Weather: sunny, occasional cloud, almost flat calm

Bait: Mackerel, squid, black lug and sandeel (mack was most effective)

Rigs: paternosters, float

Results: 2 flounder, 2 pollack, 1 wrasse at Keem Bay, 1 pollack at Purteen Harbour and was given (sob!) three superbly large mackerel by some nice lads (FN) who arrived there to go congering...





Report: Headed for Keem, brilliant sunshine on the way down so spotted the eel grass in the shallow LW conditions. Worked my way out to the corner and got a line in the water with 2 mack baits. Was rigging up the second when the first tapped. In came a nice flounder. I was casting out to the margins of the eel grass bed (still visible). Second rod was sent out in the same direction. Was playing around with float gear when it tapped - in came a spotted flounder. Yep - flounder has spots in these parts. No Dabs, probably a month too late for here. Saw a school of mullet shimmer past and this was rapidly followed by human seals on a jetski (shotgun anyone?) who insisted on screaming past me despite their having the entire bay to play in. w****rs. Swiftly followed by a real seal, 5 metres from me. Fishing died off for a while, switched to the shaded area and brought in two small pollack and a half decent wrasse.

Decided to head for Purteen for HW in the hope of a mack (not a sniff in Keem) and to avoid being cut off by the tide... getting tiresomely cautious in my dotage! Arrived in Purteen to find it empty. Dropping in a lien took a small pollack. No sign of macks. Talked to the local priest (!?) who turned out to be a mine of information on far superior local marks - including turbot from Doagh strand (which actually has sand in it this year). As he departed two lads arrived carrying a BUCKET of mackerel - big fat 1.5 lb plus animals. When they described how they were going to use them for conger bait, I rescued them for the pan and gave them my (very expensive) shop bought bait, courtesy of Doug in A Shore Thing in westport. Doug and his stories eh? He could do with putting up a price list and maybe arranging lease terms...

Anyhow nice day out. More rubbish left on marks. Macks for breakfast. Poor enough fishing but I do have three new marks to try out next time. Anyone know where "lourdy's" pub is?

GLN

For the record the last vestiges of the "cathedral rocks" on Keel disappeared in a storm this winter.

keem really beautifull beach fished there oct last year on our yearly visit it was blowing pretty hard still managed plenty of fish i had a 3 trigger fish and plenty of flounder and dabs hope the beaches of belmullet throw up plenty of fish this year

Lourdes is I'm dooagh I think. It's called "The Pub".

Damn phone!!! Lourdys is in dooagh!!! Called "The Pub"!!

That part of the world is almost therapeutic,fish or no fish,nice post,spent the day out there yesterday unfortunately no rods with me