Donegal Bay, flounder and seatrout.

People:Me

Duration:6 hours

Tide:4hrs ebb, 2 hrs flood

Weather:Great!, slight breeze and sunshine.

Bait:Mackerel strip.

Rigs:2 hook flapper, 1 up - 1 down, both with beads/sequins.

Results:22 flounder and 2 seatrout.




Report:
I originally intended to fish the beach for the ebb and then go dig some lug and target a few wrasse at another mark but I ended up staying on the beach as the action was constant.
There was just a little wave action close in and I fished at very short range. Both rigs produced fish though the 1 up - 1 down produced more, unfortunately this type of rig gets much more twisted and tangled in the surf and by the end of the session the "1 down" was coiled up like a spring. Perhaps a heavier mono snood is called for. The first flounder was around the 22cm mark and then the little ones started coming in ones and twos punctuated by the occasional better one in the 22-26cm range. Last report, I had my best flounder and this time I got what is probably my smallest flounder at 11cm. I was using a standard 4-6oz beachcaster and a lighter 2-4 oz one , the latter produced the best flounder of the day at 34cm and with the lighter 4oz lead it did put up something of a struggle. I think I'll try to get away with a 2oz lead on an even lighter rod the next time I fish there; the swell and currents don't always allow that however. The bites continued steadily, one of the advantages of fishing close in is that you can actually see the bites which is something I like. Coming close to low water, the big rod gave a ferocious lunge as a seatrout did a hit and run on the mackerel strip. Even on the big rod it fought well, running up and down the beach. It weighed in at exactly 2lb, another PB for me. It was about the same length as one I caught back in Feb. but was much plumper. It's almost a waste catching such a fish on a 4-6oz beachcaster, imagine the sport you would have on a fly rod. Around low water it was quiet for a while but picked up again with a few more flounder and another smaller seatrout which took the bait as I was retrieving it. At this point I ran out of bait so I called it a day.

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interesting read

Haha that pic of you with the rods crossed behind ya is rather epic! Kudos on a good day out

nice sea trout sir and its great to hear that the fishing is coming back, wow 22 flounders. Know what you mean about the lower snood so on lighter line i would use a small boom

a small but perfectly formed flounder, a wee cracker
and a very nice sea trout!
great pics and another nice report. some nice fishin JW, well done

Wow, well done indeed! A smashing report and some lovely fish there, I live in Donegal and that makes me feel like getting out my rods again after the red tide!

the redtide is well gone,,,your missing out on the action

Wow, well done indeed! A smashing report and some lovely fish there, I live in Donegal and that makes me feel like getting out my rods again after the red tide!

Nice fishing............

Nice fishing John was the biggest flounder for the plate..... Nice sea trout should of held the fish up higher your starting to drop your mask!!!!!!!

nice sea trout sir and its great to hear that the fishing is coming back, wow 22 flounders. Know what you mean about the lower snood so on lighter line i would use a small boom

Thanks MC, things seem to be recovering. I would normally use a boom on the lower snood when using a grip lead to try and avoid the wires but it might be worth trying with the plain lead I use when after flounder.

a small but perfectly formed flounder, a wee cracker
and a very nice sea trout!
great pics and another nice report. some nice fishin JW, well done

Thanks Chuckaroo, I have to admit I get a kick out of catching the occasional tiny fish, remember I tin sardines and tuna!

Wow, well done indeed! A smashing report and some lovely fish there, I live in Donegal and that makes me feel like getting out my rods again after the red tide!

If you're not in, you can't win!

Nice fishing John was the biggest flounder for the plate..... Nice sea trout should of held the fish up higher your starting to drop your mask!!!!!!!

Thanks Sparkey+1, and all the fish went back. What mask?

That's a nice amount of fish you caught more Flounder in one session than Ive caught all year!!!

nice fishing. good to see the trout showing up

on just mack strip! nice job

congrats on a great session and all on mackeral strip.


john a

congrats on a great session and all on mackeral strip.


john a

Thanks Weasel, this particular stretch of sand doesn't seem to have any lug on it, I guess sandeel is the main food source so mackerel strip is a good substitute, and it's a lot easier on the back!