Barna, Galway 3rd October

People:
Myself
Duration:
3 1/2 hours. 6.15 pm- 9.45 pm
Tide:
High around 8ish
Weather:
Nice
Bait:
Fresh mackerel
Rigs:
Pulley and 2 hook flappers
Results:
2 dogfish, 4-5 small pollack, 4-5 small coalfish and 1 goby (I think)



Report:
I had tried to fish in Salthill a couple of days earlier in the howling wind but had no success. With the sea being so unsettled I said to myself I would try some beach fishing once things settled down, as I had a feeling that there would be plenty of food available for the fish to follow in.

On Wednesday I was keeping an eye on the conditions and as the evening passed the weather was improving nicely. I had planned to try a flattie session in Silverstrand into dark. I called into Duffys on the way home from college to pick up some lug but they were all out.. Not to be put off, I headed up to Gannets fish mongers for some fresh mackerel fillets.

On the way out to the mark I decided that without lug I might be wasting my time targeting flatties. Instead of stopping at Silverstrand I continued out the road for another 5 mins to Barna pier. I have heard that Barna usually isn't a great spot but with a high spring tide I figured that there would be loads of water to fish into.. And you just never know when fishing a new mark!

I arrived out around 6ish and got set up as quickly as possible. I launched a pulley rig with the mackerel out at distance and set up a smaller rod with a 2 hook flapper for working close to the pier. No sooner that I had the lighter rod in the water that I started getting knocks. The first fish of the day was a small goby I think (first ever one)? It was busy all session in close to the pier wall with the fresh mack picking up a number of small pollack and coalies (first from shore this year). None were of any great size but it was still good to be catching something. I should probably have used smaller hooks as I missed a lot of bites, but I'll know for again.

For the fist couple of hours all I was getting on the rod at distance was weed and crabs. Just as I was about to reel in to put on a conger trace I noticed a few taps on the rod tip. I gave it a couple of minutes to develop and was into a doggy. Rejuvenated with this catch I threw it straight back out and managed to catch another doggy later on.

All in all a decent session.. Nice weather and two new species for the year. Think I'll try it again soon and see if I manage a wrasse or two from there.

(Sorry about quality of pics. My phone has no light on the camera)

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nice wee report gerty. very nice

you did well to get some sport off barna pier its usually rubbish

duffys never have lug, corrib might have the odd frozen wrap

i would always go to silverstrand over barna - far more likely to catch some flatties the odd coaly and some surprises

you did well to get some sport off barna pier its usually rubbish

duffys never have lug, corrib might have the odd frozen wrap

i would always go to silverstrand over barna - far more likely to catch some flatties the odd coaly and some surprises

Although id prefer to have lug for silverstrand, thin strips of mackerel fillets would work just fine.
Well done on getting a few fish off that pier, really is usually useless!
Where in Salthill did you try and did you fish into darkness?

Hi Chris,

I fished from the small slipway beside the main car park in Salthill from about 5.30-7.15 pm with a friend. The weather was very windy and the weights wouldn't stick and were getting dragged around with the waves. We were just hauling in weed and loosing gear so packed up before it got dark. Also, good to know that mackerel strips will do the job at Silverstrand!! Cheers

not saying you need lug necessarily - its just the original poster menioned it

best fishing i had on silverstrand was with rag one night...

Hi Chris,

I fished from the small slipway beside the main car park in Salthill from about 5.30-7.15 pm with a friend. The weather was very windy and the weights wouldn't stick and were getting dragged around with the waves. We were just hauling in weed and loosing gear so packed up before it got dark. Also, good to know that mackerel strips will do the job at Silverstrand!! Cheers

That place can fish well sometimes, gone downhill in the past few years though, try fishing in close with 3 hook flappers with size 4's along the beaches when there is a bit of a surf, always flounder around, generally in october, once it gets dark there should be whiting and coalies every cast with a few flounder and rockling thrown in! Havent fished it this year though, could be different to the past few years!

I'd be out right and frequent on the kayak and there's usually a few pollock and wrasse about, ballan and cuckoo, around this time of the year last year I managed a nice codling. Haven't tried for the flatties but will give it a go on the fly.

Cheers for the info lads. I'm definitely going to try some of those beaches at Salthill soon.. The numbers of swimmers is dropping with this cold weather which will make things a bit easier!!