Dunanny Co. Louth

People:
1
Duration:
2 hours from 1pm to 3pm
Tide:
going out
Weather:
sw breeze
Bait:
mackerel + peeler
Rigs:
2 hook 2/0 pennell bomber
Results:
Blankedy blank again

Report:
I'm a complete novice but pretty eager.
Dunanny point is a beautiful beach very secluded (beach all to myself all of the time) and of mixed ground. Tide comes in to meet shale and is quite deep even a few feet out when the tide is in full. I've only ever caught plaice + dabs + eels here on lug (dug freshly) and only when the tide is out. But I'm sure I can/will catch others. Any tips would be very welcome to improve success rate.

Grangebellew,
I've caught a number of tope from my boat while anchored really close into the point up until the end of October, and I know of one that was caught from the shore there in september. Bass have been scarse this year, but there is usually the odd one to be caught on the flood tide after an onshore blow, I understand razorfish is the bait they have been catching them on. You are right it is a beautiful place, long may it stay like that. :) :) :)

Hi Fish Magnet,
Thanks for the tips. Bass is one of the main fish I'm after (although I've never caught one). Razorfish is a bait I've never considered. I suppose it should be readily available. How do I recognize its markings on the sand?

Tope is interesting but a little out of my league right now but it's something to consider as I start to bring in other species.

Best regards, :wink:

See the Book of Bait. Bottom of page 6.

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/Book%20of%20Bait.pdf

Hi Sandman,
Thanks for the link. :D This is a really good quick guide.
Best regards,

Yup, the Book of Bait is the place to start, every time.

I do know it mentions the holes look like a keyhole and this will be true in hard sand where the tide has moved back without waves. In softer sand or where there is a bit of swell, the holes can slump in a bit so they don't have such a definite appearance. Experience will tell in the end.

I can't recall offhand, but I don't believe the Book of Bait mentions the rather obscure method of spearing razor - which is less dramatic than it sounds. Get a 2 foot stainless steel rod, put a sharp point on one end and create two barbs - one on either side of the point.

You then thrust this down a likely looking hole in the sand, rotate through 90 degrees to engage the barbs and withdraw - hopefully with a razor impaled on the end.

If you're using the salt method, be aware that razors can shuck their shell if you are slow to pull them up. I normally get the tip of the spade slid under to block their escape as I reach for the shell.

I don't recommend digging if the beach does not have a shallow 'bottom' that the razors cannot get down past.

Another tip is to walk softly - if you go stamping about on the sand, the razors will dig way down. Seems they're very sensitive to vibrations.

Hi Sandman,
Thanks for the great detail. :shock:
Wow, the spearing sounds interesting.
I can't seem to remember wheather or not I came across a keyhold like marking in the sand. I've seen plently of empty shells so they must be there :wink:

I have another quick question, is there any resources you know of to find out when my local tide will be neap or spring.

Many Thanks,

Look at the moon (I'm serious) or this page:

http://stardate.org/nightsky/moon/

New and full moons produce spring tides twice 'monthly' (a lunar month is 29.53 days, so slightly different from a calender month), with the periods in between tending to neaps.

Check out this link: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/tides.html

Failing that, a close look at most national papers will reveal the moon phase and tide states for the major ports - usually beside the bit with the weather forecast.

Most tide prediction packages or the like (my chartplotter software does it) will also tell you.

Last of all, trusty tide table, available from most newsagents.

Or, if you like playing with your own web pages, get a load of this:

http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phase ... ases.phtml